On 15/10, a year ago, I started to publish the portuguese version of the fanfic 'Disconnection', prequel of this one. As a way to celebrate, nothing like the longest chapter published so far. Good reading!
Visionary
MITAKIHARA 02
Oriko read the text on the wall as soon as she opened her eyes. "Another vision."
"Mama, this place scares me."
Surprised to hear that voice, Oriko turned around. What witnessed left her even more amazed.
Yuma was there and had directed these words to Oriko, not her exactly, but to another Oriko.
Kirika also was there. "True, this place is quite sinister."
"But this is the place, no doubt." The other Oriko said.
"How?! What is this?" Oriko still wide-eyed. "I am seeing myself in the future?!"
The three girls passed in front of her, without noticing.
"It never happened. I have seen great events and disasters without me being there, but this..." Then she realized. "Of course. I have never been, if I was..."
And they stepped into the tunnel that gave access to the next gallery.
"Then I will finally find the place, maybe I will get more information if I accompany them." Oriko followed.
During the walk through the tunnel. Yuma spoke again. "We'll find Kyukyu?"
"I believe so." The other Oriko said.
"What a place for him to hide." Commented Kirika.
Hide? Kyuubey? Oriko wondered what that would mean.
The other Oriko continued to lead the group. "With all those soldiers and armored vehicles out there, this place on the outskirts of the city is very convenient."
"Armored vehicles? Soldiers?!" Oriko felt a chill. "We are in war?! How much time my vision is forward into the future? At least now I have a notion of where this place is."
Kirika slid her fingers along the wall, felling the moisture of the tunnel. "My mother must be mad wondering about where I'm now. I hope she doesn't die of a heart attack."
"We have no choice." Said the other Oriko. "If we fail, we all perish."
"Why Kyukyu would do this..." Yuma was downcast and stopped.
"Hmm... It seems I told Yuma on the involvement of Kyuubey." Oriko spoke to herself.
"Why mama? Why would he have a girl as a prisioner?"
The other two girls also stopped. Kirika said. "Hey little love, don't be sad."
Yuma continued to mourn. "Is he not fighting for good? Are we not fighting for good?"
"I know how things are tough, but do not cry." The other Oriko approached and hugged Yuma, stroking her head. "Please. You know how your gem darkened the last time."
Oriko put a hand to her chest and sighed. "She did not receive it very well..."
"I should not have used the term 'prison'." The other Oriko continued. "It may be that what I saw is to protect her. We will soon find out, okay?"
Yuma nodded.
The other Oriko smiled. "Good. Come on, we have a world to save."
Oriko followed her counterpart of the future with her family until the end of the tunnel, which finally they came across of what once consisted only in her visions.
Yuma was the first to wide her eyes. "Wow... Alot of Kyukyus..."
Kirika raised her eyepatch to be sure. "It's exactly as you described."
"Yes... I was not wrong."
Oriko noticed the apprehension in the voice of her counterpart. Who better to perceive it than herself. Her heart also tightened: it was a further proof that it would be an upcoming event.
And the worst was to come.
However, this time the Kyuubeys would not ignore. Hundreds, if not thousands, had fixed their red eyes in those unexpected visitors.
"She's beautiful, isn't mama?" Yuma observed the large prism and the girl that was inside.
"Yes and we will help her." The other Oriko stepped forward. "Kyuubey! Come here!"
Among countless creatures, one of them approached.
"What does that mean?" The other Oriko pointed to the large prism and the black sphere above it.
Kyuubey tilted his head to the side.
"I am here because I had a vision of the future." The other Oriko then gritted her teeth. "Now that you know, let's return to talk about what matters. Have you an idea of what will happen?"
"Huh?! Kyuubey said something?" Oriko frowned.
The creature was still.
"An entity of pure grief... then you know." Said the other Oriko while she put her hand up to her soul gem. "And you plan to use this magical girl to lure it. Is this really necessary?"
I understand. Oriko pondered. Kyuubey uses telepathy to communicate. I can see and hear in my visions, but only my counterpart and the other girls will receive the telepathic messages in their minds.
The other Oriko was puzzled. "Fluctuations?! What do you mean?"
Until her and Oriko looked at the prism and said in unison. "Oh no..."
The smaller prism, which orbited the other with the girl inside, acquired an intense violet glow.
Kirika gaped. "Big love..."
Violet gave way to black and the small prism broke. From it, black tentacles began to go out and coalesce, forming a mass without definite form.
"Ah! What a horrible thing!" Yuma brought her wand closer to herself.
From that mass, new tentacles formed. Some of them attacked and caused casualties among Kyuubeys, while others clung to the large prism where the girl was unconscious.
Kirika grimaced. "Yuck! This thing looks pretty disgusting."
Getting closer to the black sphere, the monster began to be absorbed by it and lose size.
The Kyuubey next to the future's Oriko was static, watching it all.
Until she spoke. "No Kyuubey. This will not occur as you expect."
Between the fragments of the small prism exuded a dark essence that fed that shapeless mass, which returned to grow.
"That is why we are here. Kirika."
"Right big love. To take care of that thing, I'll need the bigger ones." Kirika raised both arms and under the sleeves came out long energy claws, with over a meter long.
"Focus on the tentacles, but careful to not hit the prism. I will use my beams against the core of it." The other Oriko began to conjure spheres. "Kyuubey, it is better to you get away."
"Mama, what about me?" Yuma asked.
Oriko saw her counterpart to turn around and smile at the little girl while she said. "Stay away. Keep your magic in case we need your help, okay?"
Yuma held her wand more firmly. "Right!"
"Very well!" Kirika yanked open a smile. "It's time to save the world in slow motion!" And then, on the ground, appeared briefly a violet aura that occupied a large area of the gallery.
Oriko knew what was coming: all that was present was getting slower, the monster, Kyuubeys... except the three magical girls. "As I am not really present, I am not affected by the magic of her." She concluded.
"Remember." The other Oriko said. "The prism".
"No problem big love!" Kirika sent a kiss before charging toward the monster. Those tentacles, which once whipped with an amazing strength and speed, now were easy prey for her claws.
"I must also be careful." The other Oriko commanded her spheres to position themselves. "I need to use accurate bursts." Gesturing with her fingers, she pointed to where the spheres, then, fired their energy beams. The light penetrated deep in the darkness, resulting in splash of viscous droplets that fell slowly to the ground, making company with the cut tendrils.
"It looks like the garden back home, isn't big love?" Said Kirika.
Oriko, who was watching the scene, was sure that her counterpart would not agree with such statement. Despite the efforts of the two in stopping that abomination, it continued to grow. Cracks began to form in the prism.
"We have to press more!" Said her counterpart, while ordered her spheres to fire beams of major proportions.
More and more the ground was covered by that goo like a tar. Then Oriko noticed something strange. Is it moving?
Albeit slowly, the droplets began to gather, forming small puddles which then decreased in size, concentrating on their centers. They then solidified, creating black cubes.
This is...
Cubes emitted an aura of bright spots, which eventually drawed the attention of the other Oriko. The intensity of that flickering points increased, forming a cloud of static that revealed its form.
Demons?!
Oriko saw those whitish male figures rising, until they were hit by a hail of spheres.
"KIRIKA!" The other Oriko shouted. "That... THAT DARK 'BLOOD' IS SPAWNING DEMONS!"
Oriko also wanted to scream, but to warn herself. Although they were under the influence of Kirika's magic, they were many and her counterpart did not realize that one of the demons had teleported to attack her from behind.
The creature revealed his hand under the robe, his fingertips, a deadly glare. But before he could do anything else, he was laced by a furry rope.
Yuma, using the tail of the ball that was on the tip of her wand, pulled the demon to her. "Take that bad guy!" Her ball glowed green when she struck. Upon impact, the demon broke apart like a stained glass and its chunks darkened and coalesced into a cube.
While the tail back to its original length, Yuma lifted her wand and a green circle of light formed on the ground in front of her.
At the same time, circles of the same color formed under the demons nearby.
"IIAAAAHHHH!" The green magical girl, then, hit her circle with all her might with the wand. A rumble, like thunder, reverberated through the environment.
The other circles responded with an energy eruption involving and consuming the demons on them, leaving behind only the cubes.
Yuma was panting, but happy with the result. Her joy was short-lived, however, because soon there were new demons, who had teleported and remained in midair.
"Oh no!" Oriko could do nothing except watch the men directing their palms toward the little girl with wide eyes.
Fortunately, the first rays of light did not come from those hands, but the spheres under the command of her counterpart. After shoot them down, she approached her protegee.
"Mama..."
"Thank you, my dear." The other Oriko put a hand on the shoulder of the little girl. "But you know that attack of yours is very costly, you must spare your magic." Then she turned. "KIRIKA!"
"I know! I know big Love!" Kirika sliced a demon who was rising, then indicated the prism with one of her claws. "But that thing will break it if we do nothing, isn't it?"
"Yes, but..." Suddenly her counterpart stopped to talk. Oriko found it strange, but soon got her answer when the other turned to utter, now in a more desperate tone. "Behind you!"
"Huh?" Kirika turned and saw a tentacle close to her. It did not come from the abomination but one of the black puddles on the floor. "Yuck!" With one of the claws, she parried the threat. "Whoa! That was close. I think it wanted to reach my neck."
She then realized she was losing the hand sensitivity.
Kirika withdrew her claw and pulled the sleeve. "But what?!" On hand was viscous droplets, she soon concluded that came from the tentacle that had just cut. The veins nearby were black and it was spreading, bringing with it the loss of sensitivity. "S-Shit!" Desperately tried to remove the droplets with her other hand, but did not take long to discover the mistake she had made: that black liquid now also was on the other palm, infecting and taking the space where her blood once ran. "Ah... AAAHHH!"
Oriko saw Kirika back off and stumble. Everything was back to normal speed.
Something that her counterpart soon accused. "Kirika! What happened? You have to keep your concentration!"
Among more stumbling, Kirika fell on her ass. "Ah! It's going up my arms!"
"Papa is hurt! I'll help." Yuma left.
"Wait!" The other Oriko called out.
Nevertheless Yuma was determined, heading towards Kirika, who was already with her arms limp.
"Ah... Little love..."
"Don't worry papa. I'll heal in an instant!" Yuma lifted and swung her wand.
And one of Kirika's arms raised and pointed at her. Energy claws extended across the little girl's torso in three points.
Oriko put a hand to her mouth.
The first expression of Yuma was of shock, followed by confusion. She had her eyes fixed on Kirika, as if the other could clarify what had happened.
Kirika open her mouth, making a long 'no' with her lips. Her real purpose, however, was to scream, but her veins in her neck were black and already lost the coordination of her vocal cords.
Yuma's eyes rolled back, accompanied by the sound of choking. She dropped her wand, falling to the ground, and her body just did not do the same because it was hanging in the claws of yet firm arm of Kirika. Her clothes were soaked in blood, running down the legs and forming a bright red puddle on the floor.
"WHAT?! NO! NOOOO!"
Shaken, Oriko turned her attention to her counterpart that cried in desperation, cries that were only silenced when a beam of light passed through her body.
The first part that fell were the arms, which rolled across the floor, but the other Oriko not outlined any reaction, even to the scorched line on her bust. Only her eyelids moved, closing part, until the legs buckled. With the fall, the chest and above was detached from the body and fell close to its observer.
Our death is something that comes in first person and, if there is something we can thank to this statement, we are spared of their subsequent details. To Oriko unfortunately this was not the case. Seeing her counterpart cut in two on the ground, the mouth gaping in erratic spasms, the sound of scorched flesh... that was too much for her.
Terror possessed her body and voice. "KKKKYYAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"And here I am..."
Oriko found herself in a tunnel with concrete walls and metal pipes.
"This tunnel here should still be what comes after that gallery. Every time I have this vision, I wake up closer to that damned place." Oriko pondered aloud. "My window of opportunity is running out."
"And nothing of Kyuubey here too..."
That voice was familiar to Oriko, but did not belong to Kirika or Yuma. As she turned, she faced Kyouko Sakura, walking along with her counterpart of the future and her family, and a girl with big blond curls.
"This magical girl must be Mami Tomoe, who defends Mitakihara for years. Sakura-san must be really living with her, as Kyuubey had told me." The girls passed through Oriko as if she were a specter. "It seems that I will find a way to convince them to help me."
"This is looking more and more like a trap." Kyouko spoke again.
"I understand that this place can bring such feeling, Sakura-san." The other Oriko replied. "But soon you will see what I saw and understand."
"Actually I smell a rat about you having visions of the future."
Oriko saw her counterpart stop, as well as the group.
"I warned you that something bad was going to happen, did I not?" The counterpart spoke. "The disappearance of Kyuubey and the demon hordes, is not that enough?"
"That doesn't mean anything!" Kyouko hit with the base of her spear on the ground. "Your warning was too vague. You may well have suspected something of that white bastard and now is taking advantage of the situation."
"What would I gain by doing this? Territory? Kazamino is already more than enough to take care of."
"Yeah." Kyouko uttered in anger. "After having driven out me from there."
"Huh?" Mami became curious.
Kyouko glanced at her companion. "Later I'll tell you."
"Driven out?" Said the other Oriko incredulously, almost smiling. "You left willingly. I even offered help and must remind you it was for pure good will, since you are not a person who deserves it."
"What?!" Kyouko pointed her spear. "C'mon! Repeat what you said!"
"Hey!" Kirika revealed her energy claws. "No one threatens myWHOOOAA!" Soon to be arrested for a series of ribbons coming from the floor and walls.
"Mama!" Yuma grabbed the skirt of the white magical girl, frightened by what was happening.
"Nice Mami! Now... H-HEY!" Before she could finish her sentence, Kyouko felt ribbons snaking her body and hold it completely.
"We didn't come here to kill ourselves." Mami folded her arms. "Isn't that right, Mikuni-san?"
The other Oriko stroked Yuma, adjusting the white cap with pointed ears. "I am so sorry. I did not have care with my words and ended up scaring my dear Yuma."
"Where did you find that little thing, huh?" Kyouko spoke, still tied. "You treat her as if she was your daughter..."
Sakura-san, how dare you... Oriko felt the urge to slap the face of that redhead, but she knew she would not be able to, could only consider if her counterpart came to feel the same.
"Enough Kyouko!" Mami scolded. "The situation is serious and, unless you have an alternative, she's our only chance of finding Kyuubey."
Fortunately Mami Tomoe is a reasonable person. Oriko thought.
Kyouko exchanged bitter glances with the other Oriko. "All right, but only if they come back running to Kazamino when this is over."
"I agree." Said the other Oriko.
"Well..." Mami undid her ribbons, freeing the two girls. "Let's move on, yes?"
Yet Yuma was still clinging to the skirt, afraid.
Oriko saw her counterpart bend down and look well in the little girl's eyes, talking with a soft voice. "I am sorry for what you witnessed, but Mami Tomoe defend this city for a long time and Sakura-san is with her. They are experienced magical girls, can help us. We must trust them. Right?"
Yuma glanced at Kyouko, who was with an unfriendly face, then stared down and shook her head slightly.
"Don't worry little love." Kirika approached. "Anything, papa is here."
"It is better to not continue this subject." The other Oriko replied dryly.
Which made Kirika to gesture. "Oops! My bad, big love."
"Let's go."
Oriko accompanied the girls who returned to walk. "I see that there will be a lot of animosity, but I need them to face this thing. If only I knew when Kyuubey will disappear..." She watched the back of her counterpart, covered by the veil of her mitre, an angle of herself not seen every day. Should I try to get something from Kyuubey before he stop the visits? He will be suspicious of my powers... and I am still not quite sure of his intentions. She then looked at Mami. She had to agree that the garments of that blonde were much more practical for combat. But this increase in population of demons must be related to his disappearance, if I can avoid it, I will have time to get more help. If these two are not enough, I will reveal everything to him.
Distracted by her thoughts, Oriko belatedly realized that they had finally arrived at the gallery.
Yuma was wide-eyed. "Wow... Alot of Kyukyus..."
"And really there is a girl inside that thing." Kirika pointed to the prism. "Like you said."
"Yes." The other Oriko answered. "Tomoe-san, Sakura-san, I must instruct you on how we will proce..."
"It's Madoka!" The sudden exclamation of Mami interrupted her.
In which Kyouko also participated. "Y-YEAH! Madoka! That cretin did it! That's why this shit is happening."
Oriko was surprised by that reaction. Madoka?
And her counterpart idem. "Madoka?"
"Oriko, damn you!" Kyouko advanced towards the other girl furiously.
Mami intervened. "Calm down! They should not know."
Oriko pondered. They know this girl? So Kyuubey chose Mitakihara not by chance.
"If you want to explain what is going on." The other Oriko pointed to the numerous Kyuubeys who were watching them. "You better do it now."
While she observed the girl frozen within the prism, Mami left a sigh. "Her name is Madoka Kaname. Kyouko and I know her briefly while we were at the mercy of Kyuubey."
"H-How?!" Kirika was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"Kyuubey is evil, got it?" Kyouko no longer had patience.
"As my companion said, Kyuubey, also known as Incubator, is a vile creature." Mami continued. "This I discovered thanks to a little girl. She was also revealed that all we were in a nefarious experiment of him, using one of our friends..." Her words became more bitter. "...who is no longer with us."
"Incubator..." New names, new revelations. Oriko rubbed her forehead, she was sweating cold.
"No! NO!" All turned their attention to Yuma, which was upset. "Kyukyu would never do that! You're liars, LIARS!"
"Bwahahahaha!" Kyouko threw her head back, shaking her long ponytail. "It's better to you get used to the idea. We're just raw material for him."
"That makes no sense!" The Oriko of the future was between Yuma and Kyouko. "You two are now speaking here with me. He got what he wanted then? Why did he make such experiment?"
"He wants Kaname-san." Mami put her hand up to her soul gem. "He wants to take over the Law of Cycles."
"Huh?!" Kirika was confused. "He'll use this girl to obtain that law?"
"Idiots!" Kyouko exasperated. "She IS the Law of Cycles."
"Law... of Cycles..." The other Oriko spoke slowly, trying to remember. "Are you talking about that myth?"
"Tch..." Kyouko shook her head. "Forget Mami. They have no idea."
Oriko lowered her head, watching her shining gem. The Law of Cycles... is that myth Kyuubey told me, right? That magical girls disappear when their gems are very corrupted. Some of them believe they will be saved and will go for some kind of heaven. A fantasy to mitigate the pain...
"At least now I know that they're innocent." Kyouko stepped forward, toward the prism. "It's time to work."
Mami frowned. "Kyouko?"
One of the Kyuubeys began to approach the girls.
Oriko then saw Kyouko to jump and fall on the creature. Spreading a red stain under her feet.
Yuma's mouth dropped open.
"Please Mami! What we have to do is obvious!" Kyouko gave a new leap and higher this time, pointing her spear towards large prism. "Game over, little fuckers!" And dived. "IIIEEEEAAAHHHHH!"
Hitting with the tip of her spear with great force, the prism broke in two. The girl of white dress and long pink hair was freed and began her fall, but Kyouko, still in the air, hugged and brought her safely to the ground.
Distant, Oriko watched the Kyuubeys evading the place, entering in a tunnel she could only imagine it would lead to the next gallery. "Is it right to release her like that? Hmmm... I should have tried it."
"Hey! Madoka!" Kyouko tried to wake up the girl in her arms, shaking her slightly.
However, the girl did not show much reaction. "Hmmmm..."
"Damn! Looks like we'll have to carry you..." Kyouko stopped when noticed a strong violet light coming from behind her.
"Oh no!" The two Oriko pronounced. "Get out!"
When Kyouko turned, the light was no more, but she had an idea of its origin. She looked at the small prism floating near her, completely black.
Until it broke.
"B-But what?!" Seeing those tentacles emerge, Kyouko did not think twice and jumped, carrying Madoka with her, as far as she could of that thing. Still, she was not fast enough. Those black members involved her legs and body. In a desperate act, she tossed Madoka, only to witness a tentacle reach the chest of that girl and carry her up against the wall of the gallery.
"KYOUKOOO!" Mami yelled desperately.
"Ahhhg... Ah..." Kyouko raised her spear, but soon found her arms immobilized. The abomination was taking her to its misshapen nucleus.
Mami jumped, conjuring up a musket in her hand and pointed directly against it. Therefore, more ribbons began to wrap the weapon, increasing its proportions... until it acquired the aspect of a huge cannon.
Oriko eyes widened before the barrel of it, should have several meters long. She can do that?!
"Tomoe-san! NO!" The other Oriko held out her hand.
With a bang, the cannon fired, piercing its target. For a moment, the black core swelled, then followed by a powerful explosion.
What Oriko and her counterpart feared happened: a rain of black ooze was coming toward them.
Reacting as quickly as she could, the future's Oriko conjured numerous spheres, positioning them to form a shell around her family.
Oriko watched that shield formed by her counterpart to resist the hail. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, the monster was still there, even if only a part of it. She knew it would be a matter of time for it to recover its size, since the malignant essence that exuded off the small prism's fragments fed it. She also saw the girl with long pink locks of hair, Madoka, still pressed against the wall by a tentacle, her gnashing of teeth and eyes closed tightly indicated an expression of struggle.
Kyouko, however, was missing.
The shell of spheres expanded slowly, revealing the girls inside. "Yuma, Kirika, are you okay?"
"Uh-huh..." Yuma was curled up.
"Yes big Love!" Kirika looked around. "What a mess..."
"It is better to prepare your magic Kirika, we will soon be surrounded by demons." Said the other Oriko. "But first we need to find the... others..."
That was unexpected.
The dark droplets began to move, but instead of forming cubes, they went to a single direction, a single destination.
Both the counterpart as Oriko followed that movement with their eyes until they found a kneeling girl.
Mami was shaking, her clothes were covered with that black viscous liquid. Her pale skin contrasted with the blackened veins, her face in profile had a smile.
"Tomoe-san..."
Mami turned, heeding the call of the three girls.
"Kyah! No!" Yuma hid behind the white magical girl.
Not least, the view was dreadful even to the other girls. Mami's eyes still contained its golden yellow tone, but her sclera was taken by black lines. But the most terrifying was to see portions of black goo crawling and entering into her nostrils, algo going to the ears and mouth.
Kirika's eyes widened. "Can't be real..."
Noting the reaction of the girls, Mami looked at herself. "Ah... I see. Do not worry, this is temporary." Then she stood up. More goo came to her, up the legs, looking for a way in.
The future's Oriko was even more awe of Mami's calmness. "Are you sure you really okay?"
"I'm fine. Now I know... that everything will be okay." Mami said. "Father, mother, now I hear you. I hear Kyouko too."
"How?!" Kirika narrowed her eyes.
Mami reached out toward the abomination of tentacles. "She's already there, along with her family. Everyone is waiting for us..."
"Okay. We're going too!" Kirika said sarcastically as she took the front of the other two girls.
Mami spoke again, revealing her black tongue. "Kure-san, I feel a certain desire of violence on your part."
"Wow! Did you got it right?" Kirika was keen to show her energy claws. "And now?"
"Papaahhh!"
Oriko witnessed her counterpart and Yuma being held together by ribbons rising from the ground.
Kirika came to look back before ribbons also try to restrain her. However, she was faster with the claws. "Ah! This won't work twice with me!"
While Kirika was fighting against the ribbons, Oriko returned her attention to Mami. The blonde had stretched her left arm and a portion of goo was coalescing on its forearm, solidifying and gaining a metallic texture. By the end, a disc formed with a design in bas-relief of a swirl, accompanied by three embossed circles, where the central one was bigger than the other two.
"Enough of playing around! Now it's my turn!" Making her gem shine, Kirika formed an aura on the ground between her and Mami.
Oriko continued to examine the disc until the three circles opened, revealing they were lids. The smaller circles had a glass compartment filled with a strange violet sand, while the largest one had a series of small gears that started working, but soon slowed down.
The magic took effect. Oriko noted that beyond her only Kirika was at normal speed. The girl with eyepatch charged at full speed, with her arms with claws thrown back.
The disc of Mami began to turn, until the three circles were aligned horizontally...
Huh?!
Oriko tried to process what had happened. Mami had changed her position in an instant.
Teleportation?
Even if it were plausible, certain evidences did not support such theory. Like the fact that Mami have a musket on hand, in a pose that indicated she had just hit Kirika with its butt, who was lying in front of her. The speed had returned to normal, as the disc to its original position.
The expression of the girl with eyepatch left no doubt that she was surprised too.
Mami was still with a serene smile. "This really was not necessary. Fufufu..."
Kirika twitched her face in anger, as she raised her head, but then she felt her neck being hold.
It all happened too fast for Oriko that was trapped in ribbons. "Kirika... no..."
"Ack... ugh" With a tendril around her neck, Kirika was pulled to the abomination, as her veins darkened.
"NO!" Yuma screamed in tears.
When she reached the black core, Kirika was literally immersed in it. The latest evidence of her presence were the vain waving of her arms and legs before they were absorbed.
All this happening under the unsettling calm of Mami.
Striving to gesture with her hands bound, Oriko made her spheres shoot a thin beam of energy to cut the ribbons that tied them.
Not without Mami noticing. "Mikuni-san... I hope you don't try the same as your colleague."
"Run Yuma, RUN!" The future's Oriko pushed the little girl as soon they were released.
Oriko saw Yuma to glance at the other Oriko but did not fail to obey. She ran toward the tunnel.
However, a wall made of interwoven red chains came between her and her goal. "Huh?!"
"There is no reason to run away." Mami said to Yuma before being hit by the first sphere, soon followed by others. Turning her attention to the attacker, Mami used the body of her musket masterfully as well as the disc, which she used as a shield, to block the balls. Still, some spheres managed to pass through such defenses.
"Ahh!" Despite the pressure exerted, motivated by her fury for Kirika, the future's Oriko felt no joy at each blow, because her opponent did not express any pain.
Yuma looked at the fight scene and then for the wall that seemed to reach up to the ceiling of that immense place.
Oriko was beside her, helpless to do anything. This magic is from... Sakura-san. Please my dear, you have the power.
Raising her arm, Yuma conjured her wand, only to see it ripped off her hand by a yellow lace.
Oriko turned to Mami, who was with her left arm extended to them.
With such side exposed, the blonde's leg was hit by several spheres, that unbalanced her. "Ah... Mikuni-san. Enough of that! Don't waste your strength." The only response she received from her opponent, however, was a sphere direct in her right eye, tearing it away.
Injury so serious that Oriko noted that her counterpart hesitated to continue the attack.
The spot where the eyeball was, a tar poured, staining the white shirt of Mami's uniform. She did not agonize, instead lifted her disc, making the lids open again.
"No!" Oriko feared for what would follow.
But her counterpart was aware. She threw both arms forward, making all spheres to strike Mami at once.
Before that devastating hail, some spheres collided with the disc, jamming its mechanism. Mami flew with the impact and fell to the ground.
Oriko saw her counterpart took the opportunity to check her soul gem. It was corrupted by half. Then a violet aura appeared on the ground. This spell...
"Papa?"
Oriko wished Yuma was right, but her instincts said otherwise. Everything was slowing, but she and Mami, which started to get up.
The spheres, under the command of her counterpart, began to glow.
Then she realized! Although it was not Kirika that had used the magic, Oriko knew that the principles would be the same, as well as its weaknesses. When focused, her partner has been shown to almost stop her spheres even thrown in super sonic speeds.
But it would never be enough against the light.
The spheres shot their beams and, even if they were being affected by magic Mami invoked, it was not possible to notice as they hit her instantly through various points of her torso. Even under such situation, she did not outline any reaction other than pointing her musket unhurried.
When the gun went off, Oriko saw her counterpart being pierced by a bullet on the belly height. For a moment, the other Oriko did not react to injury, it seemed she could do the same as Mami, but slowly her body arched, her feet left the ground.
And the spell ended with its slow down.
The spheres dimmed and fell, as well as their master, with her red-stained white dress.
Mami discarded her musket while she examined the holes in her body. If not for the black ooze coming out there, it would be easily to see the other side through them.
"Ah! No, mama!"
Oriko saw Yuma run toward her counterpart, she tried to stop by holding her shoulder, but her hand just went through.
Before she could reach her and heal, Yuma found herself caught again by ribbons.
Using one of them, Mami, with a pull, brought the little girl to her, holding in the air with one hand.
"Kyaahh!" Yuma struggled in terror.
"I'm sorry for what you see." Mami said, more than half of her face soaked by that black viscous liquid. "That's all the fault of your mama." Then, with fingertips, picked up some of that liquid and brought to Yuma's cheek.
"No... na... ah! AAAHHH!" The little girl squirmed, trying to get away.
"Hihi. Oh my! It won't hurt, you'll feel much better, in fact." Mami slid her fingers, spreading the liquid and darkening the veins nearby. "You'll never need to cry again."
"NO!"
An impact, sound of shattering. The sphere hit Mami's soul gem, yellow fragments touching the ground. It was strong enough to make the blonde lower her head, standing still.
Oriko turned her attention to her counterpart, who had managed to stand with difficulty. Blood trickled between the fingers of her hand over the serious injury while the other was extended for the execution of her last act. What caught the most attention, however, was seeing her eyes widen and say. "Impossible..."
Mami raised her head and stared at her attacker. Smiled. "Finally you realized." Then tossed Yuma.
The little girl was catatonic, with eye's sclera being taken by the darkness. She did not react when the abomination of gigantic tentacles held her and gently dipped into its viscous core.
Yuma... Oriko did not hold her tears as she watched her counterpart falling to her knees without strength or hope.
"Kure-san is welcoming her in her arms now." Mami made a commentary. "The two really love you, you know?"
Gasping, Oriko of the future could only contort her face to express her anger, until a green light enveloped her. The pain was gone and she immediately looked at her wound, which was not there, even the clothes had been repaired.
"They won't want to see you like this." Mami began to approach, her injuries are also restored by that green light, including the eye.
Oriko then saw her counterpart grit the teeth and rip the soul gem of her collar, holding it in her hand with outstretched arm.
Mami stopped, wrinkling her blackened forehead. "Death does not mean anything anymore."
"IIIEEEAAARRGGGHHHH!"
All turned their attention to Madoka. The girl writhed on the wall, she unveiled her completely black eyes.
"She resisted a lot." Mami said. "But now I know the truth. It's a great ingenuity to put hope above all else."
"Who are you?" Inquired the kneeling girl.
"Mikuni-san?!" Mami uttered in disbelief. "It's me, Mami Tomoe."
The girl asked again. "Who is behind this mask?"
Mami was in a brief silence before saying. "You have the power to see the future, right? You predicted this?"
"No..." The future's Oriko looked away. "... this is the first time."
"'First time.'" Mami repeated the words, somewhat confused. "Tell me Mikuni-san, what will happen from now on?"
Oriko approached the two. What do you see?
"I see..." Her counterpart smiled. "... this is not the end."
Mami shared the smile. "You're right. This is the beginning."
Then her counterpart closed her hand tightly, crushing the gem. Oriko saw her face fall on the damp ground, her body completely limp. The magical clothes, in a flash of light, have given way to mundane ones.
Mami sighed disappointed. "Oriko Mikuni-san..." She approached and knelt, bringing the fallen girl onto her lap.
Oriko witnessed once again the face of death of herself, yet what was happening now was surreal to her.
"We met not long ago and it looks like you have a bad past with Kyouko." Mami straightened the hair of dead Oriko. "But I liked you, I can see that you're a responsible person. It's sad to have to fight and now see you like that."
Oriko was surprised to see Mami conjure ribbons to form a small handkerchief and wipe the dirty face of her counterpart.
"Everything will be alright. She'll save you." Mami pressed her fingers on the neck of the fallen Oriko and the veins there darkened.
Oriko contemplated that spreading rapidly and taking over the face, darkening the lips and eyes. Soon, dark veins have also emerged in the hands. What is Tomoe-san doing? Does...
With mouth and eyes wide open, her counterpart rose in a jolt, her body shuddering.
Not as much as Oriko, who came to take a step back.
"Shhh... Shhh..." Mami embraced. "It's over, it's over, don't have to be afraid anymore."
Her counterpart was examining her own hands, not even winked.
"Can you see? Hear? They await us... they..." Mami stood up and looked at the other frightened.
Oriko heard her counterpart say. "Sorry."
"What? How..." Mami, once so calm and confident, now appeared to be disoriented and nervous.
While the counterpart was sad. "I said to you. This is not the end. I will know this will happen and you will not be able to prevent it. I am sorry."
"Why continue? To protect this world?" Mami opened her arms, her voice overcome with aversion. "THIS WORLD?!"
"Sorry... sorry... sorry..."
Oriko seeing herself lamenting like that, she was even more confused. "What... she did to me?"
"You're not naive Oriko Mikuni-san, you don't..." Mami pointed furiously. "You're a fool!"
Suddenly, a dark wave advanced into the gallery. Madoka had succumbed.
"A FOOL!"
Mami's voice was the last thing Oriko heard before the scene in front of her disappeared. Now, plunged into the void, thoughts were her only company.
Could it be? Protect this suffering world an error? The dream of my father nonsense? No...
Thinking was getting difficult. Oriko concentrated on her memoirs.
Madoka.
Images of the girl in the prism, her long dress and hair, her eyes closed in a frozen expression, so peaceful it was like a sin to break it.
Madoka Kaname. Do you believe in hope? My father stopped believing in it and lost himself. I can not give up. I will save you from the clutches of fate, no matter how many times I need to see to find a way.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Again I can see.
The heart of Oriko tightened when she found faced with the tunnel's concrete wall. Its exit to the gallery was nearby.
"No sign of Kyuubey."
Listening Kyouko, Oriko turned to the group of magical girls led by her counterpart. The two were face to face, until she was crossed by them.
"We are almost there, Sakura-san" Said her counterpart. "I also state that it is quite early yet. Only two weeks ago he disappeared."
"But the cubes are already piling up. You said that the demons will dominate the cities, we should have come here before." Commented Mami.
Accompanying the group, Oriko heard her counterpart exasperate. "How many times I have to explain! What we face is extremely powerful and I had to expose every detail to you all, because any mistake is fatal." She stopped and turned. "Even it seems like you two do not want to save Madoka Kaname."
"Are you aware that I am starting to hate you call our pinky like that?" Kyouko brushed the baton of her spear. "And if this thing is so powerful, dangerous and that... so why brought the little girl?"
You idiot. Oriko gritted her teeth.
Yuma shook her wand angrily. "Kyouko-neechan! I need to protect you all and I can take care of myself."
"That's it little love!" Kirika rubbed the little girl's head. "We're a super team of super girls!"
The counterpart of Oriko did not share the same enthusiasm as her mate. "I just included you in this, because I know you are the only ones who know and want to save Madoka as much as I do."
"Heh." Kyouko bit her lip. "Only we would risk our skin, right?"
There is something wrong with Sakura-san, she seems... hesitant. Oriko concluded.
Yuma did some little hops. "Come on! We have to help Kyukyu with that monster and save Madoka."
"Yes, we would better hurry." Oriko of the future turned and started to walk.
Kyouko and Mami looked at each other, the redhead shrugged before following the group.
Arriving at the gallery, although Oriko was aware that her counterpart had really informed about what they would find, she did not fail to hear the reaction of amazement from the girls.
"Wow... Alot of Kyukyus..."
Kyouko had only one word for that 'sea' of Kyuubeys. "Shit..."
The other Oriko pointed. "As I saw and now you can see, Madoka Kaname is in that prism."
"This Madoka is quite pretty, huh?" Said Kirika. "Looks like an angel."
"She's more than an angel." Mami replied.
"Now what?" Kyouko asked.
"Like I said, we arrived early." The other Oriko affirmed. "We must warn Kyuubey about our presence and intentions and plan our fight for the day that... thing will break free."
"I have a better idea."
Oriko saw Kyouko to point the spear toward her counterpart.
The redhead continued. "How about we take out the pinky there now."
"Hey! Lower your spear!" Kirika started to move.
Promptly impeded by Oriko of the future. "Calm down." Despite asking for this, she said in an irritation tone to Kyouko. "Did I not warn you that we can not break the prism? I have seen you die like this."
Kyouko kept her spear held high. "Okay. Tell me another one."
Oriko slapped her own forehead. You imbecile.
"Kyouko?!" Mami called for her attention.
"Is not that all too convenient?" Kyouko told to her companion. "She has let us know that Kyuubey will disappear and soon after that it happens. Then she says she know Madoka, this place and have a plan."
"Of course you imbecile!" Exclaimed the future's Oriko. "It is because I can see what will happen!"
"Yes!" Oriko cheered for her counterpart. "Speak to her face!"
"Mama's right!" Yuma supported.
"Are you sure?" Kyouko smirked. "Because I would only be stupid if I believed is this little story. Everything you said to us, Oriko, that little shit of Kyuubey could have told to you. Say, what is the dirty trick between you? Huh?"
"What?!" Both Orikos widened their eyes.
"This is a very serious accusation!" Mami rebuked. "How could you say that..."
"Damn Mami! We have to keep our guard up!" Kyouko interrupted, her spear was shaking. "We're both involved with Madoka and this bastard would not give up so easy to have our heads. That's why Oriko knew Kyuubey would disappear, he threatened her about it. This white trash has the world under his paws and used her to lure us here."
Kirika grimaced. "Wow! So paranoic."
"Kyouko!" Yuma cried. "Kyukyu would never do that!"
"Bwahahaha! You have no idea." Kyouko shook her head. "I can't say the same about your 'mama'. She doesn't seem so surprised about what I said. You know well with who's you're dealing with, right?"
Oriko watched the unfolding of these affirmations. Yuma stared at her counterpart.
"It is... of course it is all invention of her!" The other Oriko took a deep breath. "How dare to betray our trust?"
"Trust?!" Kyouko said incredulously. "Look who's Talking! You even didn't believe in our story."
Story? That instigated the curiosity of Oriko.
"I asked you to tell me how you met Madoka and I heard..." The other Oriko lowered her head. "... but... but... cotton balls?"
Cotton balls?!
"I know you must think this seems to have been a dream, Oriko-san. That the Law of Cycles is a mere invention." Mami looked at Madoka. "But the proof is there, in that prism."
"You have to understand!" The other Oriko raised her head with a look of appeal. "You were in an experiment. Kyuubey may have messed with your minds. He could..."
"Experiment? Mama, why Kyukyu would mess with them? H-How do you know that?" Yuma interrupted, with curiousity.
"Oh... hmmm... I had a vision..." Oriko of the future glanced away from Yuma while babbling. "I suppose Kyuubey did it to protect the world..."
"O-Oriko-san?!" Mami was disgusted.
Kyouko laughed again. "Hahahaha! She can't even hide anymore, this liar."
Oriko put both hands on her face, gritting her teeth. "No! No! No! These fanatics are ruining everything!"
"Mama would never lie to me!" Angry, Yuma trembled her lips.
"What a bad joke, huh? Mami, I think it's all settl..." Kyouko turned her head. "Look that!"
Oriko noted that one Kyuubey had approached the girls.
"I'll warn that I don't miss you, but tell me..." Kyouko frowned. "Hmm? Mami asked you to not talk to me and her? I know, but she's making an exception, okay? What do you want with that?"
For a moment, Oriko could only witness the silence among all present there.
Until Mami gasped. "Kyuubey!"
"Ahah! It's the same old story." Kyouko concluded.
What did he say? Is it something new? Oriko wondered.
"This... I need..." The other Oriko began gesturing. "Wait! I need to warn her."
"B-Big love?" Kirika did not know if she would keep looking at Kyuubey or to her loved one.
"I will... would see it, I... she must be seeing it."
She is referring to me?
"Tch... In addition of being a liar, you're crazy too." Kyouko brought her spear closer to herself. "Look, I'll give you the benefit of doubt because it seems that you're one more a victim of him. If you're not with Kyuubey, so get out of our way." Then she jumped toward the prism.
"Wait! NO!" Desperate, Oriko conjured balls and launched.
"Agh!" Struck, Kyouko was pushed away from the prism, going to the ground.
"Huh?!" Yuma was appalled with everything she was witnessing.
"Sorry Yuma, I did not want to, but it was necessary." The future's Oriko tried to calm her protegee when steps on puddles caught her attention. "Mami-san?"
Mami had a musket pointed directly at her. "W-Whose side are you on?"
"On the side of those who want to protect this world!"
Oriko saw Kirika move toward the armed girl. "Do not do that!"
The girl with eyepatch extended her arm, as her claws. They stretched so much that she could reach out and deflect the musket...
The gun fired.
All happened too fast to Oriko and her counterpart. When realized, Yuma was already fallen.
"Yuma?!" Her counterpart went to the little girl and crouched. The bullet had pierced her neck, her eyes lifeless. "YUMA!"
Oriko noticed that not a lot of blood was pouring from the injury, but any hope that she could get lost as soon as the magical girl clothes of Yuma flashed a green light and evaporated. Little green crystals fragments confirmed her fears.
The bullet had pierced her neck, down to the nape.
"No..." Falling to her knees, Oriko started punching herself on the head repeatedly. "This will not happen! This will not happen! This will not happen!" Though there would be a chance to prevent it, she could not help but share the pain of her counterpart.
"YUMAAAAAHHH!"
Mami dropped the musket, she could barely construct a sentence. "No... I... did not... I..."
"Little love?!" With shallow breathing, her body shuddering, Kirika revealed her bulging stare to Mami. "Die!"
The blonde threw herself back in an attempt to dodge, but her right thigh did not escape of those furious claws. "Aaaahhh!"
The cry of pain caught the attention of Oriko, who then saw Kirika before a black column of smoke that formed where Mami was.
"W-What is this?!" Kirika retreated, until she felt a wall of chains on her back.
"Damn you!" Kyouko was in the air, diving with a large spear, energized.
Kirika formed an aura around her, but before everything slow down, walls of intertwined red chains were summoned and enveloped her, forming a cage. It was so small that she could barely move. "N-No way!"
Oriko saw Kirika strike again and again those chains with her claws the way she could, but to no avail.
Kyouko was descending slowly, her furious expression, longing for the imminent destruction.
Kirika then stopped and looked at Oriko, which was still on the girl, crying. "Big love... I'm sorry." Turning the attention to her opponent, she crossed her claws and reinforced them as much as she could for what was to come.
The spear broke a wall of chains easily, demonstrating its power. Once it touched the claws, they disintegrated. Trapped, Kirika squirmed to avoid the blade, but for the inevitable only remained her use of magic to tolerate pain. When it began to slowly pierce her flesh, she looked at Kyouko, the redhead's open mouth, which brought a cry of rage and strength, showing her canine teeth so sharp as hers.
"Bitch." Kirika smiled. "You got me this time."
Smile that only faded when a part of the blade cut her soul gem on her back.
With the speed back to normal, Kyouko finished impaling her victim, making a crater in the ground.
The thud managed to draw the attention of Oriko's counterpart. "Huh?! Noouuuhhh..."
More lamentations. Oriko got on all fours, her arms resting on the ground that, despite humid, could not wet her clothes. Why? How many times I have seen? Why? How many times will I have to see? Why? Why I can not protect my world?
A rumble and screams made Oriko lift her head. The first thing she saw was Kyouko being thrown far away, accompanied by numerous Kyuubeys who had the same fate. When sought for her counterpart, she no longer found, as well as the body of Yuma, all carried by that shock wave.
It was not difficult to find the source of it. The cloud of smoke had expanded. Like thunders, multicolored flashing lights lit up its dark interior.
While witnessing such chaos, from the corner of her eye she saw: the prism orbiting the bigger one went dark and broke...
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"You, Kirika, I saw so many times, so many times your demises..."
Death. To Yuma, the only concrete meaning of that word was a bathroom, screaming and violent blows against the door. The horrible smell and fear. Everything went into something that her memory did not register, but she believed she was going to die. It was then that she discovered she wanted to live more than ever and the person who was holding her in tears was who gave her this opportunity. "Mama, I'm sorry..."
Oriko pulled back slightly, holding the little girl by the shoulders. "It is all right. Do not be afraid, because I found a way." She smiled brightly. "I asked Kirika to keep both waiting, because they will not understand what I saw yet. When I show you, you will know what I am talking about. Okay?"
Yuma pursed her lips and shook her head in agreement, and then embraced Oriko. She said in a tearful voice. "I doubted you, I am... I am the most terrible daughter of this world!"
With renewed tears and gaping, Oriko rested her head on Yuma. "Daughter... yes... you are my daughter. Only this is more than enough to love you, no matter what." She would like to stay that way, comforting her, but it was all a matter of time. Said when she rose up. "And I assure you that there are way more terrible things in this world and we have to live with it."
Yuma saw Oriko giving a hand, while also offering a handkerchief with the other one.
"Come on my dear. While it is true what I said now, does not mean we should not strive to make it better."
That she held, while wiping her tears.
The two then departed, confident and united in their mission.
However, Oriko's confidence was stained with guilt. Yuma... I am sorry that this time was so short. Soon you will say that you are not my daughter. You, Kirika... will not be able to forgive me. I became something horrible. Still, I accept my fate, for my family and Madoka.
Next chapter: Broken hope