Restless, Part 5
Outside, the storm raged and howled. Rain splattered against the windows, loud as hail. Wind shrieked as it tore at the Nautilus Platform, tearing at the walls with its claws.
It had been raging for quite some time. It was impossible to tell if it was day or night, the darkness remained the same. The howling of the wind never seemed to let up, the rain fell so thick that one might be fooled into thinking it was a waterfall, and if it kept up much longer then they might be in danger of a flood.
Outside was a hellish cacophony, and woe unto any poor soul unfortunate to be caught without shelter. But the inside was warm, comfortable, and safe. From within the sanctuary of the Nautilus Platform's walls Charlotte was well-protected from the tempest, just her and her love in an island of peace and tranquility in the middle of a hurricane.
Charlotte sat upon a shelf among the other stuffed animals and dolls, content to just watch as Mami moved around the apartment, straightening framed pictures and putting away teacups. Though she was little more than a doll herself, Charlotte could feel her cotton-stuffed heart swell with love. Yes, this was how it was supposed to be. Just her and her angel, safe together while the world outside went to hell.
The house was dark, but that was fine; it was the sort of evening to be spent in the dark. The curtains were drawn over the windows, keeping the devastation well out of sight. However, as Mami passed by the window she paused, looking at the pink drapes patterned with depictions of pastries and medical instruments.
Then she threw them open, revealing the glass pane that was their only line of defense between their sanctuary and the storm.
"Goodness, it just isn't letting up, is it?" Mami said as she peered out at the dark clouds and torrents of rain. Every now and then lightning would flash, revealing dark silhouettes of tall buildings.
Mami stood by the window for a long time, peering out. Charlotte felt a worm of discomfort starting to stir in her stomach. She didn't like Mami standing that close to the tempest, she didn't like it one bit.
Then Mami shrugged and turned away from the window. "Well, that's fine," she said. "We're safe in here."
Lightning flashed, and for a brief moment Charlotte caught sight of something long, large, and sinuous, rearing up right outside, its horrific visage looking straight at Mami. Its mouth was open, revealing two rows of monstrous triangular teeth.
The uncomfortable feeling grew. Charlotte tried to sit up and point out the danger to Mami, to signal to her to close the curtains, but for some reason she felt like she was stuffed with lead balls instead of cotton. Oblivious to the monster outside, Mami walked away from the window, leaving the curtains open behind her.
"Come on, Charlotte," she said, reaching up to the shelf and taking Charlotte into her arms. "We still have some time together."
Holding Charlotte in her arms, Mami walked over to the couch and sat down. "All right, here you go," she said, pulling out a piece of cheese. Normally Charlotte would be thrilled to receive the treat, but her focus was elsewhere.
Lightning flashed again. The Worm was now closer, and Charlotte could see something with it, a person riding on its back, holding onto a pair of reins. Though she couldn't make out the details, she could see that they had short hair that blew wildly in the wind.
"What is it, Charlotte?" Mami said as Charlotte desperately struggled to point out the window. "You want to go outside? But you can't, silly. It's too dangerous outside!"
Then there was the sharp sound of glass shattering, and the danger was no longer outside.
The Worm had burst in through the window, and the storm blasted in around it. The lights went out, leaving the room smothered in shadow.
Charlotte cringed back and tried to burrow deeper into Mami's arms. The Worm pushed itself inside, its massive body filling most of the room. Sitting astride on its back was the mysterious figure, her bright amethyst hair blowing around her face like a lion's mane. In the dark it was difficult to make out any features, but her eyes glowed violet, and sharp blades were affixed to her wrists.
Despite the danger Mami wasn't moving. She just sat there, frozen in place. Charlotte tried to cry out to her, to tell her to flee. Why wasn't she leaving?
Then the doll managed to look up to see Mami's face. Mami was staring up at the Worm, her eyes wide and mouth open in shock. She had become completely frozen by fear.
Then the Worm turned to face the two, its ringed eyes staring into Mami's own. Its mouth opened wide, hot drool dripping from between its razor-sharp teeth.
Mami didn't so much as move an inch as the worm lunged forward. She didn't even scream as its mouth closed over her head and clamped its jaws shut.
Suddenly Charlotte fell to the floor as Mami's body was jerked off the couch. She helplessly rolled under the coffee table came to a stop on her side, facing out at the couch. She saw Mami's legs jerk and twitch as the Worm's drool splattered down on her knees.
Then suddenly Mami's legs were yanked up out of sight. Summoning up every ounce of will, Charlotte rolled under her stomach and crawled out from under the table.
She looked up in time to see the Worm retreat back out of the window, Mami's head still in its jaws and her body convulsing as it was dragged along, the violet-eyed figure still riding on the Worm's back like it was a horse.
No! She couldn't let them get away! Charlotte pushed herself up on her useless little feet and tottered her way toward the shattered window
If it wasn't enough that she would be so small and helpless, it felt like she was wading through a swamp. Her every movement was sluggish, like her body was filled with lead instead of cotton.
Still, she didn't give up. She kept pushing forward, one step in front of the other.
But the Worm was withdrawing.
Keep moving.
The Worm was getting away.
Keep moving.
It was taking Mami with it.
Keep moving.
There was nothing she could do.
Keep moving.
As Charlotte forced herself forward, she felt a change start to take place. She was getting faster, her strides longer with every step. She was growing, shedding her doll-like body and becoming human again through sheer force of will. Soon she had grown to twice her small size, then three times, then five. The felt was ripping at the seams, and pink skin appeared underneath. Charlotte struggled to free herself from the doll, tearing her way free and tossing fabric and cotton aside as her body became too big to be contained.
Finally, with one final snap her body forced itself to full size, and she lunged for the window and looked out.
The Nautilus Platform sat perched on top of an impossibly tall skyscraper, with the rest of the dark city spread out in all directions. Barely any light came from the windows, and the glow of the streetlights was little more than a dim haze far below. Rain continued to hammer down from above, soaking Charlotte in seconds.
Charlotte could still see the Worm retreating fast into the city streets, taking Mami with it. Her face fell in despair, only to harden again. Well, not if she could help it.
She hurled herself out of the window and plummeted straight down with the rain.
The city rushed up to meet her. Charlotte dove with her arms pressed tightly to her sides and her legs held stiffly out, her face pointed at the gap between the buildings.
She reached it, and the buildings whooshed up on either side. Apparently they were exceptionally tall, because they just kept whooshing and whooshing, hurtling past her on all sides as she plummeted.
Then, at the last possible second, Charlotte twisted her body around. She hit the ground, landing in a crouch, causing the rainwater to burst out from around her from the shockwave.
As she rose, she became aware that she had undergone another transformation. Her body was now sheathed in metal, light enough to move in but strong enough to ward off any attack.
She was in full armor, state-of-the-art and powered, giving her immense speed, power, and protection. What was more, she was now armed, a high-class rifle in her hands.
Charlotte regarded the weapon that she now held. Yes. Yes, this would serve her well against the Worm.
Then she looked up. Her helmet's visor displayed the city all around her in a deep shade of red, with a targeting grid overlaid over that. The city streets were bare, with no sign of anyone or anything. In fact, there was no sign that anyone lived there: no street signs, no trees, no shops, no vehicles, nothing. Just the streets, the sidewalks, and row after row of dark windows gazing out from the concrete structures like empty eye sockets. There weren't even any doors. All the better. There would be nothing to distract her during her hunt.
Then a voice spoke in her mind.
"Now…march."
The voice was beautiful, soft and kind and melodic. Charlotte immediately did as she was told, moving forward in a steady military march, her rifle held at the ready. As she did, she became aware of a steady tattoo in her ears, like hundreds of metal feet stomping across stone. It was like she was marching in formation with an entire regiment of armored soldiers accompanied by war drums, but could see no others with her.
A junction was coming up, a four-way intersection. As she approached, the view dimmed as the red deepened, causing the buildings to fade away while the road glowed brighter. That was fine. All Charlotte needed was the road.
"Company…turn!"
Charlotte swiveled on her heel and took the right-hand path. She continued marching forward, her legs moving to a steady rhythm as she followed the scarlet ribbon.
Left-right. Left-right.
The Worm was close. She could feel it.
Left-right. Left-right.
She was going to rescue Mami, and kill the Worm.
Left-right. Left-right.
It was going to pay for what it had done to her.
Left-right. Left-right.
It was going to pay.
Left-right. Left-right.
She was going to kill it.
Left-right. Left-right.
Then, in the distance, she saw something new. The ribbon suddenly curved around in a great circle, which encircled a large white spot. A hole. They were approaching a hole.
This was it. This was the Worm's lair. It had to be.
"Take your positions!"
They surrounded the hole, shoulder-to-shoulder. Within was a bright white light. And in that light, vague silhouettes were moving.
"At the ready!"
Moving with all the efficiency of a well-oiled machine, Charlotte and her squadmates all snapped their weapons into position, taking aim at the shadows. The Worm was going to die.
"Fire!"
A cascade of burning green energy poured into the hole. Charlotte kept her finger pressed against the trigger, sending a spray of firepower. The Worm was going to pay for taking Mami away. The Worm was going to die.
But right then the white light disappeared, giving Charlotte a clear view of the hole's interior and the writhing shapes within. It wasn't the Worm. It wasn't a monster.
It was children. Several children screaming as they were ripped to shreds.
Shock hit Charlotte like a sack of hammer. Wait, what? No! No, this was wrong! Why were they shooting children?
She had to stop, she had to turn away, but she couldn't. Every joint in her body had locked up, keeping her frozen in place, keeping the trigger engaged.
Stop! she cried out, or at least tried to. Stop shooting!
Then her eyes locked onto those of one of their victims. It was Mami. She was crouching among the children, holding one of them in her arms as she tried to shield the little girl with her own body. Mami looked straight into her eyes and her mouth moved, silently begging for mercy.
Stop, Charlotte called out again. Please, stop.
But no one heard. She couldn't even form words anymore. All she could was stare helplessly as the children were massacred by her hand, their screams filling her helmet as she fired on and on and on-
…
"Goodness, it just isn't letting up, is it?" Mami said as she peered out at the dark clouds and torrents of rain. Every now and then lightning would flash, revealing dark silhouettes of tall buildings.
Charlotte started. She was no longer standing helpless as her body was forced to murder helpless little girls. She was no longer down in the city below, marching along with a squad of soldiers, obeying the voice on the radio. She wasn't even in her normal body anymore.
She was back on the Nautilus Platform, high above the city, while rain came down all around them, back in the tiny body of a doll.
"Well, that's fine," Mami said as she turned away from the window. "We're safe in here."
She was back. She had been sent back, before Mami had been taken. She had been given a second chance.
But only a brief one.
The Worm was again outside the window, peering in at its unaware prey, ready to attack, ready to feed. And on its back was the Rider.
However, the Rider was different now. Her hair was now much longer and tied into a ponytail. Her eyes glowed red instead of violet. And she now held a spear instead of having blades attached to her wrists. However, despite the change of appearance, the malicious intent was as clear as ever. She intended for the Worm to eat Mami.
Charlotte wasn't going to let that happen.
"Come on, Charlotte," Mami said as she reached up toward her. "We still have some-Huh?"
Charlotte pitched her body forward, falling down between Mami's arms to the floor.
"Charlotte?"
Again Charlotte's body was slow and sluggish, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. She again forced herself forward, waddling toward the window.
"What are you doing?"
Then the Worm burst in.
Charlotte was blown aside by the force of its entry, seized up by a whirlwind of dust and debris. She landed sprawled upside-down against the wall, staring out at the room.
Mami was again standing petrified, staring up as the Worm reared over her, its maw slowly opening to bite down.
No!
Charlotte scrambled back to her feet and moved to intervene. Again she felt her body growing and strengthening with every step, shedding the form of a doll and becoming a person once more. But like before the transformation was much too slow.
The Worm bit down, and Mami's body jerked as its teeth closed in around her neck.
But this time Charlotte had more of a head start. As the Worm began to withdraw, she had already grown to half height. And as the Worm slithered backwards out of the window, dragging Mami's twitching body with it, Charlotte had gained enough strength to leap forward and seize Mami's ankles with both hands.
She tried to pull back, but it was all she could do just to hold on, and the Worm wasn't even slowed down. It continued to pull both of them out into the open, and Charlotte could do nothing but be dragged along for the ride.
The Worm pulled them both through the window and out into the storm.
Charlotte closed her eyes and held on for dear life as the rain pelted her from above and the wind tore at her from all around. She wasn't going to let go, she wasn't going to let go, she wasn't going to let go…
They hit the ground, and the shock loosened Charlotte's fingers. She let go.
Gasping, she opened her eyes to find herself in the same empty street as before, only now there was no suit of armor, no marching, and no voice whispering in her head.
However, the Worm was there, crawling backward with Mami's body still in its mouth.
Charlotte hurried to her feet and ran after them both. Seeing her, the Worm quickened its retreat, forcing Charlotte to throw every last bit of energy she had into speed.
When she came close enough, Charlotte lunged forward and seized Mami by the ankles. The Worm didn't stop however, and the two of them were dragged along through the city.
Charlotte closed her eyes.
In time the rain stopped, and the wind was gone.
Charlotte opened her eyes again, and then wished that she hadn't. They had somehow already arrived at the hole in the middle of the city. But now it wasn't filled with white light, and there were no cowering children within. Now it was just a hole, one that was dark and deep.
Now it really was the Worm's lair, and it was slowly slithering backward into it, dragging Mami with it, and by extension, Charlotte as well.
She tried to make them stop. She tried to get her feet beneath her to brace against something, but there was nothing there. The Worm pulled the two of them to the edge and they slid together into the black.
Charlotte was dragged deeper and deeper into the dark. All around her, she heard the sound of skittering, of thousands of tiny legs moving over hard stone and cold bone, legs that were moving ever closer and closer.
She tried to stop. She tried to flip her body around and brace herself with her legs. She tried to yank Mami's body fully out of the Worm's jaws. Nothing worked.
Charlotte was dragged deeper and deeper into the dark, and there was nothing she could do about it, save perhaps letting go, and she was never going to do that.
The skittering was growing louder.
No.
She wasn't getting out of this.
No.
She wasn't going to save her wife.
No.
She was going to die in the dark.
No.
They both were.
No.
This was the end.
No!
Suddenly the tunnel opened up, and Charlotte was being dragged down into a skeleton-filled depression. She slid over and across ribs, spines, skulls, femurs, and other unidentifiable bones, but wasn't slowed in the slightest. They made way for her, welcoming her, grateful that she soon would be joining them.
And then she stopped. The Worm had stopped dragging them both, and both her and Mami were lying alone in the heaps of bones.
Charlotte scrambled forward over Mami. Maybe the Worm had let her go, maybe she was still okay, maybe-
Mami's body came easily when Charlotte gathered her into her arms, too easily in fact. And the reason why quickly became evident.
Her head was completely gone. The Worm had bitten it clean off.
"No," she whispered. "No, no, no, no."
She had been too late. It had been too late the second the Worm had bitten down. Mami had been killed in an instant, and Charlotte had been helpless to stop it.
Despair and grief welled up inside her. Charlotte reached down to cradle Mami's lifeless body and held it to her chest. "Please," she whispered. "Please, don't leave me. I can't do this without you. I can't do this alone!"
Then, as Charlotte sat there in a pit of death, sobbing as she held what remained of her wife's lifeless body in her arms, a light appeared, shining down from above into the middle of the pit.
There, sitting atop a mountain of dry bones, was their home, the Nautilus Platform. But it was broken, decayed, and rusted. The metal struts that had held it aloft over the sea were completely destroyed and lay around it in pieces. The house itself was falling to pieces, all of its windows broken, its roof caving in. It looked like it had been abandoned for years.
The windmill, however, was still sticking straight up despite the roof now being tilted at a sharp angle, but that was because it had been bent nearly in half. Some of the blades had been broken off, that those that remained were falling to pieces. And atop it was perched an animal, one with an inky black body; a thin, curled tail; a pointed rodentlike face; and a pair of beady eyes that glowed red. It stared down at Charlotte, almost as if it were gloating.
And beneath it crouched the Rider. She was sitting on the remains of the catwalk, legs dangling, spear resting over her shoulder, bright scarlet eyes staring right at Charlotte. Even with the distance between them Charlotte could see that the Rider was smiling.
Then, as Charlotte stared up at the progenitors of all her problems, the skittering came back.
It drew in from all directions: from the walls and the ceiling to the floor beneath her, and it was growing steadily louder. Charlotte hastily leapt to her feet. The spiders were coming out. They were coming down from the stone ceiling. They were marching forward from the shadows. They were crawling up from the bones.
As Charlotte watched in horror, they separated into two swarms twin black carpets that flowed over the bones at the foot of the Nautilus Platform. They then began to gather themselves, crawling over each other to form two surging black masses that grew and grew as more and more spiders added themselves to the whole. Dry bones were pulled up and added to the two masses, giving them shape and form.
Moving at a horrible speed, the spider swarms formed themselves into twin monsters, ones that balanced on two legs with clawed feet, long bodies that ran parallel to the ground, long tails that ended in spiked clubs, clawed hands, and horned and crested heads with maws filled with teeth. Three glowing green eyes opened on each of their heads.
Valks.
The two dockenvalks turned toward Charlotte, tails swaying, claws clicking over the bones, their three green eyes apiece focusing on her and Mami.
And then they charged.
…
"Goodness, it just isn't letting up, is it?"
Again Charlotte was back in the Nautilus Platform. Again she was a doll on the shelf. Again Mami was looking out of the window at the storm. Again there was something lurking just outside, readying itself to pounce.
Not this time.
Charlotte wasted no time. She immediately hurled herself off the shelf, already punching and kicking her way out of her tiny body on the way down.
"Charlotte?"
Come on, come on, come on! Get big!
"Charlotte, what are you doing?"
She was growing, quicker this time, but still too slow. She half-crawled, half-hopped her way across the ground toward her wife. Mami stood with her back to the window, staring at her in puzzlement. Behind Mami, the silhouette of the Worm could be seen, its Rider astride just behind its head.
"Are you okay?"
Grimacing, Charlotte partially ripped her way out of the doll's body. Her mouth was freed, and she screamed, "Mami! Get away from the window!"
Mami didn't move. "Charlotte, what's going on? You're being very strange!"
Fuck it. The Worm was about to crash its way in. Charlotte ripped the rest of the doll's body away with pure brute force and lunged for Mami. She seized her wife by the hand and yanked her to the side just as the Worm reared back.
Moments later the window was smashed in, and the wind and the rain raged into the house.
"Come on!" Charlotte said as she took off running, pulling Mami along with her. Behind her, she heard the Worm roared in anger at having been denied its meal.
Charlotte took off toward the hallway. As she ran, she cast a fearful looking behind her shoulder. The Worm was looking this way and that, searching for its prey. The Rider had changed again, becoming someone with shorter hair and glowing blue eyes.
No time to worry about that now. The Worm would be after them in seconds. Charlotte turned her attention back in front of her as she and Mami entered the hallway. Behind her, the Worm roared again.
The door to their bedroom was dead ahead. Once inside, they could leap through the window to safety. The Worm would have a hard time finding them in the city.
One hand still holding onto Mami's, Charlotte seized the doorknob, twisted it, and thrust her shoulder against the door. There was a crash as the Worm started smashing its body through the hallway.
The door opened, and they found themselves not in their bedroom, but the clean and sterile waiting room of a hospital. Rows of seats sat waiting for the loved ones of those in pain. Overhead, televisions played nonsensical shows.
The room was empty, all save for themselves and the girl behind the receptionist's desk.
Well, whatever. One avenue of escape was as good as another. Charlotte hurried up to the desk.
Despite them being in a hospital, the receptionist was anything but professional. It was a girl with rainbow-colored dreadlocks, ragged denim clothing that looked like it had been torn on purpose, and an exceptional number of piercings. She was leaning back in her chair with her leather-booted feet propped up on the desk, hands clasped behind her head, mouth furiously chewing on what was probably a wad of gum, and eyes staring up at the ceiling in a manner that conveyed complete and utter boredom.
"HEY!" Charlotte yelled, waving at her with her free hand. "Help us!"
The punk girl gave her the barest of glances. She blew out a big bubble that shimmered like a calliope, popped it, and sucked it back into her mouth and started chewing it again.
Charlotte dragged Mami all the way to the desk. "Hello!" she said, waving her hand back and forth. "Can you hear me? We need help!"
Sighing laboriously, the punk girl pulled her feet back and leaned forward to rest one elbow on the desk and her cheek propped up on her fist. "Yeah, what?"
"We're being chased! There's giant worm after us, and-"
The punk girl blew out another bubble as she typed on the computer with one hand. "Appointment?"
"Appointment? What, no! I'm not here for an appointment, I'm-"
"Name?"
The sounds of the Worm smashing its way through the hospital grew louder. "Look, there is a monster that is trying to eat us! What does our name have to-"
"Name?"
Charlotte wondered if punching the punk girl in the face would speed things up or just make them take longer. At the very least, she would probably puncture her fist on one of those studs, rings, or spikes that were stuck into the asshole's skin. "Charlotte! Charlotte Tomoe, and this is my wife Mami Tomoe! Now could you please-"
"Hey, hey, chill out, man. Just doing my job, okay?"
Charlotte thrust a finger back down the hall. "WORM!" she shouted. "Gonna eat us! Very soon!"
"Yeah, yeah, big worm, nom your head, whatever. Still gotta follow the rules, all right?"
"Rules?! There is a giant WORM MONSTER coming to eat our heads! Why aren't you even the least bit-"
"Huh, here you are," the punk girl said. "You're late, yah know?" She stuck a nonchalant thumb over her shoulder, toward the hallway. "Right that way."
Charlotte gawked at her. "What?"
"I said, you're late. So get moving."
"I have an…Don't you care that there's a giant worm monster coming to eat all our heads?"
Then the punk girl grinned wide, exposing two rows of razor-sharp, triangular teeth. "Not if she has an appointment." She wagged her pierced eyebrows. "Better get moving."
"I…Fine! I hope it bites your head off first!"
"You already tried that, and it didn't take." The punk girl leaned back again, sticking her feet onto the desk, and blew out yet another big bubble.
Growling with frustration, Charlotte stomped into the hall. She had tried to warn her. She had done her best. It wasn't her fault that metal-studded, candy-cane asshole didn't want to listen.
"Can you believe that girl?" she ranted out loud to Mami. "Holy shit. You'd think a monster would motivate her into caring, but apparently she doesn't get paid enough to worry about her own neck! Well, I tried! Now if she gets bitten in half it'll be-"
She glanced over her shoulder. Her hand was holding onto nothing.
"Mami?"
Mami was gone. Charlotte was by herself in the hospital hall.
"Mami!"
Shivers ran down her back. She looked this was and that, but saw nothing: no staff, no patients, no visitors. She was completely alone.
Oh no. Oh no, no, no. Had the Worm gotten her? Had it snuck up and taken Mami while Charlotte had been distracted? Or had Mami just wandered off?"
Charlotte bolted back toward the waiting room. Mami couldn't have gotten far! If she hurried, then she ought to be able to find her in time. "Hey!" she said, bursting into the room. "Have you seen-"
The waiting room was gone. In its place was just another hall, the same as the one she had just left.
Charlotte stood frozen. What had happened? Where was everybody? Where was she?
"Hello?" she called out. "Mami? Rude punk girl? Anyone?"
No answer.
The fear that had been gnawing at Charlotte's belly began to take great big bites. She moved forward, checking every room, every junction for some sign of life. "Mami? Mami, where are you?"
There was no one.
"Mami, please don't leave me alone!"
She was alone.
The panic grew stronger, and Charlotte started to run. She had to find her wife, had to find a way out of there, had to get away from the Worm! If she didn't hurry, the Worm would find Mami before she did!
Then, as she passed by one open recovery room, she paused.
Two of the three beds were empty, but the far one had the curtain drawn around it. There was a light shining within.
And silhouetted within that light was Mami.
Charlotte would know her shape anywhere. She was there, standing right beyond the curtain.
"There you are!" Charlotte said as she ripped away. "Now let's get-"
There was nobody there, just an empty hospital bed surrounded by inert medical devices. On the wall was a dead television.
"Mami?"
There was no answer.
"Mami!"
Still no answer.
Charlotte looked down at the bed. It was neatly made up, awaiting its next patient. However, there was something amiss. A line of ants was crawling in and out of the folded sheet.
Frowning, Charlotte leaned in for a closer look. Now that she was looking, she saw that there were a lot of ants on the bed. What was more, she could smell something…wrong, something old and rotting under the sheet. Something bright yellow was visible just under the lip of the sheet.
She ripped the sheet away. To her confusion, on the bed were several slices of American cheese, all neatly lined up, all being feasted upon by ants.
Huh.
Before she could inspect the cheese further, she heard the distinctive click of a gun's hammer being drawn back.
Charlotte whirled around to see Mami standing in the recovery room's entrance. She was dressed in her Puella Magi uniform of gold, black, brown, and white, a look of anger and grief on her face, a silver musket in her hand, one that she was pointing right at Charlotte's head.
"WAIT!" Charlotte screamed. Mami fired.
She missed. The bullet zipped right past Charlotte's ear.
Charlotte fell back, right into the wraparound curtain. It tangled tightly around her, wrapping up her arms and legs and torso. Charlotte yanked and trashed in her efforts to free herself, but that only seemed to wind them tighter.
Mami fired again. Charlotte felt an impact in her stomach.
"Mami, stop!" she pleaded. "Please, it's me!"
Mami looked both broken and resolute, blinded by grief and rage. She aimed again.
And that was when the Worm decided to show up.
It smashed through the door and chomped at Mami. She deftly dodged, leapt atop a patient bed, and shot it. The Worm flinched back, and then came at her again.
Charlotte stared, her jaw hanging slack. Then she rushed to free herself, finally managing to untangle the curtain and crawl behind the nearby bed for shelter, while Mami and the Worm tore the rest of the room apart with their battle.
"What do I do?" Charlotte moaned to herself. "What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?"
"You could help."
Charlotte started. There was someone there with her, crouching behind the bed as well. It wasn't anyone she recognized, a girl with very pale skin and long, black hair with strange leafy protrusions. She wore a heavy overcoat that looked like it had been torn and patched up in several places.
"Who are you?" Charlotte said.
Instead of answering, the pale girl peeked out from behind the bed. "They'll kill each other," she said.
"I know that! But what can I do?"
The girl pointed. Charlotte looked. And she gasped.
The rest of the room had been ripped to shreds, as had the wall, giving Charlotte a clear view of the fight. Mami was leaping this way and that, firing shot after shot, while the Worm had filled the hallway with its coils, and was striking at her like a snake. Riding astride it was the Rider, who was wearing a skintight black bodysuit with pink polka-dots. The Rider had short dark pink hair, ceramic white skin, and glowing blue eyes.
It was her. Charlotte was the Rider.
"That's me," Charlotte whispered.
"Yes," said the pale girl. "In more ways than one."
Charlotte ducked back again. "Please, how do I stop this? How do I save her?"
The pale girl shook her head. "You can't," she said. "Not like this. She'll only see you as an enemy." She pointed down, at Charlotte's stomach. "Besides, you're hurt."
Charlotte looked down. To her surprise, there was a gaping hole in her belly, where Mami had shot her. Odd, she felt no pain.
"What do I do then?" Charlotte said.
"You try again," said the pale girl.
"But it's not working! I keep trying, but I keep failing!"
"Maybe then you need to grow stronger."
"How? Everything that's come after us has been so much stronger than me!"
"You could use this." The pale girl opened her hands. Something was cupped in her palm, something that glowed pink.
Charlotte leaned over to look. It was some kind of gem, an egg-shaped pink gem encased by a gold frame. "What is that?" she said.
"Your soul. You lost it, and the power it gave you. You could take it back, if you want."
Charlotte hesitated. "What will it cost me?" There was always a cost.
"Yourself," the pale girl said. "The self you know yourself as. That's what it will cost you."
Charlotte stared at the gem. "But it will give me power? Power enough to save her?"
"It will give you power enough to fight. From there, it's all up to you."
"Then I'll take it." What other choice did she have?
The pale girl nodded. "Then go," she said. "And fight."
And with that, she reached over to place the soul gem within the hole in Charlotte's stomach.
When she did, Charlotte suddenly gagged. She tried to breathe in, but found herself choking. Violent convulsions wracked her body, and she doubled over.
Weeping, Charlotte could do nothing as the shaking grew worse and worse, as her throat closed up and she lost control of her own body. She slumped onto her side and continued to shake, staring through teary eyes as the skin of her stomach closed up, sealing the soul gem inside.
…
"Goodness, it just isn't letting up, is it?"
And Charlotte was back once again, up on the shelf as a doll, looking at Mami as she stared out of the window at the storm, heedless of the Worm that lurked just beyond.
Only this time things were different. Charlotte's soul gem sat on the shelf right in front of her, the brightest light in the dim room.
She had yet another chance, and this time things would be different.
Again Charlotte hurled herself from the shelf, grabbing the soul gem between her sleeve-covered hands as she went.
She felt something change.
The soul gem evaporated into glowing sparkles, which then darted into her heart. Her doll body immediately burst apart, and she leapt out. Power rushed over and through her, changing her. When the light cleared, she found herself wearing a sleeveless grey double-breasted dresscoat, a long pink skirt, striped stockings and striped sleeves, and ballet shoes of all things.
And in her hand was a long rod, one with a black shaft dotted with pink, and a charm at the end shaped like a wrapped piece of candy.
She landed in a crouch, fully transformed, fully restored. Old power coursed through her body once again, old strength rushing into her limbs. She slowly rose up to stand straight.
And Nozomi Momoe finally opened her eyes.
Mami stared at her in shock.
"Move!" Nozomi cried. She swept Mami aside and shoved her behind her. At that moment the Worm smashed through the window, ready to feed.
This time Nozomi didn't run away.
She swung her rod around and slammed it right into the Worm's pointed nose. It jerked back, its cartoonish eyes widening with pain and surprise. Nozomi spun around and struck it once on each cheek. Then she flipped back to put some space between them, crouched down low, and lunged forward to jab the point of her rod into the Worm's eye.
The Worm roared in pain and struggled to retreat. "Yeah, that's right!" Nozomi shouted. "Run away!"
But then something caused the Worm to jerk around, and Nozomi finally caught sight of the Rider. She had changed again, now becoming a stoic girl with long black hair and a sleek uniform of black, white, and violet. She jerked the reins around, keeping the terrified Worm from fleeing.
"Oh, no you don't!" Nozomi snarled. She leapt forward, her rod spinning deftly in her hand as she struck again and again and again, slamming into the Worm's fleshy body, targeting all of its softest spots.
"Come down here and fight!" she called to the Rider. "Or are you too much of a coward?"
The Rider glowered down at her.
And then she yanked hard on the reins, forcing the Worm to loop itself around, putting it between Nozomi and the still-stunned Mami.
Or to be more precise, putting Nozomi between it and the broken window.
The Worm reared back and struck, jaws slavering and teeth gnashing. Nozomi shoved her rod in between its jaws and braced it, preventing them from closing.
But it wasn't enough to stop its momentum.
The Worm kept going, driving them both out through the window. And together they fell, Nozomi holding tight to her rod while the Worm jerked its head this way and that, trying to free itself.
Keeping a grip to a thrashing monster while in freefall through a thunderous storm was not exactly easy, but Nozomi managed to hold on, even if it did get her yanked around like the doll she used to be. But she refused to let out.
"No!" she shouted as lightning crashed behind her. "You're not winning this time!"
And then she slammed her foot into the Worm's other eye.
The Worm roared again, causing it to open its jaws enough for her to yank her rod free. She flipped backward and landed on her feet on the roof of a nearby skyscraper.
The Worm landed on the adjacent building and wrapped itself around its top. It reared up, both eyes swollen, but the little that peeked through were red with hate. It opened its mouth wide.
Nozomi held her rod with both hands and thrust it forward, the candy-charm pointed right at the Worm's mouth.
A dozen golden wires shot out of the tip of the rod, right into the Worm's mouth. It gagged and jerked, but they had already penetrated. They sunk into the fleshy interior of its throat and dug in, carving through its body and popping out of its hide. From there they crisscrossed all over, cutting into its skin and out again, forming a golden net.
The Worm froze in place, its whole body now ensnared by gold. It whimpered.
"Never," Nozomi snarled as she gave her rod a sharp twist. "Again!"
The wires all contracted, and the Worm was sliced to pieces. Chunks of meat and slime fell to the city streets below.
Victorious, Nozomi stood there panting in the rain, rod still outstretched, golden wires now clutching at nothing. Sickly white ichor dripped from the wire framework the Worm had left behind, and soon the rain washed it all away.
Then she allowed herself a long, luxurious exhale. The wires swiftly retracted, and she lowered her arm.
She had done it.
She had won.
Then she frowned. No, it wasn't over yet. The Worm had just been the weapon. There was still the Rider to settle with. And since she had not been riding her monster when Nozomi had killed it, it stood to reason that she was still out there, whatever form she might have taken.
Nozomi looked up at the buildings all around her, rained pouring down on her scowling face. She crouched down low and leapt up.
Higher and higher she went, bounding from wall to wall, until she reached the top of the highest building, where the Nautilus Platform sat perched.
However, her home was gone, and in its place was a flat roof. However, everyone was there.
The Rider was there, standing at one corner of the roof, still in the same form, violet eyes staring dispassionately at the scene around her. There was some kind of small, circular shield attached to her arm, with the opposite hand resting on its edge.
Mami was there as well, wearing her Puella Magi uniform. A musket was in her hand, but she wasn't aiming it. She seemed confused and scared.
Kyoko Sakura was there, not the Rider this time, though she was wearing her red and pink Puella Magi uniform as well, and like Mami she was in a state of turmoil. She had her weapon in hand as well, though unlike Mami, she was pointing her spear from one person to the next, like she had no idea who she could trust.
And last, there was…
Oktavia.
…there was…
Oktavia von Seckendorff.
…was…
Tavi.
…Sayaka Miki, also attired for battle in blue and white, cape billowing and sword in hand. Unlike the others she seemed more sad than anything. She stared longingly at Kyoko, who in turn seemed shocked just to see her.
Right then. Everyone was here. Time to end this.
Walking past Sayaka, Nozomi…
(Charlotte. My name is Charlotte)
…Charlotte approached the Rider, who simply stood and watched her.
"How many times?" Charlotte demanded. "How many times? How many times did you take our lives away? How many times did you rip us from paradise, separate us and make us relive our deaths, force us to go through the same Hell again and again, force us to fight for our Heaven, only to snatch it away and all over again? How many times did you take away our happily ever after? How many times?"
The Rider merely tilted her chin. "I stopped counting," she said. "After fifteen or so."
"You stopped counting." Charlotte…
(Nozomi? Am I not Nozomi?)
…Nozomi laughed. "You stopped counting? So you must've done it countless times! Just…killed us over and over again!"
"You were the one to kill Mami Tomoe, if memory serves," the Rider said.
Nozomi snarled. "Don't you fucking put this on me. I paid for my sins, while you just kept redoing them over and over. Did you know about us? About our home? Did you have any idea what you were doing to us?"
"None whatsoever," the Rider said. "Never having died, how could I?"
"And I suppose it wouldn't have made a difference, would it? You would have done it anyway!"
"That's right," the Rider said. "Over and over until I got it right. Like you, I had someone I loved taken away from me, someone I was willing to fight for." Her icy demeanor cracked a little, a hint of anger and grief seeping into her voice. Her right hand squeezed into a fist. "And in the end, it was all for nothing. I lost her anyway. So don't talk to me about losing your happily ever after. At least you got to spend the time with the one you love. I didn't even get that."
At this, Nozomi smiled a grim smile. "Well then. Have I got a present for you.
She looked over to Mami, Kyoko, and Sayaka, all whom were still standing silently and staring. She then looked to the Rider, who was also watching and waiting.
"You want to see your beloved so badly? Well, today's your lucky day! Because I'm gonna send you right to her!"
She lifted her rod, and found that she no longer held her rod, but a sleek black pistol. This didn't surprise her. It felt right.
Taking aim at the Rider's head, she started to squeeze the trigger.
Suddenly the Rider's body jerked, and blood splattered out from her. But it wasn't from a bullet wound. Rather, she had suddenly found herself impaled by a large spear.
Kyoko's spear.
What?
Nozomi spun toward Kyoko, who not only still had her spear in her hand but seemed just as shocked as she was.
Moments later another spear erupted out of Kyoko's chest in a shower of blood.
"Take yourselves down!" someone shouted.
Nozomi stood frozen by fear and bewilderment. What the hell was going on now?
Sayaka ran past her, sword flashing. She brought it down, crossing blades with another sword, one that was held by another Sayaka, this one wearing an elegant blue gown and had on a blue and silver tiara.
"The fuck?" Nozomi found herself saying.
The two Sayakas clashed blades, slashing at one another, but it was quick contest. The Sayaka in a dress deftly disarmed the other, seized her sword out of the air, and slashed them both across the first Sayaka's neck like a large pair of scissors.
Sayaka's head went tumbling away as her body fell limply to the ground.
The other Sayaka stared down at her handiwork. "Okay," she said. "That was disturbing."
And then…it looked like another Kyoko, but it couldn't be! She was wearing a dazzling robe of many colors, mainly red, and her hair…her hair was on fire…came up to lay a hand on Sayaka's shoulder. "It wasn't you."
"I know, but that don't make it any less-" Then Sayaka's eyes widened. "Oh, what the-Candeloro! Do your job!"
Candeloro? Who?
Nozomi…
(No. This is Charlotte's business)
Charlotte turned to see Mami, her wife, her love, her everything, taking aim at the new Sayaka and Kyoko.
Then there was the sound of a gunshot, and Mami went stiff. Her Puella Magi uniform and weapon both disappeared, revealing a school uniform, and she slumped first to her knees, and then fell to the ground. Her golden eyes stared blankly out at nothing while blood pooled around her head.
"MAMI!" Charlotte screamed. She rushed toward her, praying that it wasn't true, that her love wasn't dead. "No!"
But before she could reach her wife's body, the murderer landed on the roof right next to it.
It was Mami.
Except, it…wasn't. Most of her looked the same, but her arms were gone, and in their place were a pair of yellow ribbons, ones that moved like they were alive, and they were curled around another musket.
Charlotte skidded to a stop. She stared.
"What?" she said in a small voice.
The new Mami looked down at the corpse of her other, and then up at Charlotte. Though the tears had been swallowed by the rain, her eyes were still visibly red from crying.
Then she dropped her musket and rushed forward to throw her ribbons around Charlotte, and Charlotte could do nothing as someone who was both her wife and her wife's murderer cried into her shoulder.
Charlotte looked around at the burning Kyoko and the princess Sayaka. "What the fuck is this?" she whispered.
The burning Kyoko stepped forward, the flames on her head still flaring bright despite the torrents of rain. "Sorry for the scare, Charlotte…or whatever you're calling yourself right now. But we're kind of caught in a nightmare right now, and it looks like we're gonna have to fight to wake up."
…
"I've made a space for the cheese slices."
=ahem=
Okay, quick explanation: this story started before the release of the Rebellion Story, which had its own version of Charlotte's human form. Obviously it was incompatible with I had already set up with my Charlotte, both in appearance and in terms of her relationship with Mami (good Lord), so as much as I loved the movie, I declared it to be separate from Resonance Days. Not gonna incorporate it.
However, I incorporate this much and say that due to the butterfly effect between a world with witches and a world without witches, my Charlotte really is Nagisa Momoe, but she was born a few years earlier and had a different father, hence the different first name, personality, and appearance. So, no icky Mami marrying a little girl here.
Clear?
Good.
Until next time, everyone!