I made my decision after a deceptively long train of thought. A strong feeling tells me that someone I wanted to meet is waiting on the other side. The one who summoned Patchouli and I greets us with high spirits and proceeds to guiding us inside an empty building that is still under construction (according to a sign). After one minute of navigating the dim corridor, the shadow of Mami Tomoe's mystery friend pulls into view. The case of the odd encounter closes upon witnessing her long red ponytail swishing to and fro while studying us.
"Odd is a bit of an understatement, don't you think?" she starts.
"What a memorable first introduction.."
The familiar red-head blows and pops a large pink bubble nonchalantly. As she fixes her gaze on me, I secretly begin to hope that the red alley light is too dim to reveal my uncontrollable grin. The girl that stands before me is definitely Kyoko Sakura after all. From the looks of things, she is having trouble absorbing my features from this area. Patchouli is the one unsure about my sanity instead.
"Louis Starsky and Patchouli Knowledge, this is Kyoko Sakura," Mami confirms. "My intention was to introduce the lot of you, but we will have to cut things short, hence why we are at this location."
I looked to Mami and began to ask why we were here. Her arm extends to the right, pointing in the same direction. An oddity on a nearby pillar imbued in a dark aura is the obvious attraction.
"A Grief Seed.. Is there no one else that can take care of it?"
"We are the closest to this witch," Mami replies. "And besides, Kyoko is a due for a purification. This will also be my opportunity to demonstrate what we discussed earlier."
Patchouli sighs. "Can we not have a normal rendezvous at least once?"
"Maybe we can sit this one out. I'm sure these two will be fine on their own."
"No it's fine," she replied blankly.
Kyoko continues to listen to our exchanges in a mild irritation. "What is this, a picnic? You guys may die you know."
She looks over to Mami who seems to be looking forward to the lot of us going together. Unfortunately for Kyoko, she cannot decipher what has gotten into her.
The Road Paved in Concepts: (1-8) Clause and Effect
[BGM~VEcH47Uhixo - "Gertrud"]
Approaching the Grief Seed transforms the scenery from an empty building to an area of modern ruins. After Kyoko transforms into her patented red magical girl theme, she takes off through the disheveled marble pillars ignoring the features. She tears through waves of creepy mustached creatures with merciless swings. The glitchy, evasive maneuvers they perform occasionally amount to nothing as Kyoko immediately follows up their dodges with her spear's special function: She can change her heavy weapon from a standard erect polearm to flexible sections that easily cover any area around her at a moment's notice.
Mami, Patchouli, and I were able to walk nearly leisurely as the area Kyoko covered was quite immense. I decide to make haste just to make sure I don't miss any of her movements. Suddenly a mustached mutant sprouts up between Kyoko and I, obstructing my view of her. It looks in my direction; apparently this one's mine. I send a gale towards its direction with a vertical strike. I score a direct hit, but instead of the creature being slain in an instant, it duplicates into two smaller versions. Oh man.. I figured there was a difference in power between Kyoko and I, but not by this much! Just as I ready myself to fight back, one of the cloned monsters shatters directly after the sound of a shotgun. The other gets engulfed by a large flame pillar. As Patchouli and Mami catch up to me, Kyoko also comes back taking a break from her rampage.
"Elemental magic?" she says to Patchouli. "That's pretty impressive compared to whatever that guy was doing."
"What can I say? I'm a rookie."
"You're one of us, right?" Kyoko continues, disregarding my input. "A Puella Magi, that is."
"Not quite," the foreign mage replies. Kyoko tilts her head, not quite understanding how she could have been mistaken. Mami takes note of this and grins.
"Ah, so now you're starting to take interest. These two saved my life before. It would be best not to underestimate them. Ah that reminds me.. Kyoko, there is something interesting I would like to show you if Louis is willing to cooperate."
I agree on impulse. "Sure."
"Suddenly your motives are more apparent," Patchouli comments.
"Are they?"
"Move it guys, the Witch is nearby!"
[Fade BGM]
For whatever reason, I thought the giant, unsightly sea slug with butterfly wings was a statue until Kyoko pointed it out. It stands in the middle of the open marble square, barely moving as if it doesn't notice us. I do vaguely recall this creature, but not so much the area. Once it turns towards our presence, it rattles violently and a small army of mustache monsters approach us from behind.
[BGM~e5892CYpH4Q - "Sinister Sundown (Arranged)"]
"We're surrounded," confirms Mami.
"Patchouli and I can clear the waves in that case. I can do at least that."
"Who the hell do you think you are giving directions?" Kyoko retorts.
"Now now, Kyoko," Mami adds in a calm, motherly tone. "It is a good suggestion no matter how you look at it."
"Tch. Whatever, just move."
The world natives head out towards the Witch as we turn to face our foes. I haven't had bad luck with small mobs yet so there was actually some confidence in my words. And besides that..
"I actually have a plan for once. Go me!"
"Actions speak louder than words."
It worked before, so why not try it again? I need you now: Lulu! Four mustached potato heads and two floating mustached ice cream cones stand in our way. If Lulu can turn them all into harmless critters, we can get through this unscathed.
An eager little mage waves her staff without me having to request it. "Cuddly incoming!"
"Yeah! Where's your curly mustache at now?"
I spoke too soon.. The four tiny purple squirrels in front of me decided to keep the extra facial hair..
"Nyahahahaha! I had to do it!"
"Yes. Yes you did."
"Fire Earth Sign: Lava Cromlech!"
A rain of meteors fall from a rift in the sky and decimate the competition.. although somehow, the two floating monsters appear to be unaffected by both girls' inputs. They both shake spontaneously and chime a loud bell. Four more mustache potatoes rise from the ground in response.
"Something went wrong," says Patchouli with a frown.
"We have to approach the flying things a different way.."
Patchouli's fiery inferno wasn't enough somehow. They sure don't look immune to fire though. (Maybe it was the earth element in her last spell?) One of the flying annoyances charge me at a speed slow enough for me to counterattack it. A hard vertical strike sends it reeling to the ground. With one extra danmaku shot fired from my gifted weapon's tip, I make sure it stays down. Lulu and Pix chase the other one down with Glitterlance while the newly spawned ground enemies begin to focus on Lulu with ominous looking dark energy bolts. Patchouli protects her by casting a barrage of dense water balls. The ground monsters are now forcibly floating because of their aqua prison. Pix manages to cut off the remaining flying enemy's path and promptly fire a point-blank Glitterlance, zapping it down to the rest of the posse. Patchouli launches her fire spirit bomb, St. Elmo's Pillar at the mob. With that, our opposition is no more.
[Fade BGM]
"Kaboom!" Lulu shouts. "Patchy is the best! Better luck next time, Adelbert!"
"Adelbert..?"
"Yep! The flying thingy's name was Adelbert and the other guys are Anthonys. You can tell just by looking at them, you know?"
"If you say so..." I can't object, since I wouldn't know..
A loud crash is suddenly heard in the distance. It looks like the magical girls made quick work of their target. Did we make it easier for them by holding off the others? Kyoko and Mami land before us; the latter fumbles slightly. Mami immediately tends to a small cut above her left leg.
"Projectiles as sharp as those could have easily cut through bone," Mami says examining her small wound. "I should have been more serious than I was."
Kyoko suddenly breaks her parallel positioning and hovers directly in front of her partner.
"Mami! What happened to you?"
"The cut doesn't look too deep," I try to assure her. "Mami should be fine as long as-"
"Not that you idiot! Mami, why did you slow down from just that..? Your Soul Gem! Where is it?"
Tomoe displays a smug grin that hides her pupils beneath her bangs.
"Just as sharp as ever, I see. Kyoko.. This Grief Seed may be the last one you will ever need."
"Wait, really? How did Ms. Sakura achieve that?"
"Read between the lines Louis," Patchouli whispers. "The feat has yet to happen."
Between the lines...?
...
...
"Oh! I get it now!"
"So soon?" Patchouli smirks.
"Oh shut up."
Kyoko seemed to grow increasingly frustrated the more the rest of us said. By the looks of things, Mami has yet to tell Kyoko about the connection between me and her. This must be why she called me out here. After all, the brief history we shared would be a bit difficult to understand with words alone..
[BGM~JsiKpv4SEh8 - "Slow Curve"]
With that thought in mind, we retreat back to where we originally would have gathered. As soon as we enter Mami's apartment, Kyoko raids the fridge and abducts an apple and a slice of cake. She immediately starts munching on the latter as if she were waiting to eat it for ages.
Anyways, I have a topic to start. Once Kyoko takes a seat in the dining room, I lay out my two cards filled with images in front of her.
"If there's anything noteworthy about me at the moment, it is this stack of cards that I own. When certain conditions are met, the cards react and allow me to make a two way contract with someone. Mami joined me this way and that is why one of the cards has her image on it."
Kyoko's focus is drawn to the image she does not recognize. "What's with this other one? She looks like a witch.."
"Making a contract with Louis has nullified the contract I made with Kyubey," says Mami getting right to the point and drawing surprise. "I still have the powers that were originally gifted to me, but I no longer have to harvest Grief Seeds to maintain them."
"Then.. why are you still fighting Witches?"
"Because I can!"
A half smile from Kyoko indicates that such an answer from Mami does not surprise her. Looking towards me again, she frowns and takes another bite from the apple.
"And what are you getting from all of this? What's the full exchange?"
I want to give her an answer that sounds more convincing than 'there's nothing to lose' but...
"It's simple really," Patchouli intervenes. "You become an addition to this young man's power. Forging a contract with Louis binds you to lend him your ability via spirit at any given moment and face completely different adversaries."
"H-Hey, you're making me sound like a recruiter!"
"That is ultimately your objective, is it not?"
"Ugh.. I just earned the achievement that made me realize that I'm no different from Kyubey!"
What's with this goal anyways..? Butting into other dimensions... disrupting the natural flow of events...
"You should make a contract with this man Kyoko," Mami says out of the blue.
"Don't ignore me! I'm in shock here!"
"How do these work anyway?"
I'm finally getting at least neutral expressions from this girl. Perhaps she doesn't think that I am a complete waste of time anymore?
"When certain conditions are met, the cards light up and grow warmer. It only happened twice thus far, so I don't have the pattern marked down just yet.. but they seem to work like Social Links."
Mami seems perplexed. "Social.. Links?"
"Explaining something like that would be challenging."
"It sounds self-explanatory to me," the red-haired Magi replies. "For something like this to work, there needs to be something between us. Isn't that right Mami? Didn't you develop feelings for this guy shortly before you joined him?"
"..!" Mami glances at each of us before losing the will to give eye contact. "You're being insensitive, Kyoko."
Kyoko shrugs off the claim and looks towards me again. "If that is the case, then it will not work. For starters, you are not my type. I'm pretty sure you feel the same way. If Mami didn't set you up to this, you would have no incentive to even deal with me."
"That's not true."
Kyoko bats her eyes once. "Is that so?"
"If I knew how to use these properly, I probably would have come to you myself," I continue. "If a magical girl changes contracts from Kyubey to me, the wish that they tied themselves to would be negated. And I know that you of all people would have no problem with that."
Kyoko was very shocked from that last statement. I'm starting to wonder. Did Mami mention anything significant about me before now?
"Mami.. how much information about me did you spill?"
She is in the dark.. "Mami didn't tell me anything. I only know what I do because of where I come from. I'm from a different dimension where this world is more of a fantasy. Because of that, I know of what you wished for, what happened as a result, and the situation you're in now."
This is a lot of information for her to process all at once. Bah, Mami really should have helped her to prepare! Kyoko scans the area as if she were looking for hints at a practical joke. Moments later, she returns to an average composure.
"In that case... If you really know the truth, then you wouldn't be showing sympathy. I made a careless wish and I got what was coming to me."
"Do you really believe that?"
"It's not a matter of believing; it's a fact. We can't always get everything we want no matter what promises are made. That's a common life lesson that everyone learns.. one way or the other."
That's quite the harsh outlook.. Of course, Kyoko's story was just as harsh. She gave up her binding wish for her father's sake. She only wanted her father's efforts to be more fruitful. But once he discovered that her daughter was the one behind his sudden success, he went out like Benoit – murdering his entire immediate family, and ultimately himself. Kyoko's binding wish became void that day. Her obligations as a magical girl, on the other hand, did not.
"Even if you justify what happened to you, it's still completely unfair what you have to go through every day. You have to keep fighting even though you no longer have a dream to hold on to.. no drive. Unless of course defeating Witches is something you can call fun."
"Don't be stupid!"
Kyoko involuntarily shot out of her seat and slammed her palms against the wooden table. Either the enraged redhead bent the surface slightly or I am imagining that she did.
"Kyoko.." Mami calls, placing a hand on her shoulder. Even though I riled her up enough, there's something that has to be made clear.
"That is why.. if it is in my power, I would help you out of my own free will."
Wait a second.. I'm doing it again! This is manipulation, just like what Kyubey did from the start.. what if this power of mine just puts everyone in an even worse situation in the end? Well.. I doubt that it can get worse than inevitable doom, but still.. when I see this new expression that Kyoko wears, my own emotion becomes undefined.
"Look, the cards are reacting! What a relief.."
The tan border of the card faces emit a luminous glow. Mami and the rest of us immediately shift our attention to them.
"There might be something to that Social Link theory of yours Louis," says Patchouli. "The contracts appear to trigger when they detect that someone is willing to cooperate."
"Maybe, but let's rename the theory something other than Social Link or else I'll feel guilty."
"I can't be this easily swayed, can I..?" she mutters as the cards' glow reflects in her eyes.
"Hey, in this case, you'd have be a fool not to sway," Mami adds. "After all, you will be more or less getting your freedom back."
"I wonder about that.. Either way, I never hesitated before so there's no point in starting now. What's the next step?"
"About that.."
As Mami and I falter, Patchouli informs Ms. Sakura. "Intimate contact between the recruiter and the recruit seems to be the catalyst."
"Is that so?" she says with a tiny hint of unease.
"There just has to be another way.."
"As if you're bothered by it!" Patchouli exclaims as she mashes her index finger against my cheek.
"I am! ...Slightly."
"Tough luck."
Kyoko moves in like an assassin delivering the Kiss of Death to her marked target. There's no choice from here but to take it as she seemingly tries to mend the spot where Patchouli lightly bruised me. This is the second time that Patchouli has to sit through a considerably awkward moment. It's probably making her sick, but this is for a good cause, right?
[Fade BGM]
My stack of cards suddenly explode and scatter across the floor as if they were attacking my train of thought.
"Ow! What just happened?"
A worried Patchouli and Mami help me pick up the random mess until each of us recovered seven cards.
"All twenty-one," said Mami.
"None of these cards have Ms. Sakura's image on it," Patchouli added after a close examination. "I think the ritual failed, Louis."
"What... Why!"
Kyoko's eyes widen. "Did I not seal the deal right..? How far do I have to go?"
Mami keeps silent. Kyoko sends a glare one would give a lecher at my direction.
"I-I don't think that's the problem!" (I only rubbed noses with Lulu..)
"Louis," Patchouli calls through the commotion. "Ms. Tomoe's card is giving off a weird energy right now. The energy vaguely resembles the type that is used in demon seals. I'm almost certain that this is a large clue as to what just happened... and the first hypothesis I have is a bit unsettling."
"Please tell us, Ms. Knowledge!"
[BGM~GNwE4Rzx_gc - "Guiding Light"]
Patchouli wears a troubled expression before continuing. "So far, this ability that Louis uses suggest that he is to find maidens from different dimensions that are willing to cooperate with him. In theory, I'm suspecting that.. there may be a clause that prohibits the recruitment of more than one girl from the same dimension."
What..
"Ha.." Kyoko breathes with a forced grin. "I have to admit, Mami. If this was all some elaborate revenge from our squabble before, then you got me real good. Ha-Ha! My hopes were way up high, complete with the rapid heartbeat. On top of that, this random guy I just met now has my first-"
"Ms. Sakura.. I'm so sorry."
"..."
That crestfallen face she's making.. Nope. There's no way in hell I'm watching this go down! Out the front door I go! Someone's voice called out to me before I slammed the door behind me, but I'm not thinking about that now.
...
I've been standing on the side of the complex for at least ten minutes now.. Way to look like an idiotic liar, Louis! What the hell was that anyways! It's crazy enough being able to go to these places, but now I can't even make a difference? I don't even..
Just then, a human-shaped shadow silently looms over my side. My retinas suddenly absorb several relaxing shades of purple. I'd never thought I could say that not even the sight of her could cheer me up, but I'm pretty damn inconsolable after what just happened..
"Louis. Ms. Tomoe would like to discuss something with you. Please come back inside."
Now what... I don't really want to look at anyone right now. But putting that aside, there is yet another visitor posted on the table once I re-enter.
"Kyubey. What are you doing here?"
"Mami Tomoe has summoned me. I came as fast as I could since I am hardly ever the one being called."
Mami's solemn expression confirms this claim.
"Louis. I've made a decision," she begins. "I'm going to become a Puella Magi again. According to Ms. Knowledge, if I do that, our card will become blank and reusable after words. Then you can finish the ritual with Kyoko."
"That sounds like a great idea!"
Of course this furball would think so!
Kyoko shakes her head. "Mami, don't."
"No way.. Why would you want to go back to that..?"
Mami lets off a smile a tad brighter than the topic. "You know about me, right? Do you know the difference between Kyoko's wish and mine?"
"There were a lot of differences, but what are you trying to say?"
"It's just like you said earlier. The consequences from Kyoko's wish were far too severe considering what she wanted. And just like you, I am willing to help her at any cost. There are two differences between then and now. I am making this choice out of free will and this time, my wish will be far less selfish than before. But even if I say that, I do have one more selfish request."
"What is it..?"
She responds after pressing her index finger between her lips. "I want to do that again. My time as an ordinary person was short and I will probably miss it a little. The way I want to spend my last moment as a normal human is by thanking the one that made it possible. Is that acceptable, Ms. Knowledge?"
I swear...
"Me? Why are you asking me...? Anyways, I wouldn't dispute it even if it did concern me."
"I see," Mami replies. Hold up. Doesn't my opinion matter? "Well then, without further adieu.."
Seeing as Mami is already leaning towards me, I guess not..? Come to think about it, what is my opinion? Mami has a good point. Comparing her wish with Kyoko's, Mami's wish technically didn't fail miserably like the latter.. and this way, both of them will get a fresh start of sorts. But even if I go through it this way, there is only so much that Kyoko would gain back – her family is not on that list. Thinking about all of this is... exhausting! At any rate, I should be more decisive before things get out of control.
A fork in the road reveals multiple paths. A sole traveler may walk only one path at a time...
[_] - Accept the offer
[X] - Turn down the offer
[Fade BGM]
...
As Mami zooms in closer to my proximity, her eyes open to a hand on her shoulder – one that prevents her from leaning forward any further.
"I can't do this, Mami.."
"Why, Louis.." she utters while bringing back the heavy mood. "Don't you understand? This is the only way!"
"Even if it is, the one I chose was you.. and I don't want to turn back on that. I'm sorry. I told a harsh lie to you, Ms. Sakura. I'm really no good after all."
[BGM~uBKJdlFLtFU - "Eterna Forest"]
Kyoko lets out a small sigh. "I get it already. You didn't lie on purpose. Neither did Mami."
Kyoko pulls out a small box from her green sweater pocket and places it in my hand. It's unopened..
"Pocky?"
"It's not much but you can have this."
I'm personally not into the stuff myself, but I'm happy regardless.
"Thank you."
"In a way, this is as if Kyoko is joining you in spirit!" Mami comments with sudden enthusiasm.
"Mami can make anything embarrassing when she puts her mind to it."
Finally! A lighter mood is confirmed by the magical girls' laughter.. I thought I was a goner!
"Now that I can see your eyes more clearly," Kyoko says while facing me. "I see that I underestimated your strength and now I'm curious. Why do you fight, Louis?"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not really that strong. Also I can't say that I really have a goal right now either.. unless you count a generic quest for power as one."
"That's good then."
"What's good about it?"
Kyoko makes a gesture with her right arm as if she were thrusting a spear at my face. "I guess you can say I prefer dealing with people that seem within my reach."
"Oh.."
I barely began to analyze what Kyoko meant by that when a small distraction hopped on the windowsill to attract attention.
"What's going on? Wasn't the topic about somebody making a contract with me a few minutes ago?"
"Oh Kyubey, you're still here!" Mami exclaims apologetically. "I'm sorry, but apparently, there's been a change of plans."
[Fade BGM]
A timely wind blows through the open window. It tosses Kyubey's ears and tail while giving me a slight chill.
"To be called upon – Only to be forgotten – How does one respond?"
With that said, Kyubey exits through the window before anyone gets a word out. Neither magical girl took their eyes off its former location.
"Oh my..." says Mami.
"Okay, I'm seriously at a loss of words right now," adds Kyoko.
...
[BGM~N-gM7RNd_rM "The Poem for Everyone's Souls"]
Things began to wind down once Kyubey left. According to Mami it has been a long time since she and Kyoko hung out, so Patchouli and I eventually bid our farewells and returned to the dimensional hub. I made haste to the bench with the fear that my legs would give out at any moment. At least Patchouli's stamina appears to be holding up..
"In the end, Kyoko Sakura still has to remain a magical girl," Patchouli says from the opposite bench.
"If my deck didn't have that annoying limit, I would have lifted her contract in a heartbeat."
"The chance arose when Ms. Tomoe volunteered to renew her contract with the white creature," she replies while turning to my direction.
"Kyubey's contract costs people their souls and freedom. I just can't whisk lives away like that! I mean would you?"
"Who knows," she replies. "Personal bias aside, your decision may very well have been for the better."
"Hopefully Mami won't be upset for too long.. Anyways, I need to lie down. That whole ordeal took a lot out of me."
"Shall we return to Voile in that case?"
"That's right. You wanted to go back earlier didn't you? We might as well go back now."
"Very well."
...
One's strength can be amplified by strengthening bonds with others. Here is to hoping that this development will be enough to progress safely. Stay tuned in order to follow the road either way.