Myouren Temple
It only took a little bit of asking around to find their way to Captain Murasa. Mami couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness she felt. All around her were youkai, causing her Soul Gem to echo a tense cacophony at her. Glancing at Kyouko made it obvious she wasn't feeling any better about this.
The Captain's door was rather unassuming, and when Mami opened it, the youkai inside was... depressing to see. Her Soul Gem's tune was vaguely familiar, though Mami couldn't place it.
She and Kyouko entered and Mami simply waited a while, not wanting to interrupt the youkai's... sleep? Meditation? Whatever it was, the youkai seemed to be just sitting quietly on the floor.
She didn't really look like anything special. Her short black hair and deep green eyes complemented her white sailor uniform well enough, but her pale complexion was ghastly. She occasionally lifted her head, only to let it sink soon one again, seeming to drag something heavy with it as it did.
After an interminable time, Mami couldn't bear the silence and strange warbling tune of her Soul Gem any Longer.
"Captain Murasa?" Mami asked quietly. The woman's eyes darted to Mami and locked gazes with her immediately. The youkai's tune suddenly fell into place, and her breath caught in her lungs as she realized where she'd heard it.
"You!" The youkai shrieked.
The door behind them slammed shut, and the youkai lifted up a small scoop of some sort... then overturned it.
A deluge of water flowed out of that small scoop, far too quickly. Within a second, the water was already centimeters deep. Kyouko transformed in the next few moments.
"Stop! We need your help! You can get us to Makai, right?" Mami asked.
"It's no use, Mami! She's not in a talking mood." Kyouko pointed out. Mami didn't want to admit it, but she was right. Murasa's glare was one that promised death.
Mami watch Kyouko dart past her, spear outstretched... only to faceplant into the water after perhaps a meter. Mami followed Kyouko's gaze to her feet, where she saw one end of a chain locked onto Kyouko's ankle... identical to the one on Mami's ankle. And on the other end... an enormous anchor.
"You want to talk? We can talk." Murasa said, seeming to relax, though the torrent of water continued to fill the room. "What's Mitakihara city like, nowadays?"
"Let me go, you-" Kyouko was interrupted by Murasa, receiving several more chains that bound her hands to her feet for her efforts.
"You? No. I think not. You ruined my hunt. You can drown with her. So... how has it been? I suppose the scum you protected paid you pretty well?"
Mami struggled to remember what the Great One had told her... tried to remember Keine's advice.
"I don't know. We were only there to stop you from killing anyone!"
"Oh, a protector of the people? How noble! I've been trying it myself, but it doesn't seem that it's working out." Murasa mentioned. Mami considered attacking, but Murasa was willing to talk, and Mami and Kyouko needed her help. Fighting back wasn't the right solution... so Mami talked, though the pooled water had crept past her ankles a while ago, refusing to leave the room.
"Maybe I can give you some advice? I've been at it a long time."
"I think I might just give up on it, really. I mean, Byakuren won't notice it anyway. What's it matter to her who I kill. Killing at all is against her wishes." Murasa's rage seemed to have spent itself, replacing itself with a tired resignation.
"Why kill at all, then?" Mami asked. "There are other ways to protect people."
"It's just an itch I've got to scratch, you know? And it's been months since I've killed anyone! I mean, that'll change in just a few minutes, but trust me, it doesn't really get easier the longer I go without." Murasa continued as the water in the room continued to rise. Kyouko was stabbing fiercely at the chain on her ankle and cursing loudly.
"So you tried to only kill certain people, it sounds like?"
"Yeah, but all that did was cut my hunt short. You were all there, expecting me. I didn't get to kill anyone. Talk about a letdown."
Mami winced. "Ah, we... we didn't know who you'd be killing... we just thought-"
"That I was going to appear at a pirate nest because I was like them? Hmph. I assure you, I'm not." Murasa spat, causing a swell in the rapidly rising water.
"I'm very sorry. Will you please let us go? We need your help to save a friend of ours..."
"Well, I get you wanting to save your friend. I wanted to save Byakuren, a while back. See, there's just one difference, though." Murasa prompted Mami as the water continued to climb.
"What?" Mami asked, getting that chilling glare again in response.
"Your friends are no friends of mine." Murasa said before breaking her glare and continuing. "Don't worry, though. I'll do what I can to help reunite you. What is their name?" Murasa asked, and Mami let out a sigh of relief, though the water continued to rise.
"Sayaka Miki. She's a very lively girl who joined us recently."
"Dammit, Mami! Help out, here!" Kyouko cried out as she struggled to break free of her chains. "She's just trying to stall us."
"I hope she's better behaved than your companion here."
"Oh, she is. Sayaka was always kinds and generous. Maybe even a little too generous."
"What do you mean?"
"She used up her own life to save ours..." Mami admitted, her eyes falling to the floor... well, to the water covering it, anyway.
"Oh! Well, that makes it all easier. I won't even have to find her to help you all meet back up."
"You... that's right! You're a ghost, right? You could just cross the Sanzu and-"
"Nah, I'm not that sort of ghost. I just meant that I can send you to her, rather than needing to find her to send her your way."
"But she's dead..." Mami reminded Murasa. Kyouko shouted in reply.
"She just said she's trying to kill us! Now will you help me fight back?" Kyouko splashed about, but had made no progress.
"I don't see why you mind. I'm just helping you go and meet your friend."
"I'm not going to die that easily!" Kyouko shouted.
"You should let go of that sort of attachment. Actually, no! That's great! If you don't want your old friend, you can be my new ones instead!"
"Not if you kill us we can't! Please, just calm down and we can keep talking about this!"
"Oh. You don't get it. See, once you drown, we can be friends forever. Funayuurei just aren't that common around here, but we'll make a great trio, I think." Murasa explained, and realization dawned on Mami as the water kept rising.
"No no! I won't become one! I'm already a youkai!"
Murasa simply burst into good-humored laughter.
"I mean it! Candeloro... she's a youkai of connections and things like that! We both want to be your friend, but if you kill us, we'll just be dead!"
Murasa managed to calm her laughter long enough to speak a bit.
"You're a Magical Girl, not a youkai. I don't appreciate you trying to trick me, but it's alright. We can have a good laugh over your last moments later. I know this really great pub in the Human Village. Once I'm able to move around again, I'll take you there. It's great for.. drowning your sorrows." Murasa laughed at her own joke as the water finally reached over Mami's head, even while treading water as high as she could.
Mami whipped her head around. She needed to escape and it was clear enough the conversation was over... or so Mami thought. Murasa seemed to have no difficulty at all continuing to speak underwater.
"I wonder how long you two can hold your breath. This part always takes so long. It wouldn't be so bad if you could keep talking, but ah well. Byakuren always talks about the virtues of patience. I guess a few minutes of waiting won't... kill me." Murasa grinned.
While Murasa kept talking, Mami took another look around the room, unsure of what she was looking for. Something she might be able to hold hostage, or something to free her from the chains binding her to the anchor...
Binding her... chains...! That was-
Mami expelled the air she'd taken in when a giant anchor slammed into her gut. Her body struggled to regain its lost wind, and Mami panicked.
"I did find a way to speed it up a bit, though. You were more willing to talk, so you get to join me first! Your friend? She can take the long way."
Hardly any thoughts passed through her mind she desperately tried to reach the surface, but it was even past her outstretched fingertips now. Within a minute at most the room would be completely flooded. Mami breathed in gulp after gulp of water, unable to stop herself. She cupped her hands over her mouth to try and keep what precious little air she had, but it slipped through the cracks in her fingers.
The surface was so close... but that anchor and chain were killing her. But Kyouko hadn't been able to break them, and Mami was already running out of strength... Her vision was changing into a sparkling tunnel, and she grew fascinated with the lights... it would all be over soon.
BREAK FREE OF THE CHAIN IT'S JUST A CONNECTION
Mami was stirred into action. The idea seemed so distant, but why not? She might as well. She severed the chain and found that the surface was approaching...
Then her face reached the surface and instinct kicked over to try and replace the water in her lungs with air. Slowly, her mind came back to her, more and more as she struggled to breathe. Only to realize that her head was already touching the ceiling of the room... and that small gap was vanishing as well.
"You... you broke free? How?" Murasa seemed stunned as she floated right next to Mami.
Even if Mami had an answer ready, she was too short of breath to reply. The only response Murasa got was more reflexive coughing.
It wasn't the response she'd been looking for, if her grabbing Mami by the shoulders and desperately shaking her was any indication.
"How did you break the chains? Tell me!" Murasa demanded as her shaking made waves that made catching her breath even more difficult. Mami had managed to get most of the water out of her lungs, and just as the water prepared to reach the very top of the room, all Mami could think of was the truth.
"I don't know!"
Then she was submerged once again. She struggled to fight the urge to finish clearing her lungs... kept her lips sealed.
"If you won't tell me, then just do it!" Murasa easily swam around Mami, despite Mami's own efforts, and another chain followed her.
Soon, Mami was entirely bound in chains linked only to Murasa, yet the chains were heavier than ever, and the pair sank to the bottom.
"I suppose you've got until you drown. If you don't cut us free, then I guess its your punishment to take the long way to drown. Then at least I still get a couple friends. I guess... I guess that wouldn't be so bad." Murasa shrugged, moving the chains that weighed down her shoulders... the same chains that bound her to Mami.
Mami wanted to cry. Maybe she was, her tears mixing invisibly into the nearby water. Mami felt the weight of those chains holding her down... the same chains that Murasa wore, draped around her. Mami wondered if this was her destiny... to die at Murasa's hands... to die the death she would have in Mitakihara city if not for Kyouko and Homura...
Kyouko... Mami looked towards her. Her fellow Magical Girl was still holding her breath, though she was clearly reaching her limit as a few bubbles leaked out.
Mami was getting there again herself, that last bit of water in her lungs acting like an aggravating itch... one that would be so simple to relieve. Just a few coughs and her lungs could be clear of the irritant.
At least her killer had the right to kill Mami. Hadn't Mami attacked with intent to kill back in Mitakihara after all? But then, Murasa wasn't the only one with that right. Mami was reminded of another of her victims she'd met here... Medicine Melancholy. Well, neither Mami nor Medicine would be getting their revenge now, it seemed. Medicine had been so angry... until... until Mami had transformed...
Then she'd been one of them. The thought made Mami's concentration over her breath falter just a moment, and a burst of bubbles broke free as she coughed, barely regaining control in time to keep from inhaling afterwards. Rage against Medicine and Murasa alike fought with the panic that began to wash over her once more and her frustration over her powerlessness. This time, though, she embraced it all. She wouldn't die like this. Not here.
Not! Here!
Mami used that rage and let it pour over her Soul Gem... and just on the verge of being overwhelmed by her conflicting emotions... she transformed.
Her lungs stopped causing her trouble, her vision cleared as her eyes were replaced by senses of another sort, and the constricting chains around her loosened their grip.
Things seemed very strange. There were two hubs of links apart from herself. One she knew to be Murasa, and the other, Kyouko. Murasa was in a tight spot indeed. She had many connections all around, but two links stood out. One was to something nearby, but the strongest by far was a distant one... a powerful one. A chain that was holding Murasa back, even as it reached through her towards Kyouko and Mami, getting in Mami's way as she looked around.
It was annoying, so Mami broke it.
Murasa seemed to shrink and stagger as the connection flew away.
Mami felt her body grow heavier suddenly, though she felt light as a feather even after the increase.
Mami sensed a strange look coming from Kyouko, and saw the thread connecting them begin to fray. She reinforced it, then wondered just what she was doing. She calmed down, her transformation released, and she returned to normal.
A young woman with short black hair and dressed in a white sailor fuku rushed up to Mami and hugged her. Mami looked to Kyouko, who seemed to be sputtering and coughing up water. The entire room was drenched, yet far drier than it had been before Mami transformed, leaving little trace of the water that had once completely submerged the room.
"What-" Mami started to ask what happened, but the woman holding her tightly interrupted her.
"You saved me." The voice was a little different, and her appearance wasn't nearly so pale, but this woman must be Murasa.
"I just... you wanted me to cut a connection, so I-"
"You did! Oh, you did! You cut those chains. The chains that anchored me to the depths... that dragged so many down to me..." The woman started sobbing... and Mami noticed that the tune was different now. Her Soul Gem still carried a song, but it no longer evoked the rolling waves of the ocean. Instead it was a simple, fiercely determined song.
"You seem different." Mami pointed out, and Kyouko had finally caught her breath enough to speak up between gasps, her chains gone as well.
"No, really?" Kyouko started coughing while signaling for Mami to wait, resuming when her fit ended. "You mean how she... isn't trying to kill... us?"
"No- I mean, yes, but she's different, too. Can't you hear it?" Mami asked, and Kyouko stopped to 'listen' over Murasa's relieved sobs.
"You're right. Kinda... simpler and really direct, now? It's almost like a heartbeat."
"Because I'm... alive. This is the warmth I've sought all these years... the warmth that none I pulled down could keep." Murasa looked up suddenly. "Byakuren! I've got to tell Byakuren!" Murasa looked excited as she ran out the now-unsealed door, dripping wet.
"We should... probably follow her." Kyouko sputtered as she shoot up. Mami nodded in agreement and the left the room, easily following the trail of wet footprints and water drops.
Mami and Kyouko managed to catch up to Murasa just before she burst into Byakuren's quarters.
"Look, Lady Hijiri!" Murasa's cry caught Byakuren's attention sure enough, and after a brief moment of surprise, Byakuren stood and embraced Murasa.
"I knew you could break your chains, Murasa. You are an inspiration to us all!"
Mami and Kyouko ran into the room then. Murasa and Byakuren turned their heads towards the two Magical Girls.
"It was her, actually. She... she was the one who ended my hunt early... and the one who ended my desire to hunt." Murasa explained. "And... how rude of me, but I never even learned your name." Murasa approached and lowered her head.
"I am Mami Tomoe, and this is Kyouko Sakura. You should thank Candeloro as well, though. I believe it was her power that let me free you."
Kyouko seemed to be biting her lips.
"I'll be sure to thank her, then. And thank you so very much." Murasa smiled warmly.
"You two seem to be in good spirits. Murasa, you'll be taking them, then?" Byakuren asked.
Murasa tilted her head. "Taking them where?"
"We wish to travel to Makai, to speak with Shinki." Mami explained. Murasa fidgeted a bit.
"I... I could. The Palanquin could get you there if I want... but.. why?" Murasa asked aloud.
"I already told you. We want to speak with Shinki."
"No, I mean, why go so far to die? The air there is extremely dangerous... and Shinki's not exactly... accommodating to non-magicians."
"I've suggested they bring along Marisa." Byakuren pointed out.
"Oh! Well, that'd do it, sure enough. It'll still be dangerous, but Marisa should be able to suppress the Miasma and the more violent inhabitants of Makai."
"You'll take us, then?" Mami asked, and Murasa nodded.
"It looks like Kyouko has something she wishes to say?" Byakuren pointed out.
"For Mami's ears alone." Kyouko said through gritted teeth.
"Don't let us delay you, then. I'd love to hear Murasa's tale, and you two should probably try to find and convince Marisa."
"Thank you for your assistance. We'll return with Marisa in hand." Mami said as she excused herself and Kyouko, closing the door behind them.
Kyouko closed the door to the small empty room they'd found and turned to Mami fiercely.
"Ok. So, Mami. Mind explaining why you turned into a monster?"
Mami wondered what she meant. "I... don't know what you mean? I already told you, Candeloro-"
"No, I've seen her... She looks an awful lot like you, but there are some differences. Especially they way she carries herself. This was something else entirely. Now, I was drowning at the time, so my memory's a little fuzzy but you... you transformed. Into something like this." Kyouko said as she crafted an image with her illusory magic.
It seemed at first glance to have a humanoid, feminine shape. After looking at it a bit longer, though, there were several differences. Instead of hair, the illusion had lengths of ribbons, rather similar to Mami's own hairstyle taken to a ridiculous length. The thing's 'dress' and its oddly-discolored, blue and pink flesh seemed to weave in and out of each other, so that Mami couldn't even tell which the wide skirt was made from.
"I... turned into that? I guess that makes it Candeloro's body, then?"
-could have killed us!
"I thought she shared your body?" Kyouko sounded confused.
"It felt almost like transforming into a Magical Girl. I just... used my hate and fear... instead of my hope. You know what I mean?"
"Not in the least. I transform with hate and anger all the time. You've seen me do it." Kyouko reminded Mami.
"Not just transforming while angry. It's like... it's like... I don't know." It was so frustrating! If Kyouko could just do it, she'd know how hard it was to describe.
"Well, how am I supposed to know whether its you or Candeloro if you just change into a monster like that?"
"It doesn't matter which I am. What matters is what I'm doing. Or Candeloro is doing."
"You really aren't making this easy on me."
"It's just... even when one of us is in control, the other has a lot of influence. I'm still counting on you... on everyone... to make sure Candeloro can't cause too much damage."
"I'll keep trying. But the way you're talking, it sounds like you need to step up your game. Make it so she can't control you."
"But... Satori said-"
"An awful lot of nasty things. Why are you so trusting of her?"
"Because she's honest... and... I feel like I've seen her before." Mami tried so hard to remember, but the memory skirted around the outside of her mind. It had been a decade or so, hadn't it? That couldn't be right.
Kyouko sighed. "That doesn't mean she can be trusted. You heard what they said. She's good at manipulating people. It's crazy to rely on some vague not-memories we're missing rather than what we've seen."
"'We', Kyouko? So you feel it-" Mami was excited... but Kyouko interrupted her.
"Yeah, she's nostalgic. Know what else is nostalgic for me? Hunger. And I'm about as eager to starve to death as I am to follow her advice."
Mami lowered her head. "It's not just her though, Kyouko. It's not just Satori. I don't want to control Candeloro because... because I don't want to be like Candeloro."
"I thought you just said you did."
"I want us to be like each other, but I don't want to be like her."
"Now you're just making no sense, Mami."
"I know!" Mami let out a shout of frustration. "It's impossible to explain, alright? There's tug of war going on, and I'm not sure if I'm the rope or a puller and I don't like it!" Mami shouted as tears began to roll down her face. Kyouko could never know what it was like. No one could... except Satori, of course, and that was even worse. The silence filled the room, broken only by a few of Mami's sobs. It was a while before Kyouko spoke hesitantly.
"Alright. I'm sorry, okay? Don't break out the waterworks. We've got a lot to do. We've got to find Marisa, right?"
Mami nodded and tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. Kyouko had given up on her. She could sense it... knew it deep in her heart.
She's going to leave! Grab her!
Mami looked at Kyouko through teary eyes and saw a thread connecting their two Soul Gems. It seemed to be fraying...
"Mami, you know we'll be able to cover more ground if-"
Mami knew what was going to come next... the thread was unwinding...
"-we split up." Kyouko continued, and the thread's last strands... were caught. Mami shook her head defiantly and hoped and prayed that it wouldn't break. As if by magic, the thread rewound itself, stronger than ever. Kyouko spoke again.
"But we both know I can't leave you. I did swear I'd make sure you didn't try anything funny after all."
Good girl.
"R- right." Mami stammered out as she dried her eyes. What had she just done?
Nothing that hasn't been done before. A cold chill ran down Mami's spine.
"Kyouko... just now, you wanted to split up, right? That's why you brought it up?"
"Yeah. I'll be honest, I just don't know what to make of you. Candeloro's dangerous, and she has a tendency to come out at literally the worst times."
"But every time we've split up-"
"I know it's dangerous, but still, you're- nevermind, it isn't important anyway. I've gotta stand by your side as long as you can put up with me and then some." Kyouko laughed and gestured for Mami to follow. "Let's go find Marisa. This'll be so much faster now that we can fly."
Mami followed hesitantly... If Kyouko wanted to split off... maybe that would be best.
Don't even think that! After all, it was awful dangerous going alone... yet doubt nagged at Mami. What had she done? She'd kept a friend, that's all. Right?
Right.
Author's Notes: It's a pleasure to see so many still interested in this! I was worried about how many would even notice the new chapter, let alone check it out. But... well, I'm glad that so many did. It's comforting.
I don't really know what more I have to say. Feelings are hard to put into words. But at the least, I can be sure to thank you all again for your continued interest and attention.