Villamvihar

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

Conflict often lead to a new, better state of affairs. When a deity grew old, their power waned and as such, their miracles no longer had enough strength to support their worshippers. And as time went on, those worshippers would become fewer and fewer until there were not enough to support the deity’s existence, which would lead to a tragic demise of the divine and the mortal alike. Or if conflict reared its ugly, yet sometimes necessary head, a new god would challenge the ailing deity, then unite their powers into something stronger. Because it was always the better one who won. The more skilled, the more resourceful, the more worthy of worship. There could be no other way.

Still, some people paid homage to the forgotten. To the powerless. They crafted small statues in the image of the long-gone or the barely alive. Fragments of divinity remained in their heart and if enough were gathered in one spot or under one banner, perhaps even the dead may be revived. For once something existed, that never vanished - at least it was so in the world of the gods. Its existence never quite vanished, even if forgotten.

What did that say about the nature of Takae Shuuko? She certainly did not contemplate anything along these lines as she prayed at the tiny shrine at the side of the road, in one of Hibusa Town’s suburban regions. Here, nature along with the faith that made gods strong still existed. And while it was no mountain temple in all of its grandiosity, the statuette of this shrine had been carved lovingly a long time ago. No doubt it had survived many a storm given the small indents on the monkey statue’s surface.

However, Take Shuuko did not pray to the statue directly. Instead, she tried to convey her best wishes to those who did not even know she existed, but still relied on her at the end of the day along with those who seemed to be close by. Her ears perked up as she heard someone approach her, which should have been nigh impossible this time of the day, as she had deliberately picked a time when the neighborhood was practically empty. Yet the deliberate nature of the steps could not be mistaken, so she finished her prayer and turned backwards to see who wanted to talk to… well… someone.

A woman with blood red hair approached, though Shuuko doubted her initial assessment when she simply walked beside her and kneeled. Her hands came together in prayer. Though there was something off. She didn’t look very relaxed. Her shoulders were squared up, and her knees weren’t touching the ground. It looked more like an attempt at meditation than prayer. Reaching inside the self instead of reaching outward towards the divine.

"Hmmmm, monkey." One of her eyes opened. "A strangely fitting idol to pray to, hmmm?" The woman turned her head completely to Shuuko. "So which one are you supposed to be?"

In response, First Shuuko hid her left hand behind her body and clenched it, the movement betraying her true feelings even as a bright smile appeared on her face. She turned fully towards Ashbringer, her body language seemingly open, welcoming.

"I don't know what you're referring to, but I’m Takae Shuuko. It's nice to meet you!" At least her voice did not shake.

"You have ‘multiple personality disorder’ do you not?" Regina rose to her feet. Slowly. Then she stretched. "It doesn’t matter I suppose. I’ve always believed such things were a farce for attention. Most creative people have multiple personalities. It’s just a gambit to appear more interesting than one actually is. But really, all magical girls have at least two personalities, no?"

"Did you know that you're being really rude?" Takae Shuuko put her hand on her hips, projecting more courage than she really felt in the presence of their arch-enemy. Her heart raced, threatening to burst from her chest as she contemplated reaching for the ever-present strings that lead to her other bodies. "You’re talking like you know me when you haven't even met me."

"Yes, Japanese people are rather big on their manners, aren’t they? Harkens back to the feudal era, where misspoken words could get your head cut off." She rocked her head side to side, causing her neck to crack before turning towards Shuuko. "So I guess this personality cares about etiquette? That narrows it down a bit. Black Gate was a bit easier to figure out. She had hundreds of personalities, but they were all the same. It’s too bad you didn’t get to meet her."

"What’s even a Black Gate? Can you eat it?"

"It’s hard to tell if you’re playing dumb or being sincere right now." Her eyes narrowed a bit, but a wicked smile was crossing her lips. "Oh? I see now. Could it be that you don’t know who I am?" She moved her hand over her mouth, as if to conceal a laugh, and then folded her arms again. "My name is Regina. Though some people in these parts call me Ashbringer."

Takae Shuuko already knew, of course, but recoiled all the same. Her eyes widened as though she just realised the situation, then the frown on her brows returned.

"So what are you doing here, trying to talk with your enemy? Shouldn't you be beating me into a pulp right now?"

"I have principles, my dear. I promised you weak and pathetic friends that I’d let them train for a year. The hope is that they won’t be so weak and pathetic when that time comes." Her hands moved down to her hips, and she looked Shuuko up and down. Like a sculptor examining their handiwork. "But not knowing which one you are is a little concerning. Maybe I don’t have to be an enemy of all of you? I probably do in all honesty, but you haven’t thrown yourself at me in a fit of rage. So I can count on you not being Ember, right?"

"You’re talking like there’s more than one of me." The frown on Shuuko's face got slightly deeper. "And you’re being silly, too. If you really wanted Hibusa Town or anything in it, you would have just taken it anyways. That's the rule of Dark Magical Girl's, isn't it?"]

"The rule of dark magical girls is they don’t have any rules." Regina’s eyes shifted to her nails. She began to run her thumb along her fingers. "Alright. Can’t draw blood from a stone after all. You want to know why I’m here? I wanted you to relay a message to Roche for me." Her smile became just a bit sweeter, but in a not so nice way. "You see, we had a bit of a shared, how shall I say, experience the other day. I won’t bore you with specifics, but… Oh maybe I will anyway. So we were kind of set up and put in some rather compromising positions. But they were acting so sweet, and I may have lead them on a little bit." She giggled. "I know she wants to talk to me. I know that deep down she thinks she wants to be my friend. Maybe, maybe a little more than just friends." She shook her head. "But it can’t happen. And she’ll understand that eventually, but I really don’t want to involve myself with her again. She’s all the worst aspects of the club merged into one. Annoying, needy brat that she is. I’d show up and she’d start nagging me about how she just wants to be friends, or some other trite ploy to cover up how lazy she is." Regina tipped her head and made a pained face. "Sylvia? Ember? I forget who her girlfriend’s name is, but it’s clear she’s just using her because she can’t have what she really wants. And what she really wants is a happy ending where the fight she foolishly picked with me ends in a romance, because that’s just how delusional she is. But as I’ve said, I guess it’s a lot easier to pretend that you can beg things to be a particular way. You must hold that belief too, right?" Regina waved her hand at the shrine. "You pretend that talking to false idols can improve your life? That’s the whole point of prayer, I think. Just weak willed people putting their burdens on those they perceive as being stronger than themselves. That’s what makes love so dangerous, right? We think our lovers, our parents, we want them to protect us from everything. But then you grow up and learn to protect yourself, because you aren’t weak anymore. Or maybe you stay weak? Maybe you never grow up, and you stick around a club that makes you feel strong in number." After tapping her chin a bit, Regina scoffed. "Sorry, I rambled a bit. Do you think you can convince Roche I’m a lost cause?"

The frown on Takae Shuuko's face grew deeper the more she listened to Regina, eventually turning into a scowl. Her hands crossed in front of her, the disciple once again hiding that slight tremor by hiding her fingers behind her arms.

"First of all, that's really rude to my friend. Ryoba isn't perfect, but she's much better than that! Second of all, you don't make much sense, do you?" A smile showed on her face as though she found a weak spot. She levied her finger against Regina - Ashbringer, the one who incinerates - willing it to become steady no matter how it wanted to be anything but.

"You say we’re weak and only have strength in numbers, but you're doing the same. You're only using a different method. You're saying that prayer is the weak putting the burden on the strong. Well, aren't you praying that we get stronger, in a sense?" A smug smile showed on her face as though she were a cat that caught the canary.

"If you really wanted to make us stronger, you wouldn't incinerate the whole of Hibusa Town."

"Last I checked, Hibusa town was still standing. I’m more interested in the Detention club." Regina ran her finger along a pillar of the shrine. "And the difference between us, Miss Takae, is that my life doesn’t depend on whether your lot gets stronger or not. I can call everything off whenever I want. I can attack now or at our agreed upon time. There is no incentive for me to do anything other than my own whims." She drove her fingernail into the surface of the pillar and started to carve. "But the Detention club doesn’t have that luxury. A single sentence spoken at the end of spring has shifted the course of your lives. A declaration I made half a year ago has changed how the lot of you operate. Prayer is performed by worshipers, but the Detention club has turned me into its god." Her hand came off the shrine sharply, but rather than colliding with the side of Shuuko’s head, it rested on her shoulder. Regina’s smile vanished. "And what need does a god have for prayer when they are so lovingly worshipped?" Regina patted Shuuko’s shoulder, then stepped past her to leave. "Ween her off of me, or don’t. It does not matter in this grand scheme of mine."

"You claim it’s your whims, but I bet there’s more to it, isn’t there?" Takae Shuuko’s heart kept trying to jump out of her ribcage, yet she still chose to ask the question. She turned after Regina, keeping the smile on her face and dropping her hands. "Because if you’re a god, then you need worship. Admit it - you exist only because of us."

Perhaps it was foolish of her to attempt to provoke Ashbringer. But amongst the Detention Club, it was only the one with the multiple bodies who could safely do so and so she steadied herself, hoping to find a chink in the armour. A slip that would let her grasp something, besides the fact Regina thought herself a god.

Regina stopped in her tracks. She looked over her shoulder Shuuko, brow lowered. The corner of her lips pointed didn’t reveal a smile or a frown. She turned around to face Shuuko. "What’s this? Are you attempting to evoke my wrath?" She reached out her hand and placed it over Shuuko’s heart. Then her lips curled up into a wicked smile. "Ahhh, it’s not enough to preach for me, you wish to be my prophet as well? Your heart is beating so fast…" She pulled back her hand. "I really feel that the Detention Club should focus on getting stronger, but if you desire me so I can understand your frustration. You wanted Roche, but it would appear you want me just as much as she does now. I suppose it can’t be helped." She brushed her hair, and her curls bounced into place. "Get Roche off of me and I will make time for you."

When Regina reached out to Takae Shuuko, cold sweat broke out all over her skin. A part of her, the one so attuned to magic, could feel the raging power beneath the skin even when Ashbringer remained in hiding. Truthfully, she wanted to do nothing more than hide, but then something very strange occurred.

Regina had completely mistaken her reaction.

How the narcissistic girl came to the conclusion that Takae Shuuko’s heart burned for her, the object of Regina’s… affection…? Did not know. What she did know is that her heart picked up even further as she wet her suddenly dry lips, throwing caution to the wind as she prepared to stick her head into the lion’s mouth for the sake of her own survival.

"So you won’t make time for Roche, but you will make time for me?" Hopefully, her terror came across as excited nerves. She did make an effort to twist her voice that way, but the clammy feeling on her skin gave no reassurances.

"You seem like you’re more in control of your emotions, and you’re not giving me much choice." Regina tipped her head. "Am I mistaken?"

"You could always say no. It’s not like I can force you to indulge me. You’d break me in half!" Shuuko tried to shoot for a nervous joke, even going as far as to force uncomfortable laughter at the end.

"Ah, well that’s certainly true." Regina grinned. Though it did not take the smile long to run from her face. "But, there is another reason of course." Regina’s eyelids fluttered to half mast, and her hand moved under the girl’s chin. "I find you a lot more interesting than her." Regina’s breath, as warm as a dragon’s, rolled off of Shuuko’s face. Then her ruby red lips closed over Shuuko’s, and she could taste Regina swimming in her mouth. Her other hand reached around her waist and pulled her worshiper in close. Not like a lover, but like a dragon pulling its treasure closer to itself. When Regina released Shuuko, she staggered backwards, and Regina wore an amused smile. "Settle things with Roche, and I’ll see you again in a few weeks…" Regina did not wait around. She transformed into Ashbringer right in front of her and blasted into the sky. She was only there for a moment, but no doubt at least one of the other club members had witnessed a burning meteor rise out of Hibusa town.

The violation she felt could not be put into words. She felt as though a volcano had invaded her mouth. No, rather, it was a salamander with volcanoes on its back that wriggled past her lips, bringing a truly revolting taste with it. But Takae Shuuko was no stranger to such things, so she forced herself to return the gesture, even going as far as to close her eyes so it would seem she enjoyed it. Then she put what she hoped was a goofy smile on her face when Regina stepped back, watching with a fake gaze of worship when Ashbringer took to the skies.

Then she collapsed and started to retch, trying her best not to think of how big a mess she may have made for herself.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

The others seemed certain that Ashbringer was not misleading them for some reason, but it did not make any sense. Even if the red-haired monstrosity gave them time legitimately, why would she actually want to make them stronger? The more she thought about it, the graver the picture became in Ember’s mind as she drew associations between Miseria, Negative Emotions, Dark Magical Girls and Giga Miseria, coalescing into a frightening picture. Which would be too much to share in the open.

Tsubomi’s Relevation further deepened the web of uncertainty around them. In the first place, how did Ashbringer convince Michi to side with her? And why, if she was certain of her victory, did she start to gather a team of individuals by her side? The schemer felt her revelation become muddled by those questions. She would share her concerns anyways.

”I have also been approached by Regina,” she lied without blinking or pausing, choosing to cover for Roche’s lack of admission with one of her own so they could start building a profile. She did not even know how close she was to the truth.

”But I couldn’t get a read on her or what drives her forward, nor what forces she has at her command at the moment. And as Hananami-san pointed out, we are risking something either way. So I want to propose something unusual.” She took a breath. Prepared herself.

”I have recently gained more command over the extra bodies I create. There are only twelve, however, I can send out the more magically potent of them,” in other words, the ones controlled by herself or Hotaru, if she was willing to cooperate, ”to scout the nearby cities that seem to be suitable locations for hunting grounds. If Kuroki-san is willing to lend some of her creations to aid my cause, I would be capable of a reconnaissance-in-force and gathering much-needed information without risking too much of Hibusa Town’s security.”

”And then, building on Oyama-san’s idea of only striking out for a night, or a day at most given our limitations, not to mention the situations of some of the members of the group, I propose that only a given number of members leave Hibusa Town. If worst comes to worst, one of my spares can inform the group of the situation and they can come back to us.” It was not the perfect plan. Travelling between cities, even at night, would likely take an hour at least, which was plenty of time for opportunists to dig into Hibusa Town.

”As hard it is to swallow, those who remain will likely have to hide while the others are returning,” Ember nodded towards Nyxia, acknowledging she would likely be opposed to not taking the fight head on. ”I also acknowledge that if Kana-san is right about us being monitored, this creates the worst possible situation for us, because an enemy can strike at our weakest point. However, it also means that our home is not undefended.”

”Even if I do admire Ishiko-san, she will likely not lend a hand unless it is interesting or challenging enough. We have to rely on ourselves for this one.”

She had also noted Tsubomi's strange behaviour along with Kiyo's tension, but there was precious little she could do about those out in the open.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

There was no progress on the matter of Chiaki or the ‘new’ existence within Takae Shuuko’s body. Or rather, Ember had made a single discovery, but it helped no one: Hiramatsu Chiaki did not exist in their shared space, as far as she could sense her. She was not certain, yet the only one who could have been able to confirm it, Sylvia, had far more pressing matters to attend to, such as trying to restore the very foundations of her existence. If Ember were a lesser woman, she would have screamed her frustration to the high heavens.

As it was, she put on the appearance of a composed adult in the new ‘club room’, which turned out to be a dusty attic of some building Rei had appropriated with the help of Nyxia’s family, thus proving how far the Detention Club head’s fingers reached. It was disturbing, especially in the light of the information she learned from Ryoba and the others. Which came from Ashbringer. Their enemy.

Regardless of that, Ember listened carefully to Suki, Kiyo, Nyxia and Tsubomi and it seemed that it fell to her to point out the obvious.

”Why are we so certain that Ashbringer is feeding us the unvarnished truth? Though I had not encountered her personally, if she is as dangerous as you say she is, I would not put it past her to have plans within plans.” While she did not share the paranoid opinions of Hotaru, it did seem all too convenient for Sink Queen to show up at a crucial moment and then snatch Michi away from them. With the club’s permission, no less.

”We are already stretched thin as it is and while the GEMS have not attacked us,” she nodded towards Haruna as a way of acknowledging her contributions to the matter, ”we can not know for certain when they will barge into Hibusa Town again. I do not want to expose us more than we already are. And even if we assume what Ashbringer says is true, I believe Tsubomi brings up a valid point.”

Ember ripped off one a piece from one of the cardboard boxes, then held it up. She then grabbed a pen from her pocket and drew a rough approximation of a circle, then added lines heading towards the centre of it.

”What if every Dark Magical Girl is, in fact, a singularity… my apologies, a black hole… for Miseria specifically? It would imply they have a radius in which they ‘pull’ the power of dead Miseria in,” she tapped the circle’s edge and the lines, ”and that radius could be any size. If we continue the metaphor, then we are lesser black holes, but that does not prevent us from drawing on power from Miseria if we are close enough.”

”Hunting lesser Miseria more frequently or extending our hunting grounds, I believe, is also an option. And while I appreciate your extensive work on locations for the club to scope out, Kuroki-san,” she nodded towards Kiyo in respect, ”I am against the idea. I think we need to establish a stronger foundation here, in Hibusa Town.”

Because I don’t want to drag the others through hell and back again if we lose our home.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

The maddening cackles of Miseria continued to fill Hotaru’s ears while the fight went on. Forced to witness the disciple’s agile moves that would have given away her presence to anyone who paid even the barest amount of attention to her, the warrior let out a frustrated groan. Why was it always that she could not do anything in the most important moments? Why was it that people hated her for reasons she did not even control? It was not her fault if Sylvia was a scaredy cat! It was not her fault that Ember was being a bitch! Not even refusing to work with her helped!

She grit her teeth. Pounded the floor with a fist as hard as she could. The hand barely raised up into the air before it hit the ground again, leaving behind no impact at all. If only she could swap into a different body like the old times…

Hotaru grit her teeth. She wanted to scream. Pressure kept building inside of her, superheated steam assailing the thin walls of a tin boiler. Her head, too, felt as though it had been locked into a vice as she considered what she could do to get out of this, but only one solution presented itself: apologise to Ember. Ask for the schemer’s help. Lower herself to meet them halfway or she would not be able to live her life.

The warrior hated that the schemer won in the end.

Steam punched a hole in the metaphorical boiler’s side, escaping with a pained-furious hiss through Hotaru’s mouth. The cracking of concrete, the creaking of walls and the crumbling of the ceiling provided the percussion to her wind instruments, composing a beautiful finale for this body of hers before she retreated fully into their shared space and abandoned it just in time for the Miseria to take interest in it. No doubt the scene would turn into fuel for another one of Hibusa’s strange rumors.

Having resigned herself to not interfere with… Wait a second. She could feel the presence of Ember and Sylvia in a distant corner. Her senses were not exactly the sharpest amongst the three of them, but even she could tell the schemer remained focused on the protector. So, who was fighting out there?

It could not be Chiaki. They had ensured she would remain asleep, sheltered from the real world until they could figure out how they could protect her from all the evils rearing their ugly head. As if to make matters worse, Hotaru knew the fighting style of Chiaki well and the one outside did not move like the Hiramatsu family’s child at all. They had been far too graceful, far too precise based on what she could see. It was almost as though the warrior herself was at the helm, but cared more about the body than she usually did.

Normally, she would have ran straight to Ember. Yet she dismissed the thought immediately. Not only could she not trust the schemer, if she interrupted now, it would be Sylvia paying the price tenfold. The way those lines showed up in the dream-

Hotaru shivered. Her entire body felt as though she had dunked ice water on it. Because that one was her fault. Had she been stronger, faster or more decisive, Sylvia would not have had to suffer like that. She would not have…

Once again, she could do nothing, save for watching it unfold from afar.

…

…

What if that was exactly what she needed to do?

Ember kept her cards close to her chests. But not even she was invulnerable. Not even her schemes were infallible. And if the warrior could find a weakness to exploit, or even something to learn, then she could overcome even the schemer. She still needed to figure out if she was wrong with Sylvia. That would be a visit to Kiyo just in case. No matter what, Hotaru thought she glimpsed the key to her freedom.

---

Misera, big and small, swarmed the disciple, who did everything she could to avoid their blows. She served more as a target than an actual force for her opponents, at least in the beginning until Nyxia started to thin them out, giving the disciple more room to move, which in turn had her go on the offensive. It was exactly what they needed to turn the tide; with the focus of their relatively small opponents being split and the Giga Misera seemingly weaker than before, it would be only a matter of time before they won.

Time, which they may not have.

She caught a glimpse of the massive, pitch black sphere in the sky. A huge mech - Hizuki - held its ground against it, barely so. The fight looked even, but she did not have much time to spare before she had to concentrate on the fight, only for the Giga Miseria to fall thanks to their combined efforts. And yet, it was still too late to help one of their comrades.

Her heart sunk as she both felt and saw the unleashed light, muttering a silent prayer beneath her breath as Kiyo caught her - then she was gone from this body. The sharp Evil Eye would surely catch on no matter what she did and it was better for everyone if no one knew about her for now.

---

As much as she hated to admit it, there was nothing more Ember could do. Despite all her efforts, she only managed to thin the lines and make Sylvia look as though she would not be shattering into thousands of pieces the moment someone blew on her. Now they had to actually take a lungful of air before the resulting “tempest” would sweep the protector away.

The conclusion was obvious: Takae Shuuko’s, Shatterscape’s magic was of no use here, at least not in the form Ember wielded it. She had to broaden her horizons, but trusting someone with this level of vulnerability… The only one she could think of from the top of her head was Earthshaker. She had been growing closer and closer to Sylvia lately.

It might work out well.

No, it had to work out well. If it didn’t….

She dared not to think about it. She did not even want to glance in its general direction.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

It was not the first time her feet impacted against the concrete of Hibusa Town, yet the disciple felt it more vividly than before. From the wind that blew past her face through the way her body moved to the feeling of magic in her soul, it felt real. As real as the pain that lingered from the dream and panged against her heart every moment she spent away from the battlefield. Fortunately, the Detention Club fought well. Earthshaker, Nyxia, Oros and Evil Eye made a great team. They kept besieging the Giga Miseria and culling the herd it disgorged onto the city, no doubt taking on wounds they should not have. Wounds that should have been the protector’s burden.

She had to pace herself. She had to preserve her magic for the upcoming fight. She had to stand side by side with the Detention Club. She sunk her teeth into her lips, drawing blood as she closed the distance at what seemed to be an agonizing pace. And to make matters worse, a second threat grew in the skies of Hibusa Town, above the school.

The disciple paused. She could feel, more than see, the blob of negative emotions that loomed over the school as though it were the sword of Damocles. It caught her neck between two equally sharp scissor blades, pressing against her windpipe, drawing blood as it demanded she make a choice between duty and friendship.

Hizuki remained alone. She fought against the great threat with no one by her side. The disciple’s heart tightened.

The Detention Club, even with so many of them arrayed against the enemy, could barely hold the line. The disciple's gauntlets folded into a fist.

She was a four-pronged spear broken thrice. She could have helped all of them, if only she were not lacking her greatest asset.

Duty won in the end. For no matter what, the disciple always moved according to the will of the heavens - even if that conflicted with the will of the gods. Still, she had lost crucial seconds; the giant had released a corrosive fog and a bird that was born from the fusion of five. Earthshaker swept it away; but it would have open access to her back.

The disciple disciple let out a nervous, yet cheerful laugh as she launched herself straight at the enemy. While the warrior may have lead with a devastating blow, such was not the disciple's way, as she grabbed hold of the creature’s wings and used its own momentum to spin it against one of the nearby buildings. Of course, the corrosive mist started to eat her flesh immediately, but she ignored that in favour of continuing her strike and catching a lesser bird monster.

She did not have to win here. This body… as bad as it sounded, it did not even need to survive. She only needed to distract enough of the birds to open an opportunity for Nyxia to truly quell their numbers and for Earthshaker, Evil Eye and Oros to keep striking at the giant.

”Please don’t care about me and destroy them!” she called out with a tone and cadence unfamiliar to everyone on the battlefield.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

Pathetic.

It was the only word good enough to describe Hotaru. The body she inhabited rebelled every step of the way, its coordination completely shot. It almost felt as though it were trying to stitch itself together from hundreds upon hundreds of pieces. Muscles twitched incoherently, responding to signals all too late or by doing the opposite of what she intended. Even the fury that should have been in her voice came across as begging Michi to undo what she did. And worst of all, Hotaru could not even dodge the fist in time.

It had been Oros who rescued her. The girl obsessed with romance, girls and boys.

Hotaru flailed as though she were a ragdoll, her limbs refusing to obey. She grit her teeth, about the only thing she could do properly as she came to a halt on the floor, limbs spread out. Scattered. Incoherent. And worst of all, forced to listen to Michi prattle on about people making a difference.

Had she truly made one? Even when she was born to take the burden off Chiaki’s shoulders, there was precious little she could do.

A swarm of Miseria headed straight for her. Hotaru clapped her hands and a wave of explosive force blasted forward, blowing away some of her opponents. Yet as always, there was little harm. Even the weakest of the wretches barely had any scratches on the surface of its skin and trying to use her actual magic on them would have been useless. She nevertheless smiled, welcoming the challenge… but only at until she realised she would have to take them apart with her bare hands.

This body could not move even when the room collapsed around her and Michi’s patchwork monkey tore the roof apart. Likewise, the Detention Club fractured into countless pieces, not only physically but also metaphorically. Everyone chased after their own goals.

Hotaru hit the floor with an angry thunk. It hurt worse than it had any right to.

”Was I really wrong?” She could barely hear her own voice. ”Damnit, Sylvia, what happened to you?! Why did you say you hated me?!” Another thunk. It felt like her fingers started to break. ”And why won’t this red-haired- fuck!”

A piece of debris had interrupted her. It sunk into the floorboard right next to the warrior’s head, pelting her with flakes of plaster and paint. Black Gate kept talking and ordered her creature to flatten the cafeteria, while small, pathetic Hotaru could do nothing. She was forced to watch on. To be nothing more than an observer.

A blast of force smashed some Miseria into each other. Some tumbled into walls while the rest were blown away, but it was still a tremendous improvement. If she continued like this, then those girls could never say a single bad word about Chiaki agai-

Miseria. In her face.

She screamed.

The Miseria giggled in delight and left deep grooves in her skin.

The others were fighting and Hotaru would have loved nothing more than to join them. Yet her useless body… this damned thing she inherited from Chiaki…! Ember with her arrogance! Sylvia with her distrust! The Miseria around her that just kept on forming and forming! Black Gate escaping! The whole world arrayed itself against Hotaru. An army formed itself against the warrior, line by line, spear by spear. What could she do against it?

No matter how hard she tried, there was always something. She failed to account for one of the Miseria. She did not use her powers well enough. She ran out of magic. Her hands started to bleed from using them too much. In the end, the warrior had to call for help, then she had to listen to the poisoned barbs beneath the pretend concern while looking at faces which only pretended to be worried about Chiaki.

The whole school started to fall apart. At some point even the sprinklers came online, but the ones in the clubroom had been broken or rendered dysfunctional; Hotaru could only tell that because she heard the shrill noise of the fire alarm sounding in the distance, blending into a bone-shattering screech that could only herald one thing. Giga Miseria.

---

The resistance was tremendous. It was as though Sylvia’s very being resisted every attempt of Ember to help her, or rather, the schemer had no idea what she was doing… and yet she knew she had the best chance out of all of them. After all, she was the one who had discovered the process to create and shape the Oss and Khir, their far-reaching eyes and hands. Still, sweat poured down from her forehead in thick rivers.

”Please live…” she whispered as she tried to reach out towards another piece of the protector, only to be met with refusal. ”Please. Sylvia, you barely started to walk! You can’t shatter into pieces on me, please…” As if anyone would hear these words. The schemer clung onto them nevertheless, because she wanted for Sylvia to have a better life. To smile again. Perhaps even to hug Earthshaker again.

Their shared space shook as the Giga Miseria’s scream reached even here, infiltrating through Hotaru’s perception. Ember did not care. Even if it resulted in a body being destroyed once again, the warrior had to learn a harsh lesson. She had to focus on Sylvia.

---

Nightmares could hold blessings in disguise. Even the worst of dreams offered an insight into the future or perhaps into the movements of the heavens, for such was the creed of the high priestess. This in turn would be adopted by her disciple who knew the exalted, yet still humble woman well. She knew that sometimes, even the best of the best stumbled on the road they wished to walk.

But that did not mean failure did not hurt.

The disciple felt the familiar pang in her whole body, as though she were being pulled into countless different directions. Then, when her tendons finished stretching out, a knife was placed between her ribs with enough care to make breathing difficult and not have her bleed out. Seconds turned into painful hours and yet the disciple held firm.

Because the high priestess never slept. Not even when the protector was on the verge of being shattered, or when the schemer was trying her best to do something her role was not suited for, or when the warrior’s instruments failed her in the crucial moment. Even now, fate showed her an opportunity she could use.

”I really don’t want to… but if the secular world wishes to gaze upon this humble high priestess, then she has no choice except to reveal herself.”

As soon as she said it, one of the many Shuuko bodies scattered through the city stood up, the Emblem of Takae Shuuko flashing into existence on its form. Seizing one-fourth of the whole’s magic, it took off towards the Giga Miseria with blinding speed, leaving behind street after street along with a trail of silvery blue magic. Of course, the High Priestess knew she was no match for the monstrosity closing in on the city, but at least she could aim for the countless Miseria it disgorged.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

The beatings continued to rain as though they were painless hailstones and yet, they still broke bones. Like the fists and feet of so-called gods, they inflicted wounds in places one could not see. Hidden from the naked eye, they would then fester until someone came along to prod them with innocent intentions. Or perhaps in the case of Michi, malicious ones. It was inevitable. People would always rip open the wounds of an injured fawn. Their smiles would become wider. And they would never stop clawing at it until its blood ran dry.

No castle could stand forever. No mirror could remain intact forever. The besieging army would eventually ram through the portcullis, then head straight towards the tower, in which lord, lady and their precious children lived. Knights would draw their swords, then replace the banner above the keep with one writ in blood. It was inevitable from the very first day of the fortress’ inception.

This was merely a bundle of rocks. A damaged piece of glass hiding cracked silver where myriad reflections collided. And yet…

It held out for long enough in the face of adversity.

Because in the end, Haruna came. She was a true friend that cast the whole world into familiar darkness and pained, agonising rest.

Hotaru’s voice cut through it.

”I couldn’t even touch her.” In the mental space of Takae Shuuko, the warrior sported bruises. Not the all-encompassing ones which caused Sylvia’s breath to be shallow, which rendered her skin pale and painted her skin with all-too-familiar fractures.

”She’s… She’s….!” A hiccup cut her off. For once, Hotaru could not finish her sentence, nor carry on with zeal.

”She is the best friend that one could ever extend their hand towards,” finished Ember for her, speaking between two shallow breaths. Hotaru whirled at her, all but ready to unleash hell on the schemer for not helping them this time, only to be met with a visage barely more suited for life than that of the protector. The only difference between them was that Ember did not have cracks on her very being.

”I refuse to condemn you, or to engage you with words, Hotaru-san.” A gasp. Ember’s voice remained level. ”So please remember this well and know what happens if you do not let the voices of others reach you. It is not only you who are suffering, Hotaru-san. And there are far more things in the world than a grudge against those who have driven their wicked knives into our body.”

Ember knelt down beside Sylvia and took the protector’s hand into her own. A pained smile showed on her face, despite her soul demanding that she vomit up blood and bile. She remained strong. Tall. Like the eldest was supposed to be.

”You look like absolute shit.”

”Have you ever taken the time to turn your eyes towards yourself, Hotaru-san?” Ember started to carefully remove Sylvia’s garments, trying to soothe the injuries with her hands. ”It just so happens that it helps tremendously with what you wish to accomplish.”

”If you’ve never taken the side of that girl-” Hotaru all but growled her words, like a caged animal.

”Then we have not a single clue as to what would have happened.” The schemer responded with her usual, calm clarity. ”I reiterate the same lesson as I have tried to teach you before this all happened. This is your fault, your mistake as well. I have already admitted where I fall short. Have you?”

The warrior snarled in response, but averted her head from the scene. Her fists drove into the non-existent ground, shattering it into non-existent spiderwebs.

”Why? Why did she hurt her?”

”Because that girl could see everything we tried to keep hidden.” The schemer did not speak lightly. Her voice trembled while red tendrils reached out towards Sylvia, trying to see if they could find anything. ”Or more than enough to know what to rummage through. We could have mitigated the damage if we stuck together.”

A sigh.

”Hotaru-san. This is solely my cross to bear. When you have chosen to hurt Sylvia, you have forsaken her. Be aware that if you want to take revenge on Michi, then I can not stop you now. But I will not help you either. Because Sylvia is…”

”She is precious to me.”

Hotaru swore she could hear her own heartbeat thunder in her ears.

”So I ask once again: Is she really precious to you?”

---

On the outside, Takae Shuuko’s body seemed calm. Her eyes remained close, as though she was at rest, though an observant individual could notice the rapid movement of her eyes beneath closed lids. It was almost as though she were looking for something, frantically, desperately. She did not react even when the window shattered into pieces, nor when Tsubomi’s body reached out towards Michi.

But it only took a couple more seconds for yellow eyes to open up and regard the room around them.

”You… you…” Hotaru struggled with words as much as she struggled with her body. It felt as though dozens upon dozens of needles had been driven into her, scrambling all of her nerves and without Ember helping her, she could not reach out to a more intact clone.

”You’re pathetic.” She stood up, knocking down her chair. ”You attacked us at our weakest.” A sneer appeared on her face. Her teeth ground. ”You hurt the weakest!” She roared. Like a lumbering, wounded giant, she stumbled towards Michi.

”Reverse it. Now.”

The warrior bore the physical pain well. Yet when hands grasped for her heart, when poison seeped into her veins, her voice cracked. She had intended to shout at Michi, to rip her limb from limb and yet she ended up sounding as though she begged the cause of Sylvia’s pain to end it. Like a prisoner pleading for mercy.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

Not only did the monkeys hinder the warrior, they also threw her right into the club’s resident goody-two-shoes, causing both of them to tumble around. Even as Hotaru tried to find purchase on any surface, her claws kept either slicing things into ribbons or Haruna bumped into her to knock her aim off-course. Even worse, she could not find an angle to strike the annoyance she was being forced to endure, so the warrior grit her teeth and bore it. All the while the self-absorbed, prissy daughter-of-a-whore remained on stage, spewing nonsense about a sister or something, forcing everyone to go along with her whims.

Couldn't she just have told her story?!

Hotaru’s hypocrisy did not even register as they slowed down were slowed down when Oros got tangled up with them. Her tendrils helped to anchor them and with Hotaru also finding a groove to sink her claws into, they came to a halt.

”Thanks!” She shouted even as she tried to find her bearings before turning Haruna into minced meat for daring to-

”Sylvia.”

Hotaru felt as though her lips had shattered when the word broke through them like a battering ram. Her veins turned into poisonous ice. Curved knives stabbed into her brain. Painful electricity arced between her muscles. Every iota of colour around her fell away, her sight shrinking until she could only see the point of a needle. Sylvia.

Long-forgotten remarks surfaced in the warrior’s consciousness.

“She can't even fight.”

”It would have been better if she stayed home.”

”Don't bother doing something like that again.”

”I’m sorry, but I can't be your friend.”

Perhaps it was the way Michi talked. Or how Roche perceived the play, as though Michi had left her sister to fend by herself, throwing Norah to the wolves. Something about the scene reminded the warrior of the moment she first saw and heard, and the constant stream of vile lies that followed.

”You shouldn't hurt yourself like that!”

”Unfortunately, you are not suited to fighting.”

”I’m really sorry, I already have plans for the day.”

”I can't make it. Maybe next time.”

No matter how many times Chiaki tried to reach out, the answer would remain the same. Rejection followed rejection, all of them following the same, tired format: a thin, miserly apology that heralded a promise never fulfilled. Or a sarcastic, biting comment voiced as though it were a legitimate concern. There was not an ounce of compassion to be found in the so-called light girls. They all hated Hotaru, Sylvia and Chiaki. And despite that, because Chiaki was such a kind girl, she kept reaching out. No matter how awkward she was or how she stuttered, or how many wounds appeared on her, everyone turned a blind eye to her circumstances.

Just one promise. One acquaintance. A small act of mercy just so Chiaki would not have to cook for herself or the heartless assholes. Yet none ever came.

Ah. Now she knew why she remembered.

With a keen not unlike that of an animal, Hotaru slammed into the apes, right by the side of Roche and Hizuki.

”What has she done to you?!” Strange. She should have been angry. The warrior should have been exploding like a volcano, then she should have unleashed hell on the apes brutalising innocent Sylvia. So why did her voice sound as though she were choking on tears? Why did it sound as though she were questioning someone who did not care to answer and would keep on abusing Sylvia?

Her gauntlets found little purchase on the apes. Hotaru had pulled Miseria apart by the seams, ripping them apart by pure strength, or had splattered them with a callous move of her hand. Even the more resilient ones could barely match her strength and yet these… Even Roche had trouble. The warrior, despite her magic burning bright, could barely defeat a single one of her opponents. Sweat poured down her forehead, digging deep gorges into her skin.

Hotaru's voice choked. Her next words could barely be understood.

”Leave her alone!” The gorges glowed. Her body could not take much more of the strain she put it through. She still fought on valiantly.

She was not enough. She would never be enough.

Punch after punch. Kick after kick. Hotaru could do nothing but watch through foggy lenses even as she tried her best. Just like when she tried to fight instead of Chiaki. She was a hair’s breadth away and unable to do anything.

She could not do anything!

The bruises on Sylvia started to turn into cracks. Like lines on a damaged mirror. They leaked a wispy, strange substance instead of blood. An ape or two had fallen, but even if she managed to open the way for Hizuki to grab Sylvia, would it even matter? The masses of apes would pounce on Hizuki as well. The protector would shatter, just as Chiaki had a long time ago.

It was inevitable.

---

She should have never turned against her grandparents.

When Sylvia had landed her blow, it had felt like a small weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It had not been the relief she had been expecting, but it helped. Even though Michi bled, a strange sense of grim satisfaction jolted through the protector’s spine, knowing that she did this for those she thought important. And herself. Most importantly, herself. She needed to be all right, because she said that to Hizuki.

But as soon as darkness crept into her vision and she could no longer feel the others by her side - even metaphorically - she knew she would not be all right.

It was always grandfather who started and as Michi read correctly, with a punch to Sylvia's stomach. It had been the rightful punishment for eating too much, for taking away money from the family that had fallen on hard times because of Sylvia's traitorous mother. Fortunately, she did not have anything to throw up this time, but that never stopped the deceitful gods.

Then of course, the knee between Sylvia's ribs. Grandfather told her it was because she should be grateful she still breathed. That she was allowed to make up for the sins her mother committed against the family. It was always just as righteous as the first punch.

Grandmother followed it up with a stinging slap. The wedding ring on her finger would leave behind a dent and Sylvia would have to cover it up at school. The ape’s rough knuckles served as an apt stand-in for the cold metal, which made the following beating all the more expected. Punches along with kicks blended into one another in a symphony of unending pain. And like the good girl she was, Sylvia had to endure it all.

Not a single sound escaped from her mouth, clamped shut as though it were a vice. Her gums would start to bleed sooner than she would dare to let herself utter any single thing or beg for mercy; she had tried those too many times already. Her only option was to take the punishment of the gods, because they were the righteous ones. And even if they were not, what could she possibly do against them?

It would be over as soon as their ire subsided. Then she could take her break - except, it was not coming. The anger seemed never-ending this time and the hits kept torturing her. Every single one of them was aimed at a spot roughed ten times over. A familiar impact blossomed into familiar, agonising pain. If it were not for her magic, Sylvia would have died.

If it were not for her magic, Chiaki would have died.

In spite of her magic, Sylvia felt her impending death. The gods had no mercy for her this time and they would go on until she ceased her wretched, worthless existence. Only then will she have repaid the transgressions of her mother.

---

The connection shattered like a whip striking across First Shuuko’s back. She winced and jumped back at the same time, putting more distance between her and the huge arm as she tried to look for her fellows again, but found herself grasping for straws. Fortunately, she still had her own reserve of power to call on, so she transformed in an explosion of light blue shards.

What stepped out of the revelry, however, was not the Shatterscape everyone was familiar with. Firstly, rather than the orange and red of a purifying flame, her colours reflected the sky and a clear lake. Second, instead of the wicked, clawed fingers of her usual Devil Arm, she possessed well-articulated, dextrous fingers. The gauntlets seemed larger in exchange, with a row of holes above the magical girl’s wrist that implied the existence of hidden blades. And thirdly, there were no horns on her forehead, nor did her eyes burn with the crimson disdain that Shatteracape levied at her opponents.

They remained a clear, crystalline blue instead. Not that anyone had much time to dwell on it, as First Shuuko immediately drove her gauntlets into the ground and collapsed the roof beneath her before she started her mad dash towards the cafeteria.

---

When Ember regained control of her body, she found herself in the middle of a black void, cut off from everyone else. And while she had plenty of experience with the former given how Sylvia, Hotaru and her had been interacting lately, being numb to the rest of their bodies should have been impossible.

”Shit.” Cold sweat coated Ember, forming icicles that reached all the way to her core. She felt as though she had been shoved into a dark, dirty and unpleasant ice cave hours ago, her strength having left her a long time ago. Her body along with her thoughts were sluggish, her mind seemingly unable to string two facts together. It instead filled up with the imagery of Michi doing whatever it pleased with Sylvia, Hotaru and even Chiaki.

The schemer’s spine turned into a frozen column at the thought. Her slow pondering turned towards the seemingly impossible power wielded by Michi, asking herself if this was the despair the club faced when they first encountered Ashbringer.

There seemed to be no way out. If she was correct and Michi influenced every student, then she had everything in the palm of her hands. Even worse, if she influenced them… She practically molded Sylvia, Hotaru and even Ember into their ideal selves. She cut off Ember’s magic. Was there nothing she could do?

No. She could not think that way. She still had Sylvia to take care of. She promised it to that girl, damn it!

And even if her magic broke, so what? They were still one. Their bodies might have split, but Ember knew better. She felt the strange ebb and flow of the threads. She studied them in detail. They were four halves of a greater whole.

They were never on their own.

So she had to be able to do something. Anything.

She forced herself to reach out to grasp whatever she could, willing her hands to hold still instead of trembling. A part of her screamed at her to leave this to Sylvia, because it was the protector’s duty to take on such burdens. Ember yelled back at that part, because she too, had something she wished to protect. Not just Chiaki or Sylvia. The Detention Club also counted and, as much as she loathed to admit, she wanted the best for Hotaru as well.

Then she felt it: the overwhelming pain of being slapped across the face.

Ember reeled from the blow. One of her teeth went flying, disappearing into the darkness as whoever assaulted her had no mercy. In fact, it felt almost as though it were one of the memories of Sylvia in the flesh. It meant she could do something.

”Sylvia?” She asked, reaching out despite the best efforts of her body to reel away from the pain. ”I don't even know if you can hear me, but…” The agony of being kicked in the shin blossomed in Ember’s foot. She screamed into the void.

”I will not yield in the face of consequences!”

---

It did not hurt as much now. The blows still landed on the protector, of course. But as they started to shatter her, less and less of the pain made it to her consciousness. If anything, they seemed to come more savagely than before, the apes seemingly intent on leaving her dead before anyone could reach Sylvia.

That was all right. No one could save her from the gods, after all.

A part of her wished she had spent more time with Roche. It even realised that perhaps, Roche would be sad about her being gone. Maybe Hizuki too. And come to think of it, Ember would definitely be sad.

That was all right. She had always been a bad child. She had no right to claim their friendship or their feelings. And yet if Sylvia could have one selfish wish of hers fulfilled…

It would be to say goodbye to them properly.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

Willow made no sense as usual, so even though it left a pang in her heart, Sylvia did not respond. She had no idea how to handle her without Ember’s assistance, who seemed to be wrapped up in her own problems involving Hotaru. But Tsubomi…

”Look, you’re rightfully angry now and hopefully at whoever caused you that original harm…”

The sentence struck a chord deep inside Sylvia. Her furious tears kept rolling down her face, the pyre of her emotions only intensifying as she found the words she had been looking for. She had heard them countless times in her life from Ember, but the protector kept on insisting that it was her who was bad and… this whole time, she had been lied to. Hizuki told her. And it did not feel like she had been told a lie.

”There are no misunderstandings under the eyes of the gods,” Sylvia responded. ”There… there are only Them and… Their lies.” It still felt painful to say it. She also felt that Tsubomi had a point. Even if she said something that confused her, maybe she could just let it out. Sylvia did not want to act like Hotaru, but… Maybe for once, it was permissible. Maybe she would discover something again.

It would definitely hurt. But maybe she would be getting hurt for a worthy cause this time.

---

”If you truly wish for everyone for have a good day, then you should have talked with us instead of setting up whatever this scheme is, then unleash your wrath at Suki because she just so happens to not act according to the plan you concocted in your head.” Ember kept the razor edge in her voice even while her knuckles whitened. If she were honest, she would have loved to have Hotaru’s cooperation, or even Sylvia’s assurance that whatever happened, it would not be painful. She felt like worms crawled on her skin, but still forced herself to put on a mask.

”And you throw insults left and right as though they were salvation to be meted out by your truly merciful hand.” The schemer continued with biting sarcasm. However, before she could truly start trying to rip Michi apart at the metaphorical seams, Michi grabbed Tsubomi - who seemed to have been trying to pacify Michi for some reason - and shifted Ember along with Hotaru onto a stage.

What the hell.

Ember figured she knew a thing or two about teleportation, but this felt foreign to her. It was almost as though she moved through thick water, then deposited onto a shoddy stage which had not been there before. Which meant either that Michi had some sort of power that allowed her to manipulate reality to such an extent or that she kept them all in an illusion or worse. Both prospects caused sweat to pour down Ember’s face. She all but turned into a salt statue on stage, all colour draining from her form.

Hotaru had no such qualms, however.

The teleportation also had her disoriented. But instead of playing along, she watched the exchange unfold between Michi and Haruna and flared her magic, causing the stage’s wood to crumple beneath her feet when she took a step forward.

”The one and only thing that will be getting destroyed today,” her fury rung crystal clear, ”Is going to be you and whatever the fuck you’re doing to us!” Then she launched herself at Michi. Burning through her magic at a precarious rate, she intended to rip through her target in one swoop, only to be joined by a second from in the middle of her arc.

Sylvia.

What was the protector doing here?

With tears still brimming in her eyes, Sylvia had also launched herself at Michi, Shatterscape’s visage coalescing around her mid-air in a sight that resembled her leaping out of a shattered mirror. These two were as two comets; Hotaru aflame with an off-yellow light, Sylvia surrounded by golden threads concentrating around her gauntlets. Almost like she was trying to grasp them and part them at the same time.

All the while Ember watched on, unable to do anything to prevent the unfolding tragedy.

---

Ember may have felt alone, but First Shuuko also watched on. She held a similar sentiment in her heart, yet before she could reach out, something appeared on the rooftop and called out to a “Finn”. Opening her eyes - her concentration wavering as she split her focus into two - First Shuuko’s eyes widened as she beheld what seemed to be a demon.

”Excuse me. I’m sorry if I’m interrupting but… um… Can I ask you why you’re here?” She asked of the being with a somewhat nervous smile. ”Because I’m hiding. Please don’t tell anyone I’m here!” And she exaggerated her gesture with a cutesy - if, again, somewhat nervous - wink.

Kurai Majokko: Tsundere Gekido

”Bold words for someone who is being selfish and disruptive herself.” While Ember’s voice remained calm, on the inside, she broke out in cold sweat. Not only did Michi seem to be extremely strong - being able to hold her wrist - she also seemed to have information about everything inside the school at least. And if the blue ribbons were also tied to her, along with the strange happenings in the school, then she was at least on the scale of Ashbringer. Which means they needed to tread carefully here.

”Shuuko, don’t attack her just yet,” she said to her other self.

”Screw her!” Hotaru snarled back. ”Why shouldn’t I when she’s being an asshole?!”

”Because you’re playing straight into her hand.” Or at least so she assumed. She could have been wrong, but at least her sentence made the warrior pause. ”If this really is all your doing - and I don’t see why it wouldn’t be - then you’ve gone about it in the most callous way I have ever seen. Do not get me wrong, I have my own fair share of dark and dirty secrets, but never before have I seen someone so desperate to show the seeds of discord amongst us. Well, I am telling you, as long as I am here, I will resist that.”

”Roche, even if what she says is true, we can talk afterwards. You can explain it. We are the Detention Club after all, aren’t we? We aren’t exactly in the business of doing good deeds.” Ember flashed a nervous grin towards Earthshaker. Hopefully, the tribal girl along with Kiyo would understand what she was doing and move accordingly.