Crime and Punishment
Miura's POV
Virtually everyone agreed that killing games were inhumane and horrific, but opinions varied when it came to what the worst part was. For some, it was living under the constant threat of death. For others, it was knowing that your friends or your classmates could betray you for their own gain. Still others believed that the worst part was being cut off from your homes and your families and denied any hope of leaving. Yet another perspective argued that it perverted all the ideals upon which civilization was founded- students were encouraged to kill each other, and were only punished if they got caught.
But what if the killings that occurred in the killing game took place in an ordinary society? How would those responsible for those crimes be investigated, tried and punished? What sort of impact would they have?
To answer these questions, I will share a few tales- one story from the past, three stories that involve our classmates in different times and places, and one look at the future...
Shattered Peace
Chiyuri's POV
Some of the stories are ones that might have happened in another time, or another place, but this one is a true story, one that happened to me a year before I came to Talent High School, two years before Miura-san's class followed me there, and a little less than three years before the Tragedy.
Saint Mary's Catholic High School is, by most people's standards, a good school. The teachers are excellent, explaining the material well while neither being too strict nor too lenient. The entrance exams are not overly difficult, and tuition is affordable. While it is, as the name implies, a Catholic school, it doesn't exclude those who don't share the school's beliefs. Most of all, it's a safe and reasonably welcoming school.
With that in mind, you can imagine our collective surprise when one fall day, a student brought a knife to school and plunged the blade into a classmate's chest.
The incident happened at lunch, although I didn't initially witness it or even initially know what was going on. Without any friends at the school, I ate lunch- usually a bento with rice and a couple other sides- at my desk alone, then sat around watching the other girls eating together and chatting. I didn't know how many people knew about my being born out of wedlock, since no one was willing to tell me, but it was clear that none of the groups of friends had space for me.
As the sound of sirens rang out, some of us got up to take a look, and I quickly followed suit. We peered out the window of our classroom on the first floor, which faced the parking lot, and saw an ambulance, as well as a police car, parked in the emergency access lane. The paramedics and police officers quickly rushed into the school's main entrance.
A few minutes passed as we watched in silence, and then the paramedics emerged, carrying a stretcher. A girl wearing our uniform was strapped to it; her blazer and shirt were unbuttoned and soaked with blood, her tie hung loosely around her neck and I could vaguely see what looked like bandages on her chest. The paramedics loaded her into the ambulance, and after a moment, sped to the hospital, sirens blaring.
Not long afterward, I saw two police officers, both women, leading another girl out. Said girl's hands were clasped together in front of her, and there were bloodstains on her uniform. It was easy for me to tell that she'd been handcuffed, even though she was far away and had a towel draped over her wrists. As she was ushered into the back seat of the police car, figuring out what happened was a matter of putting two and two together.
"That... was Kubo-senpai!" Yukino Sakurai, one of my classmates, said.
"You know her, Yuki-chan?" Ayano Ishikawa, another classmate, said.
"Not at all, Aya-chan," Sakurai-san said, "but my sister Yuri does. She heard some bad rumors about Kubo-senpai, but never imagined she'd do anything this awful."
"Eh, this is par for the course where I come from," Yuuko Arai said.
Everyone whirled around and looked at Arai-san. Out of everyone in this class besides me, she was the one who fit in the least, since she only hung out with Kitaniji-san, her friend from before she came to our school.
"Don't get me wrong, I hope the girl who got stabbed makes a full recovery," Arai-san said, "but this happened regularly when I was growing up, and not everyone who got stabbed made it."
We fell into an awkward silence before the teacher arrived and took charge of the classroom. While some students were better off than others, the majority of the student body was remarkably lucky in the grand scheme of things. We had safe homes to return to, and didn't have to worry about where we'd find food or other necessities. Regardless of how well we did in school, we had an opportunity to gain an education and better our own lives. We weren't completely sheltered from crimes and other disasters, but we had the benefit of trained professionals watching over us. The girl who had been stabbed was being rushed to a hospital and would likely survive, while the one who attacked her would receive a severe yet fair punishment, with her status as a minor appropriately considered.
I understood all this back then, but not nearly as keenly as I did once I became caught up in the killing game. By then, it was too late to go back to my former life, but at the very least, I could have a newfound appreciation for what I'd once had.
Necktie Party For One
Mitamura's POV
I sat in a holding cell in the village jail. It was a few meters wide each way, and featured a barred cell door, a cot, a stool, a barred window, and a bucket that served as a makeshift toilet. The only possessions I had in there were my clothes- a button-down shirt and a pair of overalls- and my copy of the Bible.
There was not much to do in there, but I knew I would not be there long enough to be bored. The village did not believe in keeping people locked up for long periods of time, since resources were scarce, so they only gave short jail sentences for minor crimes, like drunkenness. Crimes that involved financial loss to the victim, such as theft or destruction of property, were usually settled with a fine, while repeat offenders were forced to leave the village, and murderers were hanged in public. There were no exceptions to the latter, regardless of whether they were a beggar or the daughter of the largest landowner in town.
I understood that principle as well as anyone in town did, which is why, when I learned that Mr. Mizuhara had information that would ruin my reputation, I was determined not to get caught. The moment he lay dead, however, bludgeoned on the back of the head, I was frozen by terror and remorse, knowing full well what I had done. Shortly thereafter, I was caught, arrested and taken to jail. It did not take long for me to be convicted or sentenced to death, but while I nearly fainted upon hearing my sentence, I knew it was the price I must pay.
As I woke up at dawn this morning, I knew it was the last one I would ever see before my hanging. I looked myself over and washed my face. My clothes were as clean as I could hope for. I wished I could go to my hanging in my Sunday best, but beggars could not be choosers. After all, everyone in this town knew what I had done, so I would die with barely a scrap of my dignity left.
Outside my cell, Sae Edogawa, an acquaintance and former schoolmate, sat on a stool, carefully watching me. as she had been all night. Her appearance had changed dramatically since our days at the same schoolhouse- she'd cut her hair short and traded her gingham dress for a button-down shirt and overalls- so I'd barely recognized her when she helped arrest me. While there was no official uniform for the police, she had a badge pinned to the bib of her overalls and a belt that held her revolver.
"Good morning, Miss Mitamura," Miss Edogawa said. "How are you today?"
"I am well, ma'am," I said. "Thank you for asking."
"You're welcome," Miss Edogawa said. "I am required to inform you that your execution has been scheduled for 8 o'clock this morning, and will begin once Fa-the sheriff arrives. I appreciate how cooperative you've been so far, and am sorry that it came to this."
All I could say was "As am I, Miss Edogawa."
For as long as we had known each other, I had felt threatened by Miss Edogawa, who was not only a respectable young lady, but one of the few who was an academic rival to me. In the end, now that Miss Edogawa was a law enforcement officer, and I was a criminal sentenced to hang, I knew why- Miss Edogawa had always been the better person.
If our positions were reversed, and Miss Edogawa were sentenced to hang, I could think of at least one person who would be beside herself with grief- her long time best friend, Kaori Miura. The two had always been close, confiding in each other and using each other's first names, a rare gesture of intimacy considering that even my parents called each other "Mr. Mitamura" and "Mrs. Mitamura." Some said the two had been in love, but that love would be a sin, so Miss Miura was set to be married off, with Miss Edogawa as her maid of honor, a favor Miss Edogawa would likely reciprocate at her own wedding. Unfortunately, I would not live long enough to attend either wedding.
As for me, I expected that the last familiar face would be a classmate who had, at best, been an acquaintance, when Momo Iwasawa came in. Miss Iwasawa and her parents worked for our family as farm hands in a mutually beneficial proposition- the Iwasawas were too poor to afford their own land, while my family needed the extra help to farm ours.
Miss Iwasawa and I were the eldest daughters in our families, and around the same age, but because our stations in society were so different, unwritten social rules discouraged us from getting too close. That being said, I did feel a sense of obligation to help out Miss Iwasawa, and often tutored her in her classes. Perhaps calling us friends would be a misnomer, but Miss Iwasawa had a great deal of respect and gratitude for my efforts.
"Excuse me," Miss Iwasawa said, "but may I see Miss Mitamura?"
"Go right ahead, Miss Iwasawa," Miss Edogawa said, "since this is your last chance, after all."
I nodded, then stood at the cell door as I received my guest.
"Oh, hello, Miss Iwasawa," I said. "Do you not have work today?"
"Mrs. Mitamura gave me the day off," Miss Iwasawa said. "She told me that if I wanted to see you, I should go over at once."
I nodded and glanced over at the grandfather clock. It was already 7:30 in the morning, and my execution had been scheduled for 8.
"I must say, I am surprised," I said. "I did not think you'd come to see me after what I did. My parents refused to see me after my conviction."
"I am still having trouble coming to terms with it myself," Miss Iwasawa said, "that you would do something so terrible. I don't know what Mr. Mizuhara learned about you, or why you would kill him to keep it quiet, but whatever it was, I wouldn't have judged you."
I could only say "I am sorry." I knew it was not nearly enough to earn Miss Iwasawa's forgiveness, let alone that of the court that had sentenced me to death, but it was all I could do at this point.
"In any case, please forget about me," I said. "Most people will merely remember me as a murderer, and I imagine some of them will judge you for my association with me. Perhaps if you act as though you never knew me..."
Miss Iwasawa shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Miss Mitamura, but I can't do that," Miss Iwasawa said. "You've done so much for me, and given me so many fond memories. Forgetting about that would mean saying all the time we spent together means nothing. I owe you a great debt, but I will have to find some other way to repay it."
"Is that so?" I said. "Then please live a long and happy life. Be true to yourself, and do not pretend to be something you are not. I hope that you will not make the same mistakes that I did, and that when your time comes, your death will be more peaceful than mine."
We talked for a few minutes about the memories we shared together, until Sheriff Edogawa arrived to put a an end to her last visit.
"I must be going, Miss Mitamura," Miss Iwasawa said. "I hope to see you again in heaven someday."
"As do I, Miss Iwasawa," I said, "although I hope it will not be any time soon."
Miss Iwasawa then walked out of the sheriff's office, trying not to let me see her cry.
Shortly afterward, the town's minister arrived, and prayed with me one last time, during which time I asked the Lord for forgiveness of all my sins. The idea that all of us were sinners was a humbling one, and if I had understood that earlier, I might not have committed this crime in an attempt to protect my reputation. By the time we were done, the small hand of the clock had reached the 8 and Sheriff Edogawa had arrived.
"It's time, Miss Mitamura," Sheriff Edogawa said. "I hope you're ready."
"As ready as I will ever be, sir," I said.
I stood near the cell door, turned around and let Sheriff Edogawa handcuff my wrists behind my back. Once my restraints were secured, he unlocked the door and led me out of the cell, then out of his office.
The sheriff's office was one of several buildings in the city square, including the bank, the city hall and the church, and the gallows stood at the very center. It was a straight path from the sheriff's office to the stairs leading up to the gallows, and some deputies kept the way open.
After climbing the stairs for the first and last time, I saw that virtually all of the town had turned out for my execution. Murders were rather unusual here, so everyone clearly wanted to see whoever had disrupted our town's peace pay the price.
I was led to a beam running across the platform, and told to stand there while Deputy Edogawa placed the noose around my neck and tightened it. She also tied my legs together, more for the sake of my dignity than to keep me from escaping. Of course, I had no plans on running from my fate.
As the ropes were placed around my neck and ankles, I could hear a little girl, no older than six, talking with her mother at the front of the assembled crowd.
"Mama, what are they doing to that lady?" the girl said. "Why does she have a rope around her neck?"
"They're going to hang her, sweetie," the girl's mother said. "When the platform below her falls, she'll fall, too. The rope will stop her from falling, then tighten around her neck until she can't breathe anymore and she dies."
"Did she do something bad?" the girl said.
"She killed a man," the girl's mother said, "and now she's hanging to show everyone here that this is what happens when you break that law. Be good, or you might end up the same way."
I almost laughed at how my life had turned out. My parents had raised me to be a hard-working, honest farmer who would bring pride to the family, but in the end, my life was a cautionary tale to the young. The shame of this alone was enough to make me want to hang.
I would be lying if I said I was not afraid of the rope ending my life, or what would happen to me after my death, but I saw no other way. The crowd was eager to see justice served to me, proof of how much I was despised in my hometown, the one place I belonged. I had ruined my own life, but at least I would not have to live with that for much longer.
"Miss Reiko Mitamura," Sheriff Edogawa said. "For the crime of killing Mr. Minato Mizuhara, you will hang by the neck until you are dead. Do you have anything you wish to say before the sentence is carried out?"
I paused for a moment and took a moment to compose myself. The judge had decided that the only way for me to pay for my crime was with my life, and since my execution would be my final duty, I would face it with dignity.
"Yes, sir," I said. "I hope that Mr. Mizuhara's family is able to find some semblance of peace and closure. I would like to apologize to my family, and ask the town not to hold my actions against them. Lastly, I would like to thank my dear friend, Miss Momo Iwasawa, for her kindness toward a wretch like me. That is all."
Sheriff Edogawa stepped back, and then gave the signal, at which point the supports for the platform were collapsed, causing it to give way. I fell toward the ground, but my fall was suddenly stopped as the noose tightened around my neck. My neck did not break, but neither did the rope, so it was only a matter of time before I strangled to death.
As I hung there, gradually losing consciousness, I could faintly hear the sound of cheering. Justice had been served, and I was being punished for my crime. I did not deserve to be forgiven for what I had done, but the least I could do was give my life to repay my debt to the community.
To Absent Friends
One Monday morning, all of our high school- a prestigious all-girls high school- was asked to come to the auditorium for a school assembly. Naturally, my homeroom obeyed the summons- or rather, most of us did. Two of my classmates were missing- my friend, Kanae Tsukimura, and her best friend, Himeno Himemiya. Anyone who knew how close the two were might suspect they were cutting class together, but everyone knew they weren't the type to do that. Himemiya-san's family, which employed Kane-chan as a maid, was strict, so her parents would never stand for that behavior.
As I looked up onto the stage, I gasped in horror as I saw an enlarged and framed portrait of Kanae-chan in our school uniform- a white dress shirt, red neck ribbon, navy blazer and plaid skirt (the latter of which wasn't visible in the picture). Since there was a ribbon on the picture frame, I knew all too well what was going on.
"May I have your attention, please?" the principal said. "On Saturday afternoon, the school suffered a terrible tragedy when Kanae Tsukimura-san was fatally stabbed on the way home from school. A suspect has been arrested, and..."
My mind went blank upon hearing those words, which confirmed my fears, that I mostly tuned out the rest of the speech, which was the principal saying the usual things in response to a student's death. None of what they had to say was at all important at the moment; only that my best friend had died.
The day after the tragedy, I sat in my usual seat, behind Kanae's. The only trace of her left was a flower in a glass on her desk, to commemorate her passing, while a bouquet of flowers and a can of juice had been left at the crime scene. These were touching gestures, but only served to drive home the fact that Kanae-chan was gone forever.
Nagato-sensei calling my name during attendance snapped me out of my stupor.
"Sasaki-san," Nagato-sensei said.
"Here," I said, only realizing at this point that Himemiya-san had returned to school.
"Taiga Tachibana-san," Nagato-sensei said, making a rare exception to her almost exclusive use of last names to call on the twins.
"Here," Taiga-chan said.
"Tatsuki Tachibana-san," Nagato-sensei said.
"Here," Tatsuki-chan said.
"Yamazaki-san," Nagato-sensei said.
There was no reply from Yamazaki-kun, so Nagato-sensei marked him absent. Her decision to skip over Kanae's name was no accident; she knew Kanae would never come back. It was practical, but also a sad sign that people tended to move on from tragedies like this if they weren't affected. Of course, I wasn't the only one having a hard time, and I knew it wasn't half as difficult for me as it was for Himemiya-san. After attendance, the teacher called Himemiya-san to the front of the class.
"May I please have your attention, class?" Nagato-sensei said. "Himemiya-san has an announcement."
Nagato-sensei stepped aside to give the floor to Himemiya-san.
"Thank you very much, Nagato-sensei," Himemiya-san said. "This Friday, after school, my family will hold a funeral service for Kanae."
Himemiya-san gave directions to the location, a Buddhist temple in town, and specified the time.
"As for the dress code," Himemiya-san said, "school uniforms are appropriate attire, as are mourning clothes. If you wish to attend, please behave respectfully. Thank you very much."
Himemiya-san bowed, then took her seat once again. She'd gotten over the initial shock of the loss, and was alert enough to answer a relatively difficult question when called on in class, but that didn't mean that she was anywhere near to 100 percent yet. She'd lost her best friend, as well as possibly her greatest source of support in a time like this, so it was nothing short of miraculous that she was still holding on. I hoped to help her, starting with keeping my schedule clear for Friday afternoon.
The day of the funeral came, and I gave my assistants the afternoon off, with pay. After I informed them, I got a couple texts saying things such as "Hang in there, Sensei!" and "We're thinking of you."
I arrived at the funeral, which was held at a modest Buddhist temple. There were probably a couple dozen people at the funeral- the Himemiya family, Kanae-chan's friends and some people from our school.
I saw Himemiya-san was wearing a dark kimono. Next to her was a woman who looked almost exactly like her, except between twenty and thirty years older.
"Thank you for coming, Sasaki-san," Himemiya-san said. "I would like to introduce Hinata Himemiya, my mother and Kanae's legal guardian after her parents' deaths. Mother, this is Sayuri Sasaki, a classmate and a friend of Kanae's.'
The elder Himemiya-san and I bowed to each other.
"It's nice to meet you, Sasaki-san," the elder Himemiya-san said.
"It's nice to meet you, ma'am," I said. "I did not know Kanae-cha...er, Kanae-san very long, but I got along well with her."
"I'm glad to hear that," the elder Himemiya-san said. "Kanae was like a daughter to me, even if her status as a ward and servant of the family meant she could never call me 'Mother.' I did my best to raise her after her parents died, but it wasn't enough. The Himemiyas believe that anyone who dies in our service deserves a funeral that we pay for, but Kanae deserved so much more."
I nodded and said, "Yes ma'am," somberly.
"But I've said enough," the elder Himemiya-san said, "since it looks as though the ceremony is about to start. Let's get going, shall we?"
Himemiya-san and I followed her mother to where everyone was gathered, and we quietly waited for the ceremony to begin.
The ceremony was a standard Buddhist funeral. While I stayed respectfully quiet, I was so busy reflecting on my time with Kanae-chan that I barely heard what the priest was saying. I was all in favor of keeping some relationships strictly professional, especially when some were unequal, like in the case of myself with my assistants (in which I was their boss), and with my editor (who was my superior). That being said, if my family took in someone like Kanae-chan, I'd see her as more like a sister than a servant.
As the ceremony ended and everyone started to go home, Himemiya-san approached me.
"I'd like to thank you once again, Sasaki-san," Himemiya-san said, "for a few things."
"I'm listening," I said.
"The first is for being Kanae's friend," Himemiya-san said. "While she's affable, outgoing and easy to get along with, a number of people dismissed her as a 'mere' servant who wasn't worth their time."
"Their loss," I said.
Himemiya-san giggled.
"I thought you'd say that," Himemiya-san said. "And to think I was initially skeptical of how friendly and outgoing you were..."
Himemiya-san had felt awkward about my request to use her first name, so I'd withdrawn the request until she was ready. Some would have thought her to be relatively cold, but I guessed that she had met many people who wanted to get close to her, and realized that few of them had a truly sincere interest.
"The second, of course, is for coming to her funeral," Himemiya-san said. "I think that out of everyone she met at this school, Kanae most wanted to see you here."
"I'm honored to hear that," I said. "I wish I hadn't had to attend it, though."
"Well, I'm glad you came today," Himemiya-san said, "since as selfish as it may sound, I wanted to see you today."
"It's not selfish," I said. "I know you're grieving, and you need the support of friends now more than ever. I only hope I count as one"
Himemiya-san smiled.
"You most certainly do, Sasaki-san," Himemiya-san said, "or rather, Sayuri. I would be most pleased and grateful if you could openly call yourself my friend, and call me by my first name, too."
I smiled. I knew I could never replace Kanae-chan, or fully heal the pain of what had happened, but I could make Himeno-chan happy.
"Certainly, Himeno-chan," I said. "Hang in there, and I'll see you at school."
Himeno-chan smiled weakly. I knew I couldn't be her replacement for Kanae-chan, any more than she could be mine, but as two friends who'd suffered the same loss, we could support one another. Perhaps that was what Kanae-chan would want, if a part of here were still around to see us now and express her wishes.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Tatsuki's POV
I sat in a courtroom, waiting to hear my fate.
Mere weeks ago, shortly after my and Taiga's eighteenth birthday, a man named Gen Ishikawa, had attacked Taiga with a knife while we were out late. I'd fought back and stabbed Ishikawa with his own knife, at which point some police heard the struggle and arrived. The two of us were brought in for questioning, and after we learned that Ishikawa had died of his injuries, I was arrested and charged with murder.
My attorney, fearing what would happen if I was convicted, convinced me to plead guilty and cooperate with the investigation. Perhaps Mihama-san would have been able to manage something better if she had been able to take my case, but she was too young and not officially certified, so there was nothing she could do for me. After a discussion with my parents, I accepted the deal. I knew I was going to prison, and hoped for as much leniency as I could manage.
"Does the defendant have anything to say before the sentence is passed down?" the judge said.
"Yes, Your Honor," I said. "It was never my intention to kill Ishikawa-san, only to protect my younger sister, but it happened anyway due to my own negligence, and for that, I am truly sorry. I realize that an apology will not bring back the dead or undo the harm that was done, but despite that, it is all I can offer at this point. I will accept whatever punishment the court considers appropriate for me."
I bowed deeply in apology. After a moment, the judge spoke.
"Tatsuki Tachibana, you are guilty of a severe crime, and it is only fair that you be punished accordingly," the judge said. "However, considering the circumstances of the crime, your lack of a prior criminal record, and your cooperation during these proceedings, it is also fair to grant you leniency. The court hereby sentences you to ten years in prison."
As the sentence passed, I felt a mixture of relief and dread. On the one hand, it was not nearly as bad as I'd feared, since my attorney had suggested that the prosecution could seek multiple decades in prison, or even the death penalty. On the other hand, I would lose ten of the best years of my life.
I was immediately transported to a nearby women's prison. Around the same time, I was officially expelled from Talent High School, and my Ultimate Guitarist title was officially revoked. I was also evicted from my dorm room, and Taiga ended up taking custody of my belongings, keeping some in her room while sending others back home.
Before long, I got a visitor- Taiga. She was wearing the winter uniform for Talent High School, much to my surprise; it was hard to believe that it had been months since my arrest. I could tell that she'd come at the first opportunity available to her.
"Thanks for stopping by, Taiga," I said.
"It's my pleasure, sis," Taiga said. "I imagine that you're lonely."
"I definitely am," I said. "The inmates here aren't necessarily the kind of people I'd want to have as friends, although I can't say I'm all that much better than them."
Taiga paused for a moment.
"I... suppose you've heard from our manager?" Taiga said.
"I did," I said. "Just after my sentencing, I got a letter saying that they don't work with murderers. He didn't use those words, but still..."
"I argued in your favor," Taiga said, "but they weren't willing to listen, saying that since you were going to prison or worse, 'there's nothing to discuss.' A few days ago, they offered to set me up with Siren, an up-and-coming singer, but..."
I shook my head. I had some idea what she wanted to say next, but I doubted it would change what I wanted to say to that.
"But nothing," I said. "You've got an opportunity to keep writing songs, so you'd better take it. Some of us aren't nearly as lucky."
"I know, sis," Taiga said. "I'm sorry; it's my fault that you're locked up in here..."
Once again, I shook my head, with a reassuring, if bittersweet, smile.
"I'm a big girl," I said, "so I know I'm responsible for my actions, and I meant what I said back at the sentencing hearing. The only thing about this debacle that I don't regret is that you got out of it unscathed. You still have your life and your freedom, so make the most of both of them."
"I will," Taiga said, "because as your twin, I'm a big girl, too. Once I get home, I'll call our manager and let them know that I accept the offer."
"Good to hear that," I said. "I'm looking forward to hearing from you again."
Eventually, the guards told Taiga it was time to leave, and she reluctantly stood up, waved goodbye to me and walked out of the prison. This wasn't the first time I'd watched her go home knowing that I couldn't follow her, and it definitely wouldn't be the last, but I wasn't quite used to it yet.
I gradually became accustomed to my life behind bars- sleeping in my cell, exercise in the yard, work detail, and the awful food. Most of the details were boring and depressing, so I tried to focus on the bright side whenever I told Taiga about how I was doing. She understood what I was going through, though, and "hang in there," was a common phrase I heard from her.
Needless to say, I enjoyed hearing about Taiga's life a lot more than I did telling her about mine. Sure, she felt lonely with her sister in the slammer, but at least she was moving forward and making something of herself. As a result, she had a lot more to talk about than I did when we saw each other.
Taiga graduated from high school and got into a college of her choice. She wished I could've been there for her graduation, but as I said, "At least one of us is graduating." She asked about my work on getting a high school equivalency degree while in prison, and asked if she could come to my graduation ceremony, but I told here there wouldn't be any such thing.
Shortly after getting into college, Taiga paid me a visit, wearing a dark skirt suit with a collarless blouse that showed off her birthmark. I told her I liked it, and she made a point of wearing it whenever she came to see me. She also sent me pictures of her wearing it to various occasions- Coming of Age Day, graduation and job interviews.
Speaking of jobs, midway through the first year of Taiga's college career, she came to me in tears, having recently had a fight with Siren. Apparently, this wasn't the first time, and there was a reason why Siren had cut ties with her previous songwriter. A couple months later, Taiga quit after her latest project was finished, citing "creative differences," since she was too polite to tell the truth- that Siren was a real bitch. One more failed partnership later, the Ultimate Songwriter officially retired.
After graduating from college, Taiga got a job teaching music at our old middle school. It was a bit awkward having to call Mom "Tachibana-sensei" again, but she was touched when Mom responded in kind. Mom visited me around this time, and said that she was all too happy to do this, since Taiga was no longer just her daughter, but a colleague and an equal. Knowing I was the black sheep of the family, I apologized for the umpteenth time, but Mom said it wasn't necessary. She was pleased that I was behaving myself in prison, and said that if she'd been there that night, she'd have made the same decision.
Taiga also found love during this time, with a former classmate from her college. She brought him up from time to time back when she was attending school, but I could always notice that something about him fascinated her, so I wasn't too surprised when they ended up going out. He seemed like a real keeper, so I told her that if she had to choose between visiting me and dating him, she should pick the latter. I'd already served over half my sentence, so I could wait a few more years.
Eventually, Taiga brought her boyfriend to visit me, he said that she'd told him all about me. I self-deprecatingly joked that he'd probably heard about his girlfriend's murderer sister, but he said, in all seriousness, that Taiga still looked up to me and loved me dearly. Taiga, blushing, said that I, along with her boyfriend, was among those she held most precious, and told me that she hoped we'd get along. I smiled and said that I didn't think I'd have any trouble managing that.
The last time Taiga visited me in prison, showed up with a ring on her finger, and announced she was engaged. She said she'd legally marry him soon, but would wait to hold the wedding until later.
Finally, after ten long years, I was released from prison. Taiga met me outside the prison, at which point we hugged for the first time in ten years.
"Welcome back, sis," Taiga said. "I knew this day would come.
"So did I, Taiga," I said. "Thanks for waiting."
Taiga smiled.
"Everyone's waiting back at my place," Taiga said, "by which I mean my boyfriend, Dad and Tachib...er, Mom."
"Wow, they really have you trained," I said.
"It's the same with Chiyuri-san," Taiga said. "Nagato-sensei and Mom got in touch over the past few years, and often talk about having their daughters as coworkers. It's difficult to keep their family and professional relationships separate, but it's heartwarming to see how far their children have come. Since Mom and I mostly see each other at work, she even calls me 'Tachibana-sensei' sometimes at home."
"True," I said. "Then again, I bet Mom isn't nearly as eager to talk about her daughter who's a prisoner... make that ex-convict."
Taiga shook her head.
"Mom and Dad still love you, and always will," Taiga said. "As for Nagato-sensei, she still thinks of you as a student even though you were expelled."
"I'll be sure to thank them," I said. "Knowing that a lot of people never gave up on me made all the difference while I was behind bars."
We got into Taiga's car together, and Taiga started it up. On the drive back to her house, she decided to go over everything she had in store for me at the house.
"I prepared the guest room for you," Taiga said.
"Thanks," I said. "I'll look into getting a place of my own, though... after I get a job, of course."
"One step ahead of you there, sis," Taiga said. "I left the classified section of the paper in your room. A record store's looking for a cashier. I looked into it online and they're good about hiring ex-cons."
"Then I'll apply there," I said. "I'll take what I can get at this point."
Not only was I persona non grata among the record industry, but it had been many years since I'd touched a guitar, so saying I'd gotten rusty was an understatement. My days as Dragon Girl were behind me, just like my mom's days in a band. A part of me wished things had turned out differently, but over the past decade, I'd learned to live with this.
"Glad to hear it," Taiga said. "I can loan you one of my suits if you need one, or take you shopping for one."
"Really, Taiga," I said, "I appreciate it, but there's no need to do all that.".
"Oh, is there?" Taiga said with a smile. "You're the reason why I'm here today, so if there's anything I can do to help you get back on your feet, I owe it to you to try."
I smiled and thanked Taiga once again. The past ten years had been harder than anything I'd gone through, and the next ten wouldn't exactly be easy, either. Despite that, I was rebuilding my life with the help of my sister, and I was looking forward to what each new day would bring.
Justice in the Future
Miura's POV
Sae and I arrived at the gates of the regional women's prison. While we were here on official Future Foundation business, as opposed to being prisoners, we weren't exactly happy about the circumstances. Having witnessed six executions in our lifetime, we had no desire to witness a seventh... but we did have orders to do so.
A week ago, Sayo Mikazuki, a prison guard, had attempted to stage a jailbreak for her younger sister Hina, an Ultimate Despair member who was about to be executed. The attempt had failed, and Hina-san was executed, while Sayo-san was arrested. Attempting to break someone out of prison was a serious crime, but not punishable by death... or at least it wouldn't be in most circumstances. The prosecution, citing the fact that Mikazuki-san had tried to help a member of Ultimate Despair, had managed to get her charged with treason, so when she was convicted, she was immediately sentenced to death. With the jails full of people who were in for various offenses, from looters to Ultimate Despair members, they didn't want to keep Mikazuki-san waiting too long.
Of course, the execution wasn't just a way to make an example of an accused Ultimate Despair sympathizer. It was also a way for the prison to restore face after the previous incident. The Future Foundation wanted to send people to supervise the execution, which was where Sae and I came in. The women's prison where Mikazuki-san was being held preferred female supervisors, and the people making the request asserted that we'd seen our fair share of executions.
So Sae and I set out for the prison, fully in business mode. We wore our Future Foundation uniforms- black skirt suits with matching neckties. Since we were on the clock, Sae was my subordinate. Since I didn't have a rank, using my last name and the "-san" honorific was an appropriate courtesy (one that I reciprocated), and the only deference she had to show me as a subordinate was an occasional use of "ma'am." It felt a bit odd for Sae and I to treat each other as though we were merely acquaintances, but Sae said it was about professionalism and showing others that we took our jobs seriously, so I went along with it when we were around people we didn't know.
"State your names and business," the guard at the gate said.
"I'm Miura and this is Edogawa," I said. "We're here to supervise the execution of Sayo Mikazuki."
One rule of etiquette Mom had always found odd was that you weren't supposed to use honorifics on people in your "group" when talking to outsiders; for example, she might address her coworker Taro Tanaka as "Tanaka-san," but just call him "Tanaka" when talking with a business client. Her feeling that way was hardly surprising considering that she used "-san" on her husband and daughters, and would probably do the same with prisoners.
"Understood," the guard said. "This way, please."
After we were padded down for contraband, we were led to the courtyard of the prison, where we saw a sturdy wooden beam supported by two wooden pillars. Three nooses were tied to it, and there was a wheeled stepladder underneath it. A few chairs were set up in front of the gallows. Near the gallows, a young woman in a prison guard's uniform stood by.
"Good morning, Miura-san, Edogawa-san," the woman said. "I'm Sergeant Hikari Asada, of the prison. I'll be in charge of the execution today."
"It's nice to meet you," Sae and I said, bowing.
"Likewise," Sgt. Asada said. "Take a seat over there; the execution won't be starting until noon, and the prisoner won't be out until then."
Sae and I sat down, but kept a close eye on our surroundings. We set up the camera to document the execution, and began inspecting the execution grounds.
"I have a question about the execution, Sergeant," Sae said. "It seems rather ad-hoc, with a short drop that won't break the prisoner's death, not to mention two more nooses than necessary."
"You're well-informed when it comes to hangings," Sgt. Asada said, "but we may end up needing those nooses. If either of you end up sympathizing with the prisoner enough to free her, then you can hang next to her. If it turns out that the other one is in on the rescue attempt, too, then I guess someone else will have to report back to the Future Foundation. Just sit quietly and behave, understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Sae and I said. While there wasn't any official indication that she outranked us, we had to do as she said, so it only seemed right to show her respect.
Sgt. Asada didn't seem fully convinced that her message had gotten through.
"I can tell that you think this is going a bit far," Sgt. Asada said. "Since you were cooped up in Talent High School while the world went to hell, a history lesson's in order."
"We're listening," I said.
Sgt. Asada cleared her throat and began.
"When the Tragedy struck, Say- er, Mikazuki and I had just graduated from the police academy and had become patrolmen," Sgt. Asada said, "and rather than cut our teeth on relatively safe and easy assignments, we were faced with the riots, where the rules didn't apply. Several of our senpais, who'd lost comrades in the line of duty, urged us to shoot to kill, and our superiors were willing to sweep any incidents under the rug. Officers tended to carry a length of rope to string up any looters they found."
Sgt. Asada glanced at the gallows.
"You know, as far as capital punishment goes, hanging's simple and effective," Sgt. Asada said. "Once you've restrained the condemned, all you need is a sturdy rope and something high off the ground to tie it to. Once the prisoner stops kicking, you can leave them up there as a warning to others. I don't get why Monokuma resorted to all those fancy high-tech executions in the killing games."
"It's simple," I said. "He wanted to make a spectacle out of our friends' deaths, for his twisted entertainment."
Sgt. Asada scoffed. Maybe calling the blackened "friends" was a poor choice of words, or maybe something else didn't sit well with her.
"You know, Mikazuki felt similarly," Sgt. Asada said. "She didn't believe that anyone deserved to die, and that even those who'd done unforgivable crimes and were beyond rehabilitation should merely be locked away for the rest of their lives. She clung to that belief when Lieutenant Okubo was killed by a member of Ultimate Despair, so of course she'd feel that way when her sister was arrested, around the time we'd been transferred to the prison. The day of her sister's execution, Mikazuki tried to save her, and you know the rest."
I checked my watch and saw that there were about 20 minutes left before the execution. A moment later, I looked up and saw a few guards escorting Mikazuki-san to the gallows. She was only wearing a the uniform's button-down shirt and skirt, her jacket and tie taken away so she wouldn't try to hang herself before her execution.
"Hello, Hikari-chan," Mikazuki-san said. "I'm glad I get to see you one last time."
"D-Don't call me that," Sgt. Asada said, refusing to make eye contact with Mikazuki-san. "You'll only make this harder for me."
"I'm sorry," Mikazuki-san said. "You didn't deserve to end up in that situation, but at this point, all I can do for you is cooperate."
Mikazuki-san was made to climb the steps of the stepladder, and a guard behind her reached up and fitted the noose around her neck.
"Sayo Mikazuki, you have been sentenced to death for treason," Sgt. Asada said. "Do you have anything to say before the sentence is carried out?"
"I do," Mikazuki-san said. "I was always prepared to accept my punishment, since I knew what I was getting into when I prepared to break my sister out, which is more than I can say for her."
Judging from Sgt. Asada's expression, what Mikazuki-san had just said was news to her. The two former friends probably hadn't been on speaking terms ever since Mikazuki-san's address, but had Sgt. Asada never considered the possibility.
"I never understood why Hina had changed," Mikazuki-san said, "but I knew that a change so sudden and so drastic couldn't be natural. Why else would she go to her execution with a smile, or laugh as she sabotaged my attempt to save her? I... I should know, because... because I don't want to die!"
Mikazuki-san choked back a sob.
"But... what's done is done," Mikazuki-san said. "Do what you have to, Hikari-chan... and don't make the same mistake I did."
"I won't," Sgt. Asada said. "Goodbye, Sayo. I'll never forget you."
"Thank you," Mikazuki-san said with a tearful smile. "Now that's the Hikari-chan I've always known."
The guard pulled the stepladder back, out from under Mikazuki-san's feet. As she fell, the rope tightened around her neck, and she dangled there in the air. Before long, she stopped kicking, and simply swayed in the breeze.
We stood there waiting for several long minutes. As disturbing as it was, we still had a job to do, and that involved supervising them as they confirmed Mikazuki-san's death. In the mean time, I decided to ask Sgt. Asada a question that was on my mind.
"I don't mean to pry, Sergeant," I said, "but you were friends with Mikazuki-san, weren't you?"
Sgt. Asada nodded somberly.
"I was," Sgt. Asada said. "We met in middle school, and formed a close bond, as two girls who were aiming to become police officers together. We pushed each other forward, and engaged in a bit of friendly competition as we pursued our shared dream."
Sgt. Asada looked nostalgic for a moment, then shook her head.
"Back when Sayo and I entered the police academy, we made a promise," Sgt. Asada said, "to put duty before all else, even our friendship. That's why we agreed that while we were on duty, we'd keep things professional."
"I understand," I said. "Sa- er, Edogawa and I have a similar arrangement."
Maybe it was because Sgt. Asada was starting to open up to us, but I couldn't help but relax my facade of professionalism. Sae nodded to concur, while Sgt. Asada chuckled bitterly.
"I say 'we',' but in truth, I was the only one who really wanted to do that," Sgt. Asada said. "Sayo only went along with keeping things professional for my sake, even though she didn't enjoy it. Now that I think about it, she was all about doing what she thought was right, while I was the one who acted out of a sense of duty. That didn't change when they assigned us to this prison, and it definitely didn't change when Hina was brought here and sentenced to death for being part of Ultimate Despair."
Sgt. Asada let out a long sigh.
"And look how we ended up," Sgt. Asada said. "Sayo got sentenced to death for wanting to save her sister, while I stood by and watched both of them get hanged. She must have known I would never have helped her, which is why she didn't say anything to me about her rescue attempt."
I paused for a moment, then shook her head. Maybe it wasn't my place to say anything, since I'd only just met these two.
"This... may not be much comfort," I said, "but I personally think Mikazuki-san didn't want you to put yourself in danger, or be labeled an accomplice. If I did something dangerous, I wouldn't want Edogawa to risk herself."
"I appreciate that, ma'am," Sae said, "but if you go into danger, I must accompany you to increase your chances of you getting out alive. It is my duty as your subordinate, and what I owe to you as your girl friend."
I giggled, knowing that the latter two words were actually one.
"It seems as though you trust each other," Sgt. Asada said. "Make sure you never abuse that trust, or take the other's trust for granted."
"We won't," Sae and I said together.
"Good," Sgt. Asada said.
After we confirmed Mikazuki-san's death, we were told to leave, since our business was concluded. A part of me was eager to get back, while another part wasn't comfortable leaving things as they were. In the end, though, Sgt. Asada would have to come to terms with her feelings about her friend on her own, so I led the way and Sae followed me out of the prison.
Outside the prison, as we waited to be picked up and transferred back to base, Sae turned to me.
"Permission to speak freely, ma'am?" Sae said.
"I don't see anyone else around, so you don't need to ask, Sae," I said, "or call me anything other than 'Kaori' when it's just us."
"Sorry, Kaori," Sae said. "I guess after seeing those two ladies' relationship, I can't help but think about ours. From what the sergeant told us, I think that she and her friend's personalities and ideals had fundamentally been at odds for a long time."
I nodded.
"That's true," I said, "but I also think they're different from us in many ways. What do you want, Sae?"
"Simple," Sae said. "To be with you as much as I can. To do our jobs well, and eventually find our missing families."
"So do I," I said. "There may be times when we don't completely see eye-to-eye, but we can make compromises and work together."
As Sae nodded, I felt a bit better about our partnership. There was still a bit of awkwardness when it came to keeping our professional and private relationships separate, but trust, mutual respect and a willingness to compromise, the qualities that had enabled us to fall in love in the first place, helped us work well together, too. We still had to face a great deal of hardship and suffering even after the end of the killing game, but I was glad to have Sae and the others at my side through it all.
Author's Notes
These stories go into how various murders would be punished in a more civilized society. The latter case gives a glimpse at Miura and Edogawa's life after joining the Future Foundation.