Chapter 3
I'm Not Afraid of Anything Anymore
Inside the Mitakihara hospital, a boy somewhere around both Sora and Sayaka's age was sitting on a cot with a vase of flowers near him on the window sill, as the wind blew gently into his room. Outside, Sayaka took a deep breath and walked in with Sora at her side. This made the boy turn and face them when the familiar footsteps.
"Hi there," he said to them.
Sayaka smiled sympathetically at him, just as Sora stood off to one side.
"Oh, right. I'm really sorry for bringing another guy with me to see you, but this is my new friend, Sora. He agreed to come with me today so that I'd introduce him to you," she explained.
"It's nice to meet you, Sora. I'm Kyosuke Kamijou," Kyosuke said to Sora.
"Likewise, Kyosuke," Sora replied, but he saw that his other arm was wrapped in bandages which made him sad.
After sitting down, Sayaka searched through her schoolbag for the music album that she had bought at the music store a few days back.
"It's for you," she said, handing it to Kyosuke.
"Wow, thanks a lot for getting me this. You're like this amazing expert for finding rare cds." replied Kyosuke.
"Nah, I guess I'm just lucky is all," Sayaka chuckled sheepishly.
Sora did give a bit of a quiet chuckle as well, but he was still feeling somber about what he saw.
"These Alois interpretations are awesome. Here, wanna check 'em out?" he asked, handing Sayaka an earbud, as he put the disc into the music player.
"Oh, sure, if you don't mind," replied Sayaka, as she accepted it.
"I wish I could hook it up to a speaker and play it loud. The nurses would kill me though," said Kyosuke.
They soon listened to the music together, which made Sayaka feel at ease with him. She remembered the time when she went to his recitals and saw him playing the violin during her childhood, until she and Sora heard him sob.
"Kyosuke," Sora murmured quietly.
When Kyosuke heard his new friend's voice, he turned to face him, and saw the somber look in his eyes, as he wiped away the tears in his own eyes.
"I'm sorry, Sora. It's because of what happened before that my hand is pretty much useless now, after a freak accident compromised it. Now all I can do is just stay in this hospital, unable to play again. Unable to use it anymore," he explained.
"Looking at you now, I can tell that you're hurting, just as Sayaka does, Kyosuke," replied Sora, surprising him.
Kyosuke and Sayaka had never heard Sora talking about hurt before, but the bluette soon understood that he really was just like her, despite her 'believe in justice' attitude.
"Also, there's something you should know about me. I'm not really a citizen of Mitakihara or a denizen of this world like most of my other friends, but I still choose to fight for the people living in this city. However, I want to promise you one thing, as your new friend. No matter what happens, both Sayaka and I agree to help you continue the fight so that your hand can heal. She told me that after the car accident, she was saddened by the sight of the wreck, which not only damaged you physically, but damaged you both psychologically and emotionally. I know she'd want you to play violin again, no matter how many cds she gets you. It's because, I acknowledge you, Kyosuke Kamijou, and I know that Sayaka does as well. That's why time can heal almost any wound you've suffered," he explained.
Kyosuke gave him a quiet yet respectful smile.
"You know, it's pretty strange, but you really do remind me of Sayaka, Sora. But I'm afraid there's no point in me playing violin again," he said.
"That's true. You may not be able to play violin again, but the problem doesn't lie in your hand, it's right here, in your head," replied Sora, as he pointed towards Kyosuke's head with his finger near his forehead.
"Sora's right, Kyosuke. And believe me, I also understand him, just as I understand you. I'm also hoping that you'll heal as best you can, so that you can play the violin again, just like he told you. I know your hand can heal," agreed Sayaka.
Sometime later, after bidding Kyosuke goodbye, Team SKYYLAR and Mami clashed with the Heartless and the strange creatures that were inside another labyrinth, then eliminated them quickly, until the blonde unleashed her Tiro Finale on the creature.
"That's got 'em," smirked Yang.
"Whoa, you guys, you are so unbelievably cool," grinned Sayaka.
"Well, yeah, but it's also really risky," replied Ruby.
"I agree with Ruby. What we're doing is very dangerous. Don't forget that, okay?" added Mami.
Just then, Kyubey raced up to them, and clambered up into Mami's hand
"How come the grief seed didn't pop up this time?" Madoka asked.
"It wasn't a witch. It was a familiar acting without its master. They don't carry grief seeds," replied the catlike creature.
"Bummer may Horace," muttered Sora.
"Well, it's not like they'd drop any spoils like the witches do, seeing as they don't turn into grief seeds after we beat them. Still, I'm kind of wondering if we're still gonna fight with these Keyblades," said Kirito.
"We can't let familiars do what they want. If we did, they'd become just as dangerous as the witches they split off from," added Mami.
But then Sora remembered something from before, as he turned to the others.
"You guys, there's something I need to explain to all of you. Sayaka introduced me to a special friend of hers named Kyosuke Kamijou. He was a violinist, until a horrible accident from before crippled the nerves in his hand, rendering it completely inept. Also, I could tell by the way he was feeling, which made me think that he was hurting," he explained to them.
But then he shook his head and gained a serious expression.
"Let's move," Sora said to them.
But as they walked off down the street, Mami asked if Sayaka and Madoka had decided on their wishes, only to learn that they hadn't yet.
"That doesn't surprise me. It's hard to think when you're under pressure," she said.
"I know what you mean, Mami. I was always afraid of falling in love again, even when I discovered that Kirito wasn't my brother, and that my parents took him in and raised him as their own, after his biological parents didn't survive a car accident back in our world. But after meeting Sora, and seeing that he reminded me of him, all those feelings from before just suddenly came back, because of that, when we all went to ensure that the timeline was protected and preserved. Thankfully he did warn us not to make the mistake of creating a future that we'd never recognize, thanks to our meeting with someone called Doctor Emmet Brown, who created a time machine from a car and called it the Delorean," replied Leafa.
The others nodded in agreement, until Sora turned and gave Madoka a brief glance.
"Take whatever time you need, Madoka. It's not wise for you and Sayaka to rush things," he assured her.
"By the way, Mami. We were wondering if you could tell us what you wished for most of all, if you'll pardon our nosiness. But if you don't want to talk about it…" said Asuna.
"No, no. I'll tell you anyway. For me it was different," Mami replied as she stopped.
Then everyone began listening to her story of what happened to her before.
"I didn't have the luxury of thinking about it first. It's not that I regret my decision, I'm alive after all. And I think the life I have now is better than what I had. But if you have the chance to think hard about what you want most, you should take as much time as you need. That wasn't an option for me," she explained to them.
"Hey, Mami, if you make a wish does it have to be for yourself?" Sayaka asked.
Mami looked at her friend, confusion setting in on her features.
"Let's say that, and this is probably just an example, okay? Say that there's someone who was having a way worse time than I was. Would it be bad if I used my wish to help them out?" she inquired.
Sora gave her a bit of a brief glance, even as he folded his arms over his chest.
"Even though Kyubey can't contract with me and Kirito, I'm in agreement with Sayaka on this one. But like I said, be careful of what you wish for, you might just get it," he said.
"I trust Sora's judgment on this one. There's no rule that says you have to benefit from it. It wouldn't be the first time that's happened," added Kyubey.
"Actually, that might not be the best idea. If you use your wish to help someone else's, you should really think about what Sora just said before," countered Mami.
"She's right. Would you really do it for someone else's benefit, or would it be the opposite, which is their eternal gratitude?" added Kirito, surprising Madoka.
"The motive for the wish is for your own gratitude, you know?" she said in agreement with his question.
"As sad as it sounds, I'm afraid that it's also very true. Besides, that's the kind of reality you have to accept, no matter how much you don't want to. If you did wish for someone else to have a good life, all you'd get is nothing but unforeseen consequences," added Leafa.
"Please, Leafa. You don't need to be that harsh on Sayaka after what I told her," assured Mami.
Leafa nodded, then turned towards Sayaka and the others.
"I'm sorry," she said somberly.
But Sora gently walked up to the sylph and hugged her.
"Don't apologize, Leafa. But, both you and Mami made a very valid point. It's wrong to rush things without thinking about it carefully, because of the consequences that come from it," he said kindly to her.
"I guess you're right. Maybe I was being a little naive there," admitted Sayaka.
"I know what you mean, because you started to sound a bit like one of Sora's friends called Riku," replied Kirito.
"Riku?" Madoka asked curiously.
"A special friend of Sora's who nearly lost himself to darkness, after he became Maleficent's pawn, then became Xehanort's puppet so that he could kill him and everyone else in cold blood, because of a seeker of darkness called Ansem, even though his heartless was spawned from Terra after Xehanort took over him," explained Ruby.
"Yeah, but there was also someone else who was lost in that same darkness as he almost was. Adam Taurus. He was responsible for taking my arm and hurting a special friend of mine called Blake Belladonna. At first, I began to hate her for how she ran away after the Beacon Massacre, but she came back a much wiser huntress than before, and both Sora and I helped her defeat Adam in a great yet terrible battle that cost him his life. But in the end, I heard him asking Sora to honor his one request, which was to take better care of Blake than he did before. Before we reunited with Ruby and the others to continue our trek to Atlas, Sora asked me to also take care of Blake, so that I would honor that fallen warrior's request, and even Ruby and Weiss agreed to do the same after we told them what happened," added Yang.
"As for Maleficent, she's just as vile as any witch in this city, and will try and trick you into giving yourselves to darkness," finished Asuna.
Everyone else had to agree, but as they walked off, something inside Sora made him grasp at his head, and a tear rolled down his cheek as he saw Mami standing in a strange place and was now looking into the face of a massive worm that had glimmering fangs in its mouth, as it bore down on her. Then he heard a voice in his head, which materialized into someone he knew, but also hated, when he felt his hand being taken by the very person that killed Nehelenia, as he readied his Keyblade.
"Mami Tomoe… will be destroyed by her overconfidence," Sephiroth said within him.
The sound of his pained grunts made Mami rush back to him, but she saw his hand trembling and took hold of it.
"Sora, get it together. Come on," she said to him.
Sora did, but his eyes were now etched with pure hatred.
"You don't know who Sephiroth is, do you?" he asked.
"I've never even heard of Sephiroth, and neither have Madoka and Sayaka, but I want to know who he is," replied Mami.
"He's a bloodthirsty killer. That's why I hate him for how he killed someone called Nehelenia," explained Sora.
"No way," murmured Sayaka.
"Something tells me… I'd rather not come face to face with Sephiroth at all, because if I did, then I'd pretty much be truly helpless after seeing him with my own eyes," shuddered Madoka.
"Then it's time for me to tell you all something that you should never forget. I won't let any of you be lost or alone in the darkness," declared Sora.
"And neither will we," agreed Asuna, who stepped up next to him.
They soon set off for their homes, although Madoka had a bit of a clearer conscience on the matter, but after returning home, she was still unsure of what she wanted to wish for.
"Like I said, Madoka. It's better to give it time. Also, you shouldn't try and think of a wish that'd be considered completely immoral. But could protecting your friends and family be the price you'd pay for power?" he asked.
"Sora's right, Madoka. Do you really want power over everything else?" Kyubey asked as well.
"Oh no, I don't care about that. Although, maybe I do a little," replied Madoka.
"Well, don't focus on power as Vergil did before. That's what made him become power hungry. Still, you have talent, and even though you may have a hard time making decisions on your own, we want to be there for you, Madoka. Still, don't choose to be a magical girl who could surpass Mami in power. Instead, choose to be something that would make you be able to fight for family, even if there are risks to being a magical girl," explained Sora.
"That may be, Sora. But a lot of it depends on the wish that Madoka has to choose of her own free will. I'll explain it to you. I can't even begin to think of how big the soul gem would be. I've never met a girl with the enormous potential that she has," replied Kyubey.
"Oh, come on. You can't be this serious. You're joking, right?" Madoka giggled innocently.
But then she heard her father knocking on the door, and asked her to come down stairs. Sora followed after her, and saw Madoka's mother lying on the ground, in a drunken stupor.
"Oh no, not again," she said with mild annoyance in her voice.
"What's up with her?" Sora asked.
"My mother's gotten drunk again," sighed Madoka.
They helped her get some water, then carried her to bed so that she could sleep, but Madoka's mother was still ranting and raving in her drunken stupor.
"Thanks a lot. You wanna have some hot chocolate with me?" her father asked them.
"Okay, sure," replied Sora.
They soon sat down at the table with three cups of hot chocolate before them.
"Mr. Kaname, why is Mrs. Kaname working really hard every day?" he asked.
"Sora's wondering about whether or not she dreamt of working for that company, but I don't know why that's the case," explained Madoka.
"Hmm… It's not about her loving to work, she just likes doing her best. Sure, the hours are long and she's working under a lot of stress most of the time, but she loves the challenge she gets by overcoming it. To her, nothing beats that feeling of satisfaction," replied Tomohisa.
"It must be tough, working for someone she doesn't trust," sighed Sora.
"You see, working at that company may not have necessarily been her dream, but the way my wife's been working is actually kind of perfect for her. A person can achieve their dreams that way too, you know?" he explained.
"You mean the way she lives her life is her dream?" asked Madoka.
"I bet there's people out there who'd say it's not even that big a deal. But you know what, that's the thing I love about your mom. I respect the way she lives her life. I think she's amazing," replied her father.
"I guess you might be right, Mr. Kaname," admitted Sora.
"Come on, Sora. You can call us, Tomohisa and Junko, if you want to, but we're fine with you calling us Mr. and Mrs. Kaname, either way," assured Tomohisa.
"I'm with Dad on this one, Sora. Also, my brother Tatsuya took a bit of a liking to you and everyone else from Team SKYYLAR, which you call a group of people that help other people out against very dangerous people that want to hurt them," agreed his daughter.
But somewhere far away, in another part of Mitakihara, Kirito and Mami slowly stepped forward, but they were soon joined by several more people whose first letters in their names would have made them become new members of Team SKYYLAR. They were none other than Riku, Roxas, Aqua, and Axel, just as Mami changed her soul gem into a ring, when they reached the fountain. Behind them was Homura, who looked at them with a look of mild surprise, but she still had that serious look on her face.
"Don't you even care?" she asked sharply.
"What's it to you?" remarked Axel.
"You should know Mami's leading innocent people into danger, right?" quipped Homura.
'What are you talking about? Kyubey chose them. They're a part of this now," argued Mami.
"You're steering them into becoming magical girls," Homura argued back.
"And I guess you don't like that?" she asked coyly.
"No. Especially since Madoka Kaname's involved," remarked Homura.
"So you sense that they're in danger, just as Sora and his friends do. But they're different from Mami, because they won't let anything happen to them," said Riku.
"If that's what you believe, Riku, that's something you won't understand," Homura replied coldly.
"Simply amazing, Homura. You really think that all that fear in your heart is gonna make you try and stop Madoka from doing what she wants? Well, let me tell you something that'll probably make you see some sense. Nobody has the right to decide for other people. Got it memorized?" smirked Axel.
"Is that a threat, Axel!?" she snapped, as she clenched her fist.
"Everyone, stop. It's not wise to start a fight with each other, when the fate of this world is at stake," interjected Roxas.
"Roxas is right. It's best if we part ways for now," Mami said in agreement.
"Very good then. Until the next time we meet, I hope that we can come to some sort of understanding, when you tell us why you're feeling this way," replied Aqua.
But as they slowly left, Homura looked up at the sky, and begant feel something within her that made her sad, just as Riku turned back and looked at her. The next day, Sayaka arrived, to meet Madoka and Team SKYYLAR, and apologized for making them wait, because Kyosuke asked to be alone for a while. But as they were passing the hospital, Madoka noticed something that made her blood run cold. There, embedded on the post, was a grief seed, which began emanating an eerie darkness, which Kyubey realized was about to hatch and release the witch that was contained in it.
"What's a grief seed doing here?" Sora asked.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this," replied Madoka.
"Then we'd better alert Mami about this immediately. Some of us will stay behind to make sure that the witch's familiars don't bother messing with us," said Kirito.
"Kirito's right, guys. Madoka, I'd like you to take Sora with you and get Mami to come here. But make it fast, we don't have much time. The rest of us will stay here with Sayaka and protect her," agreed Asuna.
"But, Asuna!" protested Madoka.
"Are you crazy? We still have time before the witch hatches," agreed Kyubey.
"Which is why these guys are going to find her while we stay here and keep the familiars and Heartless busy. Even if we do get pulled into that labyrinth, Team SKYYLAR will most certainly choose to go down fighting, rather than die without fighting back. Sora told us about Kyosuke, and about how he's still hurting, about how he's unable to play violin. Besides, we're just as stubborn as Sora is, and once our hearts and minds are made up, there's no stopping us," replied Leafa.
"Leafa's right, Kyubey. I'll be fine with them, even with Kirito taking charge for now," agreed Sayaka.
"Okay, but please be careful," said Sora.
Then he turned to his friends.
"Madoka, let's go find Mami and tell her what's happening. Kirito, look after Sayaka and the others until we return, and make sure that nothing happens to her," he added.
"Will do, Sora. We'll be waiting for you even if we do get pulled into the labyrinth, but we'll still keep up the fight. Sayaka will do her best to cheer us on even with Kyubey beside her," replied Kirito.
"Yeah, you've seen how much ass we can kick, Sora, and Kyubey can help Mami find the quickest route to our location," agreed Yang.
But she gave him a gentle hug and kiss, and Ruby decided to do the same. One day soon, Leafa would get her chance to confess her feelings to Sora.
"Fly in the winds of adventure, Team SKYYLAR," he said to them.
"WHOOAH!" replied Sora's teammates.
With the matter settled, Sora and Madoka raced off to find Mami, while Kirito, Yang, Yui, Leafa, Asuna, and Ruby remained behind, with their weapons held at the ready, just as the grief seed's darkness swallowed them up. Once inside the labyrinth, Sayka saw how vigilant they were, even with their Keyblades and other weapons at their side.
"Are you scared, you guys?" Kyubey asked them.
"We are, but we're not alone, as long as we have each other," Sayaka replied.
"We'll be alright, Sayaka. After all, if the situation does get too intense, we'll still protect you, even if you choose to be a magical girl or not," assured Kirito.
"Thanks for your concern, Kirito, but I have to decide this on my own. I'll endure the consequences, even if I become a magical girl," she said .
Outside, Madoka, Sora, and Mami arrived at the hospital, then entered through the portal, where they saw the new labyrinth with polka dots all over. Quickly she asked Kyubey to give her a status update, and the catlike creature assured her that they were alright, while the witch was still in the process of hatching. Madoka was relieved to hear that Sayaka was alright, because of Team SKYYLAR, so she assured her that they'd be on their way, but to proceed with caution so as not to disturb the grief seed's slumber. They entered the portal, but Sora clutched at his head once they were inside the labyrinth.
"What's wrong, Sora?" Madoka asked worriedly, as she took his hand.
"It's nothing, Madoka. I'm just worried about Sayaka and the others," he assured her.
He then composed himself.
"Let's keep moving," Sora said to them.
"Thank goodness we made it," sighed Madoka as they walked together.
"I'm a bit surprised that you have wonderful friends, Sora. But at the same time, I'm actually happy that they're staying at Sayaka's side. That witch may be very dangerous," replied Mami, but she trailed off when she saw the familiar silhouette of Homura Akemi approaching them, flanked by Sora's other friends.
"Sorry for showing up. Homura said that she needed to warn you," Axel said.
"Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to see her again?" Mami asked sharply.
"Like it or not, I'm hunting this prey. You should leave immediately," remarked Homura.
"Now is not the time to start infighting or arguing, guys. Sayaka and the others are in grave danger, and if we don't help them, I won't forgive myself if they do get killed. I had something called a premonition, thanks to some intensive spiritual training from a shrine maiden called Rei Hino, who's Sailor Guardian Identity, Sailor Mars, the Sailor Guardian of Fire and Passion, representing the world that's named in honor of the Roman God of War, Mars. It showed me that something terrible may happen to someone I cherish, once we confront that witch. And I can't let that happen at all, Homura," interjected Sora.
Then to Mami's surprise, he saw him bow down to her, as he dropped to his hands and knees.
"Please," he added firmly.
Homura was about to protest against this, but she slowly relented, and stepped down.
"Alright, but promise me that you'll make sure Madoka comes out of this alive. I'll agree to help for now, but after that witch is defeated, this alliance is over," she said.
Sora slowly stood up, and looked into Homura's eyes, which made her see that they were just as strong and gentle as Madoka's eyes, then they shook hands with each other.
"Thank you, Homura," he said, and gave her a grin.
He turned slowly ahead of them.
"Let's go take out this witch," Sora added, and they all marched off.
Madoka seemed a bit surprised by how Homura agreed to help them out, but she slowly went up next to Sora, just as the two familiars that squeaked like bats scuttled away. With Kyubey's guidance, and Mami navigating them through the labyrinth, they continued their search for their friends, even though Homura was still skeptical about what Mami was planning.
"Hey, Sora, I…" Madoka tried to say.
Taking hold of her hand, Sora gently wrapped her fingers around Madoka's and looked calmly into her eyes.
"I've been thinking really hard about all the different wishes I could make," she explained.
"Okay, so what is it that you'd wish for, even without Kyubey's guidance?" Sora asked her.
"Well, I feel like it'll sound stupid and make Mami angry at me," answered Madoka.
This made Sora stop, and turn to face her.
"No big deal. I know you've got plenty of talent, and are really great at drawing as well. And there are three reasons why that's the case. 1: You really do care about the people you cherish with all your heart, which includes your mother, father, brother, and all the friends you've made at Mitakihara Middle School. 2: Even though Homura's thinking may seem a bit odd at most, I get the feeling that she does care a lot about you, and doesn't want you to get into a serious scrape that could put you in mortal jeopardy. And 3: Whether you choose to be a Magical Girl or not, is entirely up to you. After all, there's no such thing as hopelessness in this world, or any other world or dimension. That's something that I choose to believe in, even though I'm not Magical Girl material, but still have the power to fight as a Keyblade Master. I know that you're afraid of how your life may end up just being that you're gonna stay a regular girl, but I can sense a powerful light in your heart that could never be extinguished in the darkness," explained Sora.
Although Homura was surprised to hear that, she was still adamant in her belief of what she didn't want Madoka to do, but something made her think that Sora seemed to remind her of Madoka, once they arrived at another door.
"But only after we met Mami, you all showed me how I should stand up for people and really help them. And then, when I found out that I might be able to do the same thing, I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. And that's my wish, 'cause if I were to be just like you Sora, that'd be a dream come true for me. I might not be good at anything, but if I can help people out as you do, then I could be proud of the way I live, that's the best thing I could wish for," she said, which shocked Homura, even as she maintained her silence.
"Yeah, and I'll be there with you, Madoka. And we can protect each other so that we don't get hurt, or worse. Sometimes I like playing the hero, but there are times when I don't like it, and that means I don't get to spend time with my friends, or with my mother back home," replied Sora.
But then he turned towards Mami who was amazed by how Sora spoke to Madoka.
"And I respect you, Mami Tomoe. Your courage and valor have made you someone that Madoka and I trust wholeheartedly," he added.
"I don't deserve it. You need to find a better role model," Mami replied sadly.
"I'm serious, Mami. You're a great friend, and a truly powerful magical girl who fights for the light. After all, an old friend of mine once said that you are not alone. Nobody deserves to be alone," countered Sora.
Then he wrapped his arms around Mami.
"Even though being a hero may seem fun, there are times when it's not. You have every right to be with someone, so that you can let out all that sadness that's in your heart when you let yourself go and cry for as long as you need to," he assured her.
Mami nodded slowly, then wrapped her arms around Sora and hugged him tightly. For the first time in her life, Madoka had never met someone who could be sympathetic towards someone she considered to be a truly great friend, as she heard Mami's sobs echoing throughout the labyrinth, while Homura slowly turned away and left them alone, but then she felt something inside her that made her shed a tear, as she began to think back at what happened before.
"Sora, I'll leave their safety in your hands," she said quietly, and rushed away.
After calming down after letting out all her shame at being alone for a long time, Mami stepped back and took hold of Sora's hands.
"Thank you, Sora. Even though you and your friends aren't Magical Girls, you've taught me something important that I won't forget. We're all bound by a chain of light," she said.
Sora nodded proudly at her.
"Relember. Persistence reveals the path. That's what you'd call the strength of a Warrior of Light," he replied.
"Yeah, you're right. And I may need some more time to think about my true wish," agreed Madoka.
"Maybe, but sometimes we have to turn a crisis into a golden opportunity. Whatever you wish for is most certainly in your hands," said Sora.
"Yeah, I know," replied the pinkette.
"Then let's make a deal, Madoka and Mami. If we do defeat this witch together, let's get a pizza of any kind, but make sure that there are no olives on it," suggested Sora.
"Wait, pizza?" questioned Madoka.
"Yep. Consider it my treat to all of you, after we beat this witch. Besides, I have a feeling this'll be one hell of a party! And maybe, with a bit of time and patience, you can truly be at ease with what you truly desire most of all," he grinned.
But as they continued onwards, Kyubey warned them that the grief seed was hatching, with Mami agreeing, as she let him know that Sora would be offering them pizza after that.
"Let's roll out!" cried Sora.
Nodding towards him, Mami soon transformed into her magical girl form, and they jumped down to engage the familiars, with Sora cutting them down before they had a chance to react, while Mami engaged the others that tried to swarm her. Their teamwork was both solid and fluid, but Mami felt that a great heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders, and was happy to have people like Madoka and Sora at her side, as she knew that she was never truly alone, or afraid of what would come next. At last they entered the heart of the labyrinth, and saw Sayaka with the remaining members of Team SKYYLAR and Kyubey.
"Sorry about the wait," they said.
"Well, I'm glad you guys are here," replied Sayaka.
"Be careful. It's coming," warned Kyubey.
And he was right, because out popped a witch that looked cute, but was still a creature of darkness.
"Yui, analyze this witch, but make it quick," Sora said to Kirito and Asuna's daughter.
"This witch is called Charlotte, the Dessert Witch," replied Yui.
Then she turned to Mami.
"Be careful, she's very tenacious," she warned.
Nodding towards her, Mami jumped out and attacked.
"Sorry for the interruption, but this won't take long," the blonde magical girl said as she struck her with the butt of her rifle, which she treated like a club.
This sent Charlotte flying, until she endured several shots that were fired at her. After that, Mami headshot the witch at point blank range, until she rose up and was at just the right point for her to finish it off, as Madoka and Sayaka cheered for her, but Sora was skeptical at most, as she saw Mami change her rifle into a cannon.
"Wait for Charlotte to transform, guys. Then we'll jump in and help Mami," he said quietly.
Nodding towards him, Team SKYYLAR stood waiting, as Mami prepared to use her ultimate attack.
"TIRO FINALE!" she cried.
The shot surged towards Charlotte, then pierced through her, as she felt the ribbons wrap around her. Suddenly, Mami looked up in shock to see that it had another form.
"NOW!" shouted Sora, and both he and Team SKYYLAR rushed to the rescue, while Yui stayed with Madoka and Sayaka who were shocked by what they saw.
Just as Sora pushed Mami out of the way, as Charlotte bore her fangs down upon her, Yang jumped into her maw, and readied her right gauntlet.
"I HOPE YOU'RE HUNGRY!" she yelled through gritted teeth, as she unleashed a deadly barrage of cannon fire from her right gauntlet.
Reeling in pain, Charlotte recoiled in surprise, as she spat Yang out, who landed in a crouch.
"GO, TRIPLE SWORD SKILLS!" Sora called to Kirito, Asuna and Leafa, after he and Mami stood up.
"Go get her, Team SKYYLAR!" cheered Sayaka.
'WIth pleasure, Sayaka!" replied Ruby, who stood with her Crescent Rose MK II at the ready, just as the three VRMMO players struck at Charlotte with their Keyblades.
"Burning Barrage!" cried Sora, even as held Mami at her side.
Yang nodded, then began punching and kicking Charlotte with all she had, while Mami slowly recovered.
"But how did you know?" Mami asked as the battle continued.
"Like I told Homura, I had a premonition of someone dying by the fangs of that witch, and that someone was you, Mami. That's why I made a difference before, when I saved Weiss Schnee from being killed by Cinder, and I've done the same thing by saving you," he explained.
Surprised but relieved that Sora was different from the other boys, Mami held him close to her side, and leaned her head against his shoulder, even as he held the Keyblade in his right hand.
"Thank you," she whispered into his ear.
"Even though I left you alone, I refuse to let you take all the glory for yourself," came Homura's voice when she arrived.
"Hey, we appreciate it, Homura. Even though Mami doesn't," replied Yang, who quickly jumped back, so that Ruby would fire more sniper rounds at Charlotte.
"Oh, come on, Yang. I'm not that heartless," quipped Mami.
The distraction seemed to work perfectly, as Charlotte came rushing towards Ruby, her fangs glistening like white diamonds, as her mouth watered for fresh prey.
"Hey, Charlotte, how about you show me your pearly whites?" taunted Sora, as he waved at the witch.
Distracted by Sora's taunt, Charlotte charged at him, only for Kirito to lunge at her, just as he and Mami jumped back.
"STARBURST STREAM!" he screamed, and unleashed a deadly combo of sixteen sword slashes upon the gigantic slug.
"Time to finish off this very hungry caterpillar, guys!" called Yang, as she gained a smirk.
"Then let's kick into overdrive, Homura, Mami, and Team SKYYLAR!" replied Sora.
"It's like you said, Sora. 'Let's fly on the winds of adventure!'" cried Mami.
(All right, now that Mami's survived thanks to Sora's brave yet daring intervention, it's time to play Where Will We Go From Here, by Hardline, for Homura, Mami, and Team SKYYLAR vs Charlotte, so sit back and enjoy the lyrics, and imagine how this fight will go down, as I throw in the lyrics to this song, while Madoka and Sayaka watch from the sidelines in awe)
"[Verse 1]
Here we stand, united we go
We have our rules to make us grow
No one will deny what we keep in our hearts
No one will take away what we reap and then we sow
[Pre-Chorus]
Feeding the fire will keep ourselves alive
Chasing the wind in our sails
[Chorus]
Where will we go, where will we go from here?
We are alive no matter what the cost, oh
Where are we now, we've walked a thousand miles so far
We always rise again and never get lost
Where will we go from here?
[Verse 2]
Here we are, blood thick as stone
We have our dreams to chase our goal, oh
Nothing will ever change, we can keep it all within
Nothing will be forever when you push it all aside
[Pre-Chorus]
Feeding the fire will keep ourselves alive
Chasing the wind in our sails
[Chorus]
Where will we go, where will we go from here?
We are alive no matter what the cost, oh
Where are we now, we've walked a thousand miles so far
We always rise again and never get lost
Where will we go from here?
(Guitar Solo begins, as Sora and Kirito assume their Saiyan Soul Drive forms, then merge together to form Sorito with the fusion dance, and proceed to draw the witch's attention for as long as possible)
[Bridge]
The wind in my hair I'm searching for
The place I knew I felt it more
Well I'm searching to find the peace of mind
Well I'll take the chance and never look behind
No!
[Chorus]
Where will we go, where will we go from here?
We are alive no matter what the cost, oh
Where are we now, we've walked a thousand miles so far
We always rise again and never get lost
[Outro]
Where will we go, where will we go from here?
We are alive no matter what the cost, yeah!
Where are we now, we've walked a thousand miles so far
We always rise again and never get lost
Where will we go from here?
Where will we go?
Sorito: PROMINENCE KAMEHAMEHA!"
(And the song ends with Charlotte being destroyed by the massive energy beam that surges into her mouth, and out the other side, reducing her to nothing but a grief seed, Sorito diffuses into Sora and Kirito just in time after the battle)
"We did it!" cheered Sora.
"Way to go, you guys!" called Madoka, as she ran up to him and hugged him.
A faint smile formed on Homura's lips, as she looked at Madoka, as the labyrinth faded away.
"Thank you, Madoka. But please be careful of how you live your life," she replied quietly, as a tear rolled down her cheek, while Mami picked up the grief seed, but passed it to her.
"You know, as much as I hate to admit it, I think Homura's cool now," admitted Sayaka.
"Yeah, same here, Sayaka," agreed her best friend, after she pulled away from Sora.
"Well, anyway. You should hold on to that grief seed, Homura. If there's ever another witch in town that's causing trouble, we'll take care of it," Sora said to Homura.
"I appreciate your sentiment, Sora. but remember, if either Sayaka or Madoka were to touch it, they'd be destroyed by its darkness if it became too unstable," replied Homura, and she slowly walked away.
"Wait a minute, you're letting Homura keep it?" questioned Sayaka.
"As Kirito once said after our clash with Gertrud, 'to the victor go the spoils of war.' Homura's earned both my trust and respect, even if Mami hasn't yet. She deserves to hold on to it for now," he replied.
"In medieval times, a king's orders were absolute. That's why letting Homura hold onto the grief seed is better than me keeping it, but I am happy to still be alive to teach you, regardless of what happened before," added Mami.
"I guess, but we still have no idea as to why Homura's always acting so cold and condescending towards us, even though she earned Sora's trust and respect," said Kirito.
"It's best if we don't bother prying about it too much, Kirito. Besides, too much stress could cause a darker version of ourselves to pop up, or worse, destroy us, just as it almost destroyed Mami, had I not saved her from Charlotte's fangs. Still, it doesn't matter anymore, but the decision of whether or not being a magical girl is a good idea still remains in both Madoka and Sayaka's hands," explained Sora.
Suddenly, his gummi phone rang, which made Sayaka surprised that he was carrying a mobile device.
"Sora, it's Kenton. Akeno just reported a massive power spike in another dimension. Are you okay?" Kiba's voice said to him.
"Yeah, we're fine, Kiba. We had to take care of a much more dangerous witch called Charlotte. And as a bit of good news, I was able to save Mami Tomoe's life, so that she wouldn't get eaten whole," replied Sora, who spoke from the other end.
Sighing with relief, Mami could sense that Sora really did seem very different from other people, because of how much he cared about them, and that he refused to let them live alone in the world.
"Pretty riveting, Sora. But, You may want to be careful, because Akko would probably be judged as dangerous if she admitted she was a witch," warned Yohko.
"Who's Akko?" asked Mami.
"Another friend of ours from a school where many girls around her age train in the magical arts, but they're different from the witches of your world, because they want to use their powers for good, like the magical girls of this world. Also, her real name is Atsuko Karagi,but she's not a monster like Charlotte or Gertrud were," explained Asuna.
"Alright, make sure you guys keep me posted. Oh, and if things start to go south in a big way, we'd be fine with one of you joining us on the hunt for any new witches that are trying to hurt the people," Sora said to them.
"Copy that, Sora. And may your heart be your guiding key," replied Berthier.
"May your heart be your guiding key as well, Berthier," smiled Sora, and clicked the transmitter off.
He then turned to the others, and rested his hands behind his head, the wind blowing through his spiked bangs.
"Now, let's go and get that pizza I promise all of you guys, but no olives," he said to them.
"Sounds good to me, Sora," replied Sayaka.
"Yeah, same here," agreed Madoka.
But from that day onwards, they knew that if a magical girl were to be destroyed by a witch, they would surely have to remember the consequences of any and all tragedies that would surely follow after that, although Sora would not allow any of his new friends to die, no matter how many risks he and his friends had to make to win against the darkness. But none of them knew that Sephiroth and Kurai were watching from above on the roof.
"It seems that Charlotte was unable to dispose of the foolish Mami Tomoe, Sephiroth," he said to him.
But the One-Winged Angel just chuckled casually towards him.
"Have patience, Kurai. In time, we'll have a new magical girl that will be so consumed with despair, that she'll unleash her darkness upon this world, after she admits her foolishness. All we need to do, is wait for Kyubey to have the girl with blue hair agree to accept his offer, so that she can sign his contract in her own blood, after she makes her wish to see that the boy she cherishes is fully healed," assured Sephiroth, and they slowly walked off, leaving them behind.