Chereads / Coded Law / Chapter 15 - Préservation de la vanité

Chapter 15 - Préservation de la vanité

Kibe and Himmy walked throughout the streets, Kibe dressed in a sharp outfit,. A jacket with a black turtleneck underneath and black pants. Himmy wearing her normally scruffy fur hood and shorts. They two's positions were opposite. Kibe walked completely straight whole Himmy slouched and hands in her pockets. The perfect duality. Kibe looked through store and store, one for painters and the other for calligraphy. In the next store it was for pianist.  Kibe put his hands against a brush tree made piano while Himmy sat back bored out of her mind.

"Why are we here again?" Himmy asked as Kibe pressed his finger aginst a piano key. His expression unchanged, but his energy made it feel like he was disgusted with what was around him. At least that's how others felt.

"More often do humans find themselves wasting their time with meaningless things, striving for something that will inevitably consume their life." Kibe said to which Himmy rolled her eyes to. They soon left the store and would bump into a familiar face. It was Ryota. 

"KIBE! Glad to see you. I figured you for a more stay at home kind of guy." Ryota said with a smirk, Himmy looked away. 

"I often don't exit my place of residence unless needed. Pointless galavanting never suited me." Kibe said

"Well I don't blame you, it's been getting crazy around town. The school and the other students in a uproar about what's happened. The only thing they have to give them some hope is that stupid play." Ryota said, he looked around at the people walking past and near them. His right hand balled up and the other in his pocket. Himmy's eyes looked at him and then back to Kibe.

"Not a fan I assume?" Kibe asked

"No, not one damn bit. That rotten Takashi guy is a pig. The way he looks at those girls is...its sickening." Ryota said with aggression in his voice.

"You have family in it?" Kibe asked

"Yea, my sister. She got picked for his special audition...tch, what a guy." Ryota said as he wiped his mouth. Kibe readjusted his sleeves.

"Pigs are often seen as fattening, same with kings and many men of power. A symbol of greed and over consumption of wealth and the poor." Kibe said, Ryota's head tilted a bit.

"...I heard hes banned you from being in it. Just what did you do?" Ryota asked

"I can't possible cultivate what assumptions he's created to get to such a, unfortunate decision. Could be a fear of being outshined." Kibe said

"Your very...wordy, you must come from a home of writers or maybe artist." Ryota said

"Can we go now?" Himmy asked, as she looked to Kibe. Kibe's head turned to her and then back to Ryota.

"Who's your friend Kibe? Girlfriend? Sister?" Ryota asked, Himmy scoffed as she looked away.

"Acquaintance." Kibe said

"Oh come on, you don't got to be formal around me." Ryota said 

"I assure you, if I was romantically involved with someone. They'd be more behaved." Kibe said to which Ryota chuckled. 

"Hey! I asked if we could go." Himmy said raising her voice, Ryota looked at her and Kibe. Kibe just shrugged. 

"Well then, I'll be seeing you at school tomorrow." Kibe said

"Oh for sure, they're have some nice little wrestling competition for gym. I don't really get too excited for it seeing as not many can match my physical strength. Though ever since meeting you, I've been trying to hold in my anticipation." Ryota said

"Well then, I guess I'll see you on the mat." Kibe said as he waved Ryota goodbye with Himmy following him, she looked back at Ryota as he waved at them. Kibe and Himmy continued to walk away.

"Hes one of them." Himmy said as her and Kibe stopped at crosswalk. 

"I know." Kibe said, Himmy looked at him astonished with what he said.

"Then why haven't you done anything?" Himmy asked, people began to pile behind them. All waiting for the light to give them right of passage. They sacrificed their patience for the right to continue they're journey. Kibe's eyes focused on the crossing lights of cars, the sounds of the vehicles around them.

"Are you familiar with the theory of equivalent exchange?" Kibe asked as the light turned on signaling for everyone to cross. Himmy and Kibe stood there for a few moments looking at one another.

"...Do tell." Himny said

"Its central to Alchemy and many say real life. It is the theory that one has to give something of equal value; in order to be given something that they desire. People cannot earn or get money without sacraficing they're time, a man cannot have a woman without first sacraficing his mind to know they're partners and you cannot kill without giving up another life in exchange." Kibe said as they both began to cross the street.

"Cant you give something else? Something that isn't crucial to you?" Himmy asked

"Of course, I do it all the time." Kibe said, Himmy kept looking at him.

"What is this?" Himmy thought to herself.

"So then, what did you give that guy? You were talking afterall." Himmy asked

"Ryota is a man if not a primitive one. He sees me as a challenge, and in exchange for the information I've gained. I must accept his invitation. As he finds it to be crucial to his character arch. To be better or worse? Only he can determine that." Kibe said

"He could be the key to getting closer to the dragon gang." Himmy said

"Perhaps, though that avenue will prove troublesome." Kibe said as he and Himmy stopped outside of violinist store. He opened the door for her as she walked with him behind her.

"Troublesome for who though?" Himmy asked. Kibe didn't say anything though, he just kept waking towards the front counter. As he did the store owner woukd turn around and walk to him.

"Bonjour!" The store owner said as he walked up and shook Kibe's hand.

"Bonjour" Kibe said, Kibe and the store owner continued to talk to one another in French. Himmy rolled her eyes and walked over to find a chair to sit at. The store owner motioned Kibe towards some violins. 

"Ah my friend, its not often I find another fellow visitor to the city of lights." Said the store owner as Kibe grabbed a piano and studied it 

"I went once on holiday with my mother when I was young, the city has indeed earned its name." Kibe said. 

"How long did you stay? Your French is exquisite." The store owner said

"We stayed for a week." Kibe said as he put the violin back. The store owner was a bit shocked.

"A week? But you sound like your from there." He said

"Languages are easy to learn, its as simple to me as learning the ABCs. Now then,  do you have any better pochettes?" Kibe asked to which the store owner showed him some more expensive ones. Eventually Himmy and Kibe would exit the store leaving with a violin.

"So you came out to just get that? What was the point?" Himmy asked to which Kibe just looked at her.

"Remember what I said." Kibe said as he started walking, Himmy shrugged as she followed him back home. Eventually they'd arrive back at Kibe's home where on the steps Mi woukd be sitting down, Kibe looked at her as they walked there. Mi saw him and got excited before she saw Himmy, but she kept her smile and came over and hugged Kibe.

"KIBE! Its good to see you!" She said.

"How have you been Mi? I know what happened at that Hotel must have been...traumatizing. " he said

"...Yea well, they were. But I'm strong and guess what? I got the head actress role in the play!" Mi said as she hugged him again, one of her eyes falling on Himmy who was looking at her too. Kibe simply patted Mi on the back. 

"Our class is doing a little wrestling activity tomorrow, are you going to be in it?" Mi asked

"Perhaps. This is Himmy by the way." Kibe said introducing her, much to her surprise. Mi nodded to Kibe and walked to Himmy.

"Hi, I'm Ouchi Mi." Mi said with a wide smile, Himmy just scoffed as she looked away. Mi looked at Kibe.

"Dont mind her, she is just herself unfortunately." He said, Himmy sneered at him as she turned away. Mi looked at what Kibe had bought. 

"Oh wow! A violin! Your playing again!" She said

"Yes, well. Figured I could use something to pass the time." Kibe said 

"Well, I just wanted to come here to tell you about that. I don't want to take up any of your time, you probably are rusty after a long time of not playing." Mi said

"I doubt it." Kibe said to which Mi chuckled, she then blushed a bit before she kissed Kibe on the cheek. Much to her own suprise, she played with her hair a bit before looking away.

"Well, I hope you'll play me something then. I'll see you at school." She said flustered as she started walking away, she nodded to Himmy as she left. Himmy walked next to Kibe and watched Mi.

"So that your girlfriend?" Himmy asked

"No." Kibe said

"...Are you...planning to do the same to her as you did to me? Is she like me?" Himmy asked worried on what she just said, but when she looked to Kibe he wasn't looking at her.

"...Undoubtably, but thats of her own choice, not mine. She wants to see Nori Kibe return to the child he was before." Kibe said

"...Will you?" Himmy asked

"..."

"Ok." Himmy said

"Go home Himmy, we'll meet again this coming Tuesday, after school. Do as I've asked. Nothing more and nothing less." Kibe said as he then walked inside his home leaving Himmy outside. She stayed there for a few moments before she started walking away. Kibe went down to his basement with his violin. He took it out of it's case, he took off his jacket and stood in the center of the basement. Kibe stood in the center and looked up. He closed his eyes. As he did he could feel himself, he could feel his mouth, his eyes, his teeth and his mind all vibrating at once before finally silencing. Under his feet he could feel the hands, the hands that belonged to all those he'd had killed and tormented thus far and as he opened his eyes, he saw all of those he would have to kill. All standing in front of him seats like a theater. There he saw Juo sitting rows back and his father, with a gun shot wound right between his eyes.

Kibe then looked as he saw someone else walking down and taking a seat, in a beautiful dress he saw Mi sit down next to Ryota. Both of them putting bags over they're heads. Then all their flesh melted off they're bones, crawling along the ground like spiders and insects. They're eyes still in they're heads. Painted and plastered in shock.

"Killing must feel good to God, too. He does it all the time, and are we not created in his image." Kibe said as his face then began to mold and shape itself into a white rabbit. Thats when he'd tap on his violin before playing the famous song, The Devil's trill Sonata flawlessly.