Those who ran about to investigate the people who had been trapped inside the Negari would be very happy to know that, aside from some being disoriented and a little scraped up, they were otherwise completely fine. Though... just what had the bizarre creature been doing with all these people, holding them inside of itself like that? It was rather worrying to think about... Akane checked those closest to her, placing her sword at her side and using her off hand to shake a few awake and check them for injuries. But inside she could barely contain herself. The new magical girl had just helped destroy a Negari, and save all these people! Akane's heart was hammering in her chest. And all these people were safe, too, she'd help [i]make sure[/i] they were safe.

So enamored with this fact, and so focused on helping the nearby civilians to their feet, was Akane that she didn't realize what was happening behind her. The black smoke had stopped rising from the Negari... and it was hissing, sprouting stubby legs to rise up and crawl away, tentacles sprouting from its ruined body and twisting into drills...

Akane turned just in time to see one of the whirring drill tendrils launching directly towards her!

And in that same instant, a figure dropped from above. [url=http://vitavitaar.deviantart.com/art/Magical-Girl-Saori-650015490]The brunette girl was clad in a strange green and gold outfit, with white rabbit ears protruding from her hat[/url]. A magical girl fan like Akane recognized her quite quickly, as Teacup Saori. Why she was called teacup was anyone's guess, but the strange loop-like tool she carried quickly enlarged!

"Up you go!" Saori declared, grinning as the loop passed over the Negari. It vanished entirely, only to reappear hundreds of feet into the air... and be struck with a blinding shower of brilliant white bolts of magical energy, hundreds of blasts converging on it in seconds.

Akane couldn't help but stare in shock.

"Whew, good thing we showed up when we did!" commented Saori, turning to face the other magical girls. "You girls screwed up big time, not making sure it was dead! Haah, but what can we expect from low-rankers, huh?"

She grinned and folded her arms, cocking her head to one side. Far from what feeling she had expected upon seeing yet another famed magical girl, Akane felt indignation. They'd cut it open, and let everyone out! There was no way to tell it was still alive!

"But... but we freed all these people! And we stopped it, it-"

Saori was quick to interrupt her.

"And? You didn't kill it, it would've probably taken at least one of you out and started sucking people up again. Face it, you low-rankers screwed up. Right, Shiroyuri-chan?"

Wait, Shiroyuri...?

[url=http://vitavitaar.deviantart.com/art/Magical-Girl-Angel-Shiroyuri-649681515]The small figure that drifted from above was unmistakable.[/url]. Pale blue hair, her eyes the same color. Near paper white, delicate skin, and a white outfit to go with it. Golden lights and a halo...

"Analysis indicates our intervention was a necessity," the magical girl with the highest recorded Negari killcount in the city said in a flat, monotone voice.

"See? You should have just let us handle it, instead of embarrassing yourselves," Saori continued with a shrug, one eyebrow raised. "Jeez, handle the small fry first... especially a new girl like you."

She jerked a thumb towards Akane.

"B-but... we... had to help those people!" the redheaded dragongirl protested.

"Pffft, yeah, sure, like they wouldn't have gotten sucked back in or worse," Saori interjected, brushing off Akane's attempt at a counterpoint. "As for the rest of you, that sure was a sorry performance. Could none of you finish that thing off?"

She glanced up at Shiroyuri. The smaller girl simply remained silent.