Chapter 2: Magical girls and a Kamen Rider

Last time:
"I didn't think I'd see you here, Tsukasa."
"Help me. Karen, please help me."
"I want you to make contracts with me so that you can become magical girls."

"My name is Mami Tomoe. I'm a 9th grader at the school. A while back, I made a contract with Kyubey and became a magical girl."

The group was now seated in Mami's home. Tsukasa was there mostly out of his suspicion of Kyubey, his curiosity for magical girls, and Karen's insistence for him to be with them in case something else went array, though it did confuse the rest of them.

Mami had given them cakes and tea as refreshments.
"Now that Kyubey had chosen the three of you," Mami said, "I think it's best that I explain what magical girls are."
She opens the palm of her hand and summons the strange object once more.
"This is a soul gem," Mami said, "the source of all magical girls powers. We get them when we make a contract with Kyubey. "

"What is this contract anyways?" Tsukasa commented.
"Kyubey can grant any wish, " Mami said, "in exchange for it, we become magical girls to fight witches. That place you were in a while ago was a witch's labyrinth and what I fought were her familiars. "

"I see," Tsukasa said, "Well I get the gist of it. I think it's time for me to leave."
"Eh, Tsukasa, " Karen said, "Wait, what do you mean?"
"This doesn't involve me," Tsukasa said.
"But it does, " Karen said.
"How?" Tsukasa asked, "This world doesn't need people like me."

Karen held her tongue as she tried to form the words.
"I don't know, " She finally admitted, "but I have this feeling that they can't do it without you."

Tsukasa and Karen stare at each other for a few moments, while the girls try to make sense of their argument.

After a while, Tsukasa says, "Don't stay late out. You still have school tomorrow. I promise not to spread the word about you guys around."
Tsukasa then leaves the girls alone, leaving a slight tension in the room.

"Well," Sayaka said after a while, "That was tense. Now can you tell me what's going on?"

Karen simply muttered, "You'll never understand. But he's still a hero after all."

"Huh," Sayaka complained, "What the hell did you say? "

"Nothing important," Karen said, "Madoka, we should go, it's getting late."
"Karen," Madoka said, "Why should we go now, don't you to learn more about magical girls?"
"It doesn't matter to me anyways, " Karen said, "I can't become a magical girl."

"Huh, " Sayaka said, "Don't you want to become one? "
"I just can't, " Karen said, "Even if I want to, I can't. "

"Well, " Mami said, "It is a big decision anyways. After all, Kyubey can grant one wish. I have an idea. I'll take you three on a witch hunting trip tomorrow, maybe that will help you decide. "

Unknown to the girls, Kyubey had already left them to follow Tsukasa. Why you may wonder? He just wanted to confirm something that he heard.

Tsukasa got back at the Hikari Studios when the clock had just struck midnight. There was a lot of action that he had seen today, and even took him a while to make sense of it.
Which brings the question why Karen wanted him to stay with them.

"Tsukasa-kun? " Natsumi asked, "Where have you been all day?"
"Let's just say that a lot has happened, Natsumikan." Tsukasa replied.

"I wouldn't say that." A voice said.

He scans the room to find Kyubey. "Kyubey? " Tsukasa said.
Natsumi sees the cat-like creature. "What is that? Is that a stuffed animal or something? "
"Stuffed animal?" Kyubey said, "Not like I heard that before. But I have to request something from you."
"Oh, and what is that?" Tsukasa said.
"I ask you to not interfere, Decade. " Kyubey said.

"I'm surprised that you even know that name," Tsukasa said, "Did Narutaki tell you that? "
"Does it matter?" Kyubey said, "Anyways, I'd appreciate if you don't destroy this world, we have yet to fill our quota."
"Quota?" Tsukasa said, "What the hell are you talking about? Is there more to this contract that you're telling?"
"Most of it is irrelevant, " Kyubey simply replied, "We never understood the concept of human curiosity. Why must they know anyways?"
"Because some people would like to know what they're getting in to." Tsukasa said.
"Just stay out of our way, Decade." Kyubey said.

He goes out through the window.

Natsumi asks, "What was that about?"
"In this world, " Tsukasa said, "Instead of Kamen Riders, magical girls protect the world from witches. Kyubey, the cat thing you just saw, gives those girls magical powers in exchange for wishes."
"Why does that sounds like something out of a manga?" Natsumi commented. "But what does this have to with you?"

Tsukasa then remembers Karen's words from earlier and decides silently to stick around. Something about Kyubey's words was bothering him. Quota? What the hell did he mean by that?

The Next Day

The day went as normal as it did like any other day, but it was clear that Madoka, Sayaka, and Karen were a bit distracted by something. Tsukasa seemed to be the only one other than three girls to be aware of Kyubey being present in the room. During lunch, however, was a bit unsettling scene.

He had observed that Madoka, Sayaka, and Karen had went up to the roof. Their other friend, Hitomi was out today due to an important family affair.

Madoka, Sayaka and Karen were in a deep conversation, most of it was wondering what exactly to wish for.
"Just this whole deciding what to wish for thing just made me realize something, " Sayaka said.
"What is it?" Madoka asked.
"We're ignorant fools," Sayaka said.
Karen and Madoka look at her in confusion.

"I mean," Sayaka said, "We're happy with everything and everyone in our lives. Then comes along this one wish that can change everything and we don't know what to change. I didn't think I'd have a chance to make a miracle."
"I think see what you mean," Karen said, "but I don't necessarily see it as a bad thing, which is one of the few reasons why I can't become a magical girl. I don't want to waste such a big wish. Maybe we could ask Mami what we should wish for."

"I advise you that you should not do that." A voice said.
They look up to find Homura approaching them.

"Homura-chan?" Madoka said.
Karen takes out her pen and prepares to try to fight of Homura incase Homura attacked them.

"Don't worry," Mami's voice said, "I'm close by." Madoka, Sayaka, and Karen look in the direction where Mami's message hinted where she would be. Sure enough, there she was.

They've already had started to get used to the telepathy, which had allowed them to communicate with each other, though they did swore to each other that they wouldn't use it to cheat on tests.

"I don't know if I should follow someone's advice when they attacked us yesterday," Karen said.
"Sorry about that," Homura said, "I was actually attacking Kyubey. "
"Eh," Madoka said, "Why did you?"
"That creature, " Homura said, "I cannot forgive for what he has done. I advice you to not get involved with witches or with magical girls."
"What is it?" Karen asked, "What exactly has he done? "
She doesn't say, but it worries Karen more.
"Just don't get involved, " Homura said, "especially you, Karen."

She then leaves. The rest of the day left Karen wondering what she meant.
Ever since last night, she's been getting impressions that something like this has happened before.

This was the second time she told her not to get involved. Did she meet Homura in another world and screwed some major plan or something? Karen hated how the answer was on the tip of her tongue, but can never seem to remember it.

Soon school was over and the girls meet Mami with Kyubey after school, like they had promised the previous night. Tsukasa follows them closely, but was far enough so that they wouldn't notice. He just had a really bad feeling about the whole ordeal.

He observes that Mami had summoned her soul gem and the girls start moving into a suburb that was mostly under construction. They eventually stop at a tall building, just as a lady was about to jump off.

Mami catches her just in time, and sets her down gently on the ground. She points to a strange mark on her neck and explains something to the other girls as a strange portal opens up behind them. They go inside and Tsukasa quickly follows them.

He was soon in the same environment as the day before and soon sees that Mami had already transformed into her magical girl form and was leading them somewhere.
From what he could recall, Mami had called this kind of world a witch's barrier in the previous night. He could guess that she was headed towards the center to destroy the witch.

The witches familiars became more and more numerous as time passed, he figured that they were getting close to the witch.

He follows the girls they enter inside a room where he assumed was the witch. It was was tree-like in a sense. It's body was covered in what he hoped was grass and flowers. It had wings entirely made out of flowers and its hair covered its whole head like the branches of a weeping willow and was the color of moss.

Tsukasa took out his Decadriver just in case anything goes array, he did not like the look of her familiars and there was no way Mami couldn't protect the girls and fight the witch due to its massive size.

"Well Mami," Tsukasa thought, "I hope you know what you're doing."
However he spoke a moment to soon.
"Mami!" Madoka cried out. He looks in their direction, the girls were being cornered by some of the familiars. Karen tried to fight, but was thrown onto the floor.
He takes out his Ride Booker and shoots the familiars, good thing his shots connected.
He reveals himself to them.
"Mr. Kayoda?" Madoka and Sayaka said.
"Tsukasa," Karen said, "Well thank goodness you're here."
"What are you doing here?" Mami managed to say as she fought the witch, "It's dangerous to be in here."
He ignores Mami and goes to Karen side, "Are you alright? "
"Yeah," Karen managed to reply, "but my sword somehow just went right through them."
"Mr. Kayoda," Mami said, "Please get them out of here."
"That's impossible to do right now." Tsukasa said, "There is obviously no way to know if we're going the right way, but that doesn't mean I can't help you fight."

He puts on his Decadriver and takes out his transformation card.
"Mr. Kayoda?" Madoka said, "What kind of hero are you?"
"I'm just a passing through Kamen Rider, remember that, " Tsukasa said.

"Henshin!"
Kamen Ride: Decade

All the girls except Karen were caught off guard by his transformation. Mami manages to get shake off the surprise and turn her attention back to witch while Tsukasa handled the surrounding familiars and simultaneously gave back up to Mami.

"Whoa!," Sayaka said. "Ok, Karen, what is seriously going on?"
"Tsukasa is a Kamen Rider," Karen said, "Kamen Rider Decade to be exact."

"Decade? Meaning is there more than one?" Madoka asked.

Karen nods. "He travels between worlds. I've met him in the past."
"But what is a Kamen Rider anyways," Sayaka asked.
"They are heroes that monsters as well," Karen replied, "but not like these as far as I know."

"Let's change this up a bit," Tsukasa thought.

"Henshin!"
Kamen Ride: Kabuto

"He changed again!" Madoka explained.

Attack Ride: Clock Up

Tsukasa went at the speed of light destroying the rest of the familiars.

"Mami!" Tsukasa called out, "Finish the witch off!"

"Right!" Mami said realizing that she too was paying more attention to Tsukasa than the actual witch.

She then summons her biggest gun.

"Trio Finale"

And the witch is gone and everything changes back to the construction site, except this time they were in the building itself.

Mami had already canceled her transformation with her soul gem already in hand.

"Who are you, really?" Mami asked.

"Just a passing through Kamen Rider," He said as he canceled his own, "remember that. What is that?"

He indicated to a small black object behind her.

She picks it up, "This is a grief seed. We magical girls use this to clean our soul gems and replenish our mana."

"I see," Tsukasa said.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Sayaka asked.

"I wish I knew," Tsukasa said, "but even I don't have the full answer."

Next Time:

So there is something that you must do in every world?
Don't you realize, that being here will make things worse?
A soul gem?
Mami!

I'm back from dead. This chapter was a bitch to write, but finally I am satisfied and it is done. And to the guest known as Alice, I know she feels that way, but trust me, it's not always like that I promise.

Till Next Time, Blue Power1