Chapter 6: Crash Testing

I do not own PMMM or Magia Record. PMMM is own by AniplexNA. Magia Record is owned by f4Samurai


One week later

"Hiya!"

"Hey watch it!"

"Sorry Rena, I'll stay on my side."

"Ahh, there's so many of them!"

"Are you useless too?"

"Hey can you be quiet for one second, I'm trying to focus!"

A quartet of girls plowed into a swarm of familiars, magic bolts flying in all directions.

Momoko swung her broadsword at the familiars, trying to force the familiars back. Rena, a blue haired friend Momoko had met at a idol concert, was jabbing at her own familiar but with little effect. Karin was using her scythe to little effect against the familiars as well. In fact, the only person actually doing damage was Hanna, her staff shooting magic bolts from behind the trio.

"Would it hurt for you to actually hit them?" Rena spat back at Hanna.

"Can you actually get them to stand still?" Hanna shot back.

"Guys?" Momoko spared a glance back at the bickering girls.

"Where's my back up!" Karin shouted as she swung her scythe in pointless circles.

Their bickering was interrupted by a trio of explosions. The group turned around to see a blonde musketeer arriving on the scene. Whipping both muskets around her, she pointed at the familiars and opened fire.

"Get down and keep fighting!" Mami spurred the group on.


"What do you think?"

Homura put down her binoculars to look back to the trio.

"They're definitely new. They have no sense of teamwork, coordination, or roles."

Yachiyo nodded, "I thought as much."

"Momoko seems the most leader like of them. But Rena and Hanna are at each other's ears and Karin doesn't have any special awareness. Mami has lots of potential, but also needs work learning how to work in a team." Mifuyu commented.

Homura nodded, they reminded her of when she was a new girl and Mami was mentoring her and Madoka. How lucky she had been to have a mentor like Mami to teach her. And now, they were going to teach Mami. How ironic really.

"So," Yachiyo asked, "who gets who?"

Kanae pointed at the blonde. "I'll work with Momoko. Teach her some frontline skills and how to be the vanguard."

"Rena's ability to shapeshift definitely has potential. I wonder if it's just shapeshifting and if she can take it even further." Mifuyu commented, "I'll see if I can nurture that."

Yachiyo smiled softly. "Karin's ability is definitely interesting, but only if she knows how to use the weapons she steals. She needs to learn how to fight a variety of styles and combat techniques. I'll try teaching some fighting sense into her."

Homura nodded, "Guess that leaves me with Hanna."

"Wonder if she can stop time if she tries." Yachiyo joked.

Homura glared, but then thought had occurred to her. Could Hanna actually copy her magic? What if she could travel back in time with that? The idea terrified her.

"So, should we go bail those girls?" Mifuyu asked.

Yachiyo smiled, "just like old times?"

Kanae gave a raised brow. Mifuyu chuckled. Homura sighed before pulling out a pair of eagles.


Karin ducked, rolled, and stumbled as another halberd struck her ankle. "Oww…" she groaned in pain as she willed her magic to attempt to reduce the pain. "Why do you always go for the legs?"

Yachiyo summoned a second halberd into her hands. "It doesn't matter how much magic you have if your legs are broken."

Karin glared, "Also, why am I using this?" she hefted her own copy of Yachiyo's halberd. "My scythe should work just fine."

Yachiyo sighed. "You have the literal power to steal any weapon within a dozen meters of you and use it. However, just because you can steal the weapon doesn't mean you can fight with it."

"Yeah, well can't I just steal the weapon and then use my scythe?" The purplette protested.

Yachiyo shrugged. "Your scythe is dangerous weapon, but like any other weapon, it has a set reach, style, and weight. Your scythe is a situational weapon. On the other side, my halberd is much longer than your scythe and stabs rather than slashes. See how that could be useful?"

Karin groaned, "I see. So I need to learn how to use your halberd as well as my scythe."

"Why stop there? Learn to use Momoko's sword, Mami's muskets, or Hanna's staff. Try to steal familiar weapons and play around with them. You never know what type of weapon you'll need for a certain situation."

Karin thought for a moment. "I see. And what are we going to do then?"

Yachiyo smiled darkly, "You and I, are going to keep dueling until you learn to not get hit." To emphasize her point, a dozen halberds began to materialize around her.

Karin gulped as she picked up her own halberd and took her place. Whoever taught Yachiyo that spamming death spears from above and aimed for the legs needed a serious talking to.


If there was a word to describe Hanna, it would be…awkward. Or at least that's what Homura thought. The two of them sat awkwardly across from each other as Homura tried to figure out what to say.

"So…" Homura started.

"You were going to help me with my magic?" Hanna deadpanned.

"Right." Homura corrected, "so you can copy personal magics. We're going to see how many unique and different styles you can incorporate into your style."

"Right." Hanna nodded, looking over the black haired girl. "So…what's yours?"

Homura squirmed. "Well, we're not touching mine right now."

Hanna raised a brow. "Really?"

"Yeah, we're just going to experiment with your combat awareness and flexibility."

Hanna shrugged, "Ok?"

"First we're going to start with aggressive magic." Homura gestures to the third member of the team.

Mami fidgeted awkwardly. "Hi Hanna…"

Hanna didn't even bother responding. She transformed and then her body glowed faintly. "Right, copied."

"Already?" Mami asked in surprise.

Hanna frowned as a red ribbon came from her back and into her arm. "Huh, ribbon magic."

Homura gestured. "Mami will be giving you a rundown of her magic and you'll practice against each other."

"And how does this help me?" Mami asked in return.

Homura glared at her. "You get to practice fighting a mirror clone of yourself. Together you'll learn both the strengths and weaknesses of your magic. Fighting yourself is a great way to find that."

Mami sighed, "Right then, let me show you how to make the muskets."

It was an hour later before Hanna got a hang of it. Homura raised her hand. "We'll call it a day for now. But we'll keep working on ways to better improve your ability to pick up and learn magics."

Hanna nodded, "Ok, see you later."

Mami panted. "Is she always like that Homura-sensei?"

Homura shrugged, "I guess we'll find out in time."


Hanna hopped her way down from the rooftop before glancing both directions. "Right then, time to try this new magic."

She hadn't meant to copy the black haired girl's magic. It just was too good of an opportunity to figure out the Enforcer of the West's secrets. She focused her magic before opening her eyes. The world had literally frozen. Hanna gazed around her in shock and surprise. "T-time stopping?"


Note:

For those who are wondering. Yes, Hanna can manipulate Homura's time magic, but to a limited degree. She obviously doesn't have the shield so her ability to affect magic is limited.