An apartment has been left unattended for weeks, as if its inhabitant one day just up and vanished into thin air. The bed is unmade, a gaming console is still lying on the floor in the middle of the room, laundry is hanging from a rack in front of the window. The front door is bent and splintered, dangling from its hinges. Chiemi tosses the laundry to the side, opens up the curtains and the window, giving her a good view of the building on the other side of the street. As she steps onto the balcony, she summons her weapon and, resting its muzzle on the balcony railing, points it at the building. The streets are empty, and the building’s lower floor has no windows. If this were a regular sniper rifle, she’d be shooting straight into solid concrete. But hers is not a regular sniper rifle.
Looking down the scope, she peers straight down, through the wall, making out the backstage area of the Bends, leading out towards the stage and the audience pit, the bar, the wardrobe, and furthest away from her, the main entrance. Behind the entrance, she spots the outline of a hooded figure, perched atop a set of emergency stairs. Looking up from the scope, she sees two shadows similarly lying in wait about the back entrance, which she can see with the naked eye from up here. Holding a walkie-talkie to her mouth, she speaks.
Chiemi: I’m in position, birds. See you are, too. Do you copy?
Kotori: (keeping a watchful gaze on the front door, she answers into her walkie-talkie, just above a whisper) …Copy.
Riko: (doing the same for the back entrance, Riko casts a quick glance at her sister before replying in an equally hushed voice) All set, Boss.
Chiemi: (she looks back down her sights, carefully surveying the entire building) Time’s ripe. There’s only two of them in there, not counting Kyubey. That Chinese girl’s with him. On her phone in the backstage area. I’ve got her in my sights. Should be able to hit her straight through the wall. (she slowly exhales, wiping some sweat from her brow) Then, we strike from both sides.
Riko: … What about the other one, then?
Chiemi: Other one’s… clearly a masculine physique. Gotta be the fucking snake with the mask. Appears to be asleep. Won’t even know what hits him, and even if he survives, he’s got nothing on us.
Kotori: And the obnoxious, brazen bull? Where is she?
Chiemi: Nowhere to be seen. Not even any of her cronies. (she scoffs) They’ve even moved the hostages somewhere else.
Riko: So then, they saw us coming. How?
Chiemi: …No. They think they know Arashi is coming. This is a trap, but not for us. They’re luring her here to free the hostages, get the Chinese girl to keep her occupied. Yasuda’s probably skulking around somewhere she can strike while Arashi’s out and about. Luckily, we’re not here for the hostages. (she puts her finger on the trigger, keeping Punisher’s unmoving silhouette in her sight) Now… on my signal.
Kotori: They expected someone who came to be a hero. Not those who know what must be done. …Cousins. We have discussed this ad nauseam, but remember, I am not in charge of this operation. Follow Chie’s word without question, as if it were my own. This standing order remains until she is not, or until we succeed. Clear?
Riko: Right, Boss— …Er, Cousin. …Ready. Rio?
Rio: (She nods slowly, leaning against a vending machine to steady herself) …R-Right.
Kotori: Remember the plan, Riko. Rio. If things go awry, you two know where to go. Take any and all information pertaining today to the singular contract I have left as a Bird of Fujiwara. This is paramount.
Riko: …Right. Got it.
In Paradise Hall, meanwhile, Mei, Kiwako, Yuzuki and Aoi were sitting around a small tray on one of the beds in the clinic basement. A deck of ordinary playing cards sat in the middle, and each of them had a hand of cards as well. Kiwako was struggling to think and make a move.
Kiwako: Baaaah! Why are we playing this silly game again?
Mei: What else are we gonna do?
Kiwako: We could train! What if the bad guys show up while Yui-chan and the others are out on their secret mission?!
Mei: You’re like… obsessed with the secret mission stuff, Kiwa-chan.
Yuzuki: They’re just getting groceries… it’s not that much of a secret…
Kiwako: (she flails her free hand) Nooo! It’s more fun if we act like it’s a super dangerous, super secret mission!
Aoi: (she winces and flinches away as Kiwako’s flailing arm comes perilously close to her head) It’s your move, sir.
Kiwako: (Kiwako sputters as her eyes go wide) K-Kiwa-chan! What the heck is “sir”! I’m not old… or some silly guy thing! (pouting, Kiwako places a card seemingly at random— the exact move needed for Aoi to win the game)
Aoi: Well… (Aoi puts her hand of cards down on the table) I win, I guess. We can play again if people aren’t done.
Mei: Whoa, not bad. Didn’t know you were good at this sorta thing, Hikarizaka-san.
Kiwako: Awawawa! H-How did— hm! Okay, okay! Not bad! Deal us in, I’m gonna go peek outside real quick~ (Kiwako carefully hops up and makes her way upstairs)
Aoi: (She quietly gathers up the cards and starts shuffling, not particularly skillfully)
Yuzuki: Wow, I didn’t think people went “awawa” in real life…
Mei: What can I say? She’s got the part down, at least. Whatever’s making her wanna emulate an eleven year old, she’s committed to the bit…
Yuzuki: Is that what’s “in” with eleven-year-olds these days? I don’t really know any.
Aoi: I don’t think real eleven-year-olds… never mind.
Mei: (she shrugs) That’s why I said she’s emulating one. Yui would know more about the “why” of it than I would. Ah, Hikarizaka-san, do you need help shuffling? You seem out of it.
Aoi: It’s nothing. Just haven’t played cards much before. (She places the half-shuffled deck on the table)
Mei: (she reaches for the cards, freezing as she does, her eyes going wide) …Y-Yuzuki. Stick to the plan… g… guard Aoi.
Yuzuki: Huh? (Despite her confusion, Yuzuki understands quickly and stands up, taking Aoi by the shoulders. She speaks in a sharp whisper) What is it? The enemy?
Mei: Th… they’re here. The fucking Balancers! They found us! (Mei breaks for the stairs. At the top, she sees Kiwako’s arc, and a moment later, the shattering of glass can be heard)
Kiwako: Mei! The plan! Stick to the plan! Call Yui!
Chiemi: Okay…
With Punisher still unmoving in her sight, Chiemi inhales deeply, holding her breath so the reticule remains perfectly still. On the count of “Now!”, she pulls the trigger, and indeed, her rifle’s projectile, a barely visible, but lightning-fast shimmer, fires straight through the wall, hitting Punisher in the head. A quick look through the scope is enough to confirm the Balancer’s thumb has stopped swiping left and right on her phone screen, as if she’s been frozen in time. She sees Kyubey panic and make towards the room where Worldeater is sleeping.
Chiemi: (into her walkie-talkie) She’s out for the count! Move! Now!
The three fledgling Birds dash into the Bends from their respective vantages, each placing an emergency explosive at key structural points around the structure. They had taken them from an abandoned JSDF outpost, and calculated just how much would be needed to bring the entire structure down. Once each bomb was placed, the younger twins made for the exit, while Kotori lingered in the middle, making sure everything was in position.
Kotori: (into her walkie-talkie) Count to ten, then detonate. Over and out.
Chiemi: Roger. (she takes another look through her scope) Twins. Kyubey’s about to pass your position. Take him ou— (she suddenly freezes up as she becomes aware of the cold muzzle of a rifle being placed against the back of her neck) …!
Riko: Boss? (Riko adjusts the walkie-talkie, a concerned Rio tilting her head) You cut out. We do not see the Incubator at this position. …Boss, please respond, over!
(Chiemi slowly raises her shaking hands in surrender, before suddenly yelling into her walkie-talkie, reaching for the bombs’ detonator)
Chiemi: Run—!
As she turns around, Chiemi catches a brief glance of Punisher, pointing a rifle strikingly similar to her own at her forehead. Without hesitation, the Balancer pulls the trigger, and as the charge buries itself into Chiemi’s head, she feels time and space flickering around her. She feels herself falling while standing perfectly still — until she lands on a cold, plywood floor, finding herself in a dimly-lit, large and mostly empty open area.
Chiemi: S-Shit. She’s here. She got me. I-I don’t know how, she’s got my rifle— (she yelps in fear as the walkie-talkie explodes in her hand, skillfully shattered into pieces by a lone bullet)
Riko: Damn it. I think we’re in the midst of an ambush of our own. Rio! Ready!
Shaking their walkie-talkie, which at this point is emitting nothing but static, the twins turn the corner towards the club’s exit in a panic, only to find their path blocked by a frightening apparition. Before them looms a tall, lean, humanoid figure, its pale skin nearly translucent save for a few red strokes forming a Chinese character smeared across its face and upper body, as if slathered on with a paintbrush. Its eyes are pale black and its hair long, white and thin. Brandishing a pair of hook swords, like its master, the jiangshi explodes into action, jumping off the tight corridor walls to gain a height advantage and bringing down its blades in a leaping attack.
Riko: (Rio hesitates for just a moment, only to be tackled out of harm’s way by her twin sister.) Switch! (A bright blue crossbow appears in her right hand, and multiple bolts billow from the tip, aimed right at the construct’s neck)
Rio: I… Is that a person?!
Riko: Not anymore. Nor does it matter either way. Us or them, Rio!
Rio: (Rio raises her left hand, an identical crossbow appearing in it, her own barrage joining with Riko’s)
The bolts appear to hit the creature just fine, tearing into its flesh in spurts of dark red blood, but as the undead are wont to do, the creature only wobbles around a bit, sucking up the projectiles like a sponge. Nevertheless, the barrage does appear to bother the jiangshi significantly, as it begins to groan, flailing about its weapons, swatting away some of the twins’ attacks and giving them little space to navigate the hallway.
Riko: Hyah! (Eventually, Riko pushes forward, a bright blue crest shield appearing on her left hand. As she swings it back, it throws the undead being’s weapon off balance.) Switch! (The crossbow in her right hand vanishes, and in its place, a blue straight sword, thrust straight into the markings in its upper chest. Not giving the creature a chance to recover, she kicks off its chest, flipping backwards into the hallway.)
Rio: (In the confusion, meanwhile, Rio has found just enough space to scamper and roll through to get behind it, twin crossbows in her hands now. She unleashes barrages of bright blue bolts from them, aimed at the base of its spine)
Watching its weapons escaping its grip like a child watching their balloon drift off, the jiangshi grunts when Rio’s bolts perforate its torso — until it eventually collapses to the ground, its body freezing up until it becomes stiff as a board. Unfortunately, what follows isn’t silence, but the sound of more grunting and shambling coming from various directions — as well as a bloodcurdling scream from deeper down the corridor whence the twins just came.
Rio: Th… that was Kotori!
Riko: Then we cut through.
The twins exchange only one swift glance, cutting and blasting their way through what stands before them, ignoring the rest. As they reach the central room, the source of the scream is evident. Kotori is panting heavily, her kimono torn and tattered on the floor. The girl herself still stands, a long, red skirt covering her lower body, and what appears to be bandages wrapped around her chest, waist and one shoulder. Two black crow wings expand from her back, and on her hands, two sets of long, jet black claws. Standing opposite, an unamused Punisher.
Kotori: <What’s wrong, mǔgǒu? Too accustomed to prey that falls over on the opening salvo?>
Punisher: (summoning a rope dart into her arms, she skillfully swings the weapon in a large arc around her body, shielding herself from long range attacks, before launching it straight at Kotori, unphased by her taunts)
Slumped in a corner, covering a stomach wound with her hands, Chiemi notices the twins witnessing the battle, muttering through gritted teeth.
Chiemi: Damnit, you idiots. Run…!
Kotori deflects the attack with a single swing from her right claw. The twins, meanwhile, give each other a simultaneous nod, twin crossbows appearing in Rio’s hands, and the sword and shield in Riko’s as they face the stage.
Punisher: (regaining control of the rope after, the deflected attack, she swings it towards Rio, coiling it around the girls leg before she can react and pulling to knock her off balance)
Riko reacts nearly instantly, swinging her sword down upon the rope and cutting it as it pulls Rio off balance. As she does, Kotori takes the opening, aiming her claw at Punisher’s neck.
Punisher: (with a sigh, she doesn’t even turn around to receive Kotori’s attack, merely raising her arm to unveil Chiemi’s detonator, with her thumb on the button) <You.> (she turns her head to glare at Kotori) <Translate. I want to thank you for providing me with the means to take all four of you out at once. Anyone so much as move, you won’t even be able to say your goodbyes, though.>
Chiemi: Ghh… Fuck… Don’t try anything funny, you hear me? None of you’re fast enough to stop her!
The twins lower their weapons, and Kotori’s claw stops a millimeter from Punisher’s jugular.
Kotori: <…So what now, then? If you move, I won’t hesitate, either. You are our target. Do you think we’re afraid to die and take you with us, mǔgǒu?>
Punisher: (she scoffs)
Chiemi: Don’t… Don’t talk to her, Ito! I… (she grits her teeth, clutching her Soul Gem and trying her hardest to channel what little energy remains in her into it) Come on… (she winces) Why… It used to be so easy…
???: (from the shadows, a familiarly cheerful, yet unfeeling voice emerges) Easy, you say? My… How sure of yourself you must have been. And yet, here you are, unable to summon the strength you used to be so proud of!
Kyubey trots out of the darkness, its tail wagging back and forth as usual as it observes the scene, before turning to Chiemi.
Kyubey: I must say, the kinds of savagery displayed here truly are unprecedented. Why are you so keen on continued survival when you willingly signed up for a life of hunting Witches? I’m afraid I simply don’t understand.
Chiemi: Spare me the concern trolling, rat. You don’t give a shit about fair play, setting us up like this.
Kyubey: Setting you up? How peculiar, the people who refuse to uphold their end of the bargain are now accusing me of misleading them! I’m afraid you’re just getting several important things all mixed up!
Chiemi: I saw her sitting here, how was she able to sneak up on me like that? (she turns to Punisher) And where did you even get a rifle just like mine?
Kyubey: I’m afraid Punisher doesn’t understand a word of what you’re saying!
Chiemi: (she hisses) Why, you little…
Kyubey: — as for this alleged “deception”, I’m afraid that was simply Firestarter managing to come across a new power recently. One that has proven quite useful in nipping your halfhearted attempt at an ambush in the bud!
Chiemi: Heh. Half-hearted? As if we need a plan when it’s four-on-one… (she clenches her fists) Especially when we’ve got—
Kyubey: (the creature tilts its head, staring at Chiemi with its beady red eyes) — Magia? I’m afraid that just won’t do, Chiemi!
Chiemi: Wanna see me try?
Kyubey: I’ve seen you try plenty enough… but to little avail, wouldn’t you agree? I’m disappointed. You ought to know better.
Chiemi: The fuck are you talking about—
Kyubey: Don’t you remember what I told you? Magia is a Puella Magi’s ultimate form of self-actualization. It is the manifestation of her soul’s very reason for coming into existence. Only by understanding and embracing this, will you be able to harness its power.
Kotori: …Is that the trick, then? (Kotori exchanges knowing glances with the twins)
Chiemi: I swore I’d fight for my friends until my dying breath. I know exactly why I’m here! So why doesn’t it work? You took it away from me, didn’t you, you piece of—
Kyubey: Obviously, I cannot do that, Chiemi. If I could, why wouldn’t I have taken all of your powers away to begin with? I wouldn’t even need my Balancers!
Chiemi: Liar! I did everything for her. Support her. Save her. Avenge her. I swore my life to Akari! That’s what awakened me to my Magia! So now give it back to me, so I can finish the job!
Kyubey: But the job is already finished, isn’t it?
Chiemi: Wh… What do you mean—
Kyubey: You said it yourself. Your purpose in life was to protect Akari. But… she’s gone now, isn’t she? Whatever could be there for you to protect? When you had your Magia, you were the person you were always meant to be. But now… what are you but another cog in the cosmic machine?
Chiemi: Damn you! (she tries to get up, but a flare-up of pain in her stomach quickly forces her to reconsider) You… You killed her just to sabotage me!
Kyubey: My, for someone sworn to protect her friends, you sure are self-centered, aren’t you?
Punisher: … <Why are you giving this girl the time of day, Fu Hua Zhe? She cannot agonize in death.>
Kyubey: <Have you forgotten that our goal here is to harvest the energy these girls owe us, Punisher? If we’re going to senselessly slaughter our targets, we might as well just leave them to do as they please. In any case, you’ll have plenty of time to kill at random once you become a Witch yourself.>
Punisher: <I know what I’m doing. And you know damn well you need me to do it for you.>
Kyubey: <Do you, Punisher?> (the creature hops onto the Balancer’s shoulder) <This place is of great strategic importance. It would be unwise of you to blow it up. Besides, don’t tell me you can’t take these birds on your own.>
Punisher: … (she clicks her tongue, before crushing the detonator in her hand, destroying it)
Kotori’s strike is swift, a claw swinging down at Punisher’s neck. At the same time, one of the twins calls for another Switch, and crossbow bolts descend upon Punisher from multiple angles. The Balancer, however, dodges the claw just in time for it to leave little more than a scratch, summoning large iron shields onto both of her forearms to block the incoming projectiles. She then spins, the shields flying off her arms like frisbees, one in each twin’s direction.
Riko tries to block and deflect, but the shield’s force is enough to knock her into a wall. The other catches Rio in the ribs, causing her to cry out in pain before hitting the wall behind her as well. Relentlessly, Punisher’s attack continues, as she now summons a sword to her right arm and, crouching to avoid another strike by Kotori, swings the blade upwards, its tip cutting her vertically from her stomach all the way to the Soul Gem around her neck. Kotori’s body crumples unnaturally into the corner.
Chiemi: No! (she tries to get up again, but once again her body refuses to cooperate)
Punisher turns to her only remaining target, raising her sword. Before it can come down, however, it bursts into flames, the flame spreading to Punisher’s arm. Kotori stands, her body and hair glowing in embers all over in spots. A familiar light to Chiemi surrounds her, and Kotori’s dead body is perfectly calm, her chest unmoving by what would be the usual motion of breathing.
Kotori: …I’ve finally done it. I’ve fulfilled my Impossible Task.
Punisher: (tossing her weapon to the ground, she narrows her eyes, glaring at Kotori before producing a piece of cloth out of thin air and wrapping it around her arm to douse the flame, grunting)
Kyubey: Well, if you speak of the devil…
Kotori: (Kotori holds up her Soul Gem, a very noticeable crack down the middle) …How unfortunate. That after all this time… even the pain of death cannot overtake the pain of my life. (Kotori’s eyes, no light in them turn to glance at Chiemi) Remember, Chie… there is more to fight for than that which you love most. That light itself does not originate from merely a singular point. Know this, and you can reclaim it. …I believe in you. Akari believes in you. (She turns to glance at her cousins, one of which is unconscious, the other glancing back with one open eye, a tear rolling down her cheek. Kotori then turns to face Punisher, her claws outstretched as she assumes a stance. The embers on her body begin to spread.) <I could fade away, but why not burn through the last of this candle, while I can move within this light?>
Punisher: <A candle cannot even withstand the wind. What makes you think it can withstand me?>
Kotori: <This candle can only be extinguished by time, mǔgǒu. Time is not your forte.> (Kotori’s body vanishes in a burst of flame, seeming to leap through space itself as she rematerializes an inch away from Punisher, bringing her claw down in a wide swing)
Punisher: <And yet, in the end, I will remain.> (Despite saying this, Punisher isn’t quick enough to evade Kotori’s attack, as it tears through her right shoulder before being deflected by one of the Balancer’s hook swords. As she regains her footing, she utters an animalistic scream, growling at the sight of her own blood.)
Kotori: <Hm. You are not accustomed to the sight of your own blood, are you, Punisher? Watch, Incubator. Watch the perfect sword and shield you have crafted crumble into dust!> (Continuing her barrage of leaping through space from her flames, Kotori slashes at various angles at Punisher, screaming out in a primal fury Kotori had never shown before.)
Punisher: (only able to block or parry about half of Kotori’s strikes, she grits her teeth and switches between her various weapons, occasionally managing to get a hit in as well, but overall being forced to take a few steps back as Kotori’s onslaught knocks her off balance) <Well, come on then! COME ON THEN!>
Kyubey: (seemingly out of nowhere, it leaps onto Punisher’s shoulder) <Punisher, I implore you to—>
Punisher: <SHUT UP!> (with a roar, she materializes a metal glove onto her bloodied right arm, driving her fist straight into Kotori’s jaw)
Kotori: (Kotori is sent back into the wall, her body seeming to explode into flame, though no trace of the body itself remains)
Punisher: (breathing heavily, she wipes the blood from her mouth before shakily assuming a martial arts stance) <Come on then… You want to live so badly. Then prove it!>
There is only silence, the flames where Kotori’s body collided with the wall slowly flickering out.
Chiemi: No… No, no, no, God DAMMIT! Kotori! Is that it? Your ultimate fate? The reason you were born? Just to die?
You see Akari’s face before your eyes, determined.
A cackle, calling out to you in the darkness.
She died. She died to save you.
Biting down the tears, Chiemi struggles to get back on her feet.
She’s gone.
Your purpose in life, gone.
You became the villain for her.
She became a hero for you.
But in the end, the villain dies and the hero lives.
That’s how it is supposed to be.
Why couldn’t it be the way it is supposed to be?
As she rises, she feels time slowing down around her, she sees Punisher, dismissively turning away from Kotori’s body, clutching a gaping wound in her side as she mutters something to the creature on her shoulder.
“You’ve done enough, Chie-chan.”
“This time, I’ll be the one to save you.”
“It’s only fair.”
She died like a dog, She died to save you.
Punisher summons a gun to her hand, aiming at Rio’s head, as she looks up like a deer in headlights, cradling her unconscious sister.
Are you okay with that?
Her dying, just to save you?
You, who turned everyone against you?
What have you done to deserve that?
Chiemi: … nothing. But that changes NOW!
Chiemi screams as a familiar feeling washes over her once again, her determination manifesting in the form of two long-barreled revolvers in her hands, and clean, pristine clothes around her body. This is her ascension. This is her Magia. Before Punisher can pull the trigger, she has already raised her weapons. Without a mere thought, they align perfectly with their targets. She pulls the triggers before even thinking to do so. Bang. The twins, and Kotori, poor Kotori, are gone. Somewhere safe. Robbed of her victims, the Balancer turns towards her. In her hands appear two long-barreled revolvers, just like hers. The wretched creature on Punisher’s shoulder gazes into Chiemi’s eyes as she approaches.
Kyubey: Oh my, were you able to find your Magia again, Chiemi? I must say, I’m surprised! That’s all the more reason for you to die!
Chiemi exhales slowly. She knew this would happen.
Kyubey: How unfortunate that you had to face Punisher of all Balancers. All the legs up you have in a fight, you owe to your unique powers… But when those powers are no longer unique, what good are you really?
Chiemi: You think the cheap Chinese knock-off can beat the real thing?
Kyubey: … Every tool you have at your disposal, Punisher can create one perfect copy of, for herself.
Chiemi: … One copy, you say?
Punisher: <Quiet, vermin.> (she raises one of her revolvers against her opponent, slurring her speech in broken Japanese) You. Talk? Or fight?
Chiemi closes her eyes, once again letting the air escape her lungs. She drops her weapons, and they dematerialize in a flash of light as they hit the ground.
Chiemi: Sometimes… The most noble thing you can do… is surrender.
She imagines Akari’s face one more time. Her wavering composure. The bravery in her eyes. The acceptance emanating from her very being. A slight smile creeps onto her face. She reaches into her pocket. It’s still there. The detonator. She can’t resist pulling it out, shoving it into Kyubey’s face.
Punisher: … ! (her eyes widen)
Kyubey: The original switch?!
Chiemi: You want balance, you piece of shit? One on each side, how does that sound?
Without hesitation, she pushes the button, activating the detonator. An ear-splitting sound. A destructive force. Scorching heat. Light.
Bang.
On a small hill overlooking Mitakihara, the explosion of the Bends could be seen quite clearly. The Twin birds watch in utter awe, Rio’s cheeks stained with tears. But Chiemi fired a third shot, and its target appears behind them. Her hair is made of dancing flame itself now, and her wings are completely engulfed. The embers on her body now smoldering flames, spreading across every inch of skin, yet a soft smile rests upon her face. Despite her predicament, she looks as though she is in no pain at all.
Kotori: …Chie… you and I were uncannily similar… all the way until the end, weren’t we? We gave it all… burned through our very lives… just for those singular sparks that touched our hearts. …I will miss you, Chie, in these moments where I am still allowed to.
Rio: (She turns behind her, staring at Kotori with wide eyes. In her arms, her twin sister, still unconscious) K… Kotori! Y-You… you’re…!
Kotori: …Father knew, Rio. …He knew what I was born with. He knew I would try and fail to wish it away. So he gave me a Task… to live and surpass this pain. There was only one way to overcome it. “Fujiwara no Fushichō” was a fairy tale… and Father bid me make it real. A truly impossible task, indeed. And yet… here I stand.
Rio: (Not unlike a child, Rio extends her hand towards Kotori, who kneels down to hold it) B-But… your Soul Gem… I-It’s…!
Kotori: Do not cry for me, cousin. I’ve sought this very moment for years, without success. Finally, I found a path. The wrong path with Chie, of course… but we made something from nothing, in the end. And our hearts are now free. Now… heed me… heed your elder, while she still draws breath. (Taking a deep breath out of instinct, she stares into Rio’s eyes)
Rio: K… K-Kotori…! (sniffling, Rio sits up, still cradling Riko’s unconscious body in her arms, staring into Kotori’s eyes in turn.)
Kotori: …This information was the secondary purpose of our failed ambush. You have now witnessed two unique cases of Magia. Relay them both to Yui Arashi. …Go to Paradise, cousin, and take your sister with you. Be their sword, their shield, and yes, their bow as well. Relay what you have seen, and what you learned. It is critical. In the event that Punisher has survived, they will need it. If not, it will turn the tide in their favor. And… tell Father… (tears well in her empty eyes) …tell him I succeeded. Tell him I found my answer. My purpose. (She pulls out her broken Soul Gem, placing the empty glass orb into Rio’s hand, ignoring her sobs) …Tell him… that I am free. (Holding her hand up to the sky, a tear rolls down her cheek as her arm begins to disintegrate) …I am free from pain. Finally… free… as a bird… (Kotori’s body dissolves into ash, which scatters over Mitakihara. Rio watches for a long moment, finally collapsing into Riko’s unconscious body, her emotions spilling forth freely)
Shiori rolls her shoulders, slowly sizing up the tiny, hooded girl standing between her and Paradise Gym’s broken front window. What once looked like just another pile of rubble, has now revealed its true form to her, all thanks to the slender baton in her right hand. She laughs.
Shiori: Damn. Arashi’s been hiding kids in her basement? It’s always the ones you least suspect, isn’t it? (she wipes some dirt and dust off her arms, the scratches from being launched through a window having already healed) Anyways, kiddo, is your mommy home?
Kiwako: My mother’s dead. (Swaying a bit, the hooded girl stands in the deserted street outside Paradise Hall, her eyes locked on the Balancer in front of her.) So which flavor of bad guy are you? The talky kind? The scheming kind? The one-and-done Saturday Villain? I wanna know, so I know what flavor of hero I should play in turn.
Shiori: The fuck’s with this sassy… lost child? Look, kid, I can see you’ve obviously rehearsed this fuckin’ bit ‘till the cows come home just like mommy taught ya, but I’d like to talk to someone who’s actually gone through puberty before I tear your fucking head off. So move.
Kiwako: Ohh… okay, that kind. I can work with that. (The girl clears her throat before speaking in the most unconvincing deadpan tone possible) Ohhhh noooo, nee-chan has a potty mouth, I’m gonna tell on you… (A large, crystalline battle-axe lands from the sky with a thud right beside her, denting into the pavement, and she picks it up effortlessly with one hand) At least it’s a darkness I’m familiar with this time. This should be fun~
Shiori: (she sighs, muttering) You have the worst fucking friends, Arashi. Guess that’s why things never worked out between us. (she turns back to Kiwako) I’m not usually this polite, but… I want your prepubescent ass out of my way. (As soon as Shiori says the word “want”, the ground underneath Kiwako’s feat opens up into a giant, gaping maw, ready to swallow her whole)
Kiwako: Oh fuck! (Kiwako manages to jump just in the nick of time, landing back on the road behind her) Okay then… well, you’re no fun, lady. Firestarter, right? From that stupid video where you set a mayor on fire?
Shiori: I bet all your friends must think you’re so cool watching these kinds of videos. I could make one about you, if you wanna. (she slowly raises her finger) Oh, by the way, eh, you gotta look… before you cross the road, kid. (at a breakneck speed, a JSDF military vehicle turns the corner and comes barrelling down the road Kiwako is right in the middle of, with no intent to slow down)
Kiwako: Hup! (Rolling into an unnatural stance, Kiwako allows the vehicle to hit her. However, she kicks off the hood, riding the momentum and bringing her axe in a wide swing towards Shiori, leaving the axe behind as she rolls to the side, letting the vehicle pass by afterwards. In a flash, she hugs her knees, her Soul Gem healing the shattered bones as she stands back up) …A video, huh? You could totally show it to that record label that you’re definitely a part of… Bubblegum~
Shiori: (The Shiori Kiwako threw her axe at vanishes into thin air as her voice echoes through the streets.) I’ve gone independent. People work for me now. (As if on cue, a dozen JSDF soldiers pour out of the military vehicle, opening fire on Kiwako with their machine guns.)
Kiwako: (A barrage of handaxes descend, each hitting a soldier square in the forehead, right between the eyes. Her body bears various cuts and gashes from where the bullets hit, which soon close as they are healed) Oh, you really are in pop music, then, if you hafta brainwash everyone into working for you! Hey, have you ever considered doing that for real, instead of this psycho murder shit? I turned to card games when I came back from being a Witch. …No? Worth a shot.
Shiori: Hmm? (with Kiwako now having been forced to move away from her position between Shiori and the entrance to the gym, she casually walks up to the door, flipping Kiwako off in the process)
Kiwako: (In a burst of speed, Kiwako swings her axe around, tossing herself with it and riding the momentum all the way into the door of the gym. As she lands, she stares Shiori in the eyes, her own starting to swirl in an eerie, luminescent darkness) …You really are no fun. But I gotta ask, before my other half takes the wheel… why’re you so hellbent on not killing me? Isn’t that your shtick? Kill everyone? You and those awful fucking friends of yours? What’s your real deal… Shiori Nakae?
Shiori: Not killing you? (she scoffs) You underestimate the joy of good foreplay, Red.
Kiwako: Foreplay? Look, just ‘cause I’ve been eleven for like twenty years doesn’t mean that it’s not still a crime… (she sighs) Man, Cece-chan made it seem like you’d actually fight me. I’m disappointed, harlot… and really bored.
Shiori: Harlot? (she fails to contain her laughter, before suddenly her expression turns grim) God, fuck off with this shit. (as Shiori sighs, she fades from reality once more. All of a sudden, the door behind Kiwako opens and two arms sneak around her neck, snapping it in one fluid, nauseating motion)
Kiwako: Ghk! (She falls to the floor, her head unnaturally twisted to look off to the side, her eyes blank. It would heal, of course, but not soon enough.)
Shiori: (with another sigh, she squats down next to Kiwako’s body) Fucking kids, man… Little shits really do ruin all the joy in life. (she picks up a shard of glass from the broken window and, with her single free arm, lifts Kiwko’s body into the air, ready to finish the job)
???: (Before the attack can reach its mark, however, a metallic clang echoes throughout the front of the gym and the street outside. A girl’s violent cough, as well as the sound of liquid— likely blood— hitting the ground emanate from behind Shiori. Her voice speaks, as does another… a boy’s voice, one quite familiar to Shiori) O-Oi! Since when did you take any of this shit seriously, huh?!
Shiori: (her eyes widen, and she turns around, dropping Kiwako and the glass shard before whipping out her Baton and pointing it in various directions in an attempt to dispel what she assumes to be an illusion) Cut the fucking parlor tricks, Arashi. Fuckin’ brat doesn’t get to call my ass out if this is the best you can come up with!
Mei: (Mei coughs again, rising to her feet, though struggling to do so. Blood is oozing down her lip and neck, and she’s clutching her chest where Valkyrie was wounded. The armor, meanwhile, is standing between Shiori and Kiwako.) Sa… Satoshi Yasuda. Huh… that’s odd. I figured… ugh… it’d be some ex lover or something. But… y-you had a brother? That’s a news flash… if I ever heard one, heh. (She reels again, coughing another bit of blood before regaining her composure) But… if you’re looking… for the source of the trick… y-you’ll need a mirror. This is your memory… Firestarter.
Satoshi?: You, uh… really grew up, huh Satomi? Must’ve been hell. Wait, did you get away?! I know we talked about running, but… well, I guess I did, in the end. In my own way. …S-Sorry.
Shiori: No… NO! You think I’d fall for this kind of shit, you skank bitch. Fuckin’ parading my brother around like a fucking puppet? (she breathes heavily, shakingly wrapping her hands around Valkyrie’s throat) You’re… not real… If you’re real, what the fuck have I been doing with my life all these years?
Satoshi?: (Mei falls to her knees, clutching her throat as her eyes widen. She coughs as she feels the choke around her neck, while Satoshi’s voice echoes in the hollow suit of armor) Whoa whoa whoa! Ch-chill out, Satomi! Look, I can’t explain any of this either! Maybe she, or one of Arashi’s friends wished me back or something? I dunno how I’m here right now either! …I-I’ll prove it! Ask me anything! Anything only I would know! Just… please, let go, Satomi! (The Valkyrie’s hand comes to rest on Shiori’s forearm, tugging a little to try and loosen her grip)
Shiori: Why would they do that? (she softens her grip) That deadbeat dad of hers spent years chasing his dead wife, and now you’re telling me… I believed… I believed you were still around for so long… In that lake… I… I could feel you… You cannot… You cannot come here and tell me heaven is real, man. (she squints her eyes shut in agony) W-What’s your favorite piano piece? Wh… Why did I run off when we went to the zoo when we were eight? When did I get my first period? What was the last fight we had about? TELL ME!
Satoshi: Prelude in E minor by Chopin. You used to giggle about me liking minors or something, but then you’d fall asleep on my shoulder while I did my homework with it playing over my little stereo. You ran off at the zoo because the panda turned to look at you when you called it a mean name, and you thought it was going to get you back. Your first period… ugh, why the hell did you ask that one? You know I didn’t ever wanna hear about it… You got it right before I vanished. Last fight we had was over me saying those manga characters you loved so much weren’t real. You bit my arm… it left a scar, but I made sure Dad never saw it. He never did…
Shiori: (she chokes down tears) Damn it… Did… Did my wish bring you back to life? To do… whatever the fuck I want? When all I want… When all I want is to—
Satoshi: (The Valkyrie pulls Shiori’s arms from its neck, and Mei gasps in audible relief. She brings her Soul Gem up to her neck, trying to heal it, though it takes a while) This… this isn’t you, Satomi. This isn’t you. Come on, sis. Leave all of this crap behind. You really could, you know. You could… do whatever the heck you want, right? You could keep me around. Right? What’s stopping you?
Shiori: I can’t go back. I’ve made my choice. You cannot… ask me to change my fucking mind. (she presses her forehead against Valkyrie’s) It’s over… It’s over.
Satoshi: …But you can do whatever you want. Rewrite the rules, Satomi… if anyone can, it’s you. You always did, you know. I admired it about you. If I was half as strong as you were, I’d still be… man, I’m… I’m so sorry, Satomi. I’m sorry I left you in that lion’s den. But… I couldn’t deal with it anymore. I couldn’t deal with him anymore. I…
Kiwako: Raaaaaaaaah! (In a flash, Kiwako leaps up from her position, and in one fluid motion, she takes the baton out of Shiori’s hand. She rushes to the nearest wall, pounding her fist repeatedly against the Imposter’s Baton until it finally snaps.) Haa… ha… AOI! NOW! DO IT NOW!!!
Shiori: No! (distracted by Kiwako snatching her Artefact, she turns to find, to her horror, her brother crumbling to dust) … No… No! No! NO NO NO NO! (she utters a cream of pure, bone-chilling agony, as she swivels around to face Kiwako, holding out her arm) I’M GOING TO FUCKING RIP YOU ALL APART!
As on cue, the ground underneath Kiwako’s feet wraps itself around her ankles and pulls her towards Shiori, who promptly shoves her hand straight through the girl’s chest, crushing her Soul Gem. As she retracts her arm, she sees Mei charging in for an attack. She dodges, tripping the girl in her cheerleader outfit, then brings her foot down upon her throat. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. And stomps. Until there is nothing left to stomp.
Shiori: (seething with rage, she doesn’t even deign to look at the gory remains at her feet before turning to the gym itself, raising her arms) I want… this godforsaken place… wiped off the face of the planet!
At her command, the building collapses like a house of cards, as if precision bombed to rubble, whipping up a dust cloud that, upon clearing, leaves the scene exactly as it had always appeared to the Balancers — devoid of any life. Any but hers. Breaking heavily, she gazes beyond the ravage she has just caused.
Shiori: Come back home, Arashi… The party’s just getting started… (she spits on the ground before slowly trudging away from the scene, failing to contain her laughter)
Time passes. Shiori’s figure has long since left behind the rubble. The new pile of rubble, replacing the old. Yet it’s no less an illusion. As the coast clears, Mei limps out onto the road, staring in the direction Shiori walked off to with a satisfied smile. She coughs one more bout of blood onto the pavement, promptly collapsing face first onto the street. Kiwako approaches her cautiously, kneeling beside her.
Kiwako: Mei-chan…
Mei: G… Get back inside. …T-Tell Yuzuki… that the coast is clear. She… Firestarter won’t be back… I should think.
Kiwako hesitates, but eventually nods, giving a sound of confirmation before vanishing back into the illusion of the rubble, making her way down into the clinic to recount the battle to Yuzuki and Aoi. Mei, however, stays face down on the street.
Mei: Is that… why… they gave me the Title of… C-Cadenza…? (Mei tries once more to heal the wounds on her neck and chest, the pale light going dim) …I… guess so. A headcase… heh… then… I really did belong. …For better… or worse.
Yui: (A minute or so passes, and Yui arrives racing to where Mei lies on the pavement, gently turning her over) C’mon, kid… stay with me now.
Mei: Ggh… (Mei slowly opens her eyes, as if struggling with the action, and upon seeing Yui, she gives a nervous little smile and a chuckle that’s cut off by the cough) Heh… I did it. Well… n-no, I didn’t… but… I chased her off… heh… …Well… I didn’t, but… I kept her busy… a-and Aoi and Kiwa-chan… chased her off.
Yui: …Yeah. Y’did good, kid. Everyone else safe?
Mei: M-Mhm, yep… Ugh… but man… guess I wasn’t… that great of a disciple in the end… let alone a Conductor. (Mei closes her eyes, breathing more calmly, if not still a good bit labored) …I outran fate for… for a good while, at least. But I knew… I always knew I’d meet my end in this place. Paradise Hall… fitting… and kinda ironic. S’why… I chose it, I guess… deep down… Heh…
Yui: Jesus… Don’t be stupid, Mei. C’mon. We’re right outside the gym. Aoi’ll patch you right up. C’mon, rookie, up you go— (Yui pulls Mei up by the shoulder, inspecting for injuries down her arm. She slips her hand into Mei’s, and her eyes suddenly go wide)
Mei: …Master… c-can I ask… one more favor? Just one more… (Her hand closes around Yui’s, forcing her Soul Gem into her mentor’s possession) …This… this really… really fuckin’ hurts…
Yui stares for what feels like an eternity as thunder quietly rolls around the pair. She eventually grips Mei’s cracked Soul Gem and nods without a word. Mei smiles and closes her eyes. The thunder grows louder as rain begins to fall around them. Yui hesitates for a while longer, but in one sudden, fierce motion, she brings her closed fist down on the pavement next to Mei. Blood pools around Yui’s grounded fist as a heavy clap of thunder echoes, then another. Violet streaks of lightning cross the sky, and the next clap of thunder mutes Yui’s agonized shriek. She grips Mei’s body in a tight embrace, screaming into her pupil’s shoulder for what feels like an eternity. Eventually, Yui sets Mei down, looking down at her pupil’s closed eyes and peaceful expression, then stands up. She walks in the direction that Shiori ran off to, ignoring everything else around her completely until she and her storm are too distant to pursue.
Yui: Your first mistake was sending a message to the daughter and granddaughter of mob bosses. Your second mistake was making it personal with a Conductor. And your third mistake was picking a fight with someone who still remembers what it felt like to be an Angel… and someone who’s on speaking terms with her Witch. Whether I kill you all or not… I’ll make damn sure you all suffer.
Shiori: (she turns around, glaring at Yui — without a single word)
(Tears stream down Yui’s face, but her expression turns to an unnatural, inhuman smirk, tilting her head as she gazes up at Shiori, another streak of violet lightning dancing across the sky as another heavy clap of thunder rolls nearby)
???: Heheheh… heh… lookie what I found. Hey… ya wanna go?
Shiori: And who the fuck are you supposed to be? Have I unleashed your shounen manga evil alter ego, Arashi? Go fuck yourself. (she turns back around, before turning to face Yui again) Literally, I guess.
Sabrina: Damn. That was quick. Yeah, heh… Yui ain’t here right now. She’s goin’ to make sure you fuckers don’t finish off the kid. You’re stuck with me, in the meantime. An’ since I know what Yui’s feeling every hour of every day, I got enough fuel in the tank to bring it to ya good. (Yui’s body begins bouncing on her feet, not unlike a boxer right before the first round as dragon-like wings burst forth on her back) So let’s go, bitch. We both wanna make you pay. And you damn well better make it a good one.
Mitakihara Original 