About a half hour later...
Satori entered the room. Paying little mind to the poisonous glare Mami directed her way, she spoke to Homura first.
"Homura, what are your thoughts on the current situation?" Satori asked, then leveled her unnerving gaze at the girl. Mami felt a bit of anxiety... she was fairly certain she'd touched on most everything, but wasn't sure how much had stuck.
"Not too bad, but you did neglect to mention that we don't need her, save as a link to the being which possessed her." Satori mentioned to Mami, causing her to wince.
"We can probably get it into another body or something though, right? She... she'll be fine, right?" Mami's own lack of confidence did little to inspire Homura.
"Almost certainly not. Getting her back at all is going to be difficult enough. Besides, you had no problem with her possessing this girl before."
"I didn't know that then!"
"Yet another cowardly soul uses ignorance as its shield. It's no more sinister now than it was then. Which is worse: Leaving the other Homura stranded outside of time, or suppressing this one's will?"
"That isn't a fair question and you know it! There's no way for us to know what either is like!" Mami shouted drawing the attention of the other group.
"The latter is simple enough. Possessions can and do occur, and setting someone up as a target for it could be done. If you were right though, and knowing that returning the other Homura is likely to be key to both returning Sayaka to you and destroying Oktavia... why would there even be a question of which is more worth saving?" Satori asked. Then, after giving a brief look to Homura, added. "See? Even she realizes her lack of value."
Mami shook her head. "You remind me too much of Kyubey. This Homura isn't worthless, because no one is. If you want worthless, then how about me? I don't even have any magic anymore, and I'm probably as frail as Homura, now, and I don't have the sort of link she does... so why are you keeping me around?" Mami poked her finger at Satori's chest. The youkai frowned, probably knowing exactly where Mami was going with this...
"Because of Koishi. Because to you she's more important than anything else. People care for Homura... Both of them! Just like you do for Koishi! Maybe they can't both be saved, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try!"
"You would use Koishi as a weapon against me? Maybe Candeloro isn't as quiescent as I thought." Satori spat out bitterly before spinning around to address the rest of the group.
"We're going now. I've got my affairs in order. Stay close to me and we should have little difficulty reaching the surface." Satori said as she stormed out of the room.
Mami followed along with the others, making sure to hold on to Homura's hand to guide her. Maybe she'd been too harsh with Satori... A brief memory of the tortures she'd been subjected to surfaced, and she realized she hadn't been nearly harsh enough.
Chireiden, Entry Hall
The grand gates swung open with Satori's push, as though they had awaited only the slightest touch to open, despite their colossal size. They moved silently, and once open wide, revealed an unusual sight.
An entire city lay before them. In sharp contrast to the bleak isolation of Chireiden, the city bustled, full of vigor... perhaps even more than the Human Village.
But even in its damaged state, Mami couldn't ignore the cacophonous racket from her Soul Gem that indicated a swarm of youkai of every sort. Her mind rushed into a panic, and she envied Homura's magical deafness at that moment, for the innocent girl merely looked with wonder at the beauty of the city, admiring the soothing sound of rain as it bounced off roofs. She couldn't even imagine how much worse it must be for Kyouko, whose magic was still completely intact.
The illumination was wholly artificial... lamps and lanterns sparsely lit the city, easily failing to reach whatever ceiling there might be, and casting long shadows everywhere. Mami's mind and Soul Gem screamed in panic. So many youkai... if they attacked, they would have absolutely no trouble killing Mami, Homura, Kyouko, Sanae... Mami shot a worried glance to her fellow outsiders.
Homura was a bit unnerved, but far more entranced with the scene, captivated by it's beauty. Kyouko was stunned at the force of the youkai presence, and Sanae seemed... eager, if anything.
"This is a forgotten hell. Chireiden was built to allow traffic between it and the Blazing Hell. When this hell shut down, myself and others moved here as squatters. I ended up living in Chireiden for several reasons." Satori explained as she went to close one of the doors.
"The youkai that live down here are far more aggressive than the ones you met on the surface, remember. They're still bound by the spellcard rules if forced into a duel, but aren't nearly as eager to use them." Keine spoke up as she helped by going to close the other door behind them.
"You're all with me, which both means they want you dead on principle... and won't dare attack you for fear of catching my eye. We should be left alone, especially with Keine's presence as a human villager preventing any ambushes intended to escape my eye." Satori reminded them.
They finished closing the monstrous gates. Mami looked back upon Chireiden... that cursed mansion where so much had happened. From outside it seemed nothing more than a well-decorated wall with an oversized gate. Mami suspected it filled the entire cavern beyond.
"That is correct. Having one spirit cross from one hell to another disrupts its treatment, so this gatehouse was built to keep them seperate." Satori turned to Homura. "I suppose its grandeur could be intimidating, but I find it inspiring, myself. Now come, and stay close, lest you be stolen away."
Walking the Streets of a Forgotten Hell
The walk had thankfully been uneventful, but the party was hushed. Mami's Soul Gem screamed at her to transform, and it took much of her concentration to avoid doing so, knowing the pain it would cause. Kyouko had given into the urge almost immediately. It was doubtless draining, but Mami had to admit she'd have done the same thing if possible, and welcomed the extra force should an ambush somehow happen.
The rain kept pouring down, soaking the six travelers, though only Kyouko had enough courage and voice to mutter her discontent over the situation. Sanae seemed rather pleased, though. Perhaps because the schoolgirl outfit she still wore was acting oddly. While everyone else's clothes were weighed down with the water, Sanae's almost seemed to dance and float in the rain, more befitting of her upbeat attitude. The fact that it was raining at all seemed odd... it was far too much to simply be leaking from above ground.
Everyone was on guard, so despite the rain, no one had any trouble seeing the figure that approached them. Satori gestured to move quietly into an alley, and the six quickly did so as Satori held up a finger to her mouth to indicate quiet.
"That's Yuugi Hoshiguma- one of the four devas of the mountain." Keine began. Satori seemed to be distracted, as though she was listening intently... though not to Keine, who kept explaining as everyone else tried to hush her.
"You actually met another: Suika Ibuki... the oni that faced off against-" Keine finally found her mouth covered by an anxious Kyouko.
"Shut up!" She hissed... only for Satori to shrug and turn to the group. She whispered.
"Too late. She's coming to investigate the sound. Just don't upset her... she's in a good mood, but oni aren't known for their calm temperaments."
"Who's that talking the oni down?" A haughty alto voice asked. Satori took a deep breath and stepped around the corner.
"I speak the truth. Whether you see it as flattery or slander is up to you. Hello Yuugi. You've been well." Satori said.
"Satori?" Yuugi cried out in disbelief. "It's been centuries! How've you been?" Mami saw Yuugi up close now as she caught Satori in a tremendous hug.
The oni was... large. Little else could describe her so well as that one word. Her two-meter height was just the start. She seemed larger than life, and her arms were thick with muscle. She seemed completely unbothered that her shape was almost scandalously exposed by a white shirt and thin blue skirt soaked completely through. Though her outfit seemed just as weighed down as most of the party's, her mood seemed more in line with Sanae's. Atop her head was a long red horn that sported a single star.
Satori looked resigned as Yuugi embraced her hard for a few seconds before letting go, as Mami looked on, filled with envy that someone had a means to quiet Satori for a few moments.
"Sorry Yuugi, I cannot stay for a drink. We-" Satori gestured to the others. "must get to the surface soon."
Yuugi just laughed. "You're kidding, right? What are you even doing out of your home? You go upstairs and all you'll get is the first part of a head transplant."
Mami answered as Satori still seemed a bit winded from Yuugi's greeting.
"She's taking me to see a... doctor of sorts? And... other... things..." Mami still wasn't sure how to explain Homura's situation, let alone if she even should.
"And who might your friends be, Satori?" Yuugi asked as she crouched down slightly to look Mami in the eyes. Suddenly the oni seemed much, much larger.
"They are not my friends, they are my wards and allies, though trust me, they hate me just as much as you do."
"Oh Satori, I don't hate you." Yuugi stood once again to her full height.
"I thought Oni were supposed to be honest."
"Very funny. How about you just come along nicely and we'll get a few drinks in you?" Yuugi grabbed Satori by the wrist, and Satori grimaced in pain. No one made a move to interfere at all... and Mami couldn't fault them. Not only was it pleasing to see someone put Satori in her place, but acting against Yuugi would be madness.
Satori glared at Yuugi and spoke through gritted teeth.
"What about a contest of strength instead?"
"Haha! Its a wonder you can even throw the sheets off of you in the morning! There'd be no contest there."
"Not against me... but against a recent denizen who arrived in my home. If you could remove her, you'd save us a trip."
"Hah! You know, if you want me to rough someone up, I hear that requires payment."
"Alright. Take Mami Tomoe as collateral." Satori pointed at Mami. "If you can can remove Oktavia from Chireiden for good, you can keep Mami."
"What?" Mami, Kyouko, Sanae all shouted... Homura simply shook her head and Keine said 'no'.
"I don't think they like your idea, little miss weasel." Yuugi laughed.
"Oh. Perhaps a spellcard duel might make them see the light. I already know what I'd declare as my prize. Why, it might even open your eyes to a whole new way to use spellcards, Yuugi. And afterward, I do think they'd see things my way." Satori looked pointedly looked at Keine, Sanae and Mami. Mami remembered... remembered the taboo she had broken, the one that Satori now held at their throats.
Damn her! Mami wanted to just kill Satori to keep her silent. Judging by Satori's reply, she wasn't the only one wish such thoughts.
"So violent, all of you!" Satori poorly feigned surprise. "But don't worry yourselves. I've taken steps to ensure that what I know will be passed on to all of my pets should I pass away. It would such a shame for my knowledge to die with me."
Yuugi looked between Satori and the others, confused. Mami mentally stabbed Satori over and over, right in that damned eye... She couldn't leave Homura! She just couldn't!
"I suppose she could always join us." Satori suggested. "I'm certain Yuugi wouldn't mind the company. But I think it best if we spare her the sight of Yuugi's opponent and let her go with the others to the surface, no? Or perhaps you'd prefer to send Kyouko in your place?" Satori shrugged.
"Fine. I'll go with you. If you beat that thing, I'm yours." Mami growled.
Kyouko and Homura started to protest, but Mami quieted them.
"It's my fault she knows, so it's only right I be the one to pay the price. Just... get Sayaka back... and Kyouko, you'd better keep an eye on Homura." Mami asked.
"You're crazy, Mami... but if I go with you, who would rescue Sayaka if this does work out, right?" Kyouko admitted. "Yuugi, was it? Don't you harm a hair on her head or I'll be eating Oni stew, got it? I'll be coming back for her!"
"Well, you've got pluck. But you've gotta have strength too. Don't worry, I'll treat your friend to a grand old time." Yuugi laughed and hoisted Mami over her shoulder easily. "Well, Satori, you gonna show me where in that silly maze of yours my opponent is?"
"Of course. You others may wish to explore the town... but I would recommend fleeing for the surface... You all have things to do there." Satori gave meaningful glances to Keine and Sanae in particular. Satori began to fly back towards Chireiden, and Mami found herself being carried at a remarkable pace, as though Yuugi didn't even feel the load.
Chireiden
Mami saw those enormous doors close behind her, separating her from that strange city... and locking her within the mansion of the damned once again. Satori's leg seemed to have finished healing for the most part, as she was leading at a swift pace, flying easily and telling Yuugi what she knew of Oktavia, and what Satori and the others had tried already to remove her.
"That certainly explains why you were out looking to go to the surface. Could have saved everyone a lot of trouble if you'd just come to me straightaway."
"I hope you'll prove me wrong. Then I would be free to pursue the oddities this has brought to light at my own pace. Really though, I suspect you will fail. There's no such thing as a pleasant surprise, but your victory would come awful close."
"Hey! What about me?" Mami said. She wasn't exactly dignified, slung over the Oni's shoulder, but she knew breaking free would be beyond her... likely even if she could use her magic.
"What about you? You have some strange connection to my sister, and should Yuugi allow it, I would like to look into it more. But my pets are in danger, and our work for the ministry is more important than my happiness or the lives of any one of us. Oktavia's removal is the highest priority." Satori explained, her frozen attitude causing Mami's soul to squirm.
"Mami, I do care about my sister, Orin, Utsuho, and even you... this strange Magical Girl who could recognize a satori without seeing one. But I care more about the reality in which we live. If I had to sacrifice any or all of us to save the world, I would. Besides, Yuugi's strong, but..."
"Aw, don't worry, even if I do get her, I'm not going to kill her or anything. Just show her off at a few parties, maybe." Yuugi jostled Mami, who frowned.
"I don't like drinking." Mami recalled the torture of a hangover... nothing would be worth going through that again. Next time she drank, she'd be sure to drink in moderation, that was for sure.
"You just haven't had any good stuff." Yuugi assured her.
"Oktavia is just a bit further down this hall, so if you would please put Mami down so she doesn't get pummeled with you?" Satori asked kindly. Mami rolled her eyes. How thoughtful.
Yuugi laughed and set Mami on her feet. "Alright. Mami, prepare to see the true power of an Oni."
"Don't hold back Yuugi. Chireiden can be repaired... but I'm not so sure Oktavia can be removed."
Yuugi laughed and marched forward as Satori and Mami followed a bit behind. She entered that grand hall, and caught Oktavia's gaze. Mami was almost afraid to watch... she'd seen what that creature could endure... Yuugi was doomed.
Yuugi let out a howl that took the strength from Mami's legs, causing her to sit on the ground... probably a good idea anyway considering the events that followed.
The oni launched herself at Oktavia, who sliced at the Oni with one of her blades in turn. Yuugi shot a fist out against the blade, slamming her knuckles directly against the sharp edge of the sword... and the blade shattered. Yuugi kept flying forward, her momentum hardly stalled. Her fist connected with part of the creature's face... and snapped off not only part of the mask, but a large chunk of its face as well. Confetti seemed to spray forth from the wound.
Mami was suddenly thankful the shout had floored her earlier, because her legs felt like jelly. Nothing Satori or Sanae or Kyouko had done had more than momentarily stunned the creature... and a single punch from Yuugi had outdone them all.
The Oni turned back around to face the creature, which now howled in pain. Yuugi pumped her fists together and grabbed the thing's tail, lifting the tail and entire body of Oktavia effortlessly. She then slammed the body into the ground on the other side of her... then back into the ground she'd been standing on... she repeated this several times. Each slam caused a huge crack to appear in the floor, and Oktavia swung at Yuugi with her remaining sword, to absolutely no effect. Yuugi released Oktavia, who seemed dazed at the onslaught.
Yuugi then leapt at its face again, but this time slammed her horn into the thing's neck, She held down on its shoulders and lifted her head up, ripping free Oktavia's head. The body thrashed around, but Yuugi held it easily in her grasp as the head flew from her horn to roll across the ground. Yuugi landed on the floor near Mami and Satori and brushed her hands together as she shook the strange confetti-like fluid that covered her horn and hair.
"Well. I think I've earned myself a little girl?" Yuugi said to Satori, but Satori shook her head.
"Oktavia still remains." Satori pointed, and as a wave of water rolled in out of nowhere to cover the body, and within a second, Oktavia was once again whole and healthy, 'drifting' atop the stage of water, even her missing sword returned to its former state.
"Ah, she's got some resilience, then. Alright, gimme another few seconds. I've got a three step process for the troublesome ones." Yuugi cracked her knuckles as she walked out toward Oktavia, who once again 'floated' atop a stage-depiction of water. Oktavia whipped her tail at Yuugi, who caught it in one arm. With a single tug, she pulled Oktavia into Yuugi's other arm, already curled into a fist and swinging to meeting the creature. Yuugi shouted loudly as her fist collided... and Mami's ears rang even louder than they had when Sanae had conjured her lightning bolt.
Oktavia simply... exploded. Blown into countless shards, like the window Satori had once compared her to. Then Yuugi stepped forward and struck again... just into the cloud, and despite its misty consistency, there was no doubt Yuugi had hit something. The shockwave rippled through the shards, not only sending them across the room, but sending each one flying apart in a dozen different directions.
And Yuugi still wasn't finished. A third step carried her into the center of where Oktavia had once been, and Yuugi let loose one last intense roar before striking again.
Reality rippled with the third blow. The motes of shimmering dust that had been Oktavia vanished, and Mami heard a distant, familiar sounding scream. Yuugi kept driving her fist forward, and the rippling grew more profound. Mami wondered if existence itself could hold together.
The answer was a resounding 'no' as her stomach literally jumped out of her gut and landed in her startled hand, its acid dissolving her foot and voicing her words in its place. She saw familiar screams of surprise and pain echoing off of her as she felt the shockwave of Yuugi's punch rip through her, driving every muscle in her body to launch itself off her gaseous bone as her flesh melted into a puddle on the ceiling before dripping down through it.
A lot happened then, even as nothing happened ever again. Then it finished, and only then did it finally start.
Her muscles coiled once again up her bone. Her flesh rained into her from the walls, covering her again and allowing her to see Yuugi had lost her momentum, and the punch finished as Mami's brain squeezed back into place and her stomach found its way back into her abdominal cavity.
Just in time for Mami to throw up. She emptied her stomach and kept dry heaving, taking relief and comfort in the pain and foul taste of the act. Her mind envisioned the stone around her doing the same, remembering how the walls had vomited forth streams of dust and flame. She shook her head to clear the images, looking instead at the safe, stable ground. It was so still... so unmoving. So real.
She collapsed into her vomit and just lay there, the warm floors of Chireiden rough against her skin. She breathed air, bearing a comforting smell. She moved her hands to her upset stomach as it growled at her... felt the fine weave of the cloth even as she felt the vomit soaking into her clothes. She blinked her eyes several times, comforted that she could... and that when she did, her vision went dark for a few moments. A lock of her hair rolled over her eye, blurring her vision and tickling her nose on its way down. Everything she'd taken for granted, she embraced. And she wept herself to sleep, comforted by the simple truth she had simply assumed would always remain fact... a truth that she had just seen challenged and nearly refuted...
Reality existed.
Mami awoke. She'd been changed into a set of spare clothes, thankfully. Her mouth still tasted of bile, and she coughed a bit as she sat up, taking a bottle of offered water. She drank it, then looked to who had offered it.
"Satori? What... what happened?" Mami asked, and the youkai shrugged. She looked badly disturbed.
"I'll let Yuugi tell the tale." Satori indicated the oni next to her.
"Satori already ripped it from my mind... seemed to calm her down enough. You should've seen her when she first woke up." Yuugi laughed. "So... long story short, I punched reality hard enough to make it dizzy. Actually, I guess that's the whole story, really. Other than the ending, which is that even after punching Oktavia out of existence... she's still there, flailing about recklessly and getting in the way. Well, and Yukari showed up and told me to stop messing with boundaries or something. You're still welcome to come drinking with me if you want, but I don't have any right to force you; I lost the bet."
Mami just stared. Her mind blinked a little as Yuugi kept talking.
"I'm not really sure what else to say? I don't feel like getting on Yukari's bad side again."
Mami simply stared. She questioned again whether it was a dream.
"It wasn't." The detestable voice of Satori grinded in Mami's mind. Fine, not a dream, then. A nightmare.
"Also wrong. Yuugi did exactly as she said. Your memories that time are unsurprisingly vague, but you can trust them as much as any other. So Yuugi... you've given up, it seems."
"Yeah. I know when I'm beat. Tearing reality apart isn't so hard, but I don't want to do it if there's no one to rebuild it. Besides, Yukari was very polite when she asked me to stop. Whatever that Oktavia is, its woven into reality more thoroughly than little things like gravity and light and life. Offhand, probably death as well. We're talking the real fundamentals here which govern that thing. Oktavia's there to stay."
"Well, perhaps not. We may be able to unmake her yet... but it does seem to be beyond the ability to brute force to defeat. Not without unacceptable casualties anyway."
"Ah well. Just what I get for dealing with a satori." Yuugi poured some sake into a red drinking bowl she produced and offered it to Satori and Mami.
Satori sighed and took a few sips before refilling it and offering it to Mami.
"This should help take the edge off of what just happened. It's an experience even I can't hold against you wanting to forget." Satori suggested.
"I don't really like drinking."
Satori rolled her eyes. "You do remember the stuff you drank at the shrine isn't exactly top of the line sake, right? This? Is." She offered it again, and Mami took it as Satori gave a suggestion. "Put your Soul Gem in the dish before drinking from it; it will let you more fully experience its spiritual essence."
At least she knew it couldn't be any worse than the ordeal she'd just been through. And if Satori was offering the drink in spite of Mami's hatred and Satori's own nature... well, if she was willing to keep giving Mami chance after chance, she could at least try to return the favor. Assuming, of course, she could trust the monster. She carefully placed her Soul Gem in the sake as she lifted it to her lips, to let the drink carry her where it would.
Author's Notes: Be careful when punching reality, folks.
Yuugi's power is one of those 'what is this supposed to mean?' ones. I took it to mean she reality punches through sheer strength, as you can tell. She's all about being friendly and sociable. One of those folks who's all 'even though I can't stand you, I'll give you a chance.'
I wasn't sure exactly where to end this chapter. There were a few good spots both before and after where I did. Ah well.
Ah, blackmail. A satori's best friend; never leave home without it!
Thank you all for reading, as always. Sorry about the shorter chapters lately but it's just the way they came out.