A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Hopefully I'll learn to procrastinate less often. Hope you enjoy!
Kyouko
Kyouko walked towards the blinding light of the alley's other end. She didn't look back to see that blonde girl's stupid face, or her skimpy-clothed friend. Their smiles and friendly disposition had bugged Kyouko, for some reason. She tried not thinking about it. All she should have thought of was finding a warm bed to sleep in, but that encounter with those girls ruined her mood for stealing money. At least she had enough to buy two more meals, so she sought out a restaurant.
She walked in a curry restaurant. There was only one other customer. A young woman sitting in the far right corner with silver hair tied up in a ponytail, dressed in a black suit and white-collared shirt. That made Kyouko uneasy. What made her more uneasy was the fact the woman was staring at her. Was she a cop? Kyouko felt cop vibes from her.
Crap, does she know I've stolen money? Kyouko ordered a bowl of curry. Ignore her and everything will be fine.
The woman approached her... and sat next to her.
"Hi, young lady, mind if I chat with you?"
Yes, I do mind. A lot. "Not at all." Kyouko tried her best to sound polite. "I hope it's quick, though, it's getting late out."
The woman smiled and took out her police badge.
Kyouko was waiting for the policewoman to say something like, "You're under arrest!" but she didn't.
Instead she said, "My name is Misako Ishijima. I just wanted to ask you if you've seen anything weird going on, like girls around your age and a little older getting kidnapped. Anything like that?"
Kyouko sighed in relief. Her curry bowl came at the perfect time, too. She began eating, not bothered a bit by how hot and spicy it was.
"Can't say I have," she said, mouth full.
Misako frowned. "Well there's been reports of over 20 young girls and women getting kidnapped in the past few months. We've retrieved some of their cellphones, and all of them had records of deleted text messages from the address 'Hyades Monita'. Any idea what that means?"
"No." Nor did Kyouko care.
"That's unfortunate," Misako said. "They just vanished without a trace, so be careful on your way home. I could give you a ride, if you like."
That's the last thing I wanna do. "I'll be fine on my own. Anyone who messes with me will get their ass whooped."
Misako laughed. "Yes, I'm sure they will." She eyed Kyouko's arms. "You do look pretty fit."
Is... is she hitting on me? "Um, thanks..." Kyouko didn't know if her face turned red from the comment or the spicy curry.
The lady officer leaned near Kyouko's ear.
"You're not a Magical Girl, are you?"
Something about hearing that was worse than if she really was there to arrest Kyouko. It made her picture her father when he found out what she was.
The redhead almost froze, but she continued eating calmly. Just act like a dim-witted teenage girl.
She let out a - hopefully convincing - laugh. "Like in manga? Is that supposed to be a joke?"
For a slight moment, Misako hesitated. "Yes." She giggled and got up. "I'll be on my way now. Oh, and here." She took out a black business card and offered it with both hands. "If you ever find out anything, call that number."
"Right." As if that will ever happen. Kyouko accepted it.
She took her leave five minutes after the policewoman, to be on the safe side. Once again, bright lights guiding the way, her only companion was the sidewalk. No idea of where to go, Kyouko let her feet do their own thing. Soon her eyes were beginning to feel heavy, her feet aching.
Clouds casting rain, sky blackened, emptiness in the streets; when Kyouko realized all this, she decided she needed to find a place to sleep in. She didn't have enough money to pay for a hotel room, as she had done the previous days she spent in Asunaro, and sneaking into people's houses wasn't exactly a good plan. Maybe she could sleep in an empty apartment or an abandoned building, she didn't know, this city was unfamiliar to her.
During the search her soul gem glowed in a green pocket. Demons. Too bad she didn't care. Whatever happened to people she didn't know, she didn't care. One of those girls from earlier would take care of the problem anyway... but having more spare grief cubes never hurt - her cell phone began ringing.
Mami.
Seeing that name on the Caller ID brought back nuisances of memories: the blonde girl smiling, offering peach pies, being the "ideal Magical Girl", a goodbye hug, all that crap; it made Kyouko feel bitter and upset. For a moment, she wondered if leaving Mitakihara was the right decision - but then she remembered Sayaka. The moment truly lasted a moment. It furthered her anger.
Why she answered the call, she didn't know.
Mami tried getting Kyouko to come back for some stupid suicidal mission. Something about banshees? They would likely destroy Mitakihara, from the sound of it, and Kyouko wasn't interested in dying. In truth, she didn't care about that place anyway. "…I don't care," she had said to the blonde girl. "I don't care about what happens to that city. It can turn into ashes. I don't care..." She was through with it, especially upon hearing a group of Magical Girls would aid Mami and Homura.
Being alone, that was the way to go. That way nothing would ever hurt Kyouko again. No more opening up to people. It did her no good.
The next thing Mami had said was the last thing Kyouko wanted to hear. "If she were here now… she would definitely stay in the city and fight. If she was still alive… you would be in Mitakihara, where you belong…"
Kyouko exploded. "Don't you dare!" she had yelled into the phone, her voice a wreck. No matter what truth lurked in Mami's words, she couldn't take it. "Don't you dare fucking use her as an excuse like that!" Her teeth were clenching.
"Kyouko… I'm so-"
"No!" she abruptly yelled. Her heart was racing, her mind spinning; guilt, anger, fear - she wanted it all gone. She decided to take it all out in one of the best ways she knew how. "You know what? You're just an uptight bitch who can't even enjoy her own damn life! You only live for the sake of it." Kyouko hung up, her rage now silent.
For a while she stood in the rain, soul gem still glowing red, her illuminated face watching the sky.
Her mentor, friend... sister. Kyouko leaned back on a streetlight pole, her clothes and hair soaked. She slid her back down the metal, hugged her legs. She couldn't believe what she said to the older girl, but there was truth in it. Mami lived because her life was all she had.
What have I been living all this time for, though? Kyouko asked herself, before shaking her head. Quickly she tried blocking out her feelings. It's better than being dead. She chuckled then sighed. Block out everything and I'll become impenetrable. I can handle this life. After all, she managed well enough on her own before.
She took out the glowing red soul gem from her pocket and held it up in her palm. It was time for the hunt to begin.
Hunting demons required spotting the distorted barrier-like areas where the monsters shrouded themselves. Such a distortion would look like a heat spot in the middle of a road resembling water, only with a larger radius extending to the air and buildings as well. This made them invisible to non-magical beings, but to Magical Girls they were easy targets.
Ideally, Kyouko would prefer to search from rooftop to rooftop, to get a good view of the surrounding area below, but today the buildings were too slippery to scale on. The next best thing was to search from the ground level.
Of course, other girls could also be hunting. Following another girl who found some demons before was yet another way to find prey, but it was also the worst way. Best avoid the hassle of fighting for a small prize. Hopefully all the Magical Girls of the city were sleeping, or at home, and if not then Kyouko would keep her distance.
She ran several blocks around, following the brightness her soul gem radiated, until she stumbled upon a distortion.
Kyouko walked in, to the sight of a little green-haired girl in a green dress standing almost still on the sidewalk. The girl's eyes were dull, and her mouth drooped. Above her loomed only a few demons, seven. Easy.
Kyouko transformed and leaped into the air, spear hungry, ready to rip through its prey, and it did, punching a hole through a cloaked figure. As it faded away, Kyouko twisted like an eel, swinging her spear and slicing a demon in half with a horizontal slash.
Two demons, about five meters away, fired fingertip lasers at her. She dove down on her right shoulder, and rolled over on her stomach, the lasers passed her left side. Her right arm swung out, extending the spearhead and it struck one of them in the head.
One appeared above Kyouko, firing all its yellow lasers at her back. She pushed her palms up against the cold wet cement and sprung off to the left, missing the lasers by a few centimeters.
Something about battle was invigorating. Fighting was something she could live for. It got her muscles pumping. It excited her. I can definitely handle this life again. Her lips curved up in a smile.
Then she saw the little girl, looked at what she held in her right hand. A piece of bloody glass.
"It's not fair..." the little girl murmured. Two tears ran down her dull green eyes. "Why did you leave me, papa, mama? Why did you hurt me? WHY?" She squeezed the glass shard, and blood dripped down the sharp end.
The sight distracted Kyouko long enough for a demon above to fire at her. Kyouko jumped in the air but was too late. A few lasers caught her in the back. They burned, but she fought the pain, whipped the chained spear in the air. Her attacker, however, was out of the spear's range. She landed on one knee and hand, and grunted. The remaining demons circled her.
Kyouko paid them little attention. The little girl, meters away, had raised the shard, laughing hysterically, pointing the sharp end towards herself. Kyouko dashed over to the girl, and wrestled out the glass from her small grip. She slid an arm around the girl's waist and ran off.
What the hell am I doing? Kyouko had to ask herself. She didn't even know this girl, but her body had moved on its own to save her.
She'd only serve as extra baggage, but Kyouko wouldn't let go of the now screaming girl kicking and flailing.
"Shut up!" Kyouko yelled at her. She noticed the demon scar on the girl's neck. It wasn't really a scar but it resembled one, except for the intricate lines inside it that looked like some kind of pattern. The scars were how demons controlled their victims and raised their rage and sadness.
If Kyouko could take care of the remaining demons, she could rid herself of Little Green. She dropped the girl then summoned a barrier of red diamonds around her. That would give enough protection, hopefully. The pain in Kyouko's back was getting hard to annoy. Now or never.
She charged the dancing demons and they all dispersed in different directions, gaining distance from her before they returned to their circling. She was in the middle. Perfect. They all fired lasers at her, but she caged herself in another barrier. The lasers died on impact. The demons continued firing, making the shield more and more brittle. Kyouko held her spear like a baseball bat. When her protection died she swung the spear and twisted. The extended weapon sliced all three demons in one swift move. With all of them exterminated, the distortion would disappear in a few minutes; they always lingered even after the deaths of all demons in the area.
She willed away the barrier protecting the girl who then collapsed on the floor. She'll be fine, Kyouko thought. Her back felt like it could give out on her. She gathered the grief cubes up, purified her darkened soul gem and gave the girl another glance. She decided to at least check if she still was breathing. She was. Well, it's her lucky day. The girl's large eyes opened.
"W-where are they?" she asked, looking puzzled at her bleeding hand.
Kyouko shrugged. "Beats me, kid."
"Yuma saw them," the little girl said, "the white things."
"Those were demons." Kyouko took out a lollipop she had saved and placed it in her mouth. "Lucky for you, I was here to save ya. Well, more like you were in the way, but whatever." Her back was throbbing. It wouldn't have if she hadn't wasted time, saving this girl.
"Demons?" she asked. "Big sister, are you a superhero?"
Kyouko chuckled. I'm no hero. "I'm a Magical Girl. It's just my job to fight demons." Her outfit dissipated and reformed into her usual attire. She ripped off part of a sleeve and tied it around the little girl's bleeding hand.
"Thanks." She hugged her legs and dropped her eyes down. "Big sister, you're like a Magical Girl from manga, then?"
"Yeah. But unlike in manga, love and courage are rare commodities." Kyouko's tone was bitter. Being tired didn't help her mood. She needed sleep. "Now leave me alone, will ya."
The girl said nothing, so Kyouko started walking. No more opening up to people, Kyouko reminded herself.
When she turned at the corner block, she glimpsed at the girl who was gazing at air. No one is gonna save you with a face like that.
Against her better judgment, Kyouko went back to her, took out the lollipop in her mouth, and offered it to the girl.
She snatched it with her mouth. Her stomach was grumbling.
Kyouko sighed.
They went to a nearby restaurant. Their clothes had dried up by then. Little Green ordered a hamburger and munched away, much like the way Kyouko would. It was a little amusing, Kyouko admitted, and her back had stopped with its fierce throbs. It was only sore now.
"After you've finished eating, beat it, kid. You're on your own after this, I ain't your babysitter."
"Yuma."
"Huh?"
"It's not 'you'," she said, munching on her burger. "It's Yuma."
"Little brat." Kyouko wondered why the girl was alone so late at night. She'd find out. "So, Yuma, while I was saving you, you said something about your parents. They purposely left you alone?" She nodded, chewing her food with an open mouth. "That's a shame. Do you know how to get back home?" Not that that sounded like a great option, but at least she still had a family.
Yuma swallowed her food. She hesitated. "I don't want to go back. I hate mama and papa. They were always fighting and they didn't like Yuma. They... they took Yuma for a drive and threw her out the car, and drove off."
Kyouko breathed in hard and out harder. "And what will you do now, now that you're on your own?"
She said nothing, only looked absent-minded.
"It's gonna be tough living alone, ya know," Kyouko added. "You're gonna have to get your own food and a place to sleep, somehow."
"Big sister, aren't you a defender of justice?"
"Oh?" That wasn't something she expected to hear. "It's not that great."
"Well..." Yuma finished off her hamburger, "maybe I can fight too." She stood up, smiling.
"What?"
"I want to become a Magical Girl and fight demons."
Kyouko formed a fist. A fang showed from her mouth. "Don't say stupid crap like that!"
"I have nowhere to go!" the green-haired little girl yelled. "Mama and papa hate me and I hate them. So tell me. How do you become a Magical Girl?
"Don't be naive," Kyouko said in icy tones. "You literally almost died. If you're gonna risk your life, why don't you live it normally while you're at it?"
Yuma pouted. "But... but I... I won't make it alone, normal."
Kyouko stood up and slid her hands in her pockets. "Look, I'll teach ya how to survive the streets by yourself."
Yuma looked astonished, as if some angel had come down to save her. She hugged Kyouko's leg.
"Thank you, big sister!"
"Get off my leg." Kyouko shook her off. "I'm not your big sister. I'm Kyouko Sakura. Got it?"
"Got it!"
"Now your first step is to help me find a place we can sleep in. You know this city, right?"
"Yuma doesn't think so... it looks different from usual, and I've never seen this place before."
Kyouko could have smashed a window hearing that.
"Well, we'll figure something out. Come on, we're leaving."
For the mean time, the sidewalk wasn't her only companion.
They managed to break into an empty apartment on the fourth floor of an apartment complex. Kyouko was too tired to care if they got caught, and she could always fix the doorknob with magic anyway.
She could smell the white paint still settling in. All the rooms had nothing in them, except the kitchen. There was a stove and other things to be expected within it. Now if only we had food.
Kyouko decided that could wait; she needed rest.
The main room had a large window, much like Mami's apartment. Mami... the girl probably cried after what Kyouko had said. She'd make up for it, eventually. Or would she? The situation in Mitakihara sounded bad. Kyouko would hate offering her an apology over phone. That was what spineless pricks would do. Kyouko might have returned to the city for a short time if Yuma weren't with her, but even alone she wanted to avoid the place as much as possible. It's not like Mami needed her, anyway. More Magical Girls were coming to help out, which meant Kyubey was probably scouting for potentials... Fear grew inside Kyouko.
"Kyouko, I need to speak with you." Speak of the devil, Kyouko thought. His all-too-familiar voice always pissed her off. And that damn smile...
Yuma squealed at the sight of him. "A talking plushie?" She grinned and picked him up in her arms, squeezing him. "So cuuute!"
"I'm not a plushie... I'm Kyubey. Nice to meet you, Yuma. You have the potential to become a Magical Girl, just as Oriko said."
When Kyouko heard that, she grabbed him by an ear, and he slipped out of Yuma's arms.
"Kyouko!" Yuma said. "He said I can become a Magical Girl."
Kyouko ignored her. "If that's why you're here, Kyubey, leave." And who is Oriko?
"I have important business to discuss with you, actually."
"Splendid."
He told her a more complicated version of what Mami had said. Yuma sat beside Kyouko, on the cold wooden floor, taking in all the knowledge Kyubey preached. Unfortunately.
"...So, will you join them?" Kyubey asked.
This talk of Banshee grief cubes did sound tempting, but the risk was far too great.
"I don't feel like dying in a shit hole," Kyouko said. "And if ya don't mind, don't tell Mami and Homura where I'm at. They'd be wasting their valuable time. I'll be fine."
"I see," Kyubey said. "I'll get to them as soon as possible."
Yuma jumped up, smiled, and formed fists. "Kyouko, if I become a Magical Girl we can help out your friends!"
Kyubey had his glassy eyes on the girl. "Yes, you do have the requisites for it. Once you become a Magical Girl-"
Kyouko yanked his ear. "Quit filling the kid's head with your nonsense." She threw him across the floor.
"This is unlike you, Kyouko." He regained his balance.
"Shut up!" she replied, pulled Yuma close by the shoulders.
"Well, if you ever need me-"
"Get lost!" She threw the used grief cubes at him. "And take these."
"Yeah yeah." Kyubey caught them with the teardrop opening in his back. He hopped his way out the room, like a hare.
In her anger, Kyouko had forgotten to ask who Oriko was. At the least she was a Magical Girl, and she might know Yuma, yet Yuma didn't seem to know her when Kyubey mentioned her name.
"Yuma, don't trust in anything that little rat says. Don't become a Magical Girl. Understand?"
"...Yeah."
"Your training starts tomorrow, or should I say today?" They were awake past twilight now. "Anyway, just forget about Kyubey and Magical Girls."
"Won't you have to fight demons?"
"Yeah, you'll be coming with me when I go looking for them, but that's all. I'll protect you."
Yuma frowned. "I... I just want to become strong."
A bitter smile showed on Kyouko's face. She's like me..."You will. Just not today."
Ten minutes later they decided to lay together for warmth. Yuma was tucked in Kyouko's arms, lightly snoozing. The green-haired girl was warm, but she smelled of wet dirt. Kyouko smiled, almost chuckled; she probably smelled the same. She closed her eyes.
Ten minutes later she still could not sleep, despite her tired body. The room's only source of light came from the large window refracting the city's glow.
Ten minutes later Kyouko wondered how this little girl's life would turn out. Maybe she should go back to her parents. I can't take care of her. I can only show her a poor path. Maybe Mami would take the girl in, but the Banshees were a problem. No matter how Kyouko looked at the situation, cruel sadness lied ahead.
Finally, her heavy eyes began to close...
And then the window shattered loudly. Kyouko snapped around to face it. Standing before her was... something that almost resembled a demon, but it's body was smaller and it's figure almost looked female. It wasn't floating or white; it was standing on the wooden floor, and it was pure black. It lacked a cloak as well. The creature had no eyes or ears or nose, but it had a mouth that stretched all the way to where its ears should be. It had claws for fingers, and its feet had no toes.
Kyouko transformed, spear in hands. They trembled a little. She had never seen anything like this black... demon? It didn't matter, she would kill it.
Yuma woke, and screamed.
The black demon roared a sad, almost human-like scream, but that did not deter Kyouko. Her legs on the other hand, they were trembling from either lack of energy or fear or both.
She rushed the creature with a stab but it sidestepped, and swiped her back - right on the wound she received earlier. The cloth and skin on her back ripped open, but Kyouko used whatever focus and strength she had to hit the creature in the stomach with the shaft of her spear and forced it towards the broken window, step by step.
In a frenzy, it was scratching and clawing Kyouko arms, screaming. She kept pushing till it barely had any footing. Her arms were bleeding, muscles aching, her strength falling, she couldn't push it without using her whole body. She knew what she had to do.
Her red eyes locked with Yuma's green ones. "Give me a sec', I'll be right back." Kyouko smirked. With all her force she slammed her shoulder into the black demon's torso, forcing them both out into the chilly morning air.
Kyouko spun. One slice, two slices; she managed, on the black demon's body before hitting the cement.
For a moment, the world looked all black and fuzzy. Kyouko's head was spinning, and throbbing, like her wounded back. When she regained her sight, the first thing she saw was a bone jutting out from under her knee. The sudden pain caused her to smash fists against the ground several times. She bit her lip so hard, blood dripped down her chin. Her spear was beside her.
The black demon was gone, vanished. Kyouko didn't know what to make of it. Or the whole situation she was in. A broken leg, a black demon, Banshees, Yuma. The veins in her head pulsated and thumped.
She heard another sad, human-like scream. Several more. And then she saw five of them step into the moonlight from out the shadows.
Yuma
"Kyouko!" she screamed when the redhead dived out of the room with the black monster.
When she looked down, she saw the monster flee from the scene and Kyouko in pain. Yuma wished she could do something, but what could she do?
More black monsters gathered around Kyouko. Tears ran down Yuma's eyes.
A gloved hand wrapped around her mouth. She couldn't muffle a sound. Another hand was on her shoulder.
"Shh," a girl's soft voice said. "Relax." The girl let go of Yuma. Her hair was white and long and beautiful as the dress she wore. "My name is Oriko Mikuni."
"O-Oriko, can you save Kyouko?"
Oriko smiled serenely and brushed through Yuma's hair with a hand. "She is going to die."
"Kyouko... is going to die...?" Kyouko was all Yuma had. If she were to die, Yuma would be all alone...
"You're cute, but not useful at all," Oriko said.
Memories of Yuma's mama telling her how useless she was came to mind.
"I'll save her!" Yuma cried and ran out the apartment. I'll save Kyouko, I will, I will, I will! I'm not useless at all! She ran down the fourth floor's stairs, when she caught a glimpse of a fluffy white tail.
Kyouko
She decided to close her eyes as the black demons walked towards her.
I beg you, God... if this is how my life ends... let me see a happy dream, just once...
All the pain in her body disappeared suddenly. Was she dead already? She opened her eyes. A bright light had momentarily surrounded her, and her leg was back to normal - she summoned her spear and lunged at a demon.
It did the same. Kyouko was quicker. She slammed the flat of her spearhead against the creature's head and it howled in pain. She hopped over it.
Two more sprung toward her. Kyouko split her spear and whipped it forward. It struck them both in their sides.
The last two leaped above her. She spun the snake spear above her head and both creatures became entangled in the chains. She swung her trapped opponents at the others. They crashed into the disoriented trio. All of them were whimpering together. Their voices were chilling; there was a femininity to them. They all lifted their faceless heads up, and looked at the sky, possibly. Then they all darted back towards the shadows.
What the hell were those things? And how am I alive?
Kyouko turned back towards the apartment complex. She saw Yuma smiling at her. On her head was a cat ear hat, and her green dress was gone, replaced by a green and white dress. A large bow was ornamented in the back of it, and her hands had white gloves.
"We did it, Kyouko! It's just as Kyubey said! Even Yuma can fight. He said that it's 'healing magic'. Whenever Kyouko gets hurt, I could always heal you-"
Kyouko slapped her.
Yuma stood there incredulous, face turned, cheek red. She returned to her normal green dress. "Huh?"
"Yuma," Kyouko calmly said. The rage was rising in her throat. "Why?" She clutched the girl's shoulders. "Why did you become a Magical Girl!?" She shook her violently.
"Oriko said that you were going to die. And she said I wasn't useful," Yuma backed up and clutched her head, and yelled, "Yuma is not useless... not useless at all!" She hugged herself, stared at her feet. "I'll be useful to Kyouko! I'll listen to whatever you say! I won't even complain. So..." She looked up at Kyouko, eyes huge and watery. "Don't leave Yuma alone!" Tears flooded out. She was on her knees, sniffling and crying.
"You're an idiot. Becoming a Magical Girl for someone else's sake..." Kyouko remembered how her father hanged himself. All because of her. I've screwed up once again, and now this girl will have to pay for it. Kyouko walked towards Yuma. The redhead's eyes burned. "...Even though nothing of good will come from it..."
Yuma stopped, stared at Kyouko.
"Kyouko? Are you crying?"
Kyouko patted the little green-haired angel known as Yuma.
"I'm not crying at all, dummy." She looked up into the stars.
Oriko... I'm going to kill you.
A/N: And now I apologize again, for this chapter being set in the past. However, I thought it was crucial to the story. ;)
Also, Yuma is awesome. 'Nuff said.