Big action this chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own Puella Magi, Soul Eater, or Dangan Ronpa.
Chapter 11: Assault On Mitakihara Middle
Junko and Nagito rode up to the middle school. Just on the outskirts they saw a guy their own age tossing a baseball casually. "Hey Leon," Nagito said. Leon Kuwata, the man standing there, looked just like a punk rocker, which was odd since he was actually a professional baseball player. He had red spiked hair with a matching goatee, and well as pale blue eyes. There were piercings along his ears, his eyebrows, and even his tongue. He was wearing a white shirt with a red grunge skull on the front, and a white jacket with a popped collar over it. There was also a chain necklace around his neck. He also wore blue jeans held up by two belts instead of one, and white platform shoes.
Next to Leon was his weapon partner, Sayaka Maizono. Maizono was a very pretty young woman, with a modest amount of blush and eyeliner to make her stand out more on stage, since she was a singing idol. Her hair was blue and came down to her waist, and was held back with several clips. Her eyes were a darker blue. She wore a white and blue sailor school uniform with a pink bow on the front, as well as a plaid miniskirt. She also wore black thigh-high socks, and brown buckled shoes. "Glad you made it," Leon said, "What kept you?" "Run-in with a witch," Nagito said, "But because of it, I was made into a Death Scythe." "Aw man," Leon said, "I was hoping all of us would make it by the time this operation got down."
"There's no need to worry," came Gundham's voice, "There's still more than enough strength here." He had shown up along with Sonia. Also arriving were Peko and Fuyuhiko, Chiaki and Chihiro, and Mikan and Hajime. Already there, besides Leon and Maizono, were Mondo Owada and Mahiru Koizumi, and Celestia Ludenberg and Hifumi Yamada. Mondo was the former leader of a biker gang, but had long ago passed on the leadership to the second-strongest member, and had since become a carpenter. He still had his gang's black jacket though, to remind him of the brother he lost. His eyes were deep purple, and his hair was styled in a pompadour, pale brown in the front but slightly darker and straighter in the back. Under his jacket was a white tank top. He also wore loose black pants and white loafers.
Mahiru had bright red hair cut in a bob and olive green eyes. She wore a school jumper that was the same color as her eyes. Her cream and orange colored tie was knotted around the collar of her white shirt. She also wore knee-high olive green socks and forest green loafers. She was also wearing a camera strapped over her shoulder. Hifumi was a rather plump individual with black hair and a pointed ahoge. His glasses were very thick, but his beady black eyes could be seen behind them. He was wearing a white shirt with orange tie that had a blue arrow on the tip pointing upwards. Over his shirt was an unbuttoned grey cardigan, as well as an orange backpack. He was also wearing black trousers and white training sneakers.
Celeste, whose real name was Taeko Yasuhiro, a name she would only allow her friends to call her by, had a very slim figure and beautifully pale skin. Her hair was black with two clip-on drill pigtails, as well as bright red eyes. She dressed in a gothic lolita fashion, with gold earrings, red nail polish, a white blouse with a Peter-Pan collar, black jacket with white ribbon lacing down the sleeves fastened with a simple red tie, multi-tiered skirt with white lace, red mary jane slippers with a thick heel, knee-high black stocking trimmed with ladder lace, and a white lace headpiece. On her right index finger was a sliver, weapon-like ring.
"So," Mondo said as he finished his cup noodles, "Anyone else noticed that all the Meisters in this group were murderers in the previous timelines." "Save for Teru," Hifumi said, "He became a Demon Weapon instead. Something about wanting to never soil his chef's hands with human blood again. Reminds me of the cook from One Piece." "What about Sakura?," Junko asked. "Didn't she kill herself?," Fuyuhiko asked. "That's right," Leon said, "You weren't there for the first half of the action. There was one or two timelines when Sakura caved in to Monokuma's blackmail and actually killed someone. However her pride made her admit to it each time, avoiding a trial and preventing the despair Hayashi desired."
"What about you?," Peko asked, "You never intended to kill anyone." Leon shrugged. "That knife coulda gone into either one of us, me or Maizono. I just had a run of bad luck. And Maizono had been flipping out because of that vid. But now's not the time to be reminiscing the past, especially since it's no longer in the past. We have a new future ahead of us, I say we go protect it." And with that, Nagito, Sonia, Mahiru, Maizono, Fuyuhiko, Hifumi, Hajime, and Chihiro all turned into their weapon forms, with Mahiru turning into a chain for Mondo, Maizono into a bat for Leon, and Hifumi turning into a whip for Celeste. "All right then," Mondo said, "Let's roll."
Homura was sitting in class talking with Madoka and Sayaka. Hitomi came in after a bit, having left to use the restroom. Homura happened to look outside when the worst thing she could imagine happened. 'Oh no... Not again...' Much like a previous timeline, a witch's barrier was forming right around the middle school. And Homura had a pretty good idea who was creating it. Sure enough, the familiar sound of Oriko's voice came in over the school intercom. 'Students of Mitakihara Middle School, please do not panic. We are simply putting an end to a terrible event. I assure you this will all be over soon.'
At that moment, several familiars broke into the classroom, causing the students to huddle together. The familiars lunged for the homeroom teacher, but the sound of a shotgun rang out several times, drawing their attention. Before they could make another move, Chiaki burst into the classroom and started blasting familiars. "Hey Homura," she said, "You gonna help or what?" Homura nodded and immediately transformed. "I'll get them somewhere safe," she said, "Please, you must stop Oriko." Chiaki nodded, then blasted a familiar trying to sneak in behind her.
Kyoko, Yuma, Mami, and Nagisa had shown up just outside the witch's barrier. "According to Chiaki," Mami said, "This is supposed to be Kirika's barrier. She hasn't fully turned yet, but apparently her soul gem was damaged enough that she can control her familiars even as a Puella Magi." "So how are we getting in?," Kyoko asked. Nagisa thought for a moment, then nodded. "I got it." She manifested a bell charm and struck it against the edge of the barrier, causing it to shatter just enough to create an opening. "I guess I found out what sort of magic I have." Kyoko and Mami's jaws dropped. "How is that possible?," Mami said, "There shouldn't be any magic strong enough for this." Kyoko shook herself out of her surprise. "Let's not question it and get going."
After making sure their classmates were safely hidden inside the storage of the school, Homura brought Madoka outside and placed a protective barrier around her. "The one behind all this is after you," Homura explained, "I thought it best to separate you from the others for everyone's safety." As she headed back inside, she heard Madoka say, "Please, I don't care what happens to me, but you need to protect the others." Peko's advice came back to Homura's mind, and now it was starting to make sense. She turned back to Madoka. "I'll do what I can, I promise you." Madoka nodded, and Homura headed back inside. "Well, well," came a mysterious voice, "Sad of her to make promises she can't keep. But in her defense, it won't be her fault."
Homura was quickly joined by Kyoko, Mami, Yuma, and Nagisa. "Several of the Meisters and their partners are already here," Homura explained, "Apparently they were planning for this. We need to find Oriko and Kirika. They're the ones behind this." "This way," came Mondo's voice. It had come from the direction of the gymnasium. Sure enough, when the five of the rushed in, they saw the Meisters confronting the two traitorous Puella Magi. Kirika was doing a decent job holding them off, but her wounds from before were taking their toll, and Homura knew at least three of them had forged their partners into Death Scythes, making them much stronger.
"Homura," Oriko said, "I had a feeling you'd be here." "Spare me the lecture," Homura replied, "I've heard it before in a previous timeline." The others all looked at her, surprised. "That's right," Homura said, "My magic lets me leap-frog backward in time. It was part of my wish, to be able to protect Madoka." "But why continue?," Oriko said, "You know what is coming." Homura frowned. "And you think killing Madoka will stop it?! That ending her life will make the most powerful witch of all just disappear, never to arrive in our city?!" "But we have a new defense now," Oriko said, "I've seen what these Meisters are capable of first-hand."
"Big deal," Junko said, "Like we'll let you end Madoka's life either way." Oriko smiled. "It'll be a painless one, I assure-" "Oh please!," Leon said, "Like there's any such thing! Maybe you plan on knifing her in the stomach!" "Or smacking her on the head with a dumbbell!," Mondo quipped. "Or better yet," Celeste said, "A mallet!" "Perhaps skewer her with several spears!," Junko replied. "Maybe smash her over the head with a baseball bat!," Peko said, then turned to look at Leon. "No offense." "Perhaps you'd prefer to strangle the poor girl!," Mikan said, "Or slash her throat!" "Maybe dangle her over the side of the building before letting her drop!," Gundham said. "Or perhaps tie her down and throw a poison bomb into the room!," Chiaki finished.
Yuma looked over to them all. "You guys must have some pretty messed up nightmares." Junko grinned. "You have no idea. The point is, no matter how quick a death is, it'll always come with some sort of pain, and we each had a form of death dealt to us in previous timelines, so we'd know." Kirika grinned weakly. "It's better than the alternative..." And with the unmistakable sound of her soul gem shattered was heard. "Sorry Oriko... I can't hold on." Oriko nodded sadly. Then, before everyone's eyes, Kirika became engulfed in shadows. When she emerged, the Puella Magi gasped.
Kirika had grown several feet taller. Other than her legs, her extremities had vanished, and she now looked like two female torsos stacked vertically, the upper head wearing a flat top hat. "Is this how...?," Mami said, looking at Nagisa. "I see," Junko said, "Good thing we know how to bring her back to normal." "What...?," Oriko said, not believing what she was hearing. Leon turned back to the Puella Magi. "We got this, just sit tight." The newly created witch tried slowing down everything around her, but her spell was interrupted by Chiaki's shotgun blasts. In between shots, Leon and Peko leapt in and struck with quick swings. Meanwhile, Mondo and Gundham carefully lined up and managed to chain Kirika up, rendering her vulnerable to a quick strike from Junko.
The Kirika witch fell to the ground, and began dissolving. Oriko was horrified, until she saw Kirika's human form somehow remained behind. "How is this...?" She ran over to her friend, completely surprised. "I see," Homura said, "So it really is possible to make a witch revert back to her human form." Mami nodded. "That same thing happened with Nagisa." At that moment, Madoka's voice could heard yelling, "Homura!" Homura turned around and gasped. Madoka was now showing up in her own Puella Magi outfit, which consisted of a pink blouse with puffy shoulders and lacy skirt, pink ribbons in her hair, white knee-high socks and pink slippers tied around her ankles with ribbons. In her white gloved hands was a golden bow.
"But how...?," Homura said, "After I promised..." Madoka seemed surprised that everything turned out alright. "Wait, that man from before said he was preparing to get rid of all of you." Leon raised an eyebrow. "What man?" Madoka thought for a minute. "Well, he had short white hair... Wore a black and white hoodie with blue jeans... Oh yeah! He had two different colored eyes! One black, and one red!" The Meisters and their weapon partners gasped. "Hayashi Onikuro?!," Celeste said, "He was the one who said he was behind this?!" Madoka nodded. "Impossible," Oriko said, "I've never even met such a man." "No doubt," Mondo said, "He was known as the Ultimate Despair in our high school. In fact, he was working with Izuru on his little experiment. But while Izuru was doing it for the sake of science, Hayashi just thought it would be fun to destroy half the world."
"Then he's working with Kyubey for the same reason," came Professor Stein's voice. The others turned to see him enter the gymnasium. "I saw the barrier outside fade so I'm assuming you managed to defeat the witch." He looked over to Kirika. "And it looks like you were able to do it without killing her. That's good. She'll want to hear what I've found. Why don't we all head for my lab? I'll explain everything there." As the group followed Stein out of the school, Oriko carrying Kirika bridal-style, Kyubey looked on. "I must thank you for doing me this favor," he said to a person standing in the shadows. The person walked out, revealing himself to be Hayashi. "Of course. But now it looks like you'll need my help even more. Stein's figured out everything, which will make it much harder for you to get those girls to turn."
Kyubey titled his head in confusion. "What makes you think that?" Hayashi smirked. "You may be good at inspiring despair in someone naive and foolish, but once those girls learn the truth, they won't be naive anymore. Your lack of understanding of human emotions means your talent for causing despair can only go so far. But me..." He chuckled. "I can inspire despair in anyone, save for one person. And none of those girls are that one person." Kyubey smiled. "You don't say? And what did you have in mind?" Hayashi smiled. "Our first step, is for you to make another contract. And I have a good idea of who to use..."
To be continued...
Hayashi is an original character of my own creation based off Monokuma. Just throwing that right out there. Read and review.