The Last Ring
Chapter four: Being Born Into A Rich Family, It Naturally Comes As A Surprise That You Want To Kill Yourself
Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. This is Nexal. And I'm really jeal-ous! Why couldn't I have been Sozo back there? I would have slaughtered that Witch, then eaten the bloody cake! Some people get all the luck.
Well you're not here for my whining, you're here for the show.
Have fun
After Sayaka alerted the hospital staff, Mami and Sozo were treated. Sozo was released rather quickly, due to his injuries being from mostly fatigue. Mami on the other hand, would have to stay longer. The police came in and questioned Madoka, Sayaka, and Sozo. But Sozo asked the two to tell a lie instead. It hurt Madoka's heart, but they did. The picture they painted was that a sadistic kidnapper was on the loose. Mami was an abductee from a long time ago. Sozo was also one, but more recent than Mami. Sayaka and Madoka were just abducted, and helped the two break free from the psychopath. There were a lot of holes in the story, but it was the only one that made remote sense.
"Did you ever catch the perpetrator's name?" One police officer asked.
Sayaka mumbled something.
"Excuse me, what did you say?" Another officer questioned.
She mumbled it louder.
"Sorry, but you're going to have to speak more clearly little girl." The first officer requested. Sayaka then spoke one word. The name of the criminal.
"Charlotte."
Mami was then moved into a room. The previous patient had been released, and so the room was vacant. Mami settled down quickly and adapted to her surroundings. She decided to try and make the most of her situation, no matter how grim it seemed. She was glad just to be alive. If Sozo hadn't intervened, she would have been decapitated. Loosing an arm and a leg was much better than that. It was around the time that she was thinking about those things that he appeared.
"Hello Mami." The voice spoke.
"Hello Kyubey." Was the welcoming reply. "So what brings you here?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to be released from your contract."
"Excuse me?" Mami had gone dumbstruck. Kyubey, voiding a contract? Did the doctors give her too much morphine?
"I don't normally do this, but if you do, because Sozo asked me to, I'll even leave your wish intact."
Her wish. It was so clear to her now. She could get everything for nothing.
"Well, I'll come back with them whenever they visit you, so I'll just wait until then for your answer. Take your time Mami."
"A-alright I will." Mami replied, still shocked by the situation.
"Well then, Goodbye Mami Tomoe." And before she could say goodbye, Kyubey had vanished.
After a while, Mami heard a voice.
"Excuse me. Are you there?"
It was from the room next door.
"Yeah, I'm here." Mami replied.
"You seem kind of down." The voice said. "Care to tell me what's wrong?"
Though she put up a tough front, she was, in fact, scared and vulnerable So she jumped at the chance to speak with someone else going through similar problems. She began telling the voice what had happened to her. All the stress she was going through, how her parents had died in a car accident, the anxiety of failing to protect someone precious to you, everything. Except of course, the parts about Puella Magi. She bended the truth when talking about those parts.
"Is that it?" The voice questioned.
"Yes. That is all." Mami felt so relieved. She hadn't felt this good in years. "Sorry for not introducing myself sooner by the way. My name's Mami Tomoe, what's yours?"
The voice laughed a little then replied. "Kyousuke Kamijo."
A day later Homura had received a message from Sozo. He wanted to meet her in the cliff in the forest outside of town. Naturally, she went. Finding more about him was top priority. She still had no clue what he even was. The green of the forest could be spotted a mile away. It took some getting used to, but once she found the path, it led he right to the cliff, and by extension to Sozo. Homura was the first to speak.
"Why did you call me here?" Without letting a second pass, Sozo took a deep breath and started to speak.
"Gertrud."
"Hm?" Homura wondered. "Who's tha-" Sozo then continued, cutting her off.
"Albertine, Izabel, Kristen, Uhrmann, Suleika, Elsa Maria, Gisela, Patricia, Roberta." He slowed down. Just as Homura was opening her mouth to speak, he finished up. "Charlotte. Oktavia von Seckendorff. And Walpurgis Night."
She realized what he was saying when she heard the last name.
"Are those all Witches?"
"Yes they are."
Sozo then tossed her a book titled 'Libro Perdere'. She caught it and opened it. In it were details about every Witch named and more. She began to flip through it when Sozo said to her.
"One thing that book doesn't contain, is the identity of the Puella Magi who becomes which Witch. Other than that though, it's pretty detailed. I found it the other day, and decided to give it to you."
"Um, thanks I guess." Homura replied. She was too shocked to say a thing.
"But"
"Hm?" Homura wondered again.
"I think I know what your power is. Humor me. Can you control the flow of time?"
How? The only question flowing through Homura's mind. How did he know. She had forgotten she was flipping through the book and got to the back cover. In it, there was a list of five names. Mami Tomoe, Kyouko Sakura, Sayaka Miki, Madoka Kaname, and her own. Homura Akemi. Next to the names of Mami, Kyoko, and herself there was a wish there. The wish they made. And the power they gained from it. She finally spoke.
"So what if I can?" She meekly replied, her cool front torn to shreds.
"That means the book is reliable! I already asked Mami, and she said it was correct. So take it! It's yours now!"
"Is that it?" Homura replied. Awaiting his reply with baited breath.
"Yes." The simplicity of Sozo's reply was almost horrific.
"Why?"
"Hm?" This time it was Sozo who was doing the wondering.
"Why are you giving this to me? You could use it too! Why would you willingly give this away when it's so useful? And why me?" Homura was in tears. All her expectations, and what she thought she knew were thrown out the window. Who would ever do something like this? Sozo finally broke the silence.
"Because I'm sure you can find a better use for it than I could. And because after all you've been through, you deserve it! Also-"
"Hm?"
"I already know the names of the Witches. I don't understand it myself, but it's like I can read the runes engraved with their names."
Well now Homura was fairly certain that he was some sort of monster. How could he possibly read those runes? They were utter gibberish.
"Are you ok Homura?" Sozo asked innocently.
Her reply was a hasty "Yes, I'll be fine."
"Well ok, if you say so. By the way, there's one more thing I called you here for."
"And what would that be?" Homura curiously replied.
"Well we, I mean the girls and I, were going to hang out this weekend. I managed to get tickets to that new theme park that just opened for us. Mami can't come, so I asked if it would be ok for you to take her place and she said it was fine. So, what I'm trying to say is, would you like to come to the amusement park with us this weekend?"
Homura was so confused right now. Half of her wanted to go, and another half wanted to stay away. But mostly she was just confused by the offer itself. She did however make a certain connection. By saying we, Sozo basically told her that Madoka would be there. Her first friend. She could hang out with her first friend again. That was the deal-maker.
"Well in that case, you can count me in." Homura said with a determined look in her eye that would rival even the eyes of Haruhi Suzumiya. And the deal was set.
Later that day, Madoka and Sozo were walking to the hospital from Mami's apartment. She had asked them to get something for her. Sozo was still tired from the other day. He didn't have any energy left to use his power. He was lucky to be alive! That was when they saw Hitomi. She was walking like she was stoned out of her mind. Madoka spotted a Witch's kiss on her neck. This set the two in high alert mode. After catching up to her, Madoka asked her where she was going. The reply was a cryptic one.
"I'm going to a better place. Would you like to come with me Madoka? You can bring your friend too."
Sozo opened a telepathic link between him and Madoka. So Hitomi wouldn't hear what he then said.
"Madoka, at the risk of becoming Captain Obvious I don't think the 'better place' she's talking about is like the amusement park we're going to in a couple of days. What do you want to do?"
Madoka didn't even need to think, bad analogy, before she told Sozo. "Let's follow her. I don't want her to get hurt.." She half-expected him to say no, but he agreed. Thus, the three went to an abandoned warehouse. Seems like an obvious Dead-End Flag, and the two recognized it. Nevertheless, they kept going. It was time to save Hitomi!
As soon as they got in the doors were shut. There was no turning back. Madoka and Sozo walked around looking at all the people who were there. Sozo spoke.
"It's sad."
"Hm?" Madoka wondered.
"All of these people think there's nothing left to live for. And I noticed something even more disturbing, do you want to know what it is?" She didn't know if she did. But if she were to protect everyone like Mami, she couldn't be afraid of information.
"What did you notice?" Madoka asked, bracing herself for the worst. It hit her heart hard.
"Some of these people don't even have Witch kisses."
It was then that another boy in a purple suit came into the warehouse from the back entrance. He was followed by eight people in black robes. The boy looked about the same age as them, but with long white hair, and pale white eyes and crimson pupils. The boy spoke.
"My friends, it has come time for us of the order to wish you goodbye. You have been chosen to journey to a kingdom far grander than the one you currently behold. After this ritual is over, you will be shed from your fleshy bonds and become one with death and life themselves." He looked down and smirked. "'Tis my personal wish, the wish of High-Priest James, that you have a happy journey to Another-World." He looked up and raised his arms high to the heavens. "Now without further adieu, let the sacred ceremony begin!"
Two of the robed figures stepped forward. One held a golden bowl, and one held two cleaners in golden vials.
"After the sacred liquid has been mixed, I behest you to take deep breaths. It will make the journey much quicker." James said. He then looked at the cloaked figures behind him and turned back. "Once the sacred liquid has been mixed, the other High-Priests and I shall leave. We still have work to do on this world. But we will someday meet you again in Another-World."
But before the chemicals were mixed, Madoka had already snatched the chemicals and thrown them out the window. Sozo saw the look in the people's eyes, the look of murderous hate. He rushed in front of her and they both ran into the other room, locking the door behind them. However luck was not with them today, as their bodies were warped and ripped to shreds. They had run into another Labyrinth.
There they slowly floated down, surrounded by screens with the same image. It was the shadow of a girl that looked like a pop-idol. Familiars flew around them, and they could do nothing. Madoka knew Sozo couldn't help. She saw him thinking 'I don't have any power left. Damn it!' She then realized that she could read minds.
'Not again.'
Madoka heard Sozo think again.
'Why can't I ever save anyone? What's wrong with me? I just want to scream!'
Madoka was dumbfounded. She didn't know Sozo had these kinds of thoughts. But she realized then that he failed before. He wasn't invincible. No, he was just as vulnerable as she was. Though his powers may be the inverse of a magical girl's, he still needed fuel to use them. The realization struck her like a bullet. Without another magical girl, Sozo's basically useless.
"I-I'm sorry M-Madoka."
Sozo's voice brought her back to reality, a bleak vision of hopelessness where all thoughts were laid bare before them.
"I-it's the witch's power M-Madoka" Sozo struggled to say.
Sozo had known the whole time that Madoka read his thoughts. Well, not so much read as forced into her mind. He just didn't seem to care about it though. It was like, he had given up.
"H-her name is H. N. E-E-Elly, though I g-guess you could call her K-Kristen. She's t-the Box W-Witch. In her w-world, all thoughts are e-exposed. Just like on the i-internet. But I f-figure you k-know now."
"K-know what S-S-Sozo?" Madoka replied, desperately trying to speak the words.
"Ho-how I fail to p-protect anyone Madoka. I c-couldn't help M-Mami, I c-couldn't help K-Kyoko, and n-now I can't even s-save us."
"W-what are y-you saying Sozo? If you d-didn't help Mami s-she would of died."
"But n-now she has to s-suffer a fate worse than d-death. She k-knows about the w-witches but she can't do anything a-about it."
'It's better than being dead!' Madoka screamed in her head, trying to switch the conversation to telepathy. She couldn't bear to hear their wounded voices anymore.
'Is it really?' Sozo said, taking the hint and switching to mental conversation. 'She may not get hurt anymore, but she can't help us anymore. That must give her a lot of grief.'
'But still!'
'I understand how you feel Madoka, I want to save everyone too. But I don't think either of us can.'
'Why can't we? We can always help others.' Madoka thought as they were nearing the bottom of the Labyrinth
'But there are people suffering all over the world Madoka. Saving all of them would be impossible.'
'It's not impossible if you try!'
'Well then Madoka.' Sozo thought. 'If we survive this, then let's try and do that.'
'Do what?' Madoka wondered.
'Save everyone. It would take some sort of god or goddess, but why not give it a try?' Sozo struggled to smile.
'Yeah, let's do it!' Madoka was happy that Sozo wasn't depressed anymore.
'But remember Madoka.' Sozo continued. 'I said if we get out of this. I'm sorry, but we're going to die.'
It's amazing what a few words can do. They can change the world for a better place, they can give motivation to the hopeless, and they can even alter one's perception of anything in just one moment. Such is the case with Kaname Madoka, as all of her happiness turned to shock in one moment. After hearing him say how they would try and change the world Madoka was shocked to hear him like this. But it was true. What could they do now? Their bodies hit the bottom of the Labyrinth Gently, but the ground was cold and unwelcoming. It was as if it screamed 'You don't belong here!' and 'Look at me!' all at once. Kristen's familiars flew over to their fresh game with demented looks in their eyes. It was over for them. Though they struggled to keep their eyes open, it was in vain. They drifted close, and everything faded to black.
They heard a voice call out to them. "Hey Sozo!" It was a familiar voice, but neither Madoka nor Sozo had the energy to deduce who it belonged to.
'Y-yeah.' He thought weakly, as his mind was growing numb with death looming over him.
"Don't you remember what you told me? Jeez! And you say we're weird. Not to mention that you can use telepathy without Kyubey. You really are a mystery Mr. Sorazorashii Wings."
'What are you talking about?` Sozo had no strength to respond to the apparent taunting.
"Fine, maby this will help." The voice said as Sozo felt his hand lifted up and put onto something warm and smooth. There was also something even smoother in the center of it. It wasn't warm, and Sozo could barely figure out that is was in the shape of a crescent moon. His hand then felt warm, and he felt corruption flowing into it. Slowly his awareness began to increase.
"I was really worried about you guys so it already darkened a bit. Sorry about that." The voice laughed and Sozo soon joined in. Madoka, being left out of the loop, began to wonder what exactly was going on. Why were they laughing now?
Sozo opened his eyes and having regained his strength stood up. "Thank you." He said as he began to chant.
"Fragrantia Floris, Meis Amicis Vigorem, Vitalitatem, Auram Salutarem! Refecto!"
Madoka suddenly felt strength flowing through her. She opened her eyes and saw the familiars were all gone, as if destroyed by some tremendous power. Sozo reached down and helped her up. She then saw the source of the voice and smiled. They were going to be ok.
"Well, it looks like your strength's returning." The voice replied. "Now then Sozo, why don't you say those words with me? The ones you told me to remember."
"What would be the point of that, the witch is kind of descending." Sozo rebutted It was true though. Two of her familiars were carrying Kristen's screen and getting closer to them.
"Well, I think it would sound cooler if we said it as we finished them off!" The voice cheerfully said.
'How typical of her.' Sozo thought.
"I can still hear your thoughts you know Sozo."
'Shit!'
"Um guys." Madoka interrupted "I hate to break up the reunion but the Witch is gaining on us."
"Good point Madoka!" The voice proclaimed "Ready Sozo?"
"Fine, I'll humor you then." Was his reply.
"Me too!" Madoka exclaimed "I think I know the words too!"
"It's gonna be hard though." Sozo interjected. "I used up most of that energy you gave me to heal Madoka. But I'll do what I can."
"That's what I like to hear!" The voice yelled. "Now!"
And they all yelled. "Omnia in arte magica est!"
Sayaka Miki summoned a field of blades. There were swords from all over the world, and styles lost to time. She picked up the one she liked best and charged the Witch. Sozo cast his protection spell on the two girls and fashioned some noise into a bow. He created arrows of noise and shot them at the Witch's familiars. It was a direct hit! Kristen, now defenseless was run through by the sword Sayaka had chosen. It was over.
The three had come back from the Witch's Labyrinth It seemed as if everything was fine. They looked out the window in the door and saw that everyone was asleep. Being possessed by a Witch's Kiss tends to do that to you. Sozo also pointed out that there were less people than when they got there.
"The ones without kisses probably ran away." He explained. Sozo unlocked the door and the three went out of the room. But Sozo then realized something.
"Wait a minute, when that James guy turned around, his neck didn't have a-" Sozo's eyes widened with horror as he turned around and screamed. "Madoka watch out!" But it was too late.
BANG! The sound that previously graced Mami's muskets had betrayed them and now rung from James' pistol. Madoka had been shot in the head. It was as if the world had frozen in time. Sozo couldn't even think. He was so incredibly dumbfounded that he couldn't think. He just stood there in an emotionless shock.
"Those who dare interrupt my ceremony, shall be sent to the Relm-of-All-Horrors." James announced with a cocky look on his face.
She was dead. The only sound Sozo could hear was James' laughter. He had failed again. The girl he promised to protect had died. Not even ten minutes ago they promised to make the world a better place together. It seemed that changing the world for the better would really take a goddess. Though none of these thoughts occurred to him. His mind stopped all comprehension the moment James' pistol sounded. It was Sayaka's laugh that brought him back to reality.
"The Hell is so funny?" James spat. "Might I remind you that you two are next."
"Hey Madoka, why don't you get up?" Sayaka requested between laughs. It seemed like composure had gone out the window with the 'sacred liquid' as both Sozo and James were shocked as Hell. Sayaka had lost it.
"You think she's still alive?" James wondered. "Thanks for the tip." With that James emptied all his rounds into Madoka's lifeless body. This only made Sayaka laugh even harder.
"Oh, I get it now. You've lost it from seeing your friend gunned down in front of you. In that case I apologize to you miss. I'm sorry for killing her, but with all due respect your friend interrupted a sacred ceremony of transformation. Though it may cause an uprising if my followers learn of it, I will make sure that you and your friends go to Another-World instead of the Relm-of-All-Horrors."
Sayaka had to slap her knee before she could speak. After she calmed down she began.
"I'm sorry about that. But it's just so funny."
"I'm sorry miss but I fail to see the humor in this situation." James retorted.
"Then let me explain. I made a very important decision today. I had two options to choose from, and I just barely picked the one I did."
"Go on then miss. I'm listening."
"I was laughing because I'm so relieved I picked what I did. So yeah Madoka, wanna get up now?"
Sozo's mind was just starting to reboot now. Though he still couldn't comprehend what they were saying. What he did comprehend however was able to repair his fractured psyche.
Madoka got up.
"Oh my freaking Gods!" This time it was James' turn to freak out. But he regained his composure extremely quickly. Sozo ran over to Madoka and embraced her. She was shocked which intensified when Sozo started breaking down into tears.
"I'm so glad you're back Madoka! Don't ever leave us again!"
This made the situation incredibly awkward for Madoka. She had been wondering something and had to ask.
"Um, what just happened?"
Sozo didn't expect that, but he quickly assured her.
"Nothing happened Madoka. Just don't worry. Everything will be fine."
It was now Madoka's opinion that they had all gone crazy. She then noticed James on the other side of the room.
"Weren't you the High-Priest from earlier?"
That was James' cue to make a strategic withdraw. He leaped far up into the air and landed on the edge of one of the large warehouse windows. It cast a shadow over his form that only his eyes shown through. Before he leaved though he spoke to them one last time.
"It appears I have been bested. I guess you are one of the Goddesses. Well then Goddess, 'til we meet again." And with that the boy was gone. The world was silent. Madoka and Sozo still hugged, and Sayaka just stood there and smiled. Sozo then broke away from the embrace and apologized for embarrassing Madoka. It was all good. Now it was time for Sayaka's interrogation to commence.
"Don't worry." Sayaka told them almost as if she could hear their thoughts, even though she recently did. "Like I said, I thought really hard about what to wish for, and especially how I worded it."
Mami Tomoe had just woken up from a long nap. She looked down, widened her eyes, and after a few moments of absolute shock screamed. "Oh my God!"
Kamijo then opened the door and entered the room with the ecstatic look of a starving man who's been given a royal feast. Mami got out of bed and met him halfway across the room. She noticed that he was in his street clothes as well. He must have been discharged! But how?
"It looks like you're cured too Mami. You got your arm and leg back, and I can use my legs and hands again! I can play the violin again Mami!" Kamijo triumphantly exclaimed. Tear of joy rolled down Mami's cheeks.
"That's awesome Kamijo!"
"It looks like the entire hospital's been cured! Everyone's on the dancing on the roof too! Let's go!"
"Alright!" And with that, the two children left to have fun with the rest of the former patients.
Back at her house, Homura was flipping through the book that Sozo had given her. She was still grateful for it, and couldn't wait until she hung out with Madoka this weekend. When she reached the back cover, the one with the list of Puella Magi, she noticed that next to Sayaka's name were words that were not there before. A description of her power, and her wish.
I wish that people like Kamijo and Mami, that good people like them would be healed from their problems. And that I would have the power to be able to protect them from all that tries to harm them.
Next Chapter preview. By Mami.
In the next chapter we'll be taking a break from the plot to have fun at the amusement park. Kyouko's going to be there too! Heck, we're even dragging Kamijo along! Wait what's that, there's a Witch here too!
In the next chapter of The Last Ring
She Wore An Itsy-Bitsy Teeny-Weeny Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini On A Boat Like A Boss
Hope you enjoy!