Les Fleurs du Mal – Something Else Entirely
Disclaimer: In case you haven't figured it out yet, I don't own Puella Magi Madoka Magica. All Madoka-related characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of Studio SHAFT and Gen Urobuchi.
[-]
Because clearly not enough things had gone wrong so far that day, rain started to fall almost as soon as the two girls introduced themselves.
"Wow, this just came out of nowhere…" said Iroha Tamaki, taking off her backpack and holding it over her head as a makeshift umbrella. "We should probably find a place to take shelter."
Madoka nodded, then winced as a particularly large raindrop caught her right in the eye. The rainfall had gone from drizzle to downpour in the space of only a few seconds.
Both of the pink-haired girls dashed for the nearest storefront with lights on, which turned out to be a small diner. Only one other table was occupied, and judging by the big cheeseburgers sitting on it, this was a Western-style restaurant.
Madoka wasn't really all that hungry, but it seemed rude to barge into the place without ordering anything, so she and Iroha let themselves be led to an empty booth.
"Welcome to Shiny Smiles! Where filling your hungry stomachs is our magic!" the waitress declared brightly. True to the restaurant's name, she was positively beaming as she placed menus in front of them both. "You can call me Kagari-chan! How can I serve you today?"
Iroha, at least, looked just as off-put and awkward as she did. "Umm…what do you recommend?" she asked.
"Well, our house special tonight is the Sybilladura Lelladybura! Which is basically a chicken burger topped with deep-fried udon and a boiled egg. Perfect fusion of East and West!" said Kagari-chan, pointing to a picture on the menu's front page. "That's what this place is all about – bringing cultures together!"
Even though she still really didn't feel like eating, that did sound pretty good. "I'll have one of those, please," Madoka told the waitress. Iroha ordered the same.
"Two specials, honey!" the smiling girl called back to the kitchen. "And let's put on a plate of ginger fries, on the house!"
An unseen voice, also female, let out an audible sigh. "Sweetie, I appreciate your dedication to exemplary customer service, but we can't keep giving everyone free food and expect to stay in the black," the cook called out. Her voice had tinges of a foreign accent, though her pronunciation was flawless.
Kagari-chan puffed out her cheeks, which instantly made her look like a much younger child.
She excused herself from their table and strode toward the kitchen herself, but as the doors swung open Madoka was able to overhear, "C'mon, don't be getting all stingy! This is exactly like when we were doing that show in London and you…!"
The rest of her speech was muffled by the closing door, which Madoka was grateful for. She didn't want to hear any more of what probably should've been a private argument.
Instead, she turned back to her dining companion. The more she looked at Iroha, the more uncanny the resemblance between them became. Not only did she share her rose-colored hair and eyes, she even seemed to carry herself the same – shy, quiet, reserved.
Madoka had heard myths about doppelgängers; that every person had an exact double living somewhere on Earth. It was silly, but she couldn't help but wonder…
"Are you from around here?" she asked, deciding that she wouldn't get any answers from just sitting around and navel-gazing like this. "I've never seen that uniform before."
Iroha shook her head. "I'm from Takarazaki City originally. Though now I'm going to school in Kamihama," she said. "Kamihama City University Affiliated School…I only transferred there about a month ago, but it's really nice."
"That's…pretty far to walk," responded Madoka. "What brings you out to Mitakihara?"
The other girl's face dipped into a frown. She winced and touched at her temple, as if she'd just experienced a momentary shot of pain.
"You're gonna think this sounds crazy, but…I actually don't remember," she admitted to Madoka, after a few moments. "On my way here, I had this feeling like I had someone I needed to see. A friend. But the moment I stepped inside the city limits…"
Madoka was struck by a brief flashback: of Sayaka a couple days prior, complaining of the rash of memory inconsistencies that'd been plaguing their friends as of late. Could the effects be more widespread than they thought?
If that girl with the sword – admittedly not a source she had much reason to trust – was to be believed, then Homura was the one responsible. And she'd even done it to her, to some degree or another.
Madoka still wasn't really sure how to feel about that. It was one of…many things she wished she could discuss with her raven-haired friend directly.
No…she couldn't let her mind go back down that road. She'd only just met this girl. She couldn't break down in front of her.
So for the first time in several days, she made a concerted effort to push Homura Akemi out of her thoughts, and focus on the task at hand. Right now, this girl needed her help.
And helping others was always the one thing able to stave off thoughts of how much she hated herself.
[-]
"You're probably wondering…" said Oriko Mikuni, as Homura cautiously took a seat across from the tea-sipping girl. She hadn't transformed yet, so it seemed she really was just here to talk. "How it is that I managed to Awaken from your horrid little nightmare?"
"I've had a couple days to mull it over. It really wasn't a hard puzzle to crack," Homura remarked coolly. "The precise nature of your magic. I should've realized it sooner."
Even having usurped Madoka's authority, sealing away the powers of every Magical Girl on the planet would've been beyond even her abilities. Instead, she'd gone with a comparatively more efficient solution: sealing away their memories of being Magical Girls.
If Sayaka Miki had no idea that she could create swords from midair, then it was essentially the same as her lacking the power in the first place. So long as they never ventured beyond the limits of their Soul Gems, there was no reason for them to realize they even had them.
To be sure, this required some finessing from time to time. Kyoko Sakura in particular had a bad habit of leaving her contract ring at home, having no idea of its importance. More than once, a Clara Doll had needed to play delivery girl before anyone noticed the redhead wasn't sleeping in class per usual, but instead essentially dead.
But Oriko Mikuni's magic was a different story. Her foresight was uncontrolled, and didn't require any kind of conscious thought to trigger. She didn't even have to transform to experience it.
"You had a vision of yourself remembering. And that very vision caused you to remember," she told the other girl. "So simple, and yet I overlooked it. Until it was almost too late."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. Omniscience is the classical providence of Gods, not Devils," said Oriko, daintily setting down her now-finished cup. "But enough small talk. We have business to discuss."
"You have a lot of nerve, making demands of me. Especially when you shot me not even a week ago," Homura pointed out testily.
Oriko simply threw her well-manicured hands in the air. "I hope you didn't take that personally!" she responded, with an air of mock-offense. "It was just a way to…test the waters, as it were. I needed to know whether this avatar of yours has all of your powers, or if it was just some meat-puppet you split off to pilot remotely."
"If you're trying to convince me you're not too dangerous to be left alive, then you're doing a very poor job of it," Homura murmured, a violet aura pulsing threateningly around her hand. "You know I could kill you with a thought. You and Kirika Kure both. I could wipe you from existence…scatter your particles like stardust."
"Of course I do. It's why I put so much effort into subterfuge," spoke Oriko, hands now folded formally across her lap. "We even went so far as to spend an entire month not using each other's names – not even in our heads. Because as the legends say, if a Witch knows your name…"
"It gives her power over you," Homura finished for her. "I'll give you credit; you were thorough. There's no telling how long you might've been able to stay under my radar…if Sasa Yuki hadn't hijacked your plan and blown your cover."
For the first time since she sat down, she watched the serene smile disappear entirely from Oriko's face.
"Yes, well. That brings us neatly to the reason I called you here," she said. "So long as that wretched harlequin remains at large…"
Then, unexpectedly, she reached forward and offered a delicate hand to the incarnated Devil.
"What do you say to a little…truce?"
[-]
"I know it's probably none of my business …" mumbled Madoka. "But could you tell me a bit more about yourself? Maybe it'll jog your memory."
A hasty insistence that she was being too forward, and that they'd only just met, and really it'd probably be best if Iroha pretended she never asked that question, was halfway up Madoka's throat before the other girl forestalled it with a shake of her head.
"Don't worry. It's funny, even though we barely know each other…I've got this feeling in the back of my head like I can trust you," Iroha answered calmly. "I don't fully understand it, but I'm going to believe in it anyway."
She took a sip of iced tea from the glass their waitress had just brought, and then leaned back against their booth.
"I mean…there's not much to tell, to be perfectly honest. I'm a pretty boring person," she said after a moment. "But I guess I'll just start."
The story she told began with the death of her sister Ui a little under two years prior.
Madoka almost had to stop the other girl right there. The way she described Ui – so sweet, so innocent – couldn't help but remind her of Tatsuya.
She imagined how she'd feel if she were in Iroha's shoes. Tatsuya wasting away in a hospital room, trying to keep up his adorable little smile for her sake even as a terminal disease ravaged him on the inside. She wasn't sure how she'd even begin to cope.
And that wasn't even the full extent of the tragedy. Ui's passing had been followed swiftly by the two girls with whom she'd shared a room in the hospital: Touka Satomi and Nemu Hiiragi. The trio had become good friends, and Iroha had grown close with all of them, encouraging them to imagine all the amazing things they'd get to see and do after discharge.
A discharge that never came.
In essence, Iroha had lost three little sisters within the space of a month. There had been no miracle; no sudden recovery to swelling, orchestral music. Just the cold cruelty of reality.
In the wake of such a tragedy, Iroha and her parents had come to an agreement that she needed some distance. She'd moved to Kamihama, transferred to a new school, and begun rooming together with…
"Yachiyo-san," spoke the older girl, and Madoka was pretty sure she didn't imagine the breathy sigh that came with the name. "I don't know what I would've done if she hadn't taken me in. She's so mature, so responsible…I mean, she really had to be. She lived alone for a long time before we met."
Iroha fished in her pocket for her cell phone, presumably to show a picture of the girl in question. But her face fell as she held down the power button, and nothing happened.
"Oh darn…" she said with a frown. Now that Madoka could get a better look, she saw there were several large cracks across the screen. "I must've landed on it when we fell over…"
Madoka, who'd been vaguely hoping to borrow the other girl's phone to call for a ride but unsure how to ask, burned with renewed shame. "I really am so, so sorry," she muttered.
"You need to stop apologizing so much, Kaname-san. Though I know I'm being a huge hypocrite – my friends say the same thing to me all the time," replied Iroha. "Oh, wait, I think I have something else I can show you…"
She reached into her backpack, and instead pulled out a rolled-up magazine. It was labeled MODE JAPAN in big, bold letters, and was clearly the type of fashion magazine that girls infinitely more stylish than Madoka loved to fawn over.
Iroha pressed a petite finger against the girl splashed across the cover, and added, "This is my housemate, Yachiyo Nanami."
Madoka's first impression was that Yachiyo was the first girl she'd ever seen who could give Homura a run for her money in sheer beauty. The two shared the same cool, poised demeanor, as if there was nothing in the world that could possibly faze them.
Her dark blue hair was long and silky, with eyes to match; more the hue of a deep, distant ocean, rather than Sayaka's springwater shade. And while Madoka knew about as much about high fashion as she did quantum mechanics, even she could tell the girl was rocking her chosen outfit.
"She's gorgeous…" Madoka couldn't help but say, and in an equally unguarded moment, Iroha nodded her agreement.
A few seconds passed before Iroha seemed to remember herself, coughing until the pink in her cheeks receded.
"Well, anyway…there's five of us living at her place now. It's big enough, thankfully," she resumed her explanation. "Tsuruno Yui, Felicia Mitsuki, and Sana Futaba. They're all really sweet and kind girls. Well…Felicia-chan can be a bit of a handful, but Yachiyo-san knows how to handle her when she needs to."
"It sounds like you've really found a place there," said Madoka. A foreign sensation bubbled up in the pit of her stomach – something alike to, but not quite the same as, a pang of jealousy. But she forced it back down.
Iroha, meanwhile, simply nodded again.
"Like I said…it's all because of Yachiyo-san. I don't even know who I'd be today, if it wasn't for her," she whispered. "I don't think I'll ever be able to pay her back. But I've been trying."
The girl let out a deep sigh, before continuing, "That's the most difficult part. I'm ninety-nine-percent sure that whoever I was looking for here, it was because Yachiyo-san asked me to. Now I'll have to come home empty-handed. Of course, she'll forgive me…"
"Which will only make you feel worse for messing up," Madoka finished for her. She was speaking from experience.
Two pairs of rose-colored eyes met each other, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Madoka wasn't sure if she'd ever felt a stronger connection with someone she'd just met.
With one, glaring exception – one she was making a concerted effort not to think about right now.
Before either of them could say anything further, however, a pair of piping hot burgers were slid onto the table between them.
"Two Sybilladura Lelladybura, right off the grill!" said Kagari-chan, flashing another radiant smile. "But wait, before you girls take a bite…"
Then the waitress pulled out, from the folds of her uniform, what could only be described as a giant, flashy magic wand. She waved it over both of their sandwiches.
"Et facti sunt delectamentum! Ipso, ipsum delectamentum!" she chanted, with all the enthusiasm of a preacher delivering a sermon. "And now, your meals are sure to be delicious! I mean, Diana made them so that's pretty much a guarantee anyway…but still!"
The same voice who'd called out earlier droned from the kitchen again, "Darling, we've been over this!"
More puffed cheeks were the instantaneous result. "Hey, it's not like I used a real…ahem, I mean, nothing!" Kagari-chan exclaimed, sounding as if she'd just barely stopped herself from saying something she shouldn't have.
"That's not what I'm talking about," replied the unseen Diana, her tones patient but firm. This was clearly not an uncommon dynamic for the pair. "All I mean to say is…we are not a maid café. You shouldn't feel the need to stoop to something so…tawdry."
"Tawdry? You've got a lot of nerve! I'll have you know that maid cafés are part of a long and storied culture!" the waitress said heatedly. "Why, Ursula-sensei herself told me she and Croix-sensei once…"
Madoka was no longer listening, however. She'd developed a splitting headache the moment their waitress took out her faux-wand.
She didn't want to rain further on their enchanting waitress' parade, but her whole act really was…well, perhaps "tawdry" was too strong a word. But tacky, certainly. The wand was cheap plastic with some of the pink-and-gold paint peeling off, and it'd taken her until just this moment to realize Kagari-chan's headwear was supposed to be a stereotypical witch's hat.
So, with all that being the case…
Why did something about all this strike her as so…familiar?
[-]
Homura leaned back in her seat, arms folded tightly across her chest.
"Sasa Yuki must have you running scared," she remarked coolly. "For you to, quite literally, be entertaining a deal with the Devil."
"Well, I'd call it 'the lesser of two evils' but I'm not altogether convinced that's true," said Oriko. "Still, you are at least potentially amenable to reason. I can't say the same for that girl. She's random, uncontrollable chaos. Concerned with increasing her own power and literally nothing else. You, on the other hand…I can comprehend what motivates you, at the end of the day."
Homura's face darkened noticeably. "And what is it that you believe 'motivates' me?" she demanded.
"Oh, come now. There's no reason to be coy," Oriko told the other girl. "Must I spell it out? Priority one: Kaname-san. Priority two: Kaname-san. Priority three: Kaname-san. You get the idea."
She reached for the tea kettle, preparing to pour herself a new cup. With her eyes on the pouring liquid and her expression imperceptible, she added calmly, "What would it be worth to you, if I was to…Bind myself? Forbid myself or Kirika from touching a hair on Madoka Kaname's head?"
"Very little, considering I could accomplish the very same goal by killing the both of you," Homura retorted immediately. "A solution that, as I believe we just established, is still very much on the table."
She didn't like the fact that the threat of murder hadn't dampened the silver-haired girl's serene smile one iota.
"Ah…but that's not all I'm offering," she said. "Kill me, and you lose my power of prophecy. Imagine what that power might yield, if placed at your disposal."
Homura's indigo eyes narrowed to slits. Her brain raced, trying to figure out the other girl's angle.
Because her offer was tempting. As powerful as she was now, the future was a world completely beyond her reach. If Oriko Mikuni were to become an ally rather than adversary, her ability to watch over and protect Madoka would expand tremendously.
The problem, of course, was that she absolutely could not trust the girl sitting across from her. She'd pursued Madoka's death across dozens of timelines, maneuvering in the shadows with a mind as cunning and manipulative as her own.
The only surefire solution she'd managed upon was to murder her and Kirika Kure on the first day of each time loop, before she had a chance to foresee it coming. And so, that was exactly what Homura had done. Over and over and over again.
Like clockwork.
And she now had absolute proof that she couldn't depend on her memory manipulation abilities as a panacea. If Oriko Mikuni had Awakened herself once, then she could do it again. Knowing her, she'd probably already taken precautions to help herself remember faster the next time around.
No…this offer had to be a trick somehow. For the seer to be useful to her, Homura would naturally have to tell her what to look out for in her visions – information that she could use in her own schemes.
As foolhardy as it would be to try and outplay the Devil, if any Magical Girl was bold enough to try, it would be Oriko Mikuni.
"Before I make my decision, I'd like you to answer one thing," Homura finally said. "What agenda are you pursuing in this new world? Sasa Yuki wants to usurp my position. As idiotic as that idea is, I can at least understand it. But you remain a mystery to me."
Having just finished her second cup, Oriko placed it back in her saucer and laced her fingers together.
"That's a difficult question to parse. Let me start with this," she responded. "I remember the moment at which my Soul Gem darkened to black. When I overextended my mana reserves in service of my prophecies, and had no more Grief Cubes with which to replenish them. I don't believe I am supposed to remember these things, but you may chalk it up as a quirk of nonlinear memory. In any event…I also remember what happened next."
Though she tried to hide it, Homura felt herself swallow audibly.
"She was…astonishing. And I mean that in the classical sense. Like it hurt my eyes merely to gaze upon Her brilliance," the prophetess continued. "I looked upon Her, and at once I knew. That I had once tried to slay this incredible creature. That I'd been a fool even to believe I could. Before Her there were no barriers between such human concepts as 'space' or 'time.' And before Her…all my transgressions were forgiven."
Oriko closed her eyes for a moment and mouthed something to herself. It was almost like a solemn, silent prayer.
"She took us in Her arms. Kirika and myself both. She whispered that none of our sins mattered any longer. Even if we couldn't remember those sins," she said, her tones growing more and more feverish with each word. "From there, my memories grow…hazy. I don't think we are meant to carry memories of Heaven. It would defeat the purpose. But what I do remember…"
Her expression shifted in an instant. Her ever-constant smile disappeared, and her bright green eyes glared at Homura accusingly.
"Is your hands ripping Her from that Heaven," she finished.
Homura blinked rapidly, her throat dry, as she tried to process all of this. So Oriko Mikuni and Kirika Kure had died in the Wraith timeline?
She supposed that made sense. Madoka's "new rules" had been designed to incentivize cooperation and discourage the battles between Magical Girls that'd so distressed the sweet girl. Keeping to themselves and refusing outside help as they usually did, the lovers would've run out of Grief Cubes eventually.
But the rest of her story was enough to rock Homura to her core. If the pair had already been "taken" by the Law of Cycles, then what were they doing here?
It hadn't been Homura's intention to steal anything from the Law, apart from Madoka herself. Those already taken by her power would remain there. Otherwise, since Madoka's purview extended across all of time and space simultaneously, she would've summoned every Magical Girl who ever lived into her new world – and she was pretty sure she would've noticed several million new inhabitants.
Then, like a golf club to the face, it came to her.
Time and space…in order to ensnare Madoka, her Labyrinth had needed to stretch over both. Not only had she reoriented people spatially, but temporally as well, rewinding the clock back to that eternally recurring date: March 16, 2011. It was simply what her subconscious was used to.
Which meant that any Magical Girl who'd been taken by the Law of Cycles between that date, and the date of her own corruption…
"Tell me what you experienced. When you found yourselves back in Mitakihara City," Homura ordered.
Oriko frowned at the commanding tone in the other girl's voice, but obliged nonetheless.
"How can I possibly describe it? We'd just been expelled from paradise. Kirika and I were both incredibly disoriented. For just a moment, we knew we shouldn't be," she said. "But the moment our feet touched the ground, your curse consumed us. We forgot everything since before we made our Contracts."
The silver-haired girl had been gripping tightly onto her teacup as she spoke these words. She abruptly let go as it began to crack.
"For a little while, we lived in blissful ignorance. But there was always a niggling feeling that something was wrong," she went on, more firmly. "To my dearest Kirika, we had only met once before, when I stopped on the sidewalk to help her pick up her dropped belongings. Yet she knew, in her heart of hearts, that she was utterly devoted to me. The memories may have been sealed away, but the feelings remained."
"But then you had your premonition," stated Homura through tight lips. "By random chance, you managed to Awaken yourself. And you proceeded to do the same to Kirika Kure."
"Which catches us up, neatly, to the present. And to your original question," Oriko confirmed with a quick nod. Her demeanor was all-business now. "You asked what agenda I am currently pursuing. Have you come to understand it?"
The answer was indeed now obvious.
"You want to repay the girl who saved you and your beloved," Homura replied. "You want to restore the Law of Cycles."
"Correct. Yet I am a patient girl. The world you created may be a Hell – but the one Sasa Yuki envisions could be far, far worse," said Oriko. "So I'm willing to help you maintain it, until she is taken care of. And until her puppeteer is exposed…for we both know she is nowhere near smart enough to have come up with all of this on her own."
Homura answered with her own, dim nod. She'd had the same thought, though she hadn't yet had a chance to look into the matter further.
Someone must've Awakened the mad girl in the first place, for one thing. Her magic didn't lend itself to it happening inadvertently, the way Oriko Mikuni's did.
Sasa Yuki was a pawn in a much larger scheme, that much was clear. And if neither she nor Oriko Mikuni were the mastermind…
Then who?
[-]
Meanwhile, the girl in question was toddling about the streets of Asunaro City, a pile of rocks in her hand. Every so often, she'd toss one at a streetlight or small animal.
"Matsuri-chan! Matsuri-chan, wait up!" called out Suzune Amano, struggling to keep up despite being significantly taller than the other girl. "And are you sure you should be doing that? I don't honestly care all that much, but I thought you…"
But the assassin was cut off by a splitting pain in her head. Sasa smirked as she watched her thrall clutch at her temples, knowing the mantra she'd implanted was blazing bright as fire, driving out everything else.
See me at all times as Matsuri Hinata.
Everything I do is perfectly normal for Matsuri Hinata.
I am Matsuri Hinata, the girl you love.
You will obey Matsuri Hinata.
"I…um, sorry, Matsuri-chan," Suzune mumbled after a few seconds, still clearly disoriented even as the pain receded. "What was I saying?"
"Nothing important, my sweet Suzune," said Sasa, with a roll of her eyes.
When her benefactor had first suggested Suzune as an alternate thrall, she'd been skeptical to say the least. Unlike with Mami Tomoe and Nagisa Momoe, this time she was using her powers to impersonate a girl she'd never even met. Even with her magic automatically smoothing away any imperfections in her "act," it was still fucking annoying.
From the way Suzune described her in her less guarded moments, the real Matsuri Hinata seemed to be just the kind of sweet, innocent, goody-two-shoes brat who always made Sasa want to gag. Someone weak, in other words.
Sasa didn't get it. There wasn't really anyone else in the world she liked, in the strictest sense, but Suzune Amano and Mami Tomoe were the types of girls she could at least respect.
Strong. Powerful. Better than her.
So why were they devoted to girls who were so much weaker than they?
Homura Akemi was the ultimate example of this. She had more power in her left pinky than the rest of these miserable worms had in their whole bodies, combined. With but a thought, she could reshape reality; create or destroy anything she pleased.
And what did the Devil use such nigh-infinite power for?
To protect some shy, worthless wallflower.
Her benefactor had been right. They always were. Homura Akemi wasn't worthy of ruling as this world's queen.
The day was coming soon when Sasa would topple that infuriating girl from her throne. And when that happened…
There were going to be a few changes around here.
"Stop," she commanded Suzune, and the other girl halted immediately. Sasa gestured toward an utterly ordinary-looking house in the middle of the block. "We're here."
They'd come to Asunaro City in the first place because they needed to start building up their army of brainwashed Magical Girls. Asunaro had the highest concentration of Unawakened in Japan, apart from Kamihama – which her benefactor had warned her away from, though they provided no further explanation.
She'd long since learned not to question it. Even when they were short on details, their guidance always paid off in the long run.
"Eventually, we'll take all the girls in this shitty town. But we should prioritize the most dangerous ones first," Sasa said, brandishing a paper covered top-to-bottom with her own messy handwriting in front of Suzune's face. Her benefactor had helpfully supplied a list of names, powers, and locations.
She pointed to a pair of names on the list. "Umika Misaki is going to be the most important to our plans. Her true magic is memory manipulation, likes yours. Not quite as versatile…but with a lot more oomph," she told the other girl. "But first, we have to eliminate the girl who lives here: Satomi Usagi."
"Eliminate?" Suzune repeated, confused. "You don't want me to turn her into another servant, Matsuri-chan?"
Sasa let out a groan of frustration. She hated having to explain herself. Besides, it was all ultimately pointless – she could simply order Suzune to accept her plan, and she'd be powerless to disobey.
Still…this was more fun, in a way.
"I'm afraid her magic is just too awful to be allowed to survive!" she exclaimed, making a big show of pretending to be frightened. "At first, she makes you think that all she can do is talk to animals. But that's just a smokescreen. Her real magic…"
Sasa turned to stare daggers at the quaint little suburban home, with multiple nauseatingly cute puppies bounding through the yard. One thought shot through her mind like a bolt.
I don't need no fucking competition.
"Is to control people's minds!"
[-]
The food, at least, was quite good. Even though Madoka didn't really have the appetite to eat even half of her burger, a few bites were enough to rid herself of that weird headache.
Iroha, meanwhile, ate her entire burger and most of the fries in the space of about five minutes. It left Madoka marveling where the petite girl could possibly put it all.
With the meal itself winding down, the subject of how in the world either of them was supposed to get home was inevitable. Fortunately, their waitress had been gracious enough to let them borrow her cell phone while she took their dirty dishes to the kitchen.
Unfortunately, Iroha quickly realized she didn't actually know any of her friends' numbers.
"Yachiyo-san entered them all into my phone for me. Like I said, I'm no good with that kinda stuff," she said dejectedly. "I could call my parents, but they're even further away. It'd take them most of the night to get here from Takarazaki. How about you?"
She passed the phone to Madoka, but the Mitakihara native just shook her head in commiseration.
"My parents are on vacation in Europe. I'm living with my aunts right now, but I don't have their number memorized either," she replied. "C'mon, there's gotta be someone whose number I know by heart…"
Suddenly, it came to her. She kicked herself for not thinking of it earlier. All those days spent as kids, tying up their landlines with chats over homework and sentai shows, because their parents insisted they were too young for cell phones.
But her fingers hesitated, hovering over the buttons. Would she still be mad at her? It seemed like it might still be too soon. And yet the other girl had asked her to text her when she needed a ride…
Madoka swallowed her pride, and dialed the home of her best friend in the world.
It was Sayaka's mother who answered. Even though she hadn't seen the woman in months, she'd been over at the Miki residence far too many times as a child not to recognize that cool, professional voice.
"Moshi moshi. Ryoko Miki speaking."
"Oh, um, h…hello!" Madoka stammered out. Getting off to a great start, like always. "This is Madoka Kaname."
"Madoka-chan? Oh, thank goodness! Sayaka told me what happened, and she was starting to get really worried. She tried calling you a few times, but it went straight to voicemail."
"I'm so sorry! My battery ran out before I could contact her," said Madoka. "I had to borrow someone else's phone."
"Ah, that explains why I didn't recognize the number. Well, let us know where you are and we'll pick you up right away. You're staying at Akane-san's place, correct?"
"That's right. Sorry again for troubling you so much," she murmured, before giving the older woman the restaurant's address, which Iroha had thoughtfully asked their waitress to jot down when she lent them her phone.
As similar as they seemed on the surface, Madoka was beginning to recognize one key difference between herself and Iroha: the other pink-haired girl had a much better head on her shoulders. She was only a year older than her in age, but vastly more mature.
"That's quite a way's away! You really made it there on foot? Well, it shouldn't take too long to get there by car. Just sit tight, we'll be there soon!"
"Wait, please hold on!" Madoka exclaimed, before her best friend's mother could hang up. She hated asking more of someone already going out of her way to help, but in this case not asking would be even ruder. "There's…someone else here with me. A friend. She doesn't have a way to get home, either."
"I see. Do you know where she lives?"
Madoka felt her stomach clench in knots as she breathed out, "…Kamihama City…"
She could almost hear the frown that developed in the older woman's voice.
"Well…I suppose since we're already going out that far. I'd hate to leave any child out in the cold, so far from home. See you soon, Madoka-chan."
She hung up after that, leaving Madoka to place the phone between herself and a mortified-looking Iroha.
"You didn't have to do that," she said, her eyes directed downward. "I would've…found some other way back…"
Scratch that – Iroha had a good head on her shoulders, except when it involved even mildly inconveniencing someone else. That definitely was something they both had in common.
"Hey girls! Any luck finding a ride?" asked Kagari-chan, who was approaching with the bill.
What followed was an entirely silent tussle, as both girls immediately pulled out their purses and made a grab for the bill, intending to pay for the entire thing. Eventually, both began sheepishly taking out enough cash to split it evenly.
"Yes, we did. It was so kind of you to lend us your personal phone," Iroha told her, handing the device back to the grinning waitress. "By the way, I couldn't help but notice…it's none of my business, but the image on your home screen…"
"Oh yeah! That's me and Diana, all right! Took it right after our big show in…I think this was Munich?" Kagari-chan answered brightly, turning on her phone and flashing the image to the pair. "We used to be traveling performers before we settled down here."
The photo did, indeed, display a girl who looked very much like Kagari-chan, though at least a couple years younger. She had her arms wrapped around a blonde girl of the same age, who had a distinctly dignified and regal bearing to her.
Nonetheless, she was grinning just as wide as her companion, as they lifted twin sparklers into the air.
"I know you guys probably overheard us having that little tiff earlier," said the waitress, blushing briefly. "But don't take things the wrong way. That's just how we've always been, y'know? Doesn't change how much I love her. The way her face lights up whenever she sees a new piece of Chariot merch, and the cool face she makes when she's studying, and the adorable way her ears go all red when I…"
"A…A…Atsuko!" cried out the kitchen-voice, at the top of her lungs. "Not in front of customers!"
"Oh, right! Forgot where I was for a sec! Sorry, sweetheart," the waitress answered back, scratching the back of her head embarrassedly. "Anyway, don't worry about it. I'm sure it'll work out for you girls, too."
Madoka's mouth fell open slightly. "Umm…what exactly do you mean?" she whispered.
Kagari-chan – or Atsuko, it seemed her first name was – tilted her head to the side, and shrugged her shoulders in confusion.
"Did I guess wrong?" she said. "Ursula-sensei told me once that older lesbians have the best gaydars. And she would know! But maybe I'm just not old enough to count as 'older' yet…"
Madoka was pretty sure that both her face and Iroha's would never return to their normal hue.
[-]
"There's still one thing I don't understand," Homura declared, glaring so hard at the other girl that she could almost see straight through her. "If your goal is to reinstate Madoka…then why did you threaten her earlier? Why would you let your rabid dog get anywhere near her?"
She still remembered the sensation of her stomach bottoming out as she watched Kirika Kure slash Madoka with her claws. It'd only been a tiny cut, drawing the barest bit of blood, but for Homura it was nothing short of a declaration of war.
"Remember, that was only after my dearest Kirika had her memory modified to see Sasa Yuki as if she were myself," Oriko pointed out coolly. "Nevertheless, even in her deluded state, she continued to obey my instructions not to seriously harm Madoka Kaname. Fragile as you seem to think she is, she won't die from a single scratch."
"No…No, there's more to it than that. I heard the way you were just speaking about the Law of Cycles. With genuine reverence," said Homura. "There's none of that in your voice when you say Madoka's name."
It'd taken her a while, but she was just starting to figure out the oracular girl's true agenda. And it was taking all her self-control not to vaporize her on the spot.
Oriko lifted her hand to her mouth, and let out a small, dignified chuckle.
"Well, it seems you've caught on. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," she sighed, still looking so irritatingly smug. "You're right, of course. My worship is reserved for my Savior alone. My Goddess. And I've seen no evidence to suggest that She is Madoka Kaname."
"You dare…!" Homura began to rise from her seat, but Oriko held up a hand to forestall her.
"To be sure, there is absolutely a connection. You pulled away a piece of the Law of Cycles, and a girl named Madoka Kaname appeared. It cannot be a complete coincidence," explained the prophetess. "But why should it follow that Kaname-san is the Law, incarnated? Everything about her identity, her history, is something you could have fabricated. So long as you remain this world's architect, it is impossible to objectively determine."
"So…that's your game. How you see all this playing out," said Homura, laying it all out slowly. "You use me to get rid of Sasa Yuki, and any other rivals that stand in your way. Then, you turn on me, and – somehow – rob me of my power. And once Madoka is unprotected and vulnerable again…"
"I'll just run a few…tests. Nothing too onerous," Oriko finished for her. "If she turns out to truly be my Goddess, then I will do everything in my power to restore her to Heaven."
"I've seen what you consider 'tests.' In the scars on Mami Tomoe's body," Homura snapped. "You think, just because she can regenerate from it, that I can't sense the traces of what you did? Suzune Amano may be primarily responsible for her current state, but your tortures certainly didn't help."
"Torture is such an ugly word. And we made sure she was unconscious for most of it," responded Oriko with a shrug. "Besides, I've no doubt you have done far worse."
"I've killed other Magical Girls more times than I can count. Including Mami Tomoe. Including you," the raven-haired girl whispered coldly. "But I always made it quick. Clean shots to the Soul Gem. Even at my worst, I never made them suffer."
She slammed her fist upon the table separating them. The polished wood splintered easily from her touch.
"I won't make any pretensions about what I am. I am the Devil – evil and malice incarnate. The wickedest Witch imaginable, elevated to something far beyond by the sheer weight of my sins," she continued, briefly allowing the frenzied maelstrom of her corruption to bubble up to the surface. Innumerous colors, flashing and chaotic and blinding, overtook her eyes and open mouth.
"But you are something else entirely," she said with a hiss, like a serpent about to lunge for its prey. "And it's clear you cannot be allowed to exist in this world any longer."
"I suppose that means the truce is off. A pity," lamented Oriko, slowly rising to her feet as well. She seemed entirely unfazed by Homura's transformation. "That being said…you didn't think I'd come here without a contingency, did you? Oh, Momoe-chan!"
If Homura still needed to breathe, she would've had every ounce of wind knocked out of her lungs. She flew backward and slammed against the opposite wall, propelled by blast of…
Bubbles?
It took her a few seconds to reorient herself, pushing back the wave of despair she'd summoned up to intimidate the seer. By the time she recovered, Oriko Mikuni and her rescuer were already halfway out the door.
But that single glimpse – of a fur-rimmed, peach-colored shawl, atop polka-dotted stockings and a skirt that resembled a candy wrapper – was more than enough to confirm her worst fears.
Nagisa Momoe. The silly, cheese-obsessed girl who, in this version of reality, had been taken in by Mami Tomoe. Who'd been kidnapped and replaced by Sasa Yuki for an undetermined amount of time, and presumed missing since.
And who was thirdmost on the list of those who could not be permitted to Awaken to their memories as a Magical Girl.
"No…no no no no no no no…" Homura muttered to herself, slumping down across the floor of the tea shop and pulling her knees close to her chest.
[-]
Kyoko Sakura was starving.
Okay, to be fair, it'd only been about six hours since her very substantial lunch. And she'd snacked on two bags of chips, a meat bun, and around thirty pieces of Rocky since then.
But still. She was way overdue for dinner.
Nevertheless, they at least had a good reason for delaying the celebratory meal she'd been getting hyped for. As she, Sayaka, and her mother Ryoko piled into the Miki family's cramped car and sped off for the edge of town, Kyoko leaned her head against the window and thought about Madoka Kaname.
She didn't, of course, know the pink-haired girl very well. She was pleasant enough, certainly. And cute. Not really Kyoko's type, but cute.
But she couldn't help being a little jealous over her roommate's willingness to drop everything and spring off to her rescue, just like that.
She knew she was being silly. Sayaka and Madoka had been best friends since they were practically out of diapers, judging by some of the pictures on the Miki family fridge. Their bond was inseparable. But Sayaka had told her point-blank that she wasn't attracted to the girl "that way," and Kyoko saw no reason to doubt that.
The redhead let out a low sigh. She supposed she did get it, in a sense. Madoka Kaname was a very specific type of girl – the type you couldn't help but want to protect. Kyoko had only known her for about a month, and she still felt it.
Kyoko had never said it out loud, because she knew Sayaka would clonk her on the head for it, but the "person" the pink-haired girl reminded her of the most was Mario's own Princess Peach. Sweet, dainty, and graceful; a helpless maiden that any self-respecting hero would ride off in an instant to rescue from a castle full of deathtraps.
(Well…except for in Smash Bros. Kyoko kicked ass with Peach in Smash Bros.)
Which was probably why it was so weird to see the turn the girl had taken lately. Barely smiling. Speaking only when spoken to. Taking only a couple bites out of her meal, and then spending the remainder of the lunch period staring silently at the rest.
Kyoko had played more Mario games in her life than she cared to admit, but even after wracking her brain she couldn't think of a single time she'd ever seen Princess Peach look sad.
Was it really as simple as a broken heart? Somehow, it seemed like more than that. Whatever had gone down between Akemi and Kaname had triggered…something in the latter girl. Something serious.
Kyoko thought she knew what it might be. Having her confession rejected – if that was really what'd happened – had forced the pink-haired girl to turn inward, and judge whether she felt she deserved the love she sought.
And she'd come up wanting.
It was a feeling the redhead knew well, because she'd been in the exact same place before. With Sayaka, even though that one had ended (mostly) happily. But also with…
Mami…senpai…?
Kyoko's face screwed up, as a sting of pain seared through her head. Where had that thought come from? She barely knew Tomoe. Hadn't spared her a single thought since the freaky girl went all zombie and…
"Big sister Mami-chaaan! Play with me, play with me!"
"Stop that, Momo!" Kyoko chastised her sister. "We only just finished dinner, so leave it for later."
"Aww!" the girl pouted, though she recovered from her dismay almost immediately – simply switching targets. "Then you play with me, Daddy!"
"Me?" said Joji Sakura, chuckling as Momo jumped onto his midsection.
"Please forgive us. My youngest always gets excited whenever we have guests," Anzu Sakura apologized, while clearing plates away from the table.
But rather than be annoyed, Mami couldn't help but break into a wide grin. "It's so energetic here. I'm having a lot of fun!" she exclaimed. "Thank you so much for the lovely dinner!"
"Honestly…if you had told me beforehand…" Anzu turned to her older daughter. "I could have made something more appropriate!"
"It's better to have what we always have!" Kyoko protested with a shrug. "If it was too good, Mami-san would feel guilty about coming over."
"It's been so long since I've had a happy dinner," Mami told the Sakura parents, inclining her head to them both. "I really appreciate it."
"We're happy that you enjoyed it," said Joji with a smile. "To be perfectly honest, now we can treat our guests to a meal that doesn't embarrass us, but…that's only a recent development."
"Is that so?" asked Mami.
"It is. I serve as pastor to my church's flock. My sermons are meant to bring a bit more happiness to the world. However, for years, no one would lend an ear to them. And my family suffered for it," he explained. "Then, it all changed from one day to the next…and followers who wished to hear my message started appearing."
A strange look appeared in Mami's eyes, but she said nothing.
"Indeed, I doubted the evidence of my own eyes," he continued on. "One morning, as I awoke, there was a large number of people there. And they had all gathered to hear my sermon."
"If you believe and continue to plant the seed of that faith…then those seeds may finally flower," added Anzu, her hand clutched to her chest. "That is something my husband once said."
"…I see," murmured Mami.
"Mami-san, I hope you and Kyoko will be long-lasting, good friends," said Joji gently. "After all, you're the first friend Kyoko has ever brought over."
"Aaahh! I told you to keep that secret!" the redhead shouted, leaping out of her seat and flushing with embarrassment.
But Mami just put her hand to her mouth and let out a lilting little laugh, before telling her…
"Kyoko? Kyoko, are you alright? Talk to me!"
She was shaken from her reverie, quite literally, by Sayaka, who'd grabbed her by both shoulders and was practically shouting in her face.
Instinctively, she pushed the blue-haired girl off of her, fighting to regain control of her breathing. It was only then that she realized they'd pulled the car to the side of the road, and Ryoko Miki too was staring at her with concern.
"Wh…What'd I say this time?" the words had tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
"Uh…nothing. You didn't say anything," said Sayaka, though Kyoko wasn't sure whether or not she believed her. "You were just…thrashing around a lot. It looked like you were having a fit."
"I was afraid it might be a seizure," Ryoko added, pressing a hand to her foster daughter's forehead. "Do you think you need to see a doctor, Kyoko-chan?"
"No! No, I'm fine," Kyoko interjected, a little more forcefully than she'd intended. "I just…I dozed off a bit. An' had a nightmare. Nothin' ta worry 'bout."
Neither mother nor daughter looked entirely convinced, but Ryoko restarted the engine nonetheless. Leaving Kyoko to try and parse what she'd just seen.
Why had she imagined Mami Tomoe in her old home? She tried not to think about those days as much as possible. But suddenly, her mind had invented some crazy scene from whole cloth where she'd invited some random girl to a dinner date? Conversing cordially with her father…eating her mother's cooking…
Playing games with…with Momo…
Kyoko shook her head rapidly to clear it. Whatever the explanation, it didn't matter. There was no point in dwelling on things that were clearly impossible.
Right now, they needed to get back on the road. Rescue Sayaka's princess from King Koopa. And get a big heaping load of something in her growling stomach.
So she wouldn't have to think about the possibility that she was losing her goddamn mind.
[-]
The plan was so simple, even someone as foolish as Suzune Amano couldn't possibly screw it up.
Right now, Satomi Usagi had no idea that she was anything more than a regular human girl. And human girls died when you stabbed them through the heart with a big fucking sword, which her thrall just happened to have.
Even if she did manage to recover from the wound, the regeneration process would buy them enough time to retrieve and destroy her contract ring. Soul Gems were generally more durable in ring form, but a few solid whacks with an ordinary hammer would take care of things.
"You see anyone else home?" she demanded of Suzune, as the assassin stealthily darted between windows. "Parents, siblings?"
"I don't think so. Just a lot of pets. The dogs outside are only a small fraction," said the silver-haired girl as she returned to her mistress' side. "It may make it difficult to take her by surprise. As soon as we go in, they might all start barking and mewling."
Suzune looked visibly nervous as she spoke these words. Was she afraid of animals?
Sasa resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. She wasn't especially fond of dogs, cats, or anything else that crawled around in its own shit, thank you very much.
But getting scared of something weaker than you was self-evidently absurd. Sasa wouldn't stand for such a thing in one of her servants. She seized the other girl roughly by the hair, and pulled her close.
"Shut up and transform," she commanded, hot breath against her ear. "Then go in, and do what you're best at. Save her…before she can become a Witch."
Suzune swallowed audibly, but nodded. "Of course, Matsuri-chan," she whispered, holding her blood-red Soul Gem in her palm.
With a surge of mana, her casual blouse and shorts melted away, replaced by the coat, skirt, and stockings of her Magical Girl uniform. Sasa was struck again by how ridiculously skimpy it looked on the thirteen-year-old.
Not that she minded, of course. Sasa wasn't honestly sure whether or not she actually "swung that way," but it was hard to have a power like hers and not develop a kink for domination.
She demonstrated with a quick, forceful grope of the younger girl's small boobs. Suzune winced in pain, but endured it.
"Now…lead the way, my darling," said Sasa, delighting in plastering on the sweetest, fakest smile she could muster.
They snuck in through the backyard, which had fewer dogs – and which it seemed the Usagis had been generous enough to leave unlocked. This was really going to be just too easy.
But the moment they stepped inside, Suzune splayed out an arm to stop her. The assassin's eyes were darting around furtively.
"Something's wrong here, Matsuri-chan. Stay behind me," she told the girl she thought was her lover. "For a house with dozens of animals roaming around…it's too quiet, isn't it?"
They got their answer the moment they entered the next room, and ran into one of the cats in question.
It would've been difficult to see through the window or at a distance. But up close, the creature seemed to be encased in something – an invisible barrier of some kind, perceptible only from the way the air currents bent around it.
The cat was clearly trying to make noise, yet none of it passed beyond the shimmering barrier. Sasa tentatively tried to reach for the silent beast, but the air resisted her as if it was a stone wall.
"Come on…upstairs," Sasa murmured harshly, after she aimed a kick at the cat and found her foot blocked just as much. "And keep your damn sword ready."
They slunk past room after room, each filled with nothing but the same silent, entrapped animals. Even for someone who did like pets, Sasa was pretty sure this would all be incredibly creepy.
The stairs to the upper floor, where Satomi Usagi lived, were unfortunately rather old and creaky. Sasa winced as the floorboards squeaked with every step they took. They'd lost the element of surprise – so they'd just have to make do with overwhelming force.
Seeing no point in further subtlety, Sasa transformed as well and blasted the bedroom door off its hinges with a beam from her staff.
Only to be stopped cold by the scene before them.
Satomi Usagi was, unquestionably, already dead. That was evident from the fact that her Soul Gem had been ground up into a fine powder, with the lingering aura of mana around the pieces being the only proof that they weren't just oddly colored glass.
Or the fact that her chest cavity was wide open, and the shards had been poured inside it.
The sight was almost beautiful in its horror. Satomi's ribs had been carefully pried apart, one by one, exposing her organs like they were curios on display in a museum. Blood leaked from every orifice, pooling in a neat circle beneath her body. And her arms and legs were splayed out, tied to her bedposts with some kind of thin rope, so that she looked like she'd died contorted in some outlandish yoga pose.
Her eyes had been so drawn to the carefully posed corpse that she almost missed that they weren't alone in admiring it. Another girl was standing off to the side, a sketchpad in her arms.
Sasa did a double-take. That's what it was, wasn't it? She almost couldn't believe it, but it was true – this girl was sketching the body, so absorbed in the feverish scratching of her pencil that she hadn't acknowledged their explosive entrance.
She was another Magical Girl, Sasa could tell immediately. With waist-length, yellow-green hair and bright green eyes, which were locked fanatically upon Satomi's corpse.
Her uniform, despite the blood splattered across every corner of the room, was pressed and spotless. A black vest rested over a white undershirt, and ended in a pleated skirt with stripes of various pastel colors. Combined with her tall, gold-trimmed cap, the girl sort of reminded her of a train conductor…
Or a prison warden.
Finally, the green-haired girl seemed to take notice of them. Her eyes ran up and down both of their uniforms, sparks of understanding popping within them.
Then, slowly, her lips spread into a wide, not entirely stable grin.
"Oh my," she said, placing a pinky between her smirking lips. "Was this one of yours? Colpa mia."
[-]
"That Kaname's 'friend' standin' next ta her? Man, she get cloned or somethin'?"
Sayaka reflexively thwacked her roommate upside the head, but she had to admit that she had a point. If Madoka grew her hair out a bit and pinned it up in the same style, she and the new girl could've passed for twins.
Ryoko pulled the car right up beside the curb, where Madoka and her friend were waiting beneath a big neon sign that read Shiny Smiles. Sayaka had to suppress the urge to giggle as both girls immediately sank into identical, full-length bows.
"I'm so sorry for the inconvenience!" declared the new girl. "We don't even know each other, and I'm forcing you to drive all the way to Kamihama! My name is Iroha Tamaki, please forgive me!"
"Me too, Ryoko-san!" added Madoka, her tones equally remorseful and supplicative. "Especially so soon after you got back to Japan!"
But the older woman just let out a hearty chuckle.
"Come now, Madoka-chan. You've been practically a second daughter to me all your life. It's no trouble at all," she said. "And you, Tamaki-san…any friend of Madoka-chan's is important to me as well. I'll make sure you both get home safe."
Of course, after introductions were exchanged, it transpired that fitting five people into the tiny car was easier said than done. Sayaka, as the tallest, was moved to the front passenger seat, while Kyoko, Madoka, and Iroha were cramped together in the back.
"So…Kamihama, huh? I been there a couple times back when I used ta live in Kazamino. Any restaurants ya recommend?" Kyoko asked, almost as soon as the pink-haired girls fastened their seatbelts.
Sayaka would've rolled her eyes at her roommate's one-track mind, if her stomach wasn't grumbling just as much. It probably would make sense to stop somewhere for a bite, before taking Madoka back to her aunts' home.
"Umm…let's see…" responded Iroha, counting off on her dainty little fingers. "There's Walnuts, if you like Western-style food. Yatabuki's has really good ramen. Oh, and one of my friends, Tsuruno-chan – her family runs a Chinese restaurant, Banbanzai. But…umm…"
"But…?" repeated Kyoko.
"I don't…really recommend it. Please don't tell Tsuruno-chan I said that," the older girl admitted with a sigh. "I mean, she's really enthusiastic about her cooking! And it's not…not bad, exactly! More like…uh…maybe, fifty out of a hundred?"
"That's still not a very good score," Sayaka said the obvious.
They continued in that same vein of small talk for some time. Madoka politely asked more about the four other girls Iroha apparently lived with (the girl must have the patience of a saint, Sayaka could barely stand rooming with one) while Kyoko, of course, kept taking every opportunity to switch the subject back to food.
Sayaka, for her part, was content to largely tune the conversation out. It gave her time to focus on the other thing that was on her mind.
She had a niggling sensation that she recognized Iroha from somewhere. And not just because she looked eerily similar to Madoka.
The other names she mentioned – Yachiyo Nanami, Tsuruno Yui, Felicia Mitsuki, Sana Futaba – all gave her that same weird feeling, nipping at the edges of her brain. Not necessarily like people she'd ever met, exactly. More like a list she'd seen written somewhere.
Or even…recorded herself? Almost as if she was a…
"…The life of a flight attendant can get pretty exciting. I get to fly to all sorts of exotic locales, stay in five-star hotels on the company dime," Ryoko was saying, when Iroha courteously asked what she did for a living. "But I admit, it can get quite stressful. Sometimes I miss the stability of my old career, back when I was a legal secretary."
Sayaka just about blacked out from the pain that spiked inside her head.
She wasn't sure how long she spent there, sitting with her face in her hands and hoping that her mother wouldn't notice. She'd already gotten worried enough about Kyoko.
Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, the headache finally began to subside. It was at that moment that she realized her phone had been buzzing.
She took it out of her pocket, looking confused. Just about everyone who even had her number was already present in the car, with the exception of Hitomi and Kyosuke – and they were supposed to be having a date night right now.
Unless Kyosuke had stood her up for more violin practice, and Hitomi was texting her to vent? Yeah…that was probably it. As much as she still sort of loved the dork, sometimes she felt like she'd dodged a bullet by letting Hitomi have him instead.
But when she took out her phone, she saw that she had no new texts, nor any missed calls. Just a single email alert.
Sayaka frowned as she opened up her inbox. That frown deepened as she saw that the sender was unlisted. Was this safe to open?
It turned out to be a moot point. The email didn't even have any text in the body. All the information was in the subject line.
meet me tomorrow noon observation tower come alone
[-]
"Thank you so much for delivering her safely. We are truly in your debt," spoke a young woman who must've been Yachiyo, inclining her head toward Ryoko as they pulled up beside a large townhouse.
She wasn't wearing the same spectacular clothes as in her model portrait, opting instead for a simple spotted nightdress, but her face was just as gorgeous in real life. She took Iroha by the hand to help her out of the car, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a few bills.
"It isn't much, but permit me to at least reimburse you for gas," she said. "Please, I insist."
"My, aren't you a well-mannered young lady! I know a couple girls who could learn from your example," Ryoko remarked, accepting the money with a nod of her own. "Now, I'd love to stay and chat, but my girls here must be starving at this point. And so am I, to be honest."
"Then we won't keep you," responded Yachiyo, as she and Iroha both offered one final bow. "Safe travels to you all."
Before they could drive off, however, Iroha scrawled something on a piece of paper and handed it to Madoka.
"That's my number. Umm…hopefully it doesn't change when I get a new phone…" she stated awkwardly. "Just…Just in case you ever want to get in touch."
"Of course!" Madoka exclaimed right away. "I'll put it in as soon as I charge mine!"
"Until next time, Kaname Two-Point-Oh," Kyoko called out with a snicker as they drove away.
That earned her one more patented Sayaka Chop for good measure.
Meanwhile, Yachiyo laced her fingers even more tightly with Iroha's, and led her through the door of Mikazuki Villa.
"Where's everyone else?" asked the pink-haired girl, once her housemate finished locking up. "It's awfully quiet here…uh, by our standards."
"Tsuruno-san was working late cleaning up Banbanzai, so she decided to just sleep there for the night," said Yachiyo. "Futaba-san's out for a walk. As for Felicia-chan…well, she fought me on it, but I put my foot down and got her to bed early. She has a big math test tomorrow."
The much taller girl leaned down, gazing upon Iroha's face with concern.
"Speaking of which…you seem like you could use an early night yourself," she added. "How have you been sleeping lately?"
"Well…Well enough…" Iroha attempted to mutter, though she knew she didn't sound especially convincing. She'd never been a very good liar.
"Come on. Tomorrow's a big day, so let's both get a head start on it," the blue-haired girl insisted, guiding Iroha gently but firmly toward her bedroom.
She wanted to protest that she wasn't a child who needed to be tucked in, but it was always hard to argue against Yachiyo's mother-hen tendencies. She knew the older girl meant well…and to be fair, she really was quite exhausted.
So Iroha allowed herself to be led to her bed, sitting down right on the edge and gesturing for Yachiyo to do the same. The whole time, their hands hadn't stopped touching.
There was always a certain…tension in the air, when it was just her and Yachiyo alone in the house like this. She still wasn't entirely sure what she felt for the older girl, but she was pretty certain there was a part of her that wanted to do a lot more than hand-holding.
She was pretty certain there was a part of Yachiyo that felt the exact same way.
But the age difference kept them from taking things any farther. Iroha would have to wait at least a year before they could comfortably address…other matters. Without any regrets.
Except that now, after casting her eyes furtively to either side – as if making sure they truly were alone – Yachiyo had unexpectantly taken Iroha's face in her other hand, and was pulling her closer. Iroha's eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't resist.
It wasn't their lips that the blue-haired girl was pressing together, however. It was their foreheads. And as she did, she was whispering softly.
"I was worried this might happen. That her curse might ensnare you too, if you got to close to the center of her Labyrinth. But I had to be certain," she said. "You need to remember, Iroha-chan."
"Yachiyo-san, wh…" Iroha started, but she was cut off by a bright flash of light from the rings that encircled both of their fingers.
Suddenly, everything reoriented itself. Suddenly, it all came rushing back.
"Iroha-chan, are you alright?" asked Yachiyo, clenching her fingers even more tightly. "Do you remember why we're here? Do you remember what's coming?"
She did. Sweet Heavens, she did. It had her throat suddenly so dry, she felt like she'd just returned from forty days in a desert.
The name came out in a single, horrified gasp. A name that reminded them both that tomorrow wasn't just the most important day imaginable.
It was potentially the last day this world would ever see.
"Walpurgisnacht…" she whispered, her eyes as wide as the moon shining overhead.
[-]
COUNTDOWN TO WALPURGIS NIGHT
Twenty-Two Hours Remain