I
Mami kept her finger on the trigger, not taking the crosshairs away from Homura for even the briefest moment. Part of her understood how pointless it was. As Homura had just demonstrated she could disappear and put a gun to her head at any time.
"Transform out of your magical girl form," Mami demanded.
"You know I am not going to do that."
"Then how am I supposed to trust you not to try something?"
"You'll just have to take my word for it. The reality is I don't trust you either. The moment I don't have instant access to my magic I believe you will try to grab me with your ribbons."
Mami's eyes narrowed. Homura was not wrong, she had in fact planned to do just that.
"Can you please put your weapon down?" Homura asked again. "I set mine on the coffee table as a show of good faith."
"You just pressed it against my head!"
"Only to make a point. I did not fire, did I? I easily could have. Now can we get past this? We are wasting time and I believe Sayaka may be in danger."
"Maybe you are not a murderer, but that doesn't mean I can trust you. You've held Madoka prisoner somewhere for a month now, how am I to know what else you might do?"
"I'm only doing so in order to keep her safe. None of my actions are as selfish as you assume."
"You really believe that, don't you?" Mami asked, narrowing her eyes at her.
"What's there not to believe? I know what I'm doing, even if I can't make any of you understand." She flipped her hair back. "It doesn't matter. You won't be able to find Madoka and I am not letting her go until I'm sure she is safe. Now I'll say it again; Sayaka may be in danger right now and every moment that's wasted here could be her last."
"So you're telling me you are just overly concerned with everyone's safety? That's the only thing that's in it for you in all of this? Honestly, how do you expect me to believe you?"
Homura stared her down for a moment, then broke her gaze and nonchalantly started walking towards the coffee table as if she were not currently being held at gunpoint. Mami tensed, her musket following every single move Homura made.
"Hold it right there!" Mami commanded, though Homura seemed not to care one bit as she reached for her own gun.
"I suppose I should have known this would be a waste of time," Homura said as she picked up her gun — Mami's finger steadied on the trigger of her own weapon. However, Homura simply stuck it under her shield and it disappeared. "I'm going to the park. That's where Madoka's father said Mrs. Kaname had gone to meet with Sayaka last night. They have both gone missing since then. If you want to help me then feel free to follow. I'm not wasting any more time here."
Mami swallowed, still keeping her finger on the trigger as she watched Homura walk for the front door.
"Wait," Mami said, just before Homura left.
Homura looked over her shoulder to see Mami toss her musket to the side where it dissolved in a flash of glitter that dissipated like snow on a sunny day as it fell.
"When did you speak with Madoka's father about this?"
"Just before coming here. I was looking for Sayaka at her house and he was there looking for her as well. That is when I realized she and Junko may be in danger."
"You were looking for Sayaka?"
"Yes, at Madoka's request. She asked me to check on her. She said she had a bad feeling. Now it seems her premonition may be turning out to be accurate. If you want to ask questions then do so while we are moving, I'm not going to explain to you again that time is of the essence here."
With that, Homura walked out of Mami's apartment, leaving the door open behind her as one last invitation for Mami to join her.
Mami thought for a moment, just staring at the empty doorway. She wanted to go after Kyoko, but if Homura was right about Sayaka she would never forgive herself if something happened to her. She did not trust Homura, and felt wary about going anywhere with her. However, Homura did make a fair point that if her intention was to harm her it easily could have happened already. She did not need to construct this ruse.
Finally, Mami left her apartment. She locked the door behind herself, then jogged to catch up with Homura. She hoped none of her neighbors were out because they were both in their magical girl attire. She usually tried not to be in her magical girl form around her home or anywhere that someone would recognize her.
"Wait up," Mami said as she caught up to Homura at the bottom of the stairs.
"So, have you finally decided to trust me?" Homura asked, staring ahead as Mami began walking side by side with her.
"No, I don't trust you at all, but for some reason I believe what you are saying about Sayaka. So…" she put her hand in front of Homura as they walked. "I'll accept a truce for now."
"Fair enough," Homura said and shook her hand.
II
Junko tried her best to keep her dignity. It was hard, wrapped in chains with all eyes on her, the crows in the gallery squawking in disgust as every sin she had ever committed was laid bare for all to see.
It started with her old business associates; their mouths seemed to split their heads in half as their jaws flapped away, wearing their little black suits, making exaggerated gestures with their soft fingerless hands — they exposed Junko's character in the worst light possible. They made it seem as though she only made it to the top by pushing others out of the way, which in a sense was true, but that was the nature of the business world. She played the game, but never did anything morally wrong in her climb to the top.
One of them came up to the stand and explained that thanks to her he was demoted and couldn't buy christmas presents for his family. He pulled out a handkerchief and acted as though he was wiping a tear from his cheek.
She wanted to scream how unfair that was. They were in a tough business where those who did not perform often got booted. He made it out as if her actions were sinister, but she never broke a single law, nor did she ever tell a lie. She was a tough negotiator and she worked the corporate ladder just like anyone else who lived in her world. However, she always played fair, and that is more than could be said of plenty of others. She hated that she had to listen to all of this in silence and could not give her own perspective of things.
Then, another former associate of hers took the stand. She thought she recognized him, though it seemed he had lost weight since she had last seen him as his thin raggy body barely seemed able to support his head and it flopped back and forth as he talked. She noticed a tear in his neck where he had lost some stuffing, which made it difficult for him to keep his head up.
His mouth began flapping up and down, occasionally he shifted his weight to keep his head balanced over his precariously understuffed neck. He began to tell of a christmas party that her company had hosted, and instantly Junko felt her face go red from anger at the story she knew he was about to tell.
She had gotten extremely drunk that night, which was not one of her proudest moments, but what that little weasel on the stand had done the next day was even worse. He went to the head manager of their firm to file a complaint about Junko. It was clear as day he was only attempting to get her demoted so he could take her place. Back then, the boss had listened as he explained how Junko's behavior was an embarrassment to the entire company and suggested he make an example of her.
It had not gone as the weasel imagined it would, however. Instead, the boss absolutely lambasted him, seeing how it was just an underhanded strategy to knock Junko down a few pegs. Junko would admit the whole thing had been a bit embarrassing for her, but ironically once everyone knew what the weasel had tried to do he became the target of office-place gossip instead of her. It was one thing to see your coworkers as competition and try to outperform them, but attacking someone's character as he had done to Junko was unforgivable.
Now here he was, going after her again, years later, at her trial where everything she held dear was on the line. On top of that, it was in front of her family! She wanted to ring his tiny neck, never imagining someone could stoop as low as he was right now. Yet, as he told the story, and she heard how the crows squawked in amusement, saw how the jury and the other witnesses (including her family) began to shake their heads, Junko felt her resolve wavering.
A projector was rolled into the aisle, and on a big screen for everyone to see, pictures of Junko began to be shown. She lowered her head, suffering the humiliation from picture after picture of her stumbling around, falling over, staggering around obnoxiously with a loosened tie. It was shown to the entire courtroom. Laughter erupting everywhere at her expense, and worst of all she saw the disappointed looks on the faces of her family.
She had to lower her eyes, she couldn't take it.
Please stop… she thought, tensing her fists. My children are here! Don't show that side of me in front of my family! That's just going way too far!
Then, the projector began to show a video, it started in the living room of her own house and it only took her a moment to realize what it was. It showed her staggering in through the front door, and how her husband and daughter had to help her into her bed.
Was I ever really that bad? Junko now thought, as she watched in shock at what she was seeing. She saw Madoka's depressed face in the video, staring at her mother splayed out on the bed with drool running out of her mouth. Madoka! I'm sorry! She thought, finally feeling her resolve breaking down as the crows continued squawking, jeering with delight at all of this.
Junko looked over to the group of witnesses, to see how her family was taking this, to try and apologize to them. Then she realized that the group was getting larger and larger. As her character was being torn apart she could not help thinking back through her life and whenever she remembered something someone else would appear there. Teachers, her parents, old school mates. More and more people were lining up to tear her apart, some of them looking excited to do so.
Am I really so horrible? She thought, tears finally beginning to appear in her eyes.
Then she noticed Sayaka was there as well, standing beside Madoka, the same hollow uncaring expression coming through her button eyes. Perhaps they were all overwhelmed by the situation as well, but once it was their turn to speak she knew they would set things straight. She cared for all of them, her husband, her children, Sayaka - she loved all of them and they had to have known she tried hard to do well for them! She just had to sit through all these other people attacking her. She would get her chance soon enough to defend herself.
Little did she know, or could have understood at that moment, none of this was real, and that ragdoll version of Sayaka was not really there.
The real Sayaka was running through the labyrinth, fighting with everything she had to try to save the woman who was like a second mother to her.
Unfortunately, 'everything she had' was becoming less and less.
"Aaaahg!" Sayaka screamed as she swung her blade, taking the head off of one of the faceless guards, black ooze spraying from it's neck before it disappeared, but as soon as one went down it was like half a dozen more were on her. One got behind her and tackled her to the ground, then the others dogpiled on top of her, jabbing their pointed fingers into her, clawing at her. She screamed and reached deep inside for her magic, then dozens of swords burst forth from her body, impaling them and throwing them off of her.
She forced herself back to her feet, blood running down her face, breathing heavily as she summoned another sword into her hands and faced a new group that was running down the hallway at her. She felt so much pain, not just from the many wounds she had accumulated but something inside herself was flaring up. It felt like a hand was gripped around her heart and squeezing tight, making it hard to breath and stripping all the stamina from her.
She reached for her magic, feeling pain all over her body from casting the spell, and four swords appeared which she then threw down the hallway, impaling the new group of guards who ran at her.
Finally, it seemed she was being given a break and she took this moment to let herself give in to the pain. She fell down to her knees so she could take a break and try to regain her composure.
"What is this?…" she gasped. Her voice was hoarse and her throat burned. "Why does it hurt so much?" She dropped her sword and her hand covered the black SoulGem on her navel. Casting magic never hurt her before, but now every inch she pushed herself seemed to be tearing something out of her. It felt like with each use of her magical power she was having to trade something. She had to trade something significant, like the price for each sword was one of her inner organs. Like accepting that exchange meant a hand would dive into her body and forcefully rip its payment out of her.
She moaned as she fell into the fetal position, her face resting on the cold cement of the labyrinth's floor. "What's going on!?" she cried, clutching her SoulGem tighter. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the pain. Then she heard more footsteps running down the hallway at her.
No, I can't die here! If I die then Junko will too! I have to keep fighting! Block out the pain! Block out the pain!
It took everything she had to jump back to her feet, her face going dark as a new sword appeared in her hand. Again, it felt as though a hand dove into her body and ripped something out of her.
She tensed back on her heels, then dove forward through the hallway, spinning her body around and slashing at each familiar she passed. Some of them managed to trade blows with her, wounding her body more and more on the outside while she simultaneously tore herself apart on the inside, trading her humanity for magic. Those hands tore pieces away little by little until finally something snapped.
She began to laugh, tasting blood in her mouth, feeling it drip past her eyebrows and sting her eyes. For some reason she couldn't help it, amidst the mad dance she was now engaged in, she bellowed out laughter, the sound echoing down the hallways in a haunting manner which challenged the already morbid surroundings which the labyrinth had to offer.
"AAAHAHAAHAAHA! I can block out the pain! I can just block it out!"
Her ears began to ring, and the sound of her own mad laughter was overwhelmed by something new. It was the beautiful and tragic sound of violins. It started off as a solo violin, then a duet, and before she knew it a whole orchestra joined in. The music overwhelmed her senses as she ran through the labyrinth, slashing her swords at the familiars as she made her way to the courtroom, completely ignoring any new wounds she suffered along the way as she became lost in the music.
The notes the strings let off were so meaningful to her, like they were the only thing in the world which could understand her feelings. It took all the pain away, she no longer felt any weakness. She could keep fighting! All she had to do was get lost in the music and continue the fight!
"Hehehehe! I don't feel a thing! I don't feel any pain anymore! AAHAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAH!"
III
Mami and Homura arrived at the park, both still in their full magical girl attire. They may have agreed to work together but they each understood it was a very flimsy truce and thus neither one of them would let their guard down.
"This is most likely where Junko met with Sayaka," Homura said. She knew from past timelines, back when she was still able to be close with Madoka, that this was a typical meeting place if Junko ever had to pick her up. Homura had waited here along with Madoka on a number of occasions, a few times Junko gave her a ride back to her own apartment from here, on another occasion Junko had taken her and Madoka out to a restaurant after school.
Homura clenched a fist, thinking about those old days when she still believed a happy ending was possible. By now she understood, there would never be a happy ending for her, but if she could at least keep Madoka alive that would be enough.
"There are multiple entrances to the park," Mami pointed out. "What makes you so sure this is where they met?" She raised an eyebrow when she noticed the dark expression on Homura's face.
Homura shook it off and looked at her. "It makes the most sense, if Sayaka was walking back from Kyousuke's house then this is where she would end up."
"Kyousuke's…" Mami repeated his name under her breath then looked at Homura suspiciously. "So, just how much time have you spent spying on us over this last month? You seem to know far too much about our routines. For that matter, how did you know where my apartment was in the first place?"
"That doesn't matter," Homura said. In the back of her mind she added, 'you would not believe me even if I told you.'
Mami sighed then asked, "Well, where to now? Did Mr. Kaname say anything else we can use as a hint?"
"Come this way," Homura said, and began walking. "Use your SoulGem to search for the presence of a labyrinth." That was one of the other reasons she decided to take Mami along. Mami was matched only by Kyoko in her ability to detect the presence of witches.
Homura herself did not develop that skill as much as she should have. Since she had re-lived these two months so many times she already knew where all the labyrinths would appear without having to search for them. However, her actions in this timeline had thrown Sayaka far enough off her usual path that if she had turned into a witch Homura could only guess where it may have occurred.
"You can't do that yourself?" Mami asked, disenchanting her SoulGem from its hairpin form back to its gem form and allowing it to rest in her palm so she could check its pulse.
"You are much better at it than I am," Homura said, simply. Mami again eye'd her suspiciously, noting how Homura did indeed seem to know far more about her then she should have.
Homura led her away from the park and to the highway, they walked along the side of the highway as cars zoomed past them. Occasionally they would hear a series of honks as a car flew by. They probably looked ridiculous, dressed as they were and walking out on the highway. It was impossible not to attract attention to themselves.
"It does not seem you are walking around aimlessly," Mami commented.
"No, I'm not," Homura said, once again opting for a simple response, leaving Mami feeling rather annoyed by how mysterious she was about everything.
"So what are you basing your direction on?"
"An educated guess," Homura said. "There is a restaurant Junko may have planned to take Sayaka to."
"Did Madoka's father say something about it?" Mami asked.
"Yes," Homura lied.
"Then why didn't you just say that?" Mami said with a sigh. Homura gave her no response to that. After walking in silence for a while longer Mami said, "So… I'm still having a hard time understanding your relation to Madoka. You claim to be trying to protect her but it is to my understanding you did not even know her prior to the day you kidnapped her."
Homura did not respond to that either. There was nothing she could say which Mami would believe.
"You should understand," Mami continued, "it seems obvious the only reason you would want to keep her from becoming a magical girl is to eliminate competition. Kyubey told us how powerful she could be if she made the contract. I wonder how you even knew that Kyubey planned to make a contract with her in the first place?"
"Just focus on looking for a labyrinth," Homura said.
"Fine, you are going to be a closed book on that it seems," Mami said. "Although, something else that's been bothering me. Last time we met you said something about a Walpurgisnacht."
"Yes, it will be arriving one week from today. There will be a record breaking hurricane which leads the city to call a state of emergency along with an evacuation order. Many will go to shelters, but many will get trapped in the storm regardless. Then at midnight, as the date changes over to May first, Walpurgisnact will appear. Hopefully Kyoko will be finished recovering by then. We will need her."
Mami slowed down, looking at her with her mouth slightly agape. As crazy as it was, she believed her. The way she explained it all did not sound like it possibly could have been a lie. "Can you explain to me how you know all of this?" she asked.
"You would not believe me even if I tried."
"Try me then."
Homura said nothing at first, it seemed she would once again continue in silence and refuse to answer. Mami was becoming more and more irritated with her for doing that. To her surprise, however, Homura answered. "After this is over, once we have verified Sayaka and Mrs. Kaname's safety… I will try to explain. We don't have time for it now."
"Alright, I'm going to hold you to that," Mami said. "And after that I'd like to discuss Madoka Kaname further."
"If you wish, but it won't change anything. My position on Madoka is firm."
Then Mami suddenly stopped walking. Homura turned around and saw Mami focusing on her SoulGem, watching as it gave a weak pulse. Mami clenched it in her fist and then started running. "This way!"
Homura nodded then quickly started running after her. Mami occasionally opened her hand to look at her SoulGem, but kept running. After a minute they could see a car parked ahead in a pull-off on the side of the highway.
"That is Junko Kaname's car!" Homura said.
Mami placed her SoulGem along the side of her head and enchanted it back to its hairpin form. They ran into the woods, Mami summoning a musket into her hands and Homura pulling a pistol from under her shield. Soon, they could both see the portal to the labyrinth hidden amongst the trees.
The trees covering overhead cast a strobe of shadows as they ran towards it, despite it being the middle of the day their surroundings grew darker and darker. The trees began to twist together and form a long concrete wall with barred windows. The strobe effect of sunlight reaching through tree branches stayed constant, but instead of trees it was now coming through the many non uniformly barred windows which were lazily set against the wall at random intervals.
Now they were in a concrete hallway, there were splashes of blood everywhere. Homura saw these and wondered if it was Sayaka. She tended to become reckless with taking on damage once she began to slide into despair. At least it seemed she was still alive, since this certainly was not the mermaid witch's labyrinth.
Familiars appeared further down the hall and they each stopped in their tracks, taking on a battle position. Mami brushed her hand, summoning an arsenal of muskets around her which she could pull from. Homura exchanged her pistol with a light machine gun from under her shield. They each turned as they steadied their weapons, stood shoulder to shoulder and began to fire.
Homura could hear laughter from somewhere far back in the labyrinths depths. Mami likely assumed it was the witch, but Homura knew better. Sayaka Miki was indeed alive, and still human… but not for long.
IV
Junko held onto her resolve for as long as she could, but slowly she was broken down. Her mother approaching the stand and revealing every tiny misdeed from her childhood was probably what finally set her over the edge. Her teachers and classmates piled on, showing that she was a rotten child from the very beginning. A worthless, selfish human being.
It damaged her enough to where she could no longer stop the tears from coming. They rolled down her face silently, but she knew she looked like a mess.
How could I have ended up like this?
She regretted everything she had done. How could she have gone through her life with no idea how horrible of a person she was? Now she was starting to understand. She was starting to understand all the people who she had hurt. She understood that she deserved everything that was happening to her. She deserved to die.
Next, her family was finally called to the stand. This was it, her one last shred of hope. No matter what happened in her life her family was the one thing that could keep her going. Everything she ever strived for in her life, all of her ambition, the reason she got out of bed every morning - it was all for them.
Yet, Madoka, Tomohisa, Tatsuya, and even Sayaka approached the stand returning no expression of love towards her. They did not have to say a word, those disappointed expressions were enough to break Junko completely.
No, this isn't right! She said in the back of her mind. That's not your family! Don't you see that? They love you! Those poorly made puppets are imposters!
She stared at them, her eyes tracing the hastily done stitching along the seams of their necks, how their button eyes were loosely held in place. The way their entire heads split at the mouth and flapped when they spoke. No, this couldn't be right, it couldn't!
Of course that's them, you just don't recognize them because you spend so much time at work. You don't spend enough time with them so it's only natural you would not recognize them. Now pay attention to what they have to say! Listen to all the damage you caused! You horrible woman! You deserve to die!
Junko stared at them, and listened as they reaffirmed what the voice had said in her head. Tomohisa started by explaining how she left everything to him at home, how he was basically a single father and whenever Junko did come home she was drunk and had to be helped into bed.
No, that's just not true! Junko thought. Tomohisa would not say that!
Yes, yes it is true! He's right there, can't you see that?
Tatsuya began to cry and explain how mamma didn't love him, how he never felt loved.
Of course I love you!
Sayaka began to explain how Junko would always get angry at her and Madoka and yell at them. She told how she once witnessed Junko slap Madoka.
Abuser! Horrible woman! The voice cried in her head again.
Then it was Madoka's turn to speak, and Madoka presented her worst sin of all, the one she could not deny no matter how hard she tried.
Madoka began to explain how her mother did not protect her. How she was taken away by some mentally ill person who was now keeping her locked up somewhere. Junko had done nothing to protect her and the one chance she did have to save her, Junko did not seize it. She foolishly let her one chance to find Madoka slip away with that phone call.
"Madoka… I… I'm sorry…" Junko said out loud, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you!"
Sayaka stepped forward, her little cloth hand moving Madoka out of the way so Madoka could hide behind her. She pointed her hand accusingly at Junko. She did not have fingers or she would have pointed a single accusing finger. "You did nothing to help her! What good are you! I might never see my best friend again and it's all your fault!" Sayaka yelled at her.
"Sayaka I'm sorry!" Junko cried. "I know I failed but I tried my best! I-I…" she broke down and fell back into her seat. The crows squawked violently, all of them offended to the core by Junko's sorry display of being a parent. "I… I'm sorry…" Junko whispered, crying into her hands, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I… I…"
You deserve to die… the voice whispered.
No… If I die…
You can only hurt them more! You need to die now!
She wanted to deny it, but she could not. All the evidence that was brought before the court today could not be denied. She just wished she could have done better. She wished she had another chance, but it was all over.
The judge banged her gavel, quieting the relentless squawking of the crows. The trial was almost over, and it was almost time for her sentencing. She already knew what her punishment would be, and she had no choice but to accept it.
Accept it? No… not accept it. I deserve it. I deserve to die.
The chains rattled as she wiped some of the tears from her cheeks and looked up. She wanted to see her family one more time. She let them down, but still she hated that she must now leave them behind. If only she could have a second chance with them, but she knew it was over. Still, she wanted to see them one last time.
She raised her head and looked at her daughter. She was ready to accept her fate, but she loved them. Most of all she just wanted one more chance to apologize to Madoka before her death.
"Madoka…" she whispered. "I… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
Madoka stared back at her with no expression. No sadness for losing her mother.
"I'm sorry…"
Suddenly the courtroom doors flew open with a bang which echoed through the chambers. The crows instantly stirred up, flapping their wings and cawing aggressively.
A shadow burst through the doors and screamed.
"AAAAAAHAHAHAAAAGGGGG!"
The crows flew out of their seats and began attacking the shadow. The judge roared, dropping more worms and maggots from her mouth as she banged her gavel. Junko turned and watched as the shadow moved through the courtroom, jumping and sliding, swinging a sword, killing crows as it moved through the gallery, jumping from one row of seating to the next.
The shadow made one last jump then descended towards Junko, baring it's sword down on her. Junko flinched, part of her expecting that the execution would be carried out early by this interloper. However, she heard the swish of the sword, and the clank of metal chains, and suddenly the weight of her bindings were released from her. She looked at her hands to see the chains had all fallen off of her. The shadow cut the chains!
She looked to where the shadow jumped to next, it now bore down on the witness stand.
"DAMN IMPOSTERS!" it screamed in a voice Junko recognized. The sword slashed across the witness stand, across her family, severing all of their heads in an explosion of cloth and cotton. Junko nearly screamed herself, horrified that her family had just been killed right in front of her. However, the moment did not last long as she finally realized-
That was not her family! Those were dolls! And the shadow… it was… it was SAYAKA!
Junko stood, lost for words. She had trouble making sense of it, but suddenly she did know one thing. This entire trial, all those witnesses, the horrible things that were said of her. None of it was real!
"Sayaka!" Junko yelled, now registering all the wounds on Sayaka's body. She was covered in blood, the blue outfit she wore was torn, her cape soaked in blood. Her eyes were dark and insane. Junko had never seen her like this before but she instantly understood how much Sayaka needed her.
However, before she could do or say anything else Sayaka jumped into the air to confront the legion of crows who now took flight and prepared their attack. Junko looked overhead, craning her neck back to see flashes of light as Sayaka shot through the sky, going in one direction then another, the sound of her sword swishing through the air.
"Sayaka!" Junko screamed as she heard Sayaka making a sound somewhere between screaming and laughter. Junko could not stand to hear it, there was so much pain behind it.
The crows exploded in the air like red fireworks, their feathers falling everywhere, blood raining from the sky, covering everything.
Meanwhile the judge continued to roar and bang it's gabble as it began to stand, more insects falling from under its robes.
Sayaka fell from the sky, her sword now red, feathers and blood raining around her. She landed in a crouch on the desk in front of Junko and they locked eyes with each other.
There was so much blood, so many scratches, and her eyes were the worst part. That deep hollow expression, the way her pupils were shrunken into two manic pinpoints. She was breathing heavily, a little laughter escaping her lips with each deep breath. "Eheheheh… hehehehehe…"
"S-sayaka…" Junko grabbed her hand. "Let's run, let's run now! You don't have to fight!"
Sayaka shook her hand away and stood. "No, sorry Mrs. K. I'm not done yet." She brushed back her blood spattered cape and turned to face the witch. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, I just have to block out the pain." She tilted her neck to look over her shoulder at an impossible angle, a twisted smile spread across her face. She raised her arms high in the air as if accepting cheers from a massive crowd while blood and black feathers rained down around her. "You hear that? The music, it's playing for me! Eheheheh! This is my show Mrs. K!"
Junko thought the look in Sayaka eyes was the most horrifying thing about this, but she was wrong. When she noticed the jewelry pierced through Sayaka's navel - the grotesque black, blue and purple colors swirling around inside of it - it made her sick to her stomach just seeing it. She didn't understand why but some deeper part of her mind knew something about that gem that her conscious mind did not.
"Sayaka no! Please stop!" Junko screamed, but it was too late.
Sayaka burst away from the desk like she was shot out of a cannon, right towards the face of the giant monster that seemed to be the master of this horrible realm.
As she collided with it, handfuls of insects were torn away from it with each of Sayaka's attacks. Sayaka began laughing once again. The pure agony she was in was so clear that the sound shattered into Junko's soul. She wanted it to stop, she wanted to stop Sayaka and drag her back home and keep her safe.
"Sayaka!" Junko screamed in vain. "Sayaka please stop this!"
-Atomyst
Follow me on twitter at /Atomyst_Fics
