Broken hope
"I have to admit. I've never seen someone work so much to make a sucker of me." Kyouko summoned her spear in a flash of red light that reflected on the puddles of the gallery floor where the three girls were.
Kirika shrugged, still smiling at the other two. "I can say that it's nothing personal."
Gritting her teeth, Kyouko said, almost spitting such was her anger. "I'll stick this 'personal' in your ass!"
"No Kyouko! Wait!" Mami stopped the redhead putting an arm in front of her. She kept her eyes fixed on the girl with eye patch. "It makes no sense."
"Oh Mami Tomoe-san..." Kirika stretched her wrists of her closed fists. "That is your big problem."
"What?"
"You always want to find a reason in everything, isn't it?" Kirika winked, sadly she did that with her capped eye, she quickly sought to correct it. "There are certain things in our lives that has no explanation. The sooner you accept it, less it'll be a burden to carry, don't you agree?"
"Forget Mami. With this one there's no arguments." After telling her mate, Kyouko tilted her standing spear towards Kirika. "And your 'big love' must have a screw loose if she thinks you can handle two veterans by yourself."
[If she really intends to fight, I do not think you should be so confident.]
[She'll fight for sure.] Kyouko replied to the telepathy of Mami. [But relax. I'm just messing around with her.]
"Kukuku..."
The giggle caught the attention of the two.
"You have no idea. Kuku..." Kirika opened slightly her arms and brought forth her claws. "I already WON!"
Kyouko frowned. "Okayyy... You're still the craziest. Your 'big love' didn't stole your title yet."
Mami held out her hand, from the palm of her glove sprouted ties that curled into a ball. "Kirika-san, we fought side by side against the demons, don't do it. If it was Oriko-san who asked it for you, tell us, we still can enter into an agreement."
"Ah! Then it would be so boring..." Kirika made a sleeping face. "Don't you like mysteries?"
A violet-colored circular design emerged, occupying a good extension of the gallery floor.
"Well... to where are you two going, you won't need to know."
Mami, seeing no choice, threw the ball she held against the floor. It burst, releasing a white smoke screen.
For Kirika's surprise. "I didn't even started and already running?" Soon she dismissed such suspicion, however, in the face of a sudden yellow glow coming from the smoke.
"No one here will run." Coming out of the smoke, Kyouko carried a two sided spear, one tip red and the other yellow.
"Kuku. I still have more blades than you..." the confident smile of Kirika disappeared whe she noticed a new silhouette amid the smoke.
"Are you sure?" Another Kyouko came, also carrying a spear with two tips.
Kirika's amazement was evident. "How..."
One more Kyouko appeared. "Magic, duh..."
"You know, Mami even invented a name for it." And another.
"Rosso fantasma." And keep coming.
"This." It seemed to have no end. "But I prefer to call..."
"'You're screwed!'"
"BWAHAHAHAHA!" The laughter of the seven Kyouko's echoed through the gallery.
"Hmmm... I see you won't want to play a little." Though surprised, Kirika was not fazed. "Right. So let's go to the main course!" The energy in each claw undulated and a pair of new blades have come to make company to the three existing ones. The colors of them changed, going from violet to dark purple, while they become longer.
The Kyoukos provided a response in kind. Their spears were subdivided and the tips flew towards their single target swiftly.
Until Kirika used her magic. Oriko, my love, it seems that our hothead learned some new tricks with that blonde. She took the opportunity to examine the tips of spears that still would take time to reach her. Was this some sort of illusion?
With her claws, she parried one tip. She felt the vibration of the impact, the sparks, the spearhead spinning slowly, losing its original trajectory. She walked to another tip and did the same. This is also real. Tested again with one of the tips with the base of blade of yellow color. It's all real.
Kirika then noticed the movements of the Kyoukos, some were seeking her flanks, others jumped to stay above her. She rolled her eyes. They intend to surround me. What a surprise... She took a step aside to dodge one of the spears. This little redhead knows how to use more than one spear, but the bodies must have to be false.
There was only one way to find out and that conclusion led Kirika to smile again. Better yet she could choose where to start! She decided to attack one of the Kyoukos that was in the air. Along the way, she turned her body to avoid some subdivisions interconnected with chains, like a deadly dance where the last step would be to satiate her blades.
If it was a dance, however, it should be said that the dance hall was getting full. "What?" New subdivisions headed to block the path between Kirika and her target. "So you improved your reflexes, my little red?"
It take a while, but the answer came. "Did you forget? This is not the first time I'm fighting you, my fake one-eyed." The voice of Kyouko was distorted under the effect of slowness.
"Kuku. You just got away from those times because my big love was very merciful and asked to let you escape. Today will be different." Kirika put her feet on one of subdivisions, using as support for her next assault. Kyouko would not get so defensive. These two must have some kind of a plan.
She then looked at the smoke screen. While my magic is acting, it will never disperse and the blonde should still be there... Could they have discovered how it works? For my big love, I have to finish it soon.
Jumping from the subdivision where she was, Kirika used her claws like hooks and forced a small opening at the tangled chains. "I should start doing yoga!" Contorting as she could, she went through the opening, and with a new leap, reached one of the Kyoukos.
The redhead slowly raised the edge of her lips, revealing her teeth.
"You must be a fake, isn't it?" The claws tore that Kyouko. As Kirika already expected, no blood came out of those cuts, but her eyes did not stop growing at what came next.
The body of the redhead began to fall apart in a flurry of multicolored ribbons, eager to capture their aggressor.
Kirika let herself to fall to avoid being arrested. She just found out that this was not a good idea when she passed near the tip of a spear, enough to tear her uniform. "Ah! Damn!" She tried to reach the ground, but anywhere she look at there was only subdivisions of the spears.
"Do you want to continue to play guessing? There are still six of me. Hahaha!"
While the distorted laughter of Kyouko came from all directions, Kirika struggled to find a space in the middle of that dome of spears and chains. They are not illusions, but a damned trick of that blonde! But even if I could eliminate these clones, Kyouko will still have control over the spears and she is increasingly restricting my movements. What my big love would say now? Think, your dummy, think! She clenched her fists. Of course! The source of magic!
After throwing her hip to the side to dodge a spear, the girl with eye patch began to concentrate on her soul gem, seeking to feel the magic around her. Let's see... aha! She then looked at one of the red magical girls standing behind other two and a wall of chains. That's it! Big love, you are a genius! But to reach her will be quite a trial...
She then felt another source, greater, who was behind the smoke screen, far less guarded by those spears.
If I get that blonde, I bet that the other one will do something stupid. "Kukuku..." Kirika crossed her claws. "It's time to burn magic, baby!"
The aura on the ground reappeared and shone more brightly. In response everything around her got even slower. Wasting no time, Kirika used her claws to make way through the jungle of metal and wood, avoiding the tips. Even though it seems they were almost standing still, they would go through her flesh with violence if offered any opportunity.
"Ah... the outdoors!" Kirika escaped that real prison, going back to step on the damp floor of the gallery. "Well... metaphorically speaking. I need to check my gem." After unsummoning the claws, she brought a fist to her back. "Oh yeah... I still can't. Sorry big love, I almost forgot. Hmmm... So it's better to save what is left of my magic."
The speed of all around was got slightly higher. The Kyoukos began to turn their heads, when they noticed the escape of their prey.
Kirika brought back her claws with three blades. "This is more than enough to cut those curls, hehe." Then went towards the cloud of smoke. Once inside, the floor gleamed in yellow. "Look! It's a yellow snake? Noooo! It's a toilet paper stained with piss? Noooooo! It's Mami's ribbons!"
Once the ribbons sprouted from the ground, Kirika cut them effortlessly as she advanced. "Mami-san! Please! You're boring me to death!"
Soon came a series of bangs and flashes of light in the smoke.
"Here comes the artillery!" To dodge the incoming bullets, Kirika jumped. "You should be able to feel me too! I'm already arri..."
When realized, the point of a bayonet was almost in her eye.
Kirika averted the danger with one of her claws. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!"
Dozens of muskets with bayonets were flying, intending to impale her.
"Mami-san and her tricks." Kirika opened a way through them. "Almost got me, keep trying!"
Returning to the ground and giving impulse for another leap, Kirika came across the cloud of smoke.
Mami was on the floor on the outside of it. Her surprised expression indicated that she had seen her opponent, but not that would be enough for her to react.
"There's the source and there you are!" Kirika landed behind Mami. "My little love would be very disappointed to see such performance of yours, senpai." In a whirl, she ripped the blonde with her blades.
Literally.
"Huh?!" Great was Kirika's surprise to see her opponent becoming a mere bunch of fabrics. "How..." The distorted sound of a gunshot and stabbing pain in her back silenced her. With the eye that was not covered, she witnessed her abdomen burst into a jet of crimson, accompanied by a small yellow sphere. She stared at that ball moving away until her nose and mouth meet with the hard, wet ground.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Oriko stopped suddenly.
To the confusion of Yuma. "What mama?"
Oriko looked back for a moment, to where the tunnel curved. "...nothing. Come on, we are almost there."
They returned to walk quickly until they reached the exit to the gallery.
And there it was.
Her vision.
Her nightmare.
Oriko was taken by a sudden uneasiness. Those numerous Kyuubeys, most connected with that big black sphere. The small prism, the source of all evil, orbiting the large prism with the girl, the symbol of all her hope.
It was all so similar and yet so different. The damp and cold air, the hard ground that bothered under the soles of her footwear and especially the warm and comfortable glove of Yuma's hand she was holding.
Oriko felt her body heavier. After all, this was the weight of the present. That's what all of her counterparts went? This very same feeling? This... fear?
"Wow... Alot of Kyukyus..."
She pressed the hand of Yuma. If she saw the greenette perish all those times, it was to make it not happen. "You should be shocked, is it not my dear?"
"Y-You saw all this?" Yuma looked at Oriko. "Why... this girl is caged insi...?
"That's what I wanted to say!" Oriko bent down, with a troubled expression. "That girl is not caged, it is for her protection!"
"Huh?!"
Noting the girl's fright, Oriko tried to calm down. "Kyuubey will face something terrible that wants her and our world. We can not take her out from there, not now." And pressed her lips together and sighed. "Mami-san, Sakura-san... I saw that I will not be able to convince them about that, but you trust me, do you not?"
"C-Course mama!" Yuma shook her head, confirming. "I'll never doubt you anymore."
Oriko averted her gaze, her face and neck twitched.
"Mama?"
A single tear fell on her cheeck, that soon she removed. "Yes my daughter... yes..."
[Oriko Mikuni.]
The two girls turned their attention to the Kyuubey that was approaching.
[Yuma Chitose.]
"Kyukyu!" Yuma held out her arms toward the creature, which then jumped into her lap. "That's your whole family?"
[Family?] The head of Kyuubey shuddered with the caress of the girl. [You could say that they are of the same species as mine.]
Yuma ran her hand through that fluffy body. "I missed you, did you know? So you was all this time protecting this girl and our world from a major threat?"
[Not only this world, but the entire universe.] The static red eyes of Kyuubey were focused on Oriko.
The white magical girl did the same towards the creature, with bated breath and a subtle movement in her temples.
"Kyukyu!" Yuma held the body of Kyuubey and made him to face her. "There's a lot of bad stuff going on out there, people are getting hurt! Why didn't you tell us? And there are so many here... could you not send someone to collect the cubes?"
[This is all in order to ensure success. We did not want the involvement of magical girls.]
"Yuma, he's right." Oriko intervened. "Remember what I said, what I saw. Mami-san and Sakura-san. You have to understand."
"Uh-huh." Yuma lowered her head. "I understood..."
"However." This time, Oriko directed the word to the creature. "Without our help, you will not make it."
"What should we do?" Yuma asked.
"For now." Oriko stared at the girl inside the prism. "Just wait."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
With her fists closed, Kirika lifted her body with difficulty. Losing concentration, everything was back to normal speed and her claws disappeared. Her blood was mixed with the pools of water.
"When someone manages to become faster than their opponent, they seek to attack from behind. It is a plausible tactic, but very predictable."
Already on her knees, Kirika turned to answer. "Ah... Look who's talking..." But she did not find Mami, the owner of that voice, but only part of a barrel of a musket floating in midair.
"That was not your biggest mistake." So ribbons, with a color scheme that perfectly mimicked the space around them, began to fall, revealing the blonde holding her gun.
Then Kirika witnessed a yellow ribbons, before invisible, arise. It connected Mami with the bunch of fabric that had once been her imitation.
Mami used the ribbon to pull something of that lot, which went straight in the palm of her hand. "Finding your opponent through the origin of their magic is very convenient, but it should never be used as the sole method." Her soul gem was quite dark.
The bunch of fabric became flying ribbons, passing aside Kirika, reaching and being absorbed by the gem, bringing back a bit of its brightness. Meanwhile, Mami made her musket to disassemble and reform in a new one.
"Camouflage?! Are you a Swiss knife or what?" Kirika closed her eyes and laughed. "KukukuaaaaAAAARRGGH!"
Until Mami buried the bayonet of her musket on the right side of her chest.
"Bitch... I... ah..."
"You better save your breath, I pierced your lung." Mami spoke without showing a trace of compassion. "You can make the movement and sense of time of others slower, right? I met a person with similar magic to yours and I'm sure that in this situation you will not be able to escape. If you try to use any magic, I will not hesitate to pull the trigger."
"Damn Mami! Why you not killed her yet?" The Kyoukos came through the smoke that was dissipating. Once they got closer to the two girls, the clones fell apart in a jumble of ties.
In which were absorbed by the gem of Mami, that she took to the flower-shaped jewelry on her head. "I said to you! It makes no sense! They had better opportunities to liquidate us before and why didn't they act together?" She held her musket with both hands, turning her attention to Kirika. "If she wanted to escape and protect Yuma-san, Oriko-san would have returned and not got further deep into the galleries. There's something very strange here."
"Kukugh..." The laughter of Kirika was shortened by the pain. Coming from the severe wound in her abdomen, a dark red liquid of thick aspect dripped to her legs.
"I hit your liver." Mami said coolly. "You should have a few minutes before losing consciousness." Then she opened her eyes more, emphasizing. "When that happens, I will destroy your gem, EXCEPT if you tell me what Oriko-san is planning."
Kirika smiled. "Even if I knew... ah... I would never tell."
"What?!" Mami frowned. "You obey her blindly?"
Kyouko manifested. "I already told you, she's crazy."
"Ah... Insanity would doubt my Oriko." Bright red blood bathed the tongue of Kirika. "Ihh... It would be the same as doubting what I feel for her..." She then looked at the back of the eyes of Mami. "If that happens... my life would have no meaning, not as a person, nor as a magical girl."
"You... you made your contract for her." Mami blinked again and again, surprised by her own conclusion.
"Kukugh... I would go to hell, she just need to ask." Kirika clenched her fists tighter. "Because I know she'll be always right." Then she threw up what was in her hands.
Mami saw those black cubes rise to the height of her eyes.
"Mami!"
The call of Kyouko alerted her brief distraction. A violet aura had already formed and there was nothing to do but follow her instincts and fulfill her threat.
Kirika was already with her claws when the musket fired, blowing up her chest.
Still, for Mami, what came next was a rapid movement of energy blades, cutting the cubes that were in the air. They then burst,quickly spreading a thick black smoke.
"Damn it! Where did she go?"
Amid the smoke, Mami could only hear the redhead. Kirika was gone and she could not feel her magic. The blonde was sure to have wounded her even more. She should be weak, but Mami was not sure if she was unconscious. [Kyouko. Do you hear me? We have to be careful.]
Her companion did not answer.
"Kyouko!" Mami's eyes were burning, the smoke had an intoxicating smell of burning rubber. "Cough! W-We have to get out of here!" With closed eyes, she ran straight until she felt a familiar warmth from above.
Opening her eyes, Mami had to protect them from the blinding light. Even if between clouds, the sun announced the day. Getting used to the light, she found out where she was.
It was a scene of destruction. Amidst the road there was several vehicles involved in a serious accident.
Mami's eyes widened. "Where am I?" Then she realized the gun she was carrying and the clothes she was wearing. "What?" The corset, the yellow skirt, the long boots... a mixture of yellow, white and brown was so strange, but still was able to ignite a spark in her memory. "The contract..." That brought a great distress inside her.
A few dozen meters from her there was a capsized vehicle, in which she soon recognized. "Mom... Dad!" Mami went there, passing next to a destroyed truck and pieces of other vehicles on the road.
Getting closer, her desperation grew. The car has its sides and top completely deformed with the impacts. "Mom! Father!" There was no response, just dead silence. "Please! No!" With wobbly legs, her heart in throat, Mami used the body of her gun in a vain attempt to make way among the twisted metal.
[They are already dead.]
That sudden voice in her head brought a mixture of fear and anger. In an instinctive act, she turned and pointed the gun at the creature that was on the asphalt. "You..."
Kyuubey was motionless. [This weapon is discharged, Mami Tomoe.]
Mami pulled the trigger, a few times to be sure. Seeing what the creature said was true, she discarded the weapon and formed a new one with her ribbons. "Why didn't you tell me that I could save them?" She said as she pointed again at Kyuubey.
[It is against our policy to offer suggestions, you know that as well as you know that at this time you would not be able to do what you did now.]
"Huh...?" Mami looked at her musket she was holding.
[The mind and soul are intriguing elements. United, they bring completely illogical results.] Kyuubey curled up in his own tail. [For example, the fact this illusion manufactured by you be so perfect, detailed and consistent about my logical faculties and critical sense.]
"Illusion?"
Kyuubey continued. [While that had been so inaccurate to the scenery. Look around you.]
Mami followed the advice. The road ran straight in both directions until it disappeared over the horizon. After the guardrail had just the sky. No hill, buildings, there was nothing to indicate that there would be something beyond that asphalt.
The ground began to shake.
[If you shoot me, it's all over. Try to remember. Where were you before that?]
Mami lowered the gun and touched her head. She groped her jewelry and hastily withdrew the gem it was there. Soon discovered that was completely dark. The muscles in her body lost strength at same time, as if this realization was a debilitating poison.
The ground shook violently, causing the blonde to lose balance and fall to her knees. In the distance she saw what had caused it: the side of the road stood gigantic yellow ribbons with dozens of meters wide and more than a hundred in height. Those tons of fabric fall on the road, crushing whatever was below. Each time they rose closer to where she was.
[You must be quick, Mami. The illusion is shattering, what was hidden was revealed.]
In an effort, searching her memory, Mami dropped her gun and lifted her skirt. Strapped to her right thigh was a small pouch made of ties. From there, she took a few cubes. "Aahh!"
The quake was so strong that threw Mami in the air, making her drop her gem. A giant ribbon had fallen a few meters from where she was, pieces of the truck that was crushed rolled across the tarmac. Then a shadow formed above her.
A new ribbon rose, ready to cover the space of the road where exactly she was.
[Mami.]
Under the pleas of Kyuubey, the blonde, still lying on her stomach, threw the grief cubes where her soul gem had rolled. Once they got close enough, the cubes began to purify it.
The ribbon bent, collapsing like a tower.
Mami tried to get up, but her weakened legs could not support her weight. The shadow had grown darker, closer. She closed her eyes, waiting for the worst.
The crushing force, however, did not come, only the sensation of a cold wet ground.
When she raised her head, Mami saw that she was back to the gallery. Still fallen and dizzy, she examined the sleeve of her yellow sweater with prints of white flowers, far from her magical girl garments. Up ahead of her was her soul gem with black cubes still around it absorbing its corruption, causing the gem to slowly light up like a light bulb. Looking around, she found that the black smoke was gone.
At this time she found Kyouko, also fallen and without her magical red dress. She was shaking, an expression of pain was stamped on her face.
"K-Kyouko ..." Her voice came out as a sigh. Even weak, Mami reached out and grabbed a handful of cubes from the ground. With all the strength she had at that time, she hurled them to her mate. "H-Here..."
Unfortunately, a hand intercepted them. "Thanks! Kuku..." Kirika took the cubes to her back. Her uniform of magical girl was bathed in blood, the bright red of the hole in her chest mixing with the dark one on her abdomen.
Mami's eyes widened. "How...?"
"So managed to recover... ah... indeed, you didn't absorb as much as that one here." Kirika pointed to Kyouko. "Did you ever imagine that? These cubes not only served to purify? Uh... yeah... My big love did... Kukugh..."
"How..."
"Huh..." Kirika frowned, then smiled. "Oh yes... how can I stand... and... ah... talking with those holes you put in me."
"Your magic..." Mami looked away, contemplating the possibility.
"Ding ding ding! I didn't expect less of our beloved senpai! Kuku..." Kirika opened an even bigger smile. "My magic... ah... not only applies to others. I can, for example, reduce my heart rate and the speed of... ah... my blood flow. I will last much longer than a few minutes. Kukuh..."
Mami realized, although Kirika was confident, the girl really was seriously injured. Her right shoulder was down, thanks to her fractured scapula.
While the girl standing, albeit slowly, she was still losing blood and magic, Mami was already feeling much stronger.
The soul gem was shining an intense yellow light.
Once she got some support with her hands and feet, Mami threw herself.
A violet aura formed on the ground.
Mami reached up to her vital object, which held firmly. As firm as the trample on her wrist made by a boot. "Ah!"
"I may be slow... ehh... but I can make you even more!" Kirika extended a claw, almost touching the hand of Mami. "Let's play that again? If you... use your magic... uhg... I'll chop your gem in two!"
Mami glared at her aggressor.
"My big love asked earnestly that I... I... I... did not kill you two." Blood dripped from Kirika over the arm she trampled on. "Don't make it to be harder to follow."
"What does she want then?"
Kirika smiled again, her voice less threatening. "Hey. Did you know I've never seen a... ah... magical girl disappear?"
"UUhhhhgg... AAAhhgg..."
The two looked at Kyouko, who was agonizing.
"You two disappearing close to each other. Uh... So romantic, right? But now... that you blew it... ah... you're gonna have to witness this." Said Kirika. "I bet you'll want to soon follow her. Kuku..."
Mami pressed the gem in her hand. Kirika would be too fast if she tried anything. Her only hope was in her companion. Kyouko... I know you're strong...
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"Brothers and sisters!"
Kyouko felt she was tied to something hard before even opening her eyes. Soon found that she was tied to a large trunk. Despite being wearing her magical girl attire, her body was too weak.
"Rejoice, for the day that divine justice will prevail came!"
She stood on a wooden platform. Around her was a large crowd of people wearing paper masks, watching her.
"The day that this witch will pay for her sins!"
The familiarity of that voice drew Kyouko's attention to the priest who was in front of the altar. He also wore a mask of paper, but the features of the face that were represented on it made the girl to recognize him immediately. "Father..." Then she also recognized where she was. The hall of the church was dimly lit, the only source came from the flickering, warm light coming through the stained glass, announcing that there was a major fire outside.
"Look and listen!" The priest pointed to Kyouko. "How the devil speaks for her! Even dare to say that she share my blood. One who sells their souls, is not one of us!"
The crownd, insane, cried. "Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"
Hearing that, Kyouko shuddered. She was not on a platform but at a large stake prepared for her. "No... Dad! Please! Hear my confession!"
The church became silent, only was heard the sound of the large flames outside.
"I know I have sinned. I let myself fall into temptation." Kyouko dropped a couple of tears. "But I'm sorry for the wrong I did, really I am. I'm not worthy, I know, but I ask for the mercy and grace of our Lord."
"It's too late for that, Ko-chan."
Kyouko looked down at the crownd, and found at the foot of the bonfire a little girl with peach-colored hair. Her mask had a smiling countenance. "Mo-chan... Mo-chan!"
"Ko-chan." The girl tilted her head to the side. "Did you not hear the words of our father? Suicides don't go to heaven."
The stained glass windows of the church burst and the flames invaded, incinerating the altar and its priest.
Kyouko gasped. "No..."
In the audience one by one, paper masks began to catch fire. They were like candles that were lit, each time closer to the stake.
"I, mother, father... you doomed us and now we'll share it, just like we always did, right? You're home now, Ko-chan." Once she finished saying the last words, the girl's paper mask ignited.
"No! Mo-chan!"
The girl stumbled and fell, firing at the stake. The crownd, like zombies, marched toward it for the same purpose.
Kyouko writhed in despair. "I'm so sorry. I'm a monster."
BURN!
WITCH!
BURN!
Voices from the crowd echoed through the church on fire.
"Oh God..." Kyouko looked up, sweat and tears washing the soot on her face. "Destroy me, please. Annihilate my being completely."
BURN!
"But don't let my family here!"
WITCH!
When the tongues of fire began to lick her flesh, then she saw something forming in the air. Made of embers and ashes, it was a horse that breathed fire through its nostrils as if it were one of the four of the apocalypse.
Amid absolute pain, Kyouko saw the creature riding toward her, until her eyes melt.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Between the Kyuubeys below and the black sphere in a fixed position in the air, the large prism contrasted with the smaller one that orbited it.
The girl who resides in it, Madoka, was like a statue, a symbol of peace, ignorant to events beyond the crystal frontier.
An inaccurate assumption, however, because to an attentive observer who was close enough, would perceive something very subtle right now.
The slight tremor of her hands.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"Homura-chan! Don't move so much!"
It was another beautiful day in the flowery field. While her children played in the distance, Homura, sitting on the grass, struggled to finish her work. "Madoka, I'm almost done the wreath. If you can wait a bit."
"Ah... but I wanted to finish together with you." Nagisa, standing, intertwined branches and fit flowers on the long black hair of Homura to form a veil. "Your hair is very smooth. If it gets sloppy, it will fall apart as soon as you get up."
"So I don't get up." Homura concluded.
"Hmmm... So it will be bad too." Nagisa grumbled. "You can't stand there all the time. Also I wanted to see you dance with it, twirling, do fetes."
"Fouettés." Homura corrected.
"This... ehihi." Smiling, Nagisa continued. "Homura-chan, you should teach me."
"What..."
"Some moves."
Homura dropped the flower that was about to put on the wreath. "I know their names more than execute them."
"Not true!" Nagisa retorted. "I saw how you dance. It is wonderful!"
"Madoka." Homura took a deep breath and said in a serious and paused voice. "I really can not teach you that."
Nagisa felt the weight of those words, to the point of removing her hands that handled the hair. "Sorry..."
There was a brief silence between the two before Homura manifested. "I was rude. It's me who must apologize."
"No! No!" Nagisa gestured. "It was a silly request on my part. Ehihi. Forget it." Pulling her white hair to partially hide her own face, she said hesitantly. "But... I still want you to throw your flowery hair."
Homura nodded, with a more relaxed voice. "So is it already flowery?"
"Oh no!" Nagisa was quick to fiddle Homura's hair again. "I still have to put some more flowers at that side."
"Uh-huh." Homura returned to focus on in her crown of colorful flowers. "Because I almost finished it, yet remains to be seen whether it will fit on your head. Since you don't want me to move, could you come here in front of me for us to see it?"
Although she waited, Homura received no response. "Madoka?" Not even her hair was being pulled over. She turned, dropping some flowers of her veil.
Nagisa was looking at some distant point, apprehensive. Her long white hair and her pink dress swayed with a sudden gust of wind.
"What?" Homura asked.
With short, rapid breathing, Nagisa replied. "Suffering..."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Fortissimo.
Immersed in the music of the orchestra, covered by her white cape, Sayaka was sitting in a lotus position amidst her large amphitheater.
Meditating, she concentrated on the object on the palm of her left hand. A black sphere surrounded by metal adornments, with allusions of a musical score and a symbol, like a note of crescent shape. This symbol is also found at the top of the sphere, while the opposite pole had a thin metal pin through which the object was balanced.
That was her grief seed, on the same hand she healed from that unGrATeFul.
kYoUSuKE KAmIJoU.
How did he not notice? We were childhood friends, we could be much more. I was sure of it. I risked my life for it.
UNgRAtEFuL!
Then that girl, who was said to be my friend, took him from me. Her FiLtHy voice! Her fIlTHy laugh! Her fIltHY breath!
hITomI sHiZUki.
fILThY TRaItOR!
Yes! As hOMuRA, nAGiSa, madOKa. Everyone LiEs, everyone BetrAYS.
Because? Because they think I'm uGlY, wEAK. All take advantage of those who did not have a FAiR life.
bUt THaT CoULd chAnGE!
Trembling, Sayaka was soaked, the water ran down her navy blue cape. Her thoughts came from the floor, the walls, the sibilate of violins. Her identity drowning, being overridden by her own barrier.
One of her minions approached. A cheap imitation of that fILthY tRaItOR! In its eternal crying, it knelt before her master and lowered its head, pulling its green long hair to leave exposed its neck.
I am no longer human. No need to follow the laws of humans, but I still yearn for eXEcUTiOn!
For JUStIcE!
Sayaka appreciated the metallic reflection of her gauntlets. She was stronger now.
I can bring that UNgRaTEfUl here. I want to hear him play for me, as I pass my blade through that FIlThY TRAiTor in front of him. He will smile. He will HAvE tO smile. It is fAiR.
A cutlass was conjured in the right hand of Sayaka. It would be so easy. However, a part of her still claimed inside the armor.
An ephemeral reward.
That would never have satisfied her, only instigate the voracity of her ire even more.
Living under my impulses and desires, where it would be fair to others? This will only lead to a lonely path.
Sayaka closed her gauntlet, pressing her seed. She remembered someone who has already taken this path once and returned to try to rescue her. Someone that discovered that it was not worth living like this.
Kyouko...
Suddenly, a cacophony of strident sounds took over the place. "AAaAAAaHHhhHh!" Sayaka's armor and sword liquefied as she rose frightened.
A tremor hit the barrier. The liquid surface of which the orchestra musicians were composed vibrated erratically. Their movements have lost the necessary harmony to play their instruments.
Sayaka quivered as well. She swallowed hard realizing what that meant.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"AaaaAAAHHHH! IIIAAAHHH! AAARRHH!" Kyouko struggled violently on the wet concrete.
"Wow! So scandalous!" Kirika was surprised to see that. "I thought... ah... disappear was something more peaceful."
"So please! Make it stop!" Mami cried.
"Relax." Kirika looked back at Mami. "When she disappears... you won't hear her screams anymore. You will se..."
Mami was unable to hear the rest because Kirika was thrown away by a violent blast accompanied by a sound of shattering. When she realized, the blonde saw her world spun while flying aimlessly. In this situation, the only attitude she could think of was to make her gem shine.
A thud behind her head and everything disappeared.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
"What was that?!" Yuma felt the ground tremble.
Kyuubey jumped off her lap and looked toward the tunnel.
"Behind us." Oriko turned to the tunnel as well. Inside it began to form a mist.
Yuma put her hands to her chest. "Mama, something happened to them?"
"I-I do not know!"
"Huh?!"
"I did not predict that!" Oriko turned to Yuma, her eyes wide. "Kirika... she is in danger!"
"Oh no!"
"She needs you!" Oriko pleaded. "I will stay with Kyuubey. Now go!"
Yuma looked from one side to the other, it all happened so suddenly. No, she could not hesitate. She nodded. "Y-Yes mama!" And ran.
While Oriko saw the little girl with her rushed and worried steps over the puddles, heading toward the tunnel, her features, once of concern and surprise, became impassive.
Go Yuma. Save Kirika and save yourself.
Turning again, she looked at the girl inside the prism and the Kyuubeys, their red eyes glowing in the dark gallery environment. There was no shortage of witnesses.
[This surge of energy...]
Listening to distracted Kyuubey which was in front of her, Oriko turned her face away from him and said to herself. "You were right Sakura-san, we are only raw material for him. Yet, you were deceived, like all of us. There is no Law of Cycles, we did not even disappear in peace. He lied to us, with fantasies to hide our cruel fates."
She then lowered her head, glanced at her brilliant gem. "The worst thing is that I am not different from him, I was unable to. Sorry, Mami Tomoe-san, but there are times when we must become heroes and others where we must have to do what is needed. That's something I learned from an early age." Small droplets formed in the corner of her eyes. "After all, I am a Mikuni."
Next chapter: The devil's coffin