[Hunter] Flowers and Hymns

When she heard that call, Veronica's back suddenly tightened.

After a while, she slowly turned her head and looked at the man who put his hand on her shoulder. After a while, she found this face from her memory.

"...Falish?"

"Long time no see, Cosette."

The woman with half of her body covered in metal equipment laughed and sat down beside Veronica.

"How did your body become like this?"

Veronica lowered her eyes slightly. When she kissed the stone wall of Cosette's monastery, the girl she saw seemed to be still in front of her eyes. In a blink of an eye, did she become what she is now?

"Hmm... There was a car accident, half of the body was shattered, and then it fell into the hands of a perverted scientist." Falish shrugged indifferently, "That's why it became like this."

"Sorry, I brought up something bad."

"It's nothing." Falish laughed, "I don't remember what happened back then. I woke up like this."

Veronica leaned against the fountain quietly, without saying anything.

"Hey, Cosette, do you still hate the Phantom Troupe?"

Falish asked suddenly.

Veronica's eyelashes fluttered.Those memories came flooding back to her again.

……

…………

…………

Under the high stone wall of the monastery, little Cosette looked at little Falish, raised an eyebrow, and looked at her strangely.

"Who said that one who was born on Meteor Street must like the Phantom Troupe?"

Little Falish opened her eyes wide, and the words stuttered in her mouth.

"But, but in a turbulent place like Meteor Street, shouldn't you respect the strong?"

"Motion/chaos? What strange misunderstanding do you have about Meteor Street?" Cosette raised her eyebrows a little higher, showing a bit of sarcasm, "Meteor Street is a very orderly place, okay?"

"It's very orderly?" Falish was confused, "But I read in the novel... No, I mean, in that place, resources are so scarce, shouldn't everyone be robbing and killing?"

"If it's true as you said, and everyone robs and kills, the people in this place would have died out long ago. Meteor Street has existed for 500 years, and now there are 800 million people living there. Cosette sneered, "After human beings live together, there will naturally be a division of labor, and then there will be laws and regulations, and then there will be supporting measures and departments to maintain the law. Meteor Street has a council, and there are corresponding departments." The Armed Forces Department has also established diplomatic relations with the outside world. If it was such a chaotic place, Meteor Street would have been annexed by gangsters long ago. I don’t know who gave you the wrong impression, but Meteor Street is very orderly It’s also very disciplined.”

"..."

"It is true that due to the scarcity of resources, the people on Meteor Street have always been very warlike, but the people there are also human beings, no worse than the people outside."

"But Meteor Street is not about seeking justice for a homeless man from Meteor Street, so..."

"Oh, you mean that."

In 198/9, a homeless man without an ID card was arrested by the police on suspicion of murder in a certain country.After investigation, it was found that the homeless man not only had no nationality, nor did he have any identification documents.The parties claimed to be from Meteor Street.The police in the country insisted on prosecuting the man who denied committing the crime...the court did not allow him to defend himself, and found him guilty.Three years later, the police arrested a murderer who was poisoned by narcotics, and found out his previous crimes one by one... The unjust imprisonment of the homeless man was thus vindicated/reversed.

Not long after, 31 people related to the unjust imprisonment, police officers, judges, prosecutors, witnesses, jurors, lawyers, etc., were all killed.

【We don't deny anything, so don't take anything away from us either. 】

This message was left beside the mutilated body of the victim.

Regarding the method of killing that time, it is said that they carried switch-type bombs and died together with each other.According to eyewitnesses, the bomb went off after they smiled and shook each other's hands.31 people in different places were killed at the same time.One partner was imprisoned for three years in vain... In order to avenge their compatriots, these 31 people could sacrifice their lives to kill those 31 people.

"I don't know if there are interests and political considerations behind that incident... But, you have to remember, that homeless man is not dead." Cosette shrugged, looking at Falish's unbelievable expression He frowned, "What? It's not like he was sentenced to death for murder. I don't know whether he was sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment, but during his imprisonment, he didn't try to escape from prison or anything else. .On Meteor Street, the law is not something that can be easily trampled on. There, everyone will abide by the rules set. I don’t know how many times stronger this is than outside.”

"Since he's not dead, why..." Falish's eyes wavered in disbelief.

"Do you think it's difficult for 31 people to exchange their lives for justice?" Cosette tilted her head, "That action is actually a demonstration. Ah, although there should be a sign from the parliament, but Generally speaking, it is still a demonstration in the style of Meteor Street."

"..."

"However, the Phantom Troupe is different." Cosette sneered, "There was only one public demonstration on Meteor Street to the outside world. Moreover, it is fair for 31 people to change the lives of 31 people. Don't say it hurts your family , They didn't take even one extra life. We never do unnecessary killings. On Meteor Street, death is very vigorous, but life is very precious, not something that can be squandered casually. But the Phantom Troupe... They don't Same."

"What's different?" Falish asked stubbornly.

"Two years ago, they wiped out the Kuruta tribe. After that, there were suddenly more red eyes on the market." Cosette looked at her hands, "For money or for fun, they killed all of them. Clan, gouging out people's eyes... the vast majority of people in Meteor Street would not do such a thing."

"Why?" Falixi raised her voice, "Isn't it because Meteor Street raised the Phantom Troupe? Once the people there become stronger, don't they all do whatever they want?"

"Don't use the Phantom Troupe to represent Meteor Street?" Cosette was really impatient, "Where are there not a few perverts? Are there fewer murderers in the outside world? Could it be that there are a few terrorists in Meteor Street? Is Meteor Street full of terrorists? Those guys are aliens even in Meteor Street! The principle of Meteor Street is 'we don't deny anything, so don't take our stuff' - not reckless and unscrupulous! "

Falish's expression seemed as if her entire worldview had been turned upside down.Her voice rolled a few times in her throat, and finally she uttered only a short question.

"You mean... the brigade's actions have nothing to do with Meteor Street?"

Cosette smiled coldly.

"The Phantom Brigade are responsible for their actions and the people who raised them, not Meteor Street - you will use Hitler and Nazi/Party/Wehrmacht to represent all Germans Is it? No way. So don't let me hear the stupid thing about them representing Meteor Street. Those guys... are the scum of scum."

Falish's face turned red as if she had been stung.She stood up impatiently.

"They are not scum!"

"Why not?" Cosette looked over coldly, "A person who can do such things as exterminate the family and gouging eyes is not a scum, but what is it? Oh yes, calling them scum is an insult to scum."

"They, they must have difficulties!"

"What's your reason?"

"B-For example, someone wants to increase the value of the red eye in his hand, so he must first make the Kuruta tribe extinct...he hired the phantom troupe..."

What interrupted Falish's words was a sudden burst of laughter from Cosette.Falish looked at her helplessly, and slowly bit her lips tightly.Cosette was almost out of breath from laughing, hugged her stomach for a long time, and hammered her knees hard a few times.After finally calming down, she couldn't help laughing while wiping her tears.

"Are you joking?"

"..."

"Then why do I find it so funny?"

Falish's entire face was flushed red, Cosette sat up slowly and looked at Falish indifferently.

"Don't be kidding. Although I haven't seen the Phantom Troupe, but based on the rumors I heard on Meteor Street, they are not people who can be driven by money. Since money can't satisfy them, what else can an outsider satisfy them? Power? Status? A lunatic like them would sacrifice his life for others for this kind of thing?"

"…………"

Falish clenched her sleeves tightly but could not refute.

"Even if the value of red eyes rises, where can the appreciation go? And the total number of human body collectors is limited, and there are only a few buyers who can afford red eyes. A large number of red eyes will change the relationship between supply and demand, and will cause red eyes on the contrary. depreciation."

"..."

"So the Phantom Troupe just went to exterminate the clan just for fun, or for money and death. Ha, the only people in Meteor Street who can do such things that are inferior to beasts are those spiders."

"What about you?" Falixi pursed her lips tightly, "Cosette, you are also from Meteor Street! If it's you—if you want red eyes—"

"Go to a collector to snatch one and have a look, or kill a Kuruta tribe and dig out a pair." Cosette said easily, "Even if you want one, one or two is enough. Is it necessary to exterminate the clan?"

Falish's face suddenly turned blue.

"You, what qualifications do you have to say that the Phantom Troupe is scum? Aren't you also a scum! You laugh at fifty steps and laugh at one hundred steps?!"

"I didn't say I'm a good person, did I?" Cosette smiled, "I'm a scumbag. But the Phantom Troupe gang are scumbags among scumbags."

"..."

"People like us have a limit to their evil. But those spiders have no limit to their evil. In terms of doing evil, the maximum number I can kill...the maximum number that Meteor Street people can kill is 31 people. And The Phantom Troupe, they're 300...or 3000."

……

…………

………………

"Actually, I now think that what you said at that time was correct."

Falish pulled up the collar.

"Later, I went to Meteor Street myself... How should I put it, it's a completely different place from what I imagined."

There is a parliament, a court, and an army. It is an area almost like a small country.

The little ones can play together without worrying about someone stabbing a knife in the back.

The partners trust each other, work and play together, and most of the time they will not betray or be betrayed.

Food and clothing were rationed, and of course there was looting, but looting almost never killed people.

Most of the people who died were malnourished due to lack of medicine, but they would be buried properly after death, and no one would dig up their corpses to eat.

……

In short, it was a Meteor Street completely different from what she saw in fan fiction.

"Suddenly I feel, Cosette, you haven't read comics or fangirls, it's really great." She smiled wryly, "Think about what kind of fantasy I had about this place before... I will Feel ashamed."

Veronica smiled and didn't speak.

"However, Meteor Street also has some... very dark places." Falish hugged her knees and continued slowly, "It's like an underground video city, it's also like a red-light district, and it's like they cooperate with gangsters Some... very dirty things. However, compared with the outside world, these are not particularly dark. There are places like this everywhere. Meteor Street is just a microcosm of human nature."

Veronica lowered her eyes, quietly turning the glass in her hand.

"No matter where you go, people are the same." She murmured, "Meteor Street is made up of the same human beings as us, the only difference is ideology... The fundamentals, the essence of human nature, are the same everywhere .”

The snow-white foam of ale left traces one after another on the edge of the wine glass. Veronica slowly turned the glass to prevent the wine from spilling out.

"It's meaningless to talk too much." Falixi laughed, and took a big sip of the ale from Veronica's hand, "Ah! It's still comfortable to drink a glass of ice ale in an afternoon like this! "

Veronica withdrew her hand and held her cheek.

She doesn't have anything to say to a fan of the Phantom Troupe... although she doesn't look so stupid now.

but……

"Do you still like them now?"

"I like it." Falixi laughed, "Anyway... it's cool to be able to do whatever you want in life!"

"is it?"

Veronica lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow, covering the expression in her eyes.

"But the people who were killed don't think so." Falish shrugged, "Well, it doesn't matter what they think anyway."

"That's right." Veronica slowly raised her eyes, "For the perpetrator, the victim's feelings are meaningless."

"Don't look at me like that." Falish took another sip of the ale, "...well, this beer is a bit bitter."

"Maybe it's not fermented enough." Veronica stretched out her hand, "If you don't drink it, return it to me."

"There's more there, you go get it yourself!" Falixi protected the cup, "I snatch it and it's mine!"

"That's it."

Veronica stood up, went to the other end of the stone steps and returned with a glass of ale.Sitting next to Falish and drinking slowly.Falish's drinking method was a bit rude, not as elegant as Veronica's, and she gulped down a glass after a while.After a long stretch, she threw the cup into the distance and broke it, giggling.

"I've been wanting to say it for a long time, Cosette, although you came from Meteor Street, your way of doing things is completely different from them." She hiccupped, "You are very...what should I do? After all, it’s very aristocratic. It seems that you also went to Meteor Street later. Before that, were you a noble lady?”

"Aristocrat?" Veronica seemed to see the always tense face of the housekeeper again, "It's not that high-class. Probably because the rules at home are strict."

"It's amazing..." Falixi laughed, "Although they are all time-traveling girls, I was only a high school student when I time-traveled. My family background is very ordinary, I watched a lot of anime and doujinshi, and my mind was full of adolescent girls Fantasy. I was shocked when I found out that you were a time-traveling girl and even crossed into Meteor Street! But you haven’t read Hunter comics, which is a pity. It would be great if you could see the leader when you were young!”

"That kind of thing doesn't matter anyway." Veronica quietly looked at the ale in her glass, "It's just a two-dimensional character. Isn't it?"

"That's not true! Back then I thought you were a Kurapika fan!"

"Oh?"

"I, he is the one I dislike the most." Falish shrugged, "So what about revenge, even if it is revenge, the dead will not come back."

Veronica suddenly laughed.Her smile was very low, touching her face, a low smile, suppressed to the extreme, as if the boiling magma was pressed back under the rock.The taste in that smile made Falixi shudder.

"Are you kidding me?"

She finally laughed enough, and the voice came out from between her fingers, as low as crawling out of hell.

"... What is the matter with you, Cosette?"

"Why would I find it ridiculous if it wasn't making me laugh?"

"..."

"Even if it's revenge, the dead won't come back—why do you say that revenge is for the dead to come back?"

"..."

"Isn't it because the dead will not come back that they want revenge?"

Falish suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach, she reacted suddenly, and raised her hand to attack Veronica!

However, her attack was easily dodged by Veronica.Veronica stood on a high place, staring at Falish indifferently.Falish's internal organs were throbbing, and a mouthful of blood was spurted out by her. She suddenly fell to her knees, and her whole body convulsed from the severe pain.

She heard Veronica's voice, cold.

"Actually, I didn't intend to kill you here in the first place."

"But since we met, it's not good to just let you go like this. I just happened to have a copy of it. I planned to keep it just in case, but it's not a pity to use it on you."

"The feathers of the red-feathered man-eating bird in the Kaxi Forest can poison a rhino just by soaking it in water. I put a lot of it in the glass of wine just now. What do you think?"

There was a painful gurgling sound from Falish's throat, she stared at Veronica, her eyeballs were bloodshot.

And Veronica just smiled as usual.There is no haze, a gentle smile.

"Looks like you're not feeling well."

"However, that has nothing to do with me."

"After all, the victim's pain means little to the perpetrator."

The author has something to say: the meaning of the name Falish is a hypocrite.

BGM: 30SecondsToMars - "Hurricane"

The lyrics and translation are as follows:

Nomatterhowmanytimesdidyoutoldmeyouwantedtoleave

No matter how many times you tell me you want to leave

Nomatterhowmanybreathsthatyououtookyoustillcouldn'tbreath

No matter how many breaths you take, you still feel suffocated

No matter how many nights did you lay wide awake to the sound of the poison rain

No matter how many nights the poisonous rain keeps you awake

Where did you go? Where did you go? Where did you go?

where have you been where have you been

Heartbeat, aheartbeat, Ineeda...heartbeat, aheartbeat...

A heartbeat, a heartbeat, I want a...a heartbeat, a heartbeat

Tell me would you kill to save for a life?

Tell me if you would kill just to save once

Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?

Tell me if you'll kill just to prove you're right

Crash, crash, burnletitallburn

Impact impact burn ah burn everything

Thishurricane's schasing us all underground

This hurricane drove us underground

No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget

No matter how many times I die, I never forget

No matter how many lives I live, I will never regret

No matter how many lives I live, I will never regret it

There's fire inside, of this heart, inariot, about to explode into flames

There is a fire burning in my heart, restless, about to burst in the flames

WhereisyourGod? WhereisyourGod? WhereisyourGod? …

where is your god where is your god

Do you really want?

do you really want to

Do you really want me?

do you really want me

Do you really want medead?

you really want me dead

Oralivetotortureformysins?

Or live to be tortured for my crimes?

Do you really want?

do you really want to

Do you really want me?

do you really want me

Do you really want medead?

you really want me dead

Oralive to livealie?

Or live a life of hypocrisy?

Tell me would you kill to save for a life?

Tell me if you would kill just to save once

Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?

Tell me if you'll kill just to prove you're right

Crash, crash, burnletitallburn

Impact impact burn ah burn everything

Thishurricane's schasing us all underground

This hurricane drove us underground

Tell me would you kill to save for a life?

Tell me if you would kill just to save once

Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?

Tell me if you'll kill just to prove you're right

Crash, crash, burnletitallburn

Impact impact burn ah burn everything

Thishurricane's schasing us all underground

This hurricane drove us underground

Do you really want?

do you really want to

Do you really want me?

do you really want me

Do you really want medead?

you really want me dead

Oralivetotortureformysins?

Or live to be tortured for my crimes?

Do you really want?

do you really want to

Do you really want me?

do you really want me

Do you really want medead?

you really want me dead

Oralive to livealie?

Still living a life of hypocrisy

☆、September 2003, 9, Astasia