A/N: Sorry this took me so long to put on here. Husband had the weekend off and then life got in the way. ^^;
Thank you to everyone that reviewed. :3 You're all awesome~
Disclaimer: I don't own Big Hero 6 or Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Chapter 9
She was shaking uncontrollably as she walked down the streets of San Fransokyo.
Gogo knew what she had to do. What she was supposed to do.
She had to destroy it. That was her job, to hunt witches and yet…
She hugged herself tighter, her nails digging into her arms through the fabric of her jacket.
She was so useless.
Gogo just couldn't do it so instead she ran.
And that witch…no Honey Lemon…was still around to hurt someone else.
Gogo stopped in front of Honey Lemon's house. She didn't intend to come here but her body seemed to carry her here.
This place was more of a home to her than anywhere else…
But she knew she couldn't go inside.
So instead she stood outside, looking up at the walls of her friends house.
"Gogo…?"
Gogo spun around towards the familiar voice.
"Ah Hiro, what are you doing here? You should be resting, not that I care or anything…" Gogo was surprised with how normal she could make her voice sound.
"…I was looking for Honey Lemon…is she home?"
Gogo's body tensed up when Hiro mention Honey Lemon's name and she hoped he wouldn't notice.
What could she say to him?
This was Honey's best friend. He deserved to know.
"She…" Gogo took a deep breath. She could do this, she had to. "She's not here…she…I don't even know how to explain it…"
Hiro's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I understand it now you know? What happens when we don't replenish our magic with grief seeds…we turn into witches…" Gogo said it so softly she wasn't sure if Hiro even heard her. But the sharp intake of breath told her all she needed to know.
"What does that mean? Where's Honey Lemon?!" Hiro was near hysterics now.
"I couldn't stop it…Honey, she…she turned into a witch and I couldn't…I couldn't stop her…"
Hiro felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. His whole body felt numb and there was a ringing in his ears.
A witch? Honey Lemon was a witch? But that would mean…
"We have to save her!" Hiro shouted. "There has to be a way! Please Gogo…"
Gogo just shook her head. "I don't know if there is a way Hiro…"
"How can you say that?! You're just going to give up-"
Hiro was suddenly cut off by Gogo lifting him up by the collar of his shirt. She brought his face close to hers.
"I'm. Not. Giving. Up." Gogo breathed, her nostrils flaring. There was a fire behind her eyes and it sent chills down Hiro's spine.
Gogi suddenly let go of Hiro's collar and he fell to the ground painfully.
"Go home kid and get some rest. I'll figure this out." Gogo said as she turned to walk away.
She would figure this out. There had to be a way to save Honey Lemon and she would find it.
Hiro really did not want to go back home. He figured Tadashi would be gone by now but that wasn't what worried him. What worried him was the likelihood of aunt Cass being home. She had to be by now after all and she would not be forgiving. It was stupid leaving his room when he had a concussion, Hiro knew that but he couldn't exactly tell her why he had to leave.
Hiro sighed as he saw the door to the Lucky Cat Café. This was not going to be fun…
"Hiro?! There you are! I was so worried…" Aunt Cass hugged him tightly as soon as she saw him enter. Tearstains covered her face and Hiro felt guilty for causing her distress.
She pulled back to look him over, checking for any injuries. As soon as she found none her entire demeanor changed. "Just what were you thinking?!" She said, an intense glare on her face.
Hiro ducked his head. "I know aunt Cass…can you just give me the lecture tomorrow or something? I just want to go to bed…"
That gave her pause. Now she was really worried, this didn't sound like her nephew at all.
She let him go to his room but her worry didn't subside for the rest of the night.
Hiro took refuge underneath his blankets. He had been crying himself raw, for how long he didn't know.
Everything hurt.
His best friend was gone but…Gogo said she would find a way right? There had to be hope.
Somehow though…Hiro doubted it would all work out.
"May I come in, Hiro?" The voice of Kyubey resounded from the windowsill. Hiro turned to look towards him. The fact he was alive did not surprise Hiro. He suspected Kyubey wouldn't be easy to kill.
"Yeah…whatever…" Hiro said as he opened the window to allow Kyubey inside. The creature made itself comfortable on his bed as he stared up at Hiro.
"Gogo told me…that Honey Lemon became a…" Hiro couldn't get the word out but Kyubey seemed to understand.
"Ah, that."
"You…don't sound surprised…you knew this would happen?"
"I did. Don't misunderstand, it is not done out of ill will towards the human race. Rather, we do it because it is necessary."
"Necessary? What does that even mean?" Hiro hugged himself tighter, he felt like he might be sick.
Kyubey regarded Hiro for a moment. "Hiro, do you know what the word entropy means?" When Hiro didn't respond Kyubey continued. "To give an example, the amount of heat energy a bonfire gives off is not equal to the amount of energy it took to grow the wood it's made of. In short, when energy changes form some of it is lost. As a result, the amount of usable energy in the universe is decreasing. So we began searching…for an energy source that wasn't bound by the laws of thermodynamics. And what we found was the power of the witch hunters."
Hiro lifted his head to look at Kyubey. "So…what are you then?"
"Our civilization created technology that could convert the emotions of a sentient life form into usable energy. Unfortunately, our species does not possess the ability to experience emotion. So we studied various species throughout the universe until finally we found you humans. With the size of your population and the rate of your reproduction, your species was the perfect candidate"
"And, the most effective of all are humans at the height of their development. Your emotions experience the greatest fluctuations at this stage. In the moment when your soul gems turn into grief seeds, enormous energy is created. It is the job of us incubators to collect that energy."
"Are we…just disposable energy supplies to you then…? Are you saying our only purpose is to die for you then?"
"Do you know how many species inhabit this universe? And how much energy they use in a single moment? Someday, you humans will be able to leave your planet and come join us. When that day comes, you wouldn't want to find the universe empty and desolate would you? If you look at it in the long run this is for your benefit as well."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Hiro shouted but Kyubey did not react at all. Instead, he continued to stare at Hiro with the same calm expression he had on the entire time. "How can you say any of this is okay?! How can you say that Wasabi and Honey had to…had to…die like that. All so you could do this? That's not right! That's not right at all…" Hiro broke down in tears.
Kyubey tilted his head to the side in confusion. "But we always ask for your permission before making the contract. Doesn't that show our good will?"
"But you trick us!"
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'tricking'. Why is it that when humans regret a decision based on a misunderstanding they feel resentment towards the other party?"
Hiro buried his head in his hands. "I don't understand what you're saying at all…"
"It is us who've had such a hard time understanding. With a population as large as yours and increasing every day, why should you care about the loss of a tiny handful?"
"If that's how you think then Tadashi was right…you really are our enemy…"
"Despite that, I did come here to explain ourselves to you. I was hoping you would understand what incredible good your sacrifices have done for this universe. But I guess not."
"Of course not." Hiro said with as much hate as he could muster.
"Hiro, I still believe that one day you will become the greatest of all witch hunters. When that happens we will surely obtain an incomparable amount of energy. So if you ever feel like dying for the sake of the universe call me anytime. I'll be waiting." And with that Kyubey hopped out of Hiro's window.
Hiro crawled under his blankets and began to cry once more.
"You wanted to see me?"
"Yeah…I have a question for you."
Gogo sat in front of Kyubey in the abandoned apartment building she was squatting in. Ever since the incident with Honey Lemon she knew she could no longer stay there. It felt too much like her. And the fact that Honey Lemon's witch form took over her house played a huge factor in her decision. But she was trying not to think about that.
"I need to know, is it possible to save Honey Lemon?"
"That I do not know…the very existence of witch hunters is contradictory so if you could save her it would not surprise me."
"I see…" Gogo pondered this for a moment, an idea forming in her head. "I guess it can't hurt to try then."
Hiro insisted he go to school the next day and against his aunt's better judgment she relented. Honestly, Hiro needed the distraction and he needed to get out of his house.
But Hiro never got the chance to make it to his school before Gogo stopped him.
"What do you want?" Hiro asked. He winced at how harsh he sounded.
Gogo held up her hands. "Whoa chill, I'm not here to fight. I uh…have a plan. About Honey Lemon?"
Hiro tried his hardest not to get his hopes up. "Sorry about that…what is it?"
"I think we can jog her memory, make whatever's left of Honey Lemon in there come out again ya know? And to do that I need you."
"Me? Why do you need me?"
"Because you were her best friend. I mean, she gave away her life for you and all. Some part of her has to remember right?"
Hiro thought about it for a moment. It did make sense but…what if it didn't work? It would be like losing her all over again.
But he had to try.
"Let's do it."
Hiro and Gogo made their way to Honey Lemon's house. It still looked the same, for the most part.
"I hope her parents are okay…" Hiro said. Gogo didn't acknowledge his comment. She felt bad that she hadn't even thought about them truthfully.
"As soon as we enter the house we'll be transported into her maze. Are you ready?"
Hiro nodded and the two of them walked forward into Honey Lemon's house. True to what Gogo said, the moment they entered the world changed.
Hiro blinked. He didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this.
Everything was a mix of bright pinks, yellows, and blues. There were large stuffed animals of every kind all around them. It was Honey Lemon all right.
Gogo pulled out her soul gem. "Come on, lets find her."
It didn't take long. Almost on cue, Honey Lemon's witch form charged at them in a haze of bright pinks.
Gogo reacted quickly, pushing Hiro out of the way and taking the brunt of the attack. She blocked it with her weapons but the sheer force knocked her back.
Hiro looked up at what was now Honey Lemon. It was a tiny stuffed rabbit, pure white and wearing a simple pink dress. Around its neck was tied a bright pink ribbon in a bow.
"Hiro! Say something to her!"
Hiro snapped out of his daze and prepared himself.
'Here goes nothing.' He thought.
"Honey it's me. It's me, Hiro."
Honey Lemon's witch turned to stare at him and for a brief moment Hiro allowed himself to hope.
But then she sent one of her ribbon tails towards Hiro. It wrapped around his throat and he struggled for breath.
"No!" Gogo shouted and Hiro was cut free by one of her flying discs.
She stood in front of him and addressed Honey Lemon. "Honey Lemon don't you recognize us? Were your friends…please…come back to us…to me."
Gogo was sent flying by another one of Honey Lemon's attacks.
Distantly, Gogo heard Hiro shouting her name as she struggled to get up. She coughed up blood and she noticed a sharp pain in her side. If it wasn't for her magic she'd probably be seriously injured.
Gogo wobbled to her feet just as Honey Lemon attacked her once more.
'Is this payback?' She wondered. 'We tried to kill each other the first time we met didn't we…?'
Another attack and more pain. Gogo wondered how much more her body could take.
'It wasn't going to work was it' She thought. 'It was never going to work.'
She was so sure of herself. So sure she could change her friends fate but now…now she may have cost an innocent kid his life.
'No…' She thought. 'This isn't what Honey Lemon would want.'
Gogo stood up, fresh resolve on her face. She had to finish this and she wouldn't let Hiro go down with her. There was only one way this could end.
Gogo threw one of her flying discs at Hiro and it expanded around him, forming a protective bubble.
"Gogo what-" Hiro stared at her with his mouth agape.
Briefly, she turned towards him and smiled. "Sorry kid…guess it wasn't going to work after all…"
Hiro shouted her name, his fists banging against the surface of the protective shield.
He watched in despair as Gogo charged towards Honey Lemon. The two of them exploded in a haze of color. Pink and yellow entwined themselves together.
Hiro screamed until his voice became raw. He screamed even after the magic of the shield came undone signifying what had happened.
His best friend was gone and now…so was Gogo.
Hiro had never felt more alone.
And that was how Tadashi found Hiro, still staring off into space. He did not protest when Tadashi picked him up to take him home.
"You knew didn't you?" Tadashi asked from the comfort of his small apartment building. The walls were littered with information about witches and old legends. Papers were strewn about everywhere. If anyone had known Tadashi previously they would have said this couldn't possibly be his room.
"If you mean Gogo's plan to save Honey Lemon then yes…I knew it was impossible."
Tadashi gritted his teeth. He had meant to get there sooner, had meant to do so many things differently. "Then why tell her it was?"
Kyubey tilted his head. "Because Tadashi, I knew that Gogo would die along with Honey Lemon. That means that only you are left to fight Walpurgisnacht and you will fail. Which means that Hiro Hamada will be forced to form a contract with me in order to save you."
"I won't allow that to happen."