The other side of the mirror
A/N: A collection of AU one-shots and parodies featuring the cast of Mai HIme. This one is a bit angsty, I want to show Shizuru's determination to save Natsuki. (Though it's really like ep 10 of Puella Magi Madoka Magica.) You may need a bit of knowledge on Puella Magi Madoka Magica to understand this though.
Note:
1. A defeated Orphan randomly drops a Grief Seed that the girls can use to purify their own tainted Soul Gem.
2. The way a Soul Gem works is, it can become tainted due to sad and depressing thoughts. Grief seed can purify it. A pure soul gem is like one with power and hope, tainted it's like full of despair and pain.
Chapter 1: Puella Magi Natsuki Magica
A crimson eyed girl wearing glasses with flowing brown hair fidgeted nervously outside the classroom. it was her first day at Fuuka Academy and she cursed her cowardly self for not being able to fulfill the promise she made to herself. I've finally recovered from my illness and I'm now a new person, if only my confidence agrees with me.
"Good morning class, today we are going to welcome a new friend. Please introduce yourself."
The teacher gestured to Shizuru and she shyly walked to the center of the wooden podium.
"Um…my..my name is Fujino Shizuru. It..it's nice to me..meet you."
"Fujino-san has been in the hospitalized for a long time because of heart illness so, I hope all of you can help her to blend in, okay?"
"Yes~" replied the students in the class.
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As soon as the lunch bell rang, all the female student gathered at Shizuru's table.
"What school were you from, Fujino-chan?"
"Are you good in clubs? Want to join the literature club?"
"What are your hobbies?"
"Your hair is so pretty and long. How do you take care of it?"
Being bombarded with questions, the shy Shizuru could only flinch as she attempted to gather her wits.
"Well,..I ..Um…"
"Fujino-san."
Shizuru looked up to see the person who addressed her and was mesmerized by the shimmering dark haired girl in front of her.
She's so beautiful...
"You need to go to see the nurse don't you? Do you know how to get there?"
"Um…no…"
"I'll take you there. I'm the health officer of this class. Sorry girls, Fujino-san needs to take her medicine at the nurse's office."
Without waiting for a reply, the raven haired girl took Shizuru's hand and pulled her along.
As they left the classroom, the other girl slowed her pace and walked beside the crimson eyed girl.
"I'm sorry about that, we seldom get transfer students and they got a bit excited. They all mean well."
"It's okay, thank..thank you for helping me out."
"You don't need to be so nervous around me. We're classmates, and we stick up for each other."
The other girl slapped her hand on her face and shook her head."
"Where are my manners, I'm Kuga Natsuki. Just call me Natsuki."
"Um, I can't…"
"It's fine. By the way, can I call you Shizuru?"
"Um, people seldom call me by my first name…I feel a bit strange…"
(A/N: In Japan, you often call someone you just met by their surname and only your close friends with your given name. In this case, Natsuki is being rather pushy and wants to be close friends with Shizuru who she just met.)
"Ehhhh! How can that be? For me, it feels so cool…"
"I'm…I'm not worthy…"
Natsuki stops in her steps and turns to look at Shizuru's face.
"That's not true. You have such a beautiful name, so you should have the confidence to match it!"
Shizuru blushes brightly at this.
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"So, now will Fujino-san please solve the mathematic problem on the board."
Shizuru hesitantly walks up to the board and tried to solve the question. But since she has been away from class, she is unprepared and starts to tear up at her inability to answer the question.
"Oh, you've been absent for a while haven't you. You should borrow notes from your friends."
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"Oh my god, she's really bad at sports. Passing out immediately after a short sprint?"
"Well, it can't be helped can it. She just got out of hospital."
Shizuru sits under a tree trying to stop the tears from coming out.
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Shizuru Is walking home from school and depressed at how weak she is.
"You have such a beautiful name, so you should have the confidence to match it!"
it's impossible…I can't…I can't do anything…I only cause trouble to everyone…my family…
Why? Will I always be like this forever.
Shizuru is in a daze so she doesn't notice that she's entered a dark, secluded area. The background contorts as an indication that Shizuru has entered the domain of a Orphan. Dark, evil creatures that prey on the heart of the weak and helpless. A small voice enters Shizuru's mind.
"Then, it's fine if you just died, would'nt it?"
It would be better if I just died…
"Yeah! You should just die!
If I just died…
Shizuru looks up and realizes she in a barren field with all the withered trees contorted as if drawn by a child. The sky is bright red with crayon-like swirls.
"Where…What is this place?"
A large arch suddenly appears behind her and large figures limp arkwardly towards Shizuru.
"What…What's going on? No!"
Homura is scared witless and tries to run away from the creatures but trips over her legs.
"No! Don't come close!"
Sound of gunshots reverberate in the concealed space and the figures are gunned down. Grenades fly out of nowhere and hit their targets exploding in bright flashes.
"That was a close call."
Two figures flies down from the sky and land directly in front of Shizuru.
"It's fine now Shizuru!"
"Nat..Natsuki?"
"They are puella magi. They hunt Orphans."
Nagi, a white doll-like creature with beady eyes and long floppy ears speaks to Shizuru.
"Now you know our secret. Please don't tell the other's at school."
A red-head waves quickly at Shizuru before forming fireballs with her hands and throwing them at other dark figures that had just appeared.
Natsuki and the red-head jump towards the large arch shooting fireballs and using M-16s until it explodes and the flames swirl into the bright sky.
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The three girls gather at the red-head, Tokiha Mai's apartment and have tea and cake.
"So Kuga-san, you fight those things all the time?"
"Well not really all the time. Mai is the veteran here, I just contracted with Nagi last week."
"But you did well today, Natsuki. Better than the last time."
"Aren't you two afraid?"
Natsuki nodded. "Of course I'm afraid. But defeating Orphans helps a lot of people, so it's worth it, I guess."
"Natsuki should become a pro before the Obsidian Lord Night,"said Mai smiling.
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(Obsidian Night)
Tokiha Mai is laid on the floor, blood pooling from a large hole in her chest. She is no longer breathing. Natsuki is frowning while Shizuru is trying hard to stop the tears from coming down.
"Here I go…"
"But, Mai…just died…"
"That's why. Now I'm the only one who can stop the Obsidian Lord."
"It's impossible! You can't win alone against something like that! You'll die too Kuga-san!"
"Still, I'm a Puella Magi. I must protect everyone."
"Let's run away! There's nothing we can do! No one would hold it against you!"
Natsuki looks back at Shizuru and smiles.
"Shizuru, I'm happy that we became friends. When we made it just in time to stop the Orphan to save you, I'm still proud of that. Therefore, I think it was worth it that I became a puella magi."
"Kuga-san…."
"Goodbye, Shizuru. Take care." Natsuki jumps up to face the Obsidian Lord for the last time.
"Kuga-san!"
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Natsuki's body is in a puddle of rain water.
"Why did you have to die? You knew it! Rather than saving me, I wish…I wish that you lived on!"
"Do you mean that, Fujino Shizuru?" Would you risk you Soul for that wish?" asks Nagi.
"If you're ready to accept a life of fighting for that wish, I can give you the strength for it."
"I can wish for anything if I make a contract with you?"
"Yes, I feel the power for it within you. Tell me. With what wish would your Soul Gem shine?"
"I…"
Shizuru takes off her glasses to wipe off the tears with her sleeve before standing up to face Nagi.
"I want to redo my meeting with Kuga-san. Instead of being protected by her, I want to protect her!"
Nagi simply smiles as Shizuru feels as sudden pain in her chest. An egg shaped object materializes from her chest and floats in front of her.
"The contract has been completed. Your wish has improved the entrophy. Now, let your new power loose!"
Shizuru puts her hands up and grasps the egg in her hands. The power of the egg flows through her and the gears of the Soul Gem move rapidly sending Shizuru back in time. Shizuru feels as though her body is torn into pieces as the power overwhelms her.
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As Shizuru opens her eyes, she finds herself in her bed. Her sight is blurry as she isn't wearing her glasses.
"Where am I? I'm…still in the hospital?"
Shizuru looks at her hand and in it is her Soul Gem.
"So it wasn't a dream?"
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"Okay, please introduce yourself."
"I'm Fujino Shizuru. Nice to meet you!"
"Fujino-san was hospitalized for-"
Shizuru who had sets her sights on Natsuki walks forward and grasps Natsuki's hands.
"Kuga-san! I became a Puella Magi too!Let's work hard together from now on!"
A surprised Natsuki just stares at Shizuru before blushing a tint of pink.
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"Alright, here I go!"
Wielding a staff, Shizuru freezes time and runs towards her intended target; an oil drum. On the way, she trips and misses the oil drum. She hits the drum weakly but continuously until it is a piece of wreck. The duration for the time freeze ends and the drum falls to the ground. Shizuru sits on the ground exhausted and panting for air. Mai and Natsuki go up to the wreckage and examines it.
"What do you think, Mai?"
"Hm, she can stop time...It's really amazing but she can't use it properly…"
"I'm sorry…"
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At night, Shizuru works out with a Naginata and tries to build up her stamina. She orders a custom-made naginata from a store online.
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The girls are running after the Orphan in a strange background where there are only clothing lines and clothing are attached to it. Shizuru trips and grips a shirt that is attached to it. Natsuki shoots using her guns whiles Mai shoots her fireballs.
Shizuru freezes time and rushes towards the Orphans. Using her new Naginata that can elongate and go long distances, she binds the enemies and unfreezes time. Natsuki throws grenades at the enemies and they blow up. Shizuru is thrown upward but she freezes time and lands on ground with a flop.
"I did it? I did it!"
"You did it!" Natsuki runs overs and hugs Shizuru tightly. Shizuru blushes bright red at the contact.
"Amazing. Congratulations!"
"You're amazing, Shizuru!"
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It is raining again as it always does on Lord Obsidian Night. Natsuki's Soul Gem is tainted a dark black and she is groaning in pain.
"What's wrong? Kuga-san, hang on!"
"Why?" Natsuki screams.
Natsuki's Soul Gem shatters and a black smoke comes bellowing out before forming a familiar dark shape, an Orphan.
"What! Why? Why is this…?"
The gears of Shizuru's Soul Gem start spinning and she feels her body being pulled apart. She wakes up in her bed. It is the day that she starts at Fuuka Academy.
"I must tell her! Nagi tricked us all!"
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"…and what would Nagi gain by such a lie?" asked the new Puella Magi, Nao.
"Do you want to turn us against each other? Is that why you're sprouting that nonsense? Don't tell me your conspiring with that Mikoto whoever."
"No!"
"Nao…you shouldn't turn against her either." Mai chided Mikoto.
"Darn it, I really don't like that Mikoto. Sprouting nonsense about working alone, " Nao sprouted her long claws and licking them. "I'd really like to give her a piece of my mind.
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The Nao-turned-Orphan attacked the girl with numerous randomly moving wheels.
"Damn it, just what the hell are you?" shouted Mikoto while avoiding the wheels. "What did you do to Nao?"
"Nao, stop it!" Natsuki narrowly misses a wheel that was heading for her. "Please! Remember! This isn't what you wanted! Think of your mother!"
Natsuki gets hit by a wheel and is hurled backwards. The Orphan-Nao simply laughs with glee while throwing off more spinning wheels towards Natsuki. Shizuru runs towards Natsuki and freezes time before slicing all of the wheels with her naginata. Time unfreezes and the debris explodes in the air.
"I'm sorry, Nao."
Shizuru runs towards Orphan-Nao freezing time before facing it head-on.
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Orphan-Nao has been defeated and the girls are in shock and frustration. Mikoto slams her hand on a wall and curses loudly.
"Nao…damn it! This is…"
"This is so cruel! Too cruel!"
In madness, Mai shoots a fireball directly at Mikoto's Soul Gems, shattering it and effectively killing the girl. She starts trembling before crying loudly.
"If the Soul Gem turns us into Orphans, our only choice is to die! You too…and me too!"
"Sto-"
A bullet hits Mai's Soul Gem and it shatters. The girls slumps to the ground, lifeless. Natsuki clutches her gun tightly and begins to cry.
"No! I can't take this anymore!"
Shizuru walks up to Natsuki and kneels in front of her.
"It'll be fine! let's work hard together! Let's defeat the Obsidian Lord together!'
The crying girl looks up at Shizuru and nods.
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Natsuki and Shizuru are laying side by side exhausted as the rain falls down on Lord Obsidian Night. Their tainted Soul Gems are in their hands. Around them the world is in ruin. Natsuki gently turns her head to look at Shizuru and smiles sadly.
"So this is…the end for us too, right?" Shizuru nods at this.
"Grief Seeds?" Shizuru asks whether they have anymore to which Natsuki replies with a shake of her head.
"Right…so how about we become monsters together…and turn this world upside down?" suggests Shizuru. "So that…nothing bad…or sad…would remain. Destroy, destroy, destroy it all! Wouldn't that be just fine?" A tear falls from Shizuru's eyes.
Natsuki takes out a grief seed from her pocket and places it at Shizuru's Soul Gem. The taint from Shizuru's Soul Gem is being purified by it. Startled, Shizuru turns to look at Natsuki who chuckles softly.
"I was lying. I had one."
"That's …Why me?"
"Because I have something to ask of you…something only you can do. Shizuru, you can go back to the past right? You said you can change history so that it won't end like this, right?" Natsuki is silently crying now, her voice cracking slightly.
"Will you save me from my stupidity…before I get fooled by Nagi?"
"I promise! I'll save you for sure! No matter how many times I'll have to repeat it, I'll protect you!"
"I'm glad…" Natsuki trembles with pain as her Soul Gem is starting to break.
"Can I…ask you one more thing?"
Shizuru nods even though she has an inkling what the request is.
"I don't want to become an Orphan. There were tough time…and sad times…but there are lots of things…in this world…that I want to protect."
"Natsuki!"
"Shizuru…You finally call me by my first name…" Natsuki slowly lifts her hand and touches Shizuru's cheek with it. "I'm happy."
Shizuru transforms into a puella magi and takes out her naginata and ready her stance to attack. She swings and swiftly ends Natsuki's life.
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Natsuki wakes up on her bed with a determined glint in her eye. She puts on her glasses as she leaves her bed. A thought passes her mind and she takes out her Soul Gem before placing it at her eyes and uses its powers to heal them to a time where she didn't need glasses.
No one believes in the future. No one can accept the future. Then I…
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Shizuru walks up to Natsuki's window and surprises the other girl who Is working at the study desk.
"Natsuki, even if someone shows up promising you miracles in exchange for helping him, you must not do what he says."
In her hand, hidden by the wall, is the corpse of the doll, Nagi.
"Shizu…?"
Before Natsuki can finish her sentence, Shizuru has disappeared.
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I won't depend on anyone. No one has to understand it.
Shizuru defeats Orphan after Orphan all alone, wielding her naginata like the scythe of Death.
I won't let Natsuki fight. I'll take care of all the witches myself. Even the Obsidian Lord…
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Shizuru is fighting the Obsidian Lord, the enormous Orphan Lord that brings with it the destruction of the world. She jumps towards the enemy but is rammed by a large debris of a building. She reappears unscathed a distance away before appearing at another point closer to the target. She evades streaks of energy bolts by jumping and reappearing.
"So cruel!" Natsuki stares in shock at the intensity of the battle.
"That's how it goes. It's way too strong for her." Explains Nagi who mysteriously appeared beside Natsuki.
"That's too cruel! This isn't fair!"
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Shizuru who has been knocked to a wall turns to see Natsuki talking to Nagi.
"Natsuki! Don't listen to what he says!" Shizuru screams in vain.
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"If you give up, that'll be the end. But you have the power to change fate. All this destruction and grief. You could reverse it. You have the power to do that."
"Really?"
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"Don't listen to him! He's tricking you!"
Shizuru struggles to reach Natsuki but is thrown a distance away.
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"Even I could do something? Could I stop all this from happening?"
"Sure! So make a contract with me and become a Puella Magi!"
Natsuki hesitates before nodding slowly.
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"Don't!"
Shizuru screams even as she falls into a dark bottomless pit. The last thing she can see before losing consciousness is a bright light illuminating Natsuki.
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The rain has stopped falling and the sky is a dull grey as Shizuru regains consciousness.
"She was really amazing…when she transformed," Nagi explains as Shizuru sits up watching the ruins.
"I thought she'd become the strongest Puella Magi,..but to defeat the Obsidian Lord in just one hit…"
"…and how will this end? If she's even stronger than you thought…"
"Either way, her end will be the same. As the strongest Puella Magi, she defeated her greatest enemy. Now there's nothing left for her but to become the most evil and powerful Orphan ever. As Natsuki is now, it won't take long before she's destroyed this planet. But well, that's not my problem. I gathered a lot more energy than our collection quota.
Shizuru stands up and brushes off the dust of her ripped clothes. As she starts to walk away, Nagi asks her.
"Won't you fight?"
"No."
"This is not my history."
"Fujino Shizuru,you're…"
The gears of Shizuru's Soul Gem start to rewind and she travels back in time.
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Repeat. I'll repeat it no matter how many times.
Shizuru slices Nagi into pieces and the blood splutters everywhere. Behind her, another Nagi tried to escape and she chases after it.
I'll live through the same events again and again. Until I can find the only way out. The way to save you from despair.
She turns pass a corner and is stopped in tracks when she sees Natsuki cradling the escaped Nagi in her arms.
Natsuki. My only friend…My most important person…
"Shizuru…"
Shizuru is startled hearing her name being called but fakes a confident front and struts toward Natsuki.
If…If it's for your sake…
I won't mind being locked in this eternal maze!
-End-
A/N: Reviews are much welcomed as well as suggestion of any anime parody or ideas.