Dark Magica
Chapter 4: The Partnership
Time goes by as Yugure tells Mami his story. Their expressions change from serious to laughter as time goes by. "So Mami, now that I've told you my story, why don't you tell me yours?" Mami pauses for a second, then simply says "I really don't have much of one to tell. I was about to die, so I had no choice." "I won't lie, your strength of heart impresses me." Mamis' expression turns back to serious as she speaks the words "I still don't trust you yet, so let's discuss how things are going to work." "Agreed," says Yugure as he nods his head.
Yugure starts by putting a drawing pad on an easel, and making a few notes. "Here is what I know so far. Homura somehow knows something about the time line, and wants to change it. It heavily involves Madoka. We also know she's incredibly powerful, and can teleport instantly. Her weapons of choice are guns and explosives, so she probably has little physical combat capability. If we end up fighting her, our goal should be to restrain her." Mami nods, "Agreed, she couldn't do anything when I tied her up inside the barrier."
"Secondly, the whole thing about witches, magi, and Kyubey. Something seems...off about it all." Mami takes a minute to explain how the system works. "Hummm...so that's why Kyubey was interested in my emotional energy." Mami looks puzzled. "Ooh, let me explain, almost all my life I've been internalizing my emotions. Everyone tells me it's bad for you, but I have yet to snap or see any negative effects."
Mami looks at Yugure with disdain and tells him "High amounts of emotional energy in Magi can turn you into a witch, or in your case a warlock. If you don't clear your soul gem, or if too much negative emotional energy escapes too quickly, you're dead." Yugure tries to laugh off his nervousness and says "Well then, you better keep an eye on me huh?" Mami, not amused, continues "I won't hesitate to shoot you if you start to transform." "Ouch, I guess I better keep it under wraps then."
Yugure flips the sheet to a clean page on his drawing pad. "Lastly, we have us. No one knows that I exist except Homura, and everyone thinks you're dead. I don't think Homura will tell anyone, it might affect the time line in a way she doesn't want, because apparently I'm not supposed to be a magi yet. If we stay hidden for the time being, we can work with subterfuge more easily." Mami nods and agrees "If I go back to Madoka now, Homura will surely be there. If I continue on alone, they will spot me eventually. It seems I have no choice but to team up with you for now."
Mami pulls a section of ribbon from her hair and hands it to Yugure. "Here, tie this somewhere, that way I'll always know where you are." Yugure takes the yellow ribbon and ties it around his right arm. "I wish I had something to give to you." Yugure thinks for a second. "I got it!" He shuffles around on his desk for a second and presents Mami with a tiny coin and a smile. "What is this?" Mami asks with a perplexed look in her eyes. "It's the last thing my grandpa gave me before he died, he was my last relative." Mami begins to say something but is cut off before a word can form. "It's OK." Yugure moves his hand over the coin in her palm, and it begins emitting a soft yellow glow. "You're the closest thing to a relative I have now, and besides, what good is it going to do sitting under a pile of papers on my desk?" Mami is lost for words for a second, and blushes a little, then speaks with confidence, "Alright then, partners it is!" Mami and Yugure both smile and get back to the meeting at hand.
"Well then, we should start with some combat drills utilizing both of our skills." Yugure goes on for a few hours with Mami about each others skills and abilities. Mami eventually suggests "We should go out witch hunting tonight. Since grief seeds have two uses each, we can split them." "Good idea, Kyubey explained how the witch tracking system works, and if I use my teleporting ability I can cover a large area in a short time. Also you won't risk getting seen." "Very well, I will stay here until you return then. If you run into any trouble, remove your ribbon and I will come." "Gotcha, be back soon!" Yugure salutes Mami and flies out the window as he turns invisible.
Mami sits by the window as she waits for Yugure to return, as a familiar voice rings in her head. "So...you're alive." She turns around to see Kyubey wagging his tail behind her. Mami lets out a disgruntled sigh as Kyubey begins to speak again. "You know other girls are about to fight for your territory." Mami replies "It's none of my concern now, I have other business to attend to." Kyubey jumps up to the window, turns his head and says "I don't know what you're up to, but my services are confidential, so I won't tell the others you're alive. Don't do anything you will regret" Kyubey jumps out the window and Mami continues waiting.
About fifteen minutes go by and Yugure pops in the window. "Yo. I found a barrier, and don't worry, the other girls are at school a ways away, so they shouldn't sense it. Hold still, I'm going to try and put a photo-reflective barrier around you." Mami looks uncomfortable and says "A...a what?" "I'm going to try and make you invisible. Just relax, this won't hurt at all." "OK then." Yugure moves his hands in front of Mami, attempting the task at hand. "I don't feel invisible." "Ugh...that's because you're not...this is hard to do on someone else." Yugure tries again and makes her partially invisible. "Well it's better than nothing. At a distance no one should be able to see you at least. I'll have to practice more later. Now, grab my hand" Mami blushes slightly and grabs Yugures hand, and they both take off out the window.
They arrive at a warehouse after a short flight. They take a short walk to the barrier inside, and Mami transforms. Mami looks at Yugure, as if waiting for him to do something. "What?" "Aren't you going to transform?" Yugure looks embarrassed "Well...uuh...you see...I don't know how to." Mami looks surprised, frozen for a second. "Well Kyubey told me how to, but I never tried it...I'm not going to get a dress am I?" Mami giggles and thinks to herself (That means he's been fighting this whole time using just his wish powers. I'm sure his transformed state has incredible potential). "If you're confident you can fight without it, it might be better that way. Using your transformed state clouds your soul gem faster." Yugure rubs his hand behind his head "Is that so? Well, let's head in." Mami nods and they walk inside the barrier.
Inside a giant tower lined with TV monitors showing images of Yugure and Mamis' past. Yugure looks around "What...is this? Is this...yes...my life." He stares into the screens, showing him images of lethargy. "No...I'm not boring...I was just bored...right? Life is boring, it made me this way, I don't want to be boring." The reflection of the monitors can clearly be seen in his eyes as he looks across hundreds of monitors, all showing him sitting, laying down, and not doing much in general. "Why, why is life so boring?" Yugure closes his eyes and curls into a ball. All he can hear is the voices of his peers talking down on him. "Yugure, why didn't you finish your portion of the group project?" "Hey Yuu man, pick up the pace." "YUGURE! Wake up and pay attention in MY CLASSROOM!" "Yuu..." "Yugure, what's the deal man?" "Hey." "What's up?" "Try Harder." Yugure covers his ears with his hands. Puppet familiars pull up his hands and open his eyes, forcing him to watch and listen. His soul gem begins to cloud.
Mami is floating not too far from Yugure. The monitors in front of Mami are showing her dead parents, and images her being alone. She looks at them, listens to what they have to say. "She has no friends." "She never talks to anyone." Mami just smiles and fills the screens with a barrage of musket fire. Yugure turns around to see Mami overcome her past, and is hit with inspiration. He smiles, snaps his fingers, and spontaneously combusts the monitors in front of him. Yugure looks sad for a second, then exclaims "Not any more. This time I put my all into it!"
A giant witch surfaces from below. A conglomeration of computer parts, wires, and circuit boards, with a monitor for a head. It reaches for Mami with a hand of wire. Yugure moves his hand and blocks the hand as Mami restrains it with ribbon. The two look at each other and nod. They fly down its side, pelting it with fireballs and musket shots, covering the other from any familiars. "Yugure! Can you keep it still for a second?" "I'm on it." Yugure pulls against the witches wires, and wraps them around itself. Mami summons her Trio Finale and shoots. The wires absorb back into the witch and it dodges by pushing against the wall with the wire hands.
"Psh" Yugure tries to think of a new strategy while Mami is providing cover fire. "Mami, one more time." Yugure begins preparing his teleport ability. Mami nods and summons her Trio Finale once again. "Yo." Yugure says as he's suddenly next to Mami. He puts his finger on the trigger and teleports Mami, himself, and the oversized musket to point blank range in front of the witch. The duo says at the same time "TRIO FINALE." As Yugure holds up a barrier in front of himself and Mami.
The blast throws the two back, relatively unharmed. Yugure looks up at the clearing smoke and sees the monitor head sprout wings and fly off. "Come on Mami let's...Mami?" Yugure looks over and sees a familiar removing her soul gem ring as she clears her head. "Oh no you don't you little bastard!" Yugure chases after the familiar thinking to himself (I can't blast it, I'll risk damaging her soul gem. Nothing is around to stop it either. I need some kind of precision attack. Hummm...) Yugure pulls out a pouch from inside his vest pocket and smiles, then whips the pouch at the puppet, making the pouch burst in front of it with his magic. A substance coats the familiar, and it slows down, and eventually stops moving. Yugure grabs the ring and says "That's what we in the human world call an endothermic reaction. It literally absorbed all the energy from your body." Yugure crushes the puppet under his dress shoes.
Mami isn't far behind him, and Yugure hands it back to her. "You could have gone after the witch you know." says Mami. "Yea, but I thought gaining a little bit of trust was more important." Mami blushes a little. "Your soul gem got pretty cloudy, we need to get you one soon." Yugure starts to sweat. "Ooh yea...that whole turn into a monster thing, hahaha." Yugure looks at his soul gem. "It's over that...way..." The two look over and see Sayaka thrashing the witch around from a distance. "Aww man..." Yugure hangs his head in disappointment. Mami pats Yugure on the shoulder. "It's alright, at least I trust you a little more now." Yugure looks up and smiles as she walks away, and the barrier disappears.