An unforgettable name
"Fucking rain!"
On top of a multilevel parking, the magical girls took shelter from the heavy rain in a large gazebo made with ribbons.
"I had seen the warnings about the climate change that was going to happen today." Said Mami to a irritated Kyouko.
Yuma was also present, along with her family. "Mama already knew too."
Oriko had a closed umbrella with her. "I came prepared, but Tomoe-san impressed me again with this gazebo."
"I've lost count of how many times I hunted demons under less pleasant climates." Mami said while observing the curious object Yuma carried. It was a long wand with a white furry ball on the edge, almost as big as the girl's head, with a long tail. "All that water wouldn't be good for my hair. Huhu."
"Heh. What a bad joke Mami." Kyouko smiled slightly before returning to a more serious face. "The problem isn't getting wet. With this rain, at night, it's hard to see anything. Usually from here we could see the extent of the miasma."
"Yes." Mami pointed to a direction and began to instruct. "Across the street there is a junkyard, it's where we're putting the used cubes. It was to be a temporary solution, but now there's so much cubes and demons there, I can't imagine another place to deposit them safely."
Kirika approached the wall of water. "That's it? Well... then wait for my return."
"What?" Mami was startled. "You want to go alone?"
Kirika reached out to feel the rain. "Look, I'm already used to it. I didn't say that we already do this in Kazamino?"
"This is not Kazamino." Kyouko replied.
"Demons, miasma, everything is the same, isn't it?" Kirika winked at Kyouko.
At this time, the redhead noticed something. "Hey... Your two eyes are good, aren't they?"
"Yes, and?"
"WHY IN THE HELL YOU USE AN EYE PATCH?"
Kirika lifted the eye patch. "Because it's cool, duh." She showed her tongue. "I bet I just need an eye to beat you."
"Oh yeah?" Kyouko smiled, feeling the taste of a challenge. "How about we see who will kill more demons?
"Are you kidding me? You have no chance!" Kirika said in complete disbelief.
"Kyouko! This isn't a competition." Mami rebuked.
"It is now." Kyouko said. [It's better this way.]
The telepathic message of Kyouko left Mami intrigued. [How?]
[Trust me.] Kyouko smiled at Mami. "Didn't you want me to help? So will be my way. Stay out of it."
"Right..." Mami spoke, not pleased at all. [I hope you have a good reason.]
"Cool, so it'll be like the old times." Kirika stretched her neck. "Ready to lose?"
Kyouko spun her spear several times before holding it with both hands. "Heh. Keep believing it'll be easy."
"If you're so confident, let's go then, I still want to finish this today." Kirika was preparing to leave, but soon started. "Oh no! I almost forgot!"
"Huh?! Forgetting what?" Kyouko asked.
Kirika did not answer the question, she just turned to Yuma with a smile, crouched and stood with open arms.
Yuma went toward her happily. "The good luck kiss!"
Kyouko gasped. "How?!"
"The good luck kiss..." Mami murmured.
"One here, my sweetheart. Smooch!" Kirika pointed at one of her cheeks. After Yuma kissed, she pointed to the other one. "One more today because it's raining."
Yuma obeyed. "Be careful, papa!"
"Those baddies won't even know what hit them." Kirika stood up and looked at Kyouko. "Do you want one too?"
"What?"
"The good luck kiss."
Kyouko looked at Yuma, which had become inhibited. "No way."
Kirika smiled. "Are you sure? Perhaps you'll need..."
"No." Kyouko said, not liking the tone that the other girl used in her voice.
"Ok. Yuma, is better you move away." After the little girl retreated, Kirika opened slightly her arms. Then came beneath her sleeves claws composed of three blades made from a dark energy, where the tips of them had a shape of a scythe.
"Have a good harvest." Said Oriko.
Kirika looked back one last time, smiling, before running and disappearing beneath the rain.
Kyouko had not gone yet, she had her attention toward Mami. [Did you see those claws?]
[It's like you had described.] Answered Mami, aware of the conversation they had in the afternoon. Of course, only after Kyouko ran the vacuum cleaner in the living room.
The redhead then chased her opponent in the rain, but the conversation was not finished. [She's very fast too, would be hard to you to deal with her.]
[What do you have in mind?] Asked Mami.
[Kirika is the most dangerous of the three, so I'll keep an eye on her...]
Oriko spoke to Mami. "Well... now it is just us.".
"Hi?" Distracted with the voice of Kyouko, Mami did not understand what Oriko said.
[...she might try something. Are you listening?]
The unusual behavior of Mami caught the attention of Yuma. "Is there a problem Mami-senpai?"
"Ah... No problem." Mami forced a smile. [I'm listening, but I can't believe you lied to me when you said you would give a chance to them.]
"She must be talking to Sakura-san telepathically, Yuma." Oriko took the girl's hand. "I think we better not to intrude."
[Don't you live talking about caution? So.]
Seeing that Oriko had discovered, Mami confessed. "Yes. She's talking about the miasma and... about demons..."
"No need to explain." Oriko gestured. "You and she are working together for a long time and I do not mean to pry. Excuse me."
[Look, this is the plan: you take care of Oriko and Yuma.]
"Sorry Mami-senpai." Yuma bowed out of respect before the two girls distanced themselves.
Mami put a hand on her head, bewildered by the situation and especially for what Kyouko had just said. [What do you mean 'take care' of them?]
Kyouko's response soon followed. [If Kirika attacks me, I'll warn you. Then you use your ribbons to arrest the two girls...]
Mami glanced at Oriko and Yuma, with their backs towards her, near the rain. Yuma was playing with the tail of the furry ball.
[...as I told you, Oriko uses some kind of flying balls, she won't be able to cut your ribbons, but she'll try to hit your gem, so beware. She has good reflexes too, but I don't think she can dodge your muskets, put a bullet in her if things get ugly. I don't know much about Yuma, but...]
[Kyouko!] Mami clenched her hands, which were shaking. [Are... Are you aware of what you're asking me? Arrest them, fire at Oriko... even more in front of Yuma!]
[Get real Mami! Yuma is a magical girl and she probably has the power to kill you. Don't lower your guard just because she looks innocent.]
[I'll not do that!] Mami was resolute in her response, so much that there was a break in communication, where she only heard the sound of rain falling on the gazebo.
[It's just caution, Mami. The problem is that you have no idea of the risks. If Kirika attacks me, I can even hold my ground for a while, but I won't be able to escape. I need a trump card. If this happens, I'll tell her that you have the two girls there as hostages, you like it or not.]
[Kyouko!]
[Shit! She's very fast! Look, I'm losing her from my view. I have to focus, so I'll come back to talk to you to give a warning if needed.]
[Kyouko...] Mami sent another message, knowing she would not get a response.
... give a warning ...
She felt a chill. Kyouko mentioned about caution, but this was absurd. At any moment she could receive a message and have to decide about threatening the life of the other two who were with her. Mami looked back at Oriko and Yuma. "Mikuni-san..."
Oriko answered. "Hello?"
When she noticed, it was too late. Mami called Oriko having no idea of what to talk about, why she had done it? No... She knew why she had done it. Was to calm her concerns, that also now she needed to hide. "It's... about Kure-san..."
"Kirika?"
"Yes." Mami sought words. "From what I understand, it seems that she always hunt alone."
"Oh." Oriko smiled. "Kirika is very efficient and she says she concentrates better knowing that we are not taking unnecessary risks. However, I must emphasize that she is never exactly alone."
"What do you mean?"
Yuma lifted her wand. "We're the reinforcements!"
"That is right Yuma." Oriko agreed. "As you may know Tomoe-san, there is a maximum distance for telepathy. We always try to be close enough in case she has problems. Fortunately, it is rare."
"Yes, I understand..." That information gave birth to a disturbing idea in mind of Mami. As Kyouko talked to her telepathically, Kirika could have done the same to Oriko. Yesterday had been clear that they knew her very well, it was expected that this would include her combat capabilities. Kyouko had not thought of, but it was possible that Kirika was also interested in getting a trump.
The air had become colder. Mami noted that the shadows cast by the gazebo seemed to be darker. They made the once polite visage of Oriko into something threatening, as well as the smile of Yuma, with a malignant air rather than mere sympathy.
Oriko returned to speak. "Tomoe-san, I wonder if you are aware that Kyouko met me today?"
Yuma looked at Oriko, surprised by hearing that.
There was something behind that question? Oriko would be suspicious of her recent telepathic conversation? Mami was no longer sure of anything anymore. "Yes, I am."
"What did she say about it?"
"She said that you two discussed and that she was willing to help." That was exactly what Kyouko mentioned, Mami felt that there was nothing to hide.
"Yes, our conversation was very good, the relationship between us became more transparent. I must admit it was a great evolution, I believe she trust more on us now." Said Oriko with relief and contentment. "Did you ask for her to see me? If this is the case, I am very grateful."
No. Kyouko had not put any trust in them and she too had now lost it. Mami sought to understand the fear she was feeling deep within herself. "I don't..."
Oriko waited for Mami complete her answer, but she did not. "I see. Still, even if she did this on her own, you must have contributed to the wise attitude of her."
Paranoia.
That was the poison that Kyouko had distilled in her, that made her forget that those magical girls had a common purpose and problem. Although it was a momentary weakness, Mami felt ashamed.
"Do you believe in the Law of Cycles?"
The question of Oriko took Mami by surprise. However, it was not the first time she heard this question. "Me? Yes, I do."
"Uh-huh..." The succinct answer Mami gave had left no doubts to Oriko about the faith of that girl. She sought to do the same. "I do not believe. This would be a problem?"
Mami, when she first heared about the Law of Cycles during one of her conversations with Kyuubey, also did not consider it as true. Those were days when she was bitter and cynical, because she had just lost her family. Only with the passage of time, while defending Mitakihara against the fruit of the curses of mankind, she considered that, before all that evil, there would be a source of hope somewhere too. At that moment, she realized that Oriko was a spitting image of her past. "No problem, Mikuni-san. I won't try to convince you. One day, when the time comes, you'll know."
"'When the time comes'." Oriko gave a small smile. "Tomoe-san, I will say that if the Law of Cycles indeed existed, you would be one of the few people I know who deserve to go there."
Mami did not know what expression do about that phrase, she chose to smile too. "Aha... I appreciate your affirmation, but I did not intend to go there so..."
Like fireflies, small and flickering lights appeared in the environment.
"Mama." Yuma was worried.
The city's lights began to lose their color. Everything began to fade, except the magical girls and the gazebo.
Mami knew what it was. "That is..."
"Miasma." Oriko too. "Does Kirika and Kyouko left some demons escape?"
"It's quite possible." Mami concluded. "And they must have felt our presence here."
Without delay, spheres materialised around Oriko. "Yuma, stay close to me."
Mami noted the fear in Yuma in the way she moved her head from side to side and her held breath. That girl should not have much experience in fighting, considering she only acted when necessary.
It was time to give an example, as a good senpai.
Mami took her beret and reached out. From inside beret fell several muskets with bayonets, which nailed in the ground around her. "Ok! Keep your eyes open and concentrate on your gems. We have to find them as soon as possible."
"Listen to her, Yuma." Said Oriko. "Do as I taught, it is like an echo, feel the magic around us resonate and..." Her eyes widened. "Tomoe-san... they... they are close!"
"Yes, I feel too." Mami was not even more blinking. "They are below us..."
A light beam emerged near Mami through the floor, hitting and burning the gazebo. Before the girl could notice, new beams followed.
"Tomoe-san!"
When Mami heard Oriko, she was surrounded by those beams. The gazebo bursted and the rain broke into, soaking her, ruining the hair. Then the ground below her feet fled and she plunged into the dark.
Only when she felt a strong impact on her back against a hard surface, she saw the hole in the ceiling where the water fell without ceasing. Those light beams caused a collapse in the slab, making her fall to the floor below.
Her instincts already warned that the demons were hiding behind the black veil around her. Fortunately, some muskets accompanied her in the fall. Using a ribbon that had come out of her glove, she pulled the nearest weapon. At that moment, she noticed from the corner of her eye a light source. Without hesitation, she shot in that direction.
The bullet has hit the demon, destroying the creature's hand and arm. However this did not bring relief to Mami, quite the opposite: the flash generated by the firing revealed the horde that surrounded her.
Using only the muskets on the ground it was no longer an viable option, let alone continue lying there. The only and obvious chance to escape was the hole just above.
Mami, with a gesture, gave rise to several muskets in the air, shooting, providing the coverage she needed. Then the girl got up and began to take impulse to jump...
"aaaaAAAARRRRGGGHH!"
An excruciating pain in the legs and Mami found herself lying on the floor again. The smell of burned flesh invaded her nostrils and the terrible pain persisted, but the most frightening was that she was not feeling even her knees. She lifted her head and a chill taken her being when she saw her severed lower limbs.
Suddenly a demon teleported almost on top of her. The adrenaline that flowed into her body helped in the reaction, making her raise her hand ready to summon a gun. However Mami could not concentrate in panic. With her magic out of control, numerous ribbons jumped out of her hand aimlessly. In the end, the best she managed to produce was a makeshift pistol. Pressing the trigger, the gun barrel exploded and the fragments only glanced the demon, but it was enough to make him flee.
A shadow fell over Mami's face. The girl turned her attention to it, already waiting for those creatures. What she actually saw instead was an angel in a white dress.
But that angel had no wings.
With the tiptoes on a sphere, Oriko was descending slowly from the hole in the ceiling. Several other spheres, that shared the same orbit around her, whirled at a high speed. Her hands were clasped to her chest, near the gem, which began to shine. As a miming, the crystalline part of the spheres also lit up.
That caught the attention of demons, which concluded that the girl was a greater threat compared to the one that was down.
"Let the purifying light bring the proper fate for this evil!" Oriko's gem shone even more, she opened her arms and cried.
"ORACLE RAY!"
What Mami witnessed was a real demonstration of power. The spheres shot bluish energy rays so intense that was almost white. The demons present were swallowed by that blinding light and were vaporized.
When the light cleared, Oriko had reached the ground as wet as she was. Leaving the sphere where she was balancing, she ordered the others ones to spread. Emitting a luminescence, they revealed the result of the attack.
"I think it is safe now, you can get..." Oriko looked at Mami. "Tomoe-san?!"
Mami lifted her body with the help of her arms. With the end of fright, her senses returned to warn abour her serious injury.
Oriko hurried and went to where the legs were. She puts one under each arm. The wet skirt she wore was stained in red, but the girl continued with an unwavering expression. "You lost a lot of blood."
Upon hearing that, Mami looked at the ground around her and realized she was on a large red puddle. It was very cold.
"Quickly! Make a tourniquet!" Oriko demanded.
With effort, Mami used one of her arms to summon a ribbon, which bandaged the thigh, just above the wound. When she pulled to tighten, she contracted her face in pain.
Oriko then reached down and did the best she could to fit the legs.
"Ah... It will... be tough to heal it..." Mami spoke with difficult. "... Ah... we need enough magic and... time."
Oriko stood up and looked at the hole in the roof. "Yuma!"
"No!" Mami reached out toward Oriko. "Do not let her see this!"
However, Oriko did not respond to the request. "This is exactly why I am calling her."
Yuma went down through the hole in the ceiling, completely soaked. "Mama, it's okay with... Mami-senpai!"
Mami turned her face to not continue seeing the little girl's startled expression.
After the initial shock, however, Yuma smiled. "Don't worry, Mami-senpai, I'll take care of you."
Mami looked back at Yuma, in surprise.
Whirling her wand, Yuma sang. "PURU PURU PURURIN! Pain! Give iiiiinnnnnn!"
Mami saw her body being taken over by a green light and, like it respected the words of Yuma, the pain disappeared. When the light dimmed, she began to feel the pantyhose and her boot.
The walls began to lose focus, as well as the ceiling where the hole began to fade. Since the place was dark, it was hard to notice the colors become more vivid. Even the ground become dry.
Oriko as well as the other two girls, however, they were still wet. "The miasma was gone."
Mami did not paid attention to it, just to her toes she could move again. Her legs were back in place and it was like nothing had happened.
"Mami-senpai, are you feeling well now? Or is it still hurting somewhere?" Asked Yuma, very helpful.
Mami only shook her head to deny. She still had no words for that miracle.
"Yuma, let me see your gem." Said Oriko.
"Yes, Mama." Yuma turned her back and rested the chin on her chest.
Mami watched as Oriko lifted the little girl's hair, revealing a clear green gem in the shape of a stylized cat's head on the nape.
"I think it will only need a cube." Oriko commented. "You did a great job."
"Just one cube?" Mami was even more stunned. "That was the most powerful healing magic I have ever witnessed."
"That was nothing!" Yuma replied. "I needed only to reconnect your legs. There was a time that papa lost a whole hand, that was very difficult to treat."
"Do not remind me." Gesturing with her fingers, Oriko brought to herself the spheres were scattered. "On that day, Kirika was very imprudent against the demons."
Mami was still admired. "Mikuni-san, the way you dealed with the demons... You two are amazing!"
Oriko slid her fingers over her gem. "It is not an attack that I usually do..." Then she smiled. "...but I could not hesitate when I found you in danger. To hear that from you now, makes me flattered."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Kyouko pierced a demon with her spear. "175" And decapitated another with the blade thereof. "176!" The rain was punishing the junkyard. The long red ponytail weighed while the magical girl climbed one mountain of debris. From the top she saw her new target and jumped.
In the air, Kyouko dove with her spear, not wanting to offer any chance for that distracted demon.
"177!" Another voice was heard and the demon was shattered into several pieces before they turn into a dark jelly and clump together into a cube.
"What?!" Kyouko withdrew her spear and landed on the muddy soil. When looking for the owner of the voice, found Kirika on the body of an abandoned car. "Hey! This was mine."
"Yeah, I know. I counted for you." Kirika shook her head quickly, making her hair splash. "Just didn't want to wait, since this was the last demon."
Kyouko frowned. "Are you kidding? Last demon?" Then she realized that the rust on the bodywork was redder and the mud, before light gray, now was becoming brown again. It amazed her. She and Mami lately took over three hours to clean up the site, this time they barely spent one.
"You did well, but only because you knew the place." Kirika smiled. "Next time won't be so easy."
"Heh. It's I who won't going to facilitate." Kyouko could barely keep her eyes open with all that rain.
Kirika jumped from the body to the ground. "It's better we come back soon, before we melt like that witch from Wizard of Oz, you know?"
"Jeez! Not even remembered this story."
Kirika looked at the cube, almost completely covered by mud. "I lost count of how many demons I killed today. However I'm only with a part of the cubes, as much as I could carry. What do you do with the rest?"
Kyouko shrugged. "I and Mami also can't take everything. Without Kyuubey, there's no way to keep them."
The two started walking toward the fence that bordered the junkyard.
Kirika started. "Wow. Although here they're weak too because they have just hatched , there was way more demons, in Kazamino I wouldn't have taken so long."
"Wouldn't have taken so long, huh?" Kyouko asked. "Where are you stocking the cubes there?"
Kirika adjusted her eye patch. "Oh... I didn't leave within the urban area like you two. I put them close to the highway."
Kyouko returned to question. "Hey, but does pass a lot of people there, doesn't?"
"The people pass nearby the place in a hurry and the demons are lazy."
"Lazy?"
Kirika nudged Kyouko with her elbow. "Yes! They're able to teleport, but they don't try to chase the vehicles. It's hilarious, isn't it?"
"Oh yeah..." Kyouko said, without further interest in continuing the subject.
The two jumped the fence about the same time and went toward the parking. To Kyouko, the friendly conversation left her disturbed. Her suspicions had not materialized. Was she wrong? The past blinding her judgment?
Jumping the walls, they reached the top of the multilevel parking. There was the gazebo and the other three girls waiting, dry and protected from rain.
However, it was only Kyouko come closer to realize that something was wrong: they were quiet, with serious expressions. When exchanged glances with Mami, the blonde looked away. "What happened here?"
It was Mami who answered the question. "Demons attacked us."
"How?"
Yuma added. "But we finished them and saved Mami-senpai."
"Saved who?!" Kyouko's eyes widened.
Oriko sought to ease the tension. "It is okay now..."
Kyouko interrupted, pointing the finger at Oriko. "Close your fucking mouth!" Then approached Mami. "Explain."
Mami said, fearing what it would trigger. "They surprised us. I was hurt, but Yuma-san healed me."
Kyouko laughed. "Hahaha... I knew. I knew it!" She turned to the other girls with a menacing look. "The first hunt together and this happens."
Not feeling intimidated, Oriko stood in front of Yuma.
"Enough Kyouko, ENOUGH!" Mami exclaimed. "They saved me!"
The rain continued as Kyouko and Oriko maintained a stare on each other. With bated breath, Kyouko fidgeted the fingers of the hand holding her spear.
Kirika tilted her torso and opened her arms slightly.
Then, with a sigh, Kyouko relaxed her stance and lowered her head. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips before speaking. "Tha... Thank you."
No girl reacted before that for a moment, as if they had become statues, until Oriko nodded. "It is better to end here for today."
Mami manifested. "Already? They returned well before I expected, there is still plenty of time to look for Kyuubey."
"I think we did not recover from this incident yet." Oriko continued to stare at Kyouko. "And coming here already covered some area. We can continue tomorrow night." Then she opened the umbrella and held the hand of Yuma. "Here I take my leave, go rest you two."
"Bye Mami-senpai." Yuma waved.
Mami replied with a wave as well.
Kyouko remained motionless.
When Oriko was leaving the gazebo, Kirika reached them and the three girls disappeared under the heavy rain.
Only then Kyouko decided to speak. "It was you who killed the demons?"
Mami turned her attention to the redhead. "No. Oriko destroyed them with a sort of energy ray."
"Energy ray? I've never seen her do it." Kyouko looked at Mami. "And the little girl can heal..."
"Kyouko, please. I don't..." Mami stopped to talk, being surprised with a hug.
"I could have lost you! I know! I know it's my fault!" Kyouko leaned her head on the shoulder of her colleague, the big blonde curls leaning on her sorry face. "Once again I left you behind, alone."
Mami froze. "Kyouko..."
Kyouko walked away, head down. "I... I'm wetting you."
Then there was a time when only the rain spoke.
Mami swallowed hard. "There is no reason to blame. I know you did it because of your suspicions about them."
"And I still distrust them." Kyouko continued with her head down. "But maybe it's a mistake, maybe I can change my mind if we continue to act together. What I can guarantee is that I won't do this shit again."
Mami approached Kyouko. "Well... in that case." She then raised a hand and the ribbons that formed the gazebo were attracted and transformed. In her hand was formed a large yellow umbrella with the design of a flower on top. "After fighting the demons, we had to use some cubes. How about putting them there in the junkyard together?"
Kyouko exchanged glances with the blonde and with a slight smile forming, nodded. "Let's go."
The two walked through the rain to reach the edge of the building and then fell together onto the sidewalk, splashing the water accumulated where they had landed.
"Ah... That way the umbrella will not help much." Mami commented.
That silence break encouraged Kyouko to open her mouth. "Mami, I have something to tell you about Kirika, about her powers."
"You'll continue distrusting them." Mami spoke more as a way to keep this as a reminder for herself.
"It's because you have interest about magic and I saw something very weird."
"Weird?"
Kyouko continued. "I didn't say at that time that I was about to lose her from my sight? So it was then that I saw that she was inside a bubble."
"Bubble?" That instigated Mami's curiosity.
"Not exactly a bubble, but a dome formed with rainwater. How I can say..." Kyouko scratched her head.
Mami pondered what had just heard. "Uh-huh..."
"Huh? You know what it is?"
The two reached the fence.
Mami shook her head. "I still have to think better. I'll do that after returning home, take a good bath and..."
"Eat something." Kyouko said.
Mami smiled. "...and eat something."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Oriko watched the raindrops running down the glass wall of the illuminated bus stop where they were. She could see the reflection of her own figure sitting and with casual clothing. In her lap rested the head of Yuma, which lain on the bench.
"It seems she fell asleep."
Oriko said quietly to the comment of Kirika, who was sitting next to her. "Yes. The rain's noise helps her to relax."
Kirika leaned her head on the shoulder of Oriko. "I want to sleep like that too."
Oriko felt her shoulder getting wet. "Only if you dry this hair. In fact you better do that before you arrive at your mother's home, she won't be pleased to know that you've been catching rain."
"Hmmm... I'll use a little bit of magic while on the bus. No problem." Kirika closed her eyes. [So it worked out? All those used cubes that I planted there in the afternoon hatched?]
[You followed my instructions very well.] Oriko stroked the hair of Yuma. [Occurred all as I had seen. The place where Tomoe-san put the gazebo. The initiative of Sakura-san following you...]
[That hothead is still afraid of me.] Kirika held a laughter. [Did you see the face she did when she was about to thank you?]
Oriko did not like that attitude. [Have more respect for them.]
Kirika became more serious. [Sorry.]
After a brief pause, Oriko continued. [Now everything is settled. Tomoe-san has a debt with us and Sakura-san will not try anything for now, or being risking the relationship between the two.]
[Big love. I think we have a problem with all this. Do you know how my magic interacts with the rain. That redhead certainly might have noticed something and they can figure out how it works.]
[I know that and it is also a part of the plan.] Oriko smiled. [People fear and mistrust of what they do not know. The key is to make them believe otherwise.]
With the arrival of the bus to the point, Kirika looked up. "Aw... It's already arrived."
"You would better hurry or it goes away."
Obeying Oriko, Kirika got up and went to the automatic exit door. When it opened, the bus's door did the same. Before entering, however, the girl decided to look back again.
"I will stay a little longer here with Yuma." Oriko said with a soft voice. "I think it would be a sin to wake her."
Kirika, smiling, sent a kiss with a blow to the two and then entered.
Oriko watched the bus leaving and the taillights becoming increasingly weaker, distant.
"Papa..."
"Ah..." Oriko turned her attention to Yuma, which began to stir. The bus's engine noise or the door should have woken the girl. "She is gone, she gave a kiss to you."
Yuma left the lap of Oriko, getting seated, but keeping her sleepy eyes closed. "Hmmm... She has to send two because it's raining."
"She sent one to me also. I think it already counts." Oriko picked up the umbrella. "I am sleepy because of this rain too. Let's go home."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Opening her eyes, she saw wet concrete.
I'm here again.
The sound of running feet over water puddles caught her attention. Yuma was passing running right in front of her in her magical girl uniform. Her face was etched with concern and urgency. The girl entered into a tunnel and disappeared in a dense fog.
So has already happened.
Looking the opposite direction to that tunnel entrance, she found who was expecting.
There was, with her pompous white dress and her mitre, Oriko.
Oriko of her vision.
Oriko of her future.
Herself.
Her counterpart of the future was downcast, her moving lips indicated that she was talking to herself, since it was not possible to hear. Up ahead was Kyuubey, swinging his tail, his eyes fixed on her.
Farther away was the great prism, with its prisoner inside. A girl in a long white dress and long pink locks of hair, still with closed eyes in her sleep without end. The small prism kept its orbit religiously and the dark globe above kept up its connections with countless Kyuubeys who were in that huge gallery.
Everything in its place, as always.
"You should be there now."
Oriko heard the call of her counterpart, that was looking at her general direction, but not in her eyes because she could never see them.
Here I am.
"I will be brief, because each time there is less time to spare. It is possible that..." The future's Oriko stopped talking when a tear rolled down her cheek. She tried to move her hand to pick it up, but another tear began to fall.
Oriko waited her counterpart, aware of what she must be feeling.
"I am sorry." The future's Oriko said in a tearful voice. "Even knowing what would happen, even seeing it so many times, I can not, I can not..." She began to sob.
Oriko reached to her heavy heart, seeing herself suffering like this was a disturbing experience.
"I have to do this." The future's Oriko held her crying. "There is no other way, no..." Suddenly she pointed to Kyuubey furiously. "SILENCE!"
Oriko saw that Kyuubey did not react, still keeping his usual countenance. He then looked in the same direction as her counterpart, but he turned his head from side from side looking for something that was not there.
Not now.
Her counterpart spoke again. "You may have already received a visit from the Incubator."
Oriko pondered. His visit. Will I not be able to predict when he will appear?
"Know that I made a choice." Her counterpart looked at Kyuubey. "To give a chance to our world. I hope you see it, to find out what is right." Then she looked at the prism. "It is about to begin."
Oriko looked at the small orbiting prism. Soon it got completely dark and broke. From within it came a terrible abomination of black tendrils.
"Incubator!" Her counterpart spoke with commanding voice. "This monster will not hesitate to attack you. Keep away from that."
Kyuubey nodded. Soon the other Kyuubeys who were near the prism moved away.
The dark creature clung to the larger prism, in order to break it, but by staying close to the dark globe above, it began to be absorbed by the contraption. With this, the monster lost size.
Come on, come on.
"Come on, come on." The two Oriko did not take their eyes from that event.
Were long minutes, which seemed an eternity. The creature struggled with all its might to stay attached to the prism, but little by little, tentacle by tentacle, it was sucked into the object similar to a black hole. Kyuubeys who were with the hole in their backs connected to it kept their positions.
Finally, like the last breath of the creature, what was left of it in the form of black smoke was absorbed into the globe.
She made it?
"Is it over?" The future's Oriko gaped. "I made it?" She started to look around and talk loudly. "Do you see that? Please be here watching. I made it!"
Oriko want to be there to share the joy and contentment. Although the price was high, nothing worth more than the world.
The joy of her counterpart, however, was short, as soon as she saw the tunnel with fog. "Ah... not over yet. Incubator."
Soon a Kyuubey approached her.
"You got what you wanted!" She pointed to the prism. "Now release her... huh? What is that?!"
Oriko seeing the surprise of her counterpart, turned her attention again to the prism. There were forming huge cracks, not only in the prism, but the gallery wall behind and even in the midair. The cracks emitted a blinding light.
"What does that mean?" The future's Oriko spoke to Kyuubey. "You knew this would happen?"
Kyuubey watched the new cracks that were forming. They swallowed everything they reached.
"How?!" The future's Oriko widened her eyes. Then, in her last act before being swallowed up too, she screamed. "SORRY! I WAS WRONG, DO NOT LET THAT..."
No! Oriko saw her counterpart disappear in that sea of light. All around her was an infinity white.
Until everything went black and she saw the void she most feared. No! NNNNNNNOOOOOOO!
Oriko opened her eyes, without remembering to be with them closed, and saw the ceiling of her bedroom. She rose, getting seated on the double bed. Her breathing was short and fast, felt the sweat all over her body. She looked aside, into an empty space in bed. She put a hand on her head, remembering that Kirika was with her mother.
She looked at her left hand. There appeared her soul gem, with a faint glow, its interior filled with a dark mass. Then she clenched her hand.
"Aaaahhhh!" Overcome with rage, Oriko hurled her gem, which bounced off the wall and the furniture of the room. She held the sheet that was using for cover and ripped. "Why? Why?" She dug her nails into the cushions and teared it apart, making her bed be covered by white feathers.
When anger subsided, despair came to fill the vacant space. Contorting her face, tears gushed, becoming one more ingredient to that bleak outlook.
There was no solution.
There was no escape.
"How can I protect the world?" Oriko used the sheet to sniff. She wanted to compose herself, but the tears insisted to fall. "How can I save you? Madoka..."
Next chapter: Harbinger of the storm