CK 13

Chapter 13… 

To Fight Together

What’s That?

I took out two small plastic bottles from the vending machine’s retrieval slot.
Then I returned to where Maa-kun was sitting.

“Hey, Maa-kun~. Which one do you want?”
“Either is fine.”
“Then… this one! Here you go!”

I handed him the milk tea and sat down next to him.
Then I opened the lid of the remaining lemon tea in my hand.

“Why’d you pick this one…?”
“Just… somehow. I thought milk tea is sweeter, so it might be good for tired you, Maa-kun.”

We were currently sitting on a bench next to the public restroom in the parking lot.
Even though we were both tired, sitting directly on the ground the whole time felt… a bit much.

Oh, and of course, we retrieved the bags that Maa-kun and I had left behind when we were attacked by the monster.

After taking a sip to quench our thirst, Maa-kun finally spoke.

“So… when did you start having that? Or rather, give it back.”
“Oh. I forgot… Here you go.”

I placed the lemon tea next to me and reached for the belt-like thing I’d forgotten to remove from my waist.
Pulling it away from my stomach, the belt-like parts on both sides disappeared.
Then I handed Maa-kun just the box-like part.

Maa-kun took it, inspecting it carefully while turning it around.
After a moment, the belt-like parts disappeared from his hands with a faint glow.

“Disappeared!?”
“Yeah. I usually keep it at home and only summon it when I need to fight.”

…Yeah, I have no idea. How does that even work?
But I figured I wouldn’t understand even if I asked.

More importantly, I had to answer his question.
“That thing” meant the plate-like object I had somehow ended up holding.
I wasn’t sure my answer would satisfy him, but I spoke what I knew.

“Actually… I don’t even know when I got it.”
“Huh?”
“Um… I mean… it’s better to say I don’t remember?”
“…What’s your standard for that?”

Maa-kun muttered that and fell silent.

…No, I don’t want you to be quiet!?
We’re sitting here because he said he’d talk about things.

Well, we also can’t go home right now…

We could walk back, but who knows how long that would take.
And I doubt Maa-kun has the stamina.

So we decided to sit and wait for our recovery while talking.

I waved my hand in front of Maa-kun’s face, saying, “Hey… come back~?” to pull him out of his world.

“You said we’d ‘talk about what’s happening.’ Sorry.
But there’s so much to explain, I don’t know where to start…”
“Then can I ask some questions first?”
“Yeah… that’s easier.”
“Okay, first… what’s that thing I ended up holding? And that belt-like thing too.”
“You knew, huh…? Somehow you managed to use it well.”

Maa-kun said that with an indescribable expression.
I wasn’t sure if it was praise, so I asked directly.

“…Are you praising me?”
“Not praising. Well, in a way I am.”
“In a way…?”
“Anyway. That thing you ended up holding is called a Plate. It’s a crystallization of the power of the constellations.”
“Crystallization… of constellation power?”
“Yeah. I fight by contracting with constellations and receiving their Seiryoku (star power). So that isn’t my own power.”
“I see…”

Right. Humans can’t do something like that.
I felt a strange sense of relief.

Then I realized the thing I had been holding was now gone.

“Huh!? My Plate’s gone!?”
“The Plate is made from the Seiryoku we receive. It disappears if left alone. The mark of being chosen, the Constellation Emblem… is this.”

Maa-kun showed me his left hand.
Indeed, there was a mark etched on it.

I looked at my left hand and saw the same mark.

“…When did this happen?”
“No idea. But it means you were chosen too.”

Maa-kun looked slightly displeased.

“…Why that face?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing. Judging from your Constellation Emblem, you’re probably an Aries.”
“You can tell just by looking?”
“Wait… you’ve never seen it before? Like in horoscopes or something?”

I think I had seen something like that on TV before.

I looked at the mark again and touched it.

…Huh?

“Hey, it’s not disappearing!? My left hand stays like this!?”
“It won’t disappear. It’s proof you were chosen. That’s why…”

Maa-kun traced the mark on the back of his left hand with his right, making it vanish.

“It disappeared! How…?”
“It’s a perception-blocking technique. It hides things from recognition. See?”

The mark reappeared on his left hand.
Ah, so that’s how he usually hides it.

Hidden… disappears…
Something clicked, and a question arose in my mind.

“Could it be that when Maa-kun disappeared over the past month…?”
“Yeah. I used perception-blocking so it looked like I wasn’t there.”
“Why do that…?”
“To hide who’s wearing the Star Armor. If enemies are around, it could be dangerous.”
“I see…”
“…Anyway, the belt-like thing is called Constellation Armor Generate Gear.”
“Conste… Con… Corn soup?”
“No. Constellation Armor Generate Gear.
It’s equipment that generates star-powered armor. Usually we just call it ‘Gear.’ Putting a Plate in this Gear generates the Star Armor, allowing us to fight.”
“I see…”

So that’s why he always does something before fighting.

After hearing that, I had another question.

“Can I ask another question?”
“Sure.”
“Why do you bother wearing armor to fight? You have special powers, so shouldn’t you just fight normally?”
“That’s impossible. Our bodies are too weak.”
“What do you mean?”
“You saw the battles, right? What do you think happens if we take attacks from those… in human form?”
“Uh… it looks painful?”
“Painful wouldn’t be enough. You’d get seriously injured, maybe even die. That’s why we use Seiryoku to make armor for protection.”
“I see.”
“And the armor imbued with the power of the constellations is called a Constellation Knight.”
“Oh.”

Maa-kun’s words stopped, so I took a moment to process.

I roughly understood about Plates and Gear.
In short, the mark on our left hand is proof of being chosen.
The Plate is made with the Seiryoku given to those chosen.
Using Gear, the Star Armor is generated to fight monsters.
Those wearing Star Armor are called Constellation Knights.

…By the way, we haven’t talked about the monsters yet.

I immediately asked, “What are those monsters?”

“There are two types. The first is called Sediment—the ones that surrounded us earlier today. They’re like trash that came from Earth. Not human. Actually, they weren’t originally like that…”
“Trash from… Earth?”
“Yes. Like living things excrete what they don’t need, this is similar.”
“No, I mean, how are they born? Earth doesn’t eat, right?”
“Actually, the exact cause is unknown. The leading theory now is negative human emotions.”
“Negative emotions…”

So being angry or sad produces them…?
Can monsters really be born just from that?

While I was thinking, Maa-kun continued.

“The second type is Fallen Stars—the ones that attacked us. Unfortunately, those are humans.”
“Eh, humans…!?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“…Why do they look like that?”
“The exact reason is unknown. But it’s clear there’s a connection with Sediment and constellation power.”

He looked troubled, though I didn’t know why.

Sediment… Fallen Stars…
…Sediment is that black haze, right?

“So… I almost became a Fallen Star just now?”
“Probably. It’s a miracle you were saved. Are you okay?”
“Yes. Ah, but my body still aches from using Gear…
Maa-kun, do you always endure that pain when fighting?”
“No… not really. Why do you ask?”

Maa-kun fell silent again.

It was actually a good break for me too, because my mind was a mess.
Sediment… Fallen Stars…

…I wonder if people who become Fallen Stars survive.

At that moment, my phone vibrated beside me.
…When did I put it there? Maybe when I sat down.

I picked it up. It was a call from Hii-chan.
The notifications were piling up.

…They must be worried.

I quickly answered.

“Finally. Yui, where are you?”
“Uh… I’m… still in the parking lot…”
“Of course… Are you okay? Any injuries?”
“Yes! I’m fine!”
“Good… And Masato?”
“Maa-kun? He’s right next to me.”

I hit the speaker button to hand him the phone.
Maa-kun looked reluctant, but I insisted, and he took it.

“What’s up?”
“Not ‘what’s up.’ …Is Masato okay too?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Can you get home safely? Your friends from class are worried.”

After Hii-chan said that, multiple voices came from my phone.

That’s… Mayu-chan, Sakurako, and Kana-chan, maybe?
I think I also heard Nonoka-chan.

“Thanks for worrying! I’m fine!
But… I’m trying to figure out how to get home…”
“You’ll need to call a taxi, right?”
“It’ll cost a lot from here.”
“But I don’t want to walk home!”
“Me neither.”

It was fast by bus, but walking could take hours.
It would probably be dark before we got home, and the mountain paths are a nightmare.

Calling my mom for a ride… would make her extremely angry, so I really didn’t want to.

…What should I do? Guess I’ll have to call a taxi.

At that moment, Maa-kun said, “Sorry. I’ll hang up. I’ll contact you again,” and ended the call.

Huh? Why?
I feel like Hii-chan will get angry again…

Ignoring my confusion, Maa-kun grabbed my bag and my hand and pulled me behind the public restroom.

A few minutes later, the police arrived at the parking lot.