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A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

Nonchalantly, Kyoko listened to what Mitsuki had to say, already having some idea as to what it would be. It wasn't like she hadn't heard this sort of thing before, though Mami usually handled it. Mostly because she was a nicer person in general and served as a shield from Kyoko's moodiness. Still, Mitsuki was pretty well known, so it was probably a good thing that Kyoko herself was handling this. Sometimes Mami could be too nice for her own good, and Kyoko wouldn't let that sort of thing threaten her rule. She'd come this far, and she wasn't going to let one magical girl bring it down. Besides, she had her own opinion on taking in refugees.

"I see," she replied thoughtfully, reaching into her pocket to take out a Pocky stick and start munching on it as she considered Mitsuki. She did raise a lot of points, and letting her in would be complicated, even if it didn't give people ideas or cause civil disturbances by having people go after her. And yet she made it sound like it was just a matter of giving her asylum and then finding a spot to put her that had enough Witches to cover whatever her tax ended up being. Kyoko might be generally ignorant as a ruler, but even she wasn't that dumb.

"Well, I could probably find a spot somewhere," she admitted once Mitsuki had finished. "Question is, should I? I mean, like you said, there's gonna be a lot of people that'll come to try and kick your ass, and taking you in isn't exactly gonna win me any favors with the other members of Elysium." She fixed Mitsuki in her gaze then as she asked probably the most relevant question in her mind at the moment. Pure motivated self interest, straight Kyoko. "So, what's in it for me to take you in on my territory?"
 
Mitsuki knew that Kyoko had not become the ruler of this area for no reason, and the fact that she understood the nature of Mitsuki's request showed that the redheaded magical girl realized the true weight of her request. That, or Kyoko knew she had the position of control and wished to take full advantage of it. In either case, Mitsuki knew how to get the gears turning in her head in the very least, even if she did not take her up on her offer right away.

The armor-clad magical girl returned Kyoko's gaze, "Hm... I think ya might be thinking of this wrong, Kyoko-san. If da other magical girls are busy fightin' me, then they won't be aiming for ya." She turned to the side slightly, resting the tip of her kite shield against the sidewalk, "Ya know, the magical girls in the area know 'bout me as well and how I stood single-handed against waves of opponents. If they know I'm here, outside invaders won't be so eager to put their fingers in ya pie, if ya know what I mean."

"I have my own place I want to get back to, but while I'm here I might as well make myself useful by putting some of my strength to good use, wouldn't ya agree?" Mitsuki shrugged, "And if ya ever get tired of me, just tell me to leave and I'll find somewhere else to go... Just don't blame me if I give the same offer to someone else and they take me up on it."
 
Having said her piece, Kyoko watched on as Mitsuki gave her own reasoning back for why she should accept, drawing attention to the fact that it would be a distraction from Kyoko herself, since the people would gun for the Knight rather than the ruler. It made sense, but Kyoko wasn't entirely convinced. Call her a skeptic or just self serving, but she was smarter than people gave her credit for, and considering stuff like this, she had to use all her brain power.

"Maybe," she admitted with a shrug. "Course, taking you in doesn't endear me to the other leaders, and it isn't like they don't already need an excuse to try and take my territory from me. Even your reputation didn't save Osaka in the end, did it?" Not that she was particularly trying to be offensive, but it did have to be said. She wasn't going to end up exiled like the girl she was talking too had, not if she could help it.

Then again, she, Mami, and Homura could probably handle what came, if anything came up, and it wasn't like they weren't already disliked for this policy. It only made them stronger after all, though it did cause a bit of a stretch on their resources to take in exiles like this. "Alright, I guess I can let yah in," she ceded at last. "Go down to City Hall to do the paperwork. First though, you gotta do something for me." Maybe it was to feed her ego, but the similarities with a certain blunette were hard to miss, and she felt capricious today. It'd be fun.
 
Mitsuki became slightly defensive upon hearing Kyoko's remark, her own pride flaring up somewhat when she interpreted the redhead's comment as an accusation that her own inadequacy had caused her current situation. She shifted her weight slightly, "I will do what I have to, to protect myself and those important to me. I resisted for as long as I could while doing exactly dat. If I had kept on fighting, the people living in Osaka would have suffered and died because of my stubbornness. If I can protect dem by fighting, den I will fight. If I can protect dem by leaving, den I will leave. Dat is all there is to it."

Mitsuki let out a mental sigh. While somewhat relieved that Kyoko had agreed to take her in, for the time being at least, being told to go fill out paperwork was like asking her to fetch a can of iced tea while blindfolded. Legal documents and such frustrated her to no end. Not having a home to stay in and spending endless nights out on the streets were children poked her cheeks with sticks and the wind cut at her skin throughout the night was a far less appealing option.

Kyoko did not exactly strike Mitsuki as the legal type. She assumed it was more Homura's or Mami's sort of thing. So when faced with yet another request, she felt it would likely be safe to accept even without knowing all the details. It was more of a demand than a request anyway, and given the amused look on the redhead's face she figured it was something she enjoyed doing. "Alright with me. Ya doing a favor for me anyway, so I'm feeling a bit generous," Mitsuki nodded, "What ya need from me?"
 
Kyoko hadn't intended a straight shot at Mitsuki with her comment on what had caused the loss of Osaka, but she wasn't particularly shedding tears for the misinterpretation either. It was a statement of fact, that her reputation as someone who could take all comers and such, hadn't helped her when Osaka was overrun, much as she might want to protect the people there. The similarities to Sayaka seemed to be growing, though they were still different enough to not annoy Kyoko to no end. Thank goodness for small favors.

And thank goodness as well, or maybe not, Mitsuki accepted her 'request' without complaint. Not that Kyoko wouldn't have minded an impromptu spar with the other girl, but she could accept peace for the moment. She was confident in her ability to win, but since it looked like Mitsuki would prefer the flight option to the fight option, they might as well not waste their time.

"Not much," Kyoko replied with a shrug and an anticipatory grin. Yeah, this was gonna be fun. "You're a Knight and stuff, right? So, why don'cha get on your knees right now, and swear fealty to me as your new ruler. You know, vow to do whatever I ask, serve me faithfully until I say otherwise, all that good stuff." She gestured about to all the people walking by, the ones who would be made to act as witnesses to this declaration of servitude and loyalty, whilst the Pocky Stick she chewed on bobbed in her mouth. "And make sure they can hear it too. Wouldn't want people to think I was a liar without any witnesses."

A foot tapped as she watched Mitsuki carefully. "I'm waiting...."
 
While the previous comment may have ruffled Mitsuki's feathers a bit, she interpreted Kyoko's demand as downright insulting. What gave her the right to ask for Mitsuki to bow down in a show of public humiliation? People like Kyoko who were so caught up in themselves, searching for new an inventive ways to stroke their own egos, irritated Mitsuki to no end. She believed she had made it clear that she did not wish to join Kyoko's little circle of would-be dictators, and she most certainly did not wish to become her faithful little lap dog. It seemed like it would be necessary for her to break Kyoko's illusion.

Mitsuki's eyes narrowed slightly as she dipped her head down. She lifted her foot slammed it down against the sidewalk firmly, small cracks extending outward from the point of impact as if to draw attention to her act of defiance, "I see no need to bow down to ya, Kyoko-san. Ya probably think its pretty amusing, me coming all this way to ask a favor of ya then turning around and refusing something ya probably think is just a petty gesture. But you'd be wrong there... I know how folks like you work. Ya think that you should be able to tell people to jump, and they ask how high on the way up. Just because you're strong doesn't mean you can treat people however you like."

"You see, it don't work that way... Not with me, at least," Mitsuki's hands tightened into fists, "I thought I told ya I don't wanna be one of ya toys. I am my own person and I can decide for myself what I do and where I go. I'm fine with ya taking advantage of my presence, but I'm nobody's slave. The pride of Osaka rests on my shoulders, and I won't bow to the likes of you." The armor-clad magical girl stood firm, "We can shake hands and part with mutual understanding, but I will never ally myself with someone who wishes to grind others into the dirt."
 
Ah, so that was the famous spirit the Knight was for, though if she thought Kyoko was at all intimidated by that, she had another thing coming. Besides paying for the part of the sidewalk she just fractured anyway. Her hackles rose inaudibly as Mitsuki voiced her resistance, and the similarities to the insufferable blunette grew. If she wanted Kyoko to try and kick her ass, she was doing a good job of earning herself that particular ticket.

Still, there was no way for this to really head but downwards. Kyoko was never one to back down from a challenge as it was, with her personality, and giving in now might be a cession that she couldn't afford, by making it seem like she was afraid of the Mitsuki or something and thereby stoking resistance against her. Then there'd be a domino effect, and the next thing you knew she'd be facing a full scale uprising to try and overthrow her. And she couldn't stand for that. She hadn't when Sayaka had tried, and she wouldn't now. She had the power, and she'd be damned if she didn't use it.

Finishing off the Pocky Stick she had, she held back a growl as she shifted almost imperceptibly, preparing for what might be the inevitable. "You wanna stick around on my turf, you play by my rules," she challenged right back. "That's how it works. You don't like it, then you can get the hell out. I doubt you'll find anywhere else in Japan willing to take you in, but don't let me stop yah."

She removed her spear from her shoulder to hold it in an almost casual grip, if she weren't an expert with the thing as it were, and was all too ready and willing to demonstrate that skill. "That's the way the world works. Survival of the fittest. Mami might be one for charity, but I ain't like her, and if you think I'm letting myself get sucked down to the bottom again, you got another thing coming. So you can either suck up your pride for a place here, or I can show you the door, with my boot if necessary."
 
"The problem with people like you is that ya refuse to see things outside your own field of vision. You dont need to step on people to keep from being pushed to the floor. You can hold ya own in the world without grinding others into dust," Mitsuki lifted her own shield, realizing by then that she would have to earn some of Kyoko's respect through combat in order for her words to reach the redheaded magical dictator, "Humans are social creatures, not beasts scraping and clawing for a few scraps of bread. If that is the world you wish to rule, then I'll have no part of it."

"I told ya I have no intention of displacing ya from your place here... But I got no problem with taking your pride down a few notches," Mitsuki slid her left leg back, widening her stance as her eyes watched Kyoko's form from the upper edge of her shield. While Kyoko was no amature and her strength could not be discounted, Mitsuki trusted that she could hold her own against the redhead, or at least put up enough of a fight to show that she was serious about this. If strength was all that Kyoko would understand and respect, then that was exactly what Mitsuki would give her. Negotiations could wait until the dust settled.

"Why do ya insist on pushing others down? Why are you so afraid?"
 
A low growl escaped from her throat as the insults aimed her way registered. Though the 'witnesses' had dispersed when it became evident that there was going to be some kind of confrontation, Kyoko wasn't about to let something like that pass, even in private. Conflict wasn't going to be avoided at this point, and both of them knew it, as Kyoko's loose grip settled into a two handed hold on her spear, the sharp tip gleaming in the light as she aimed it at Mitsuki. As she did so, she looked over the girl, her weapon, her armor, already planning out of her attack. If there was one thing Kyoko excelled at, it was fighting.

She scoffed then at Mitsuki's question, a short dismissive chuckle. "If you think I'm gonna spill my whole life's story to yah just cause we're about to fight, you've got another thing coming," she replied with a smirk, the fang of her incisor peeking past her lip. "Let's just say, I never saw this vision of the world you seem to be deluding yourself with." Wasn't that the truth, but she wasn't about to go pouring out her heart to someone she'd met all of five minutes ago. She wasn't quite that dumb.

"But don't worry. I think you'll see things my way by the time we're through," she finished confidently, sure in her abilities. Yeah, Mitsuki might have a lot of armor, but Kyoko wasn't going to be held back by that. So leaving any preamble for unspoken futures, Kyoko did what she did best, attack. She sprang forward, spear striking out to slip past that shield and hit the girl behind it. Not that she imagined she'd have much luck there, but if she could seize the initiative, she could own this fight.
 
The cement below her cracked further from the force she exerted upon it, knees bending and center of weight dropping slightly. Mitsuki dipped down and in a burst of speed rushed forward into Kyoko, the edge of her shield creating sparks as it brushed against the shaft of the spear, intending on countering Kyoko's attack and landing a firm blow directly on her body. The armored magical girl had fought opponents like this before, using the force and aggression of her opponents against themselves while making full use of her own powerful strikes as the opportunity presented itself. While Mitsuki was slow compared to other magical girls, she made up for it in raw strength and endurance.

While Mitsuki considered fighting magical girls to be somewhat of a waste of magical power, as the power could have been put to better use hunting witches instead, this was not a fight she could afford to lose. Granted, winning would have serious consequences as well, but there was little opportunity to back down now that they had gone to blows. If Kyoko wanted to push Mitsuki down into the mud, then she'd put up enough of a fight to make her rethink trying it again in the future.
 
As Kyoko could have expected from the Osakan Knight, the straight up attack didn't work. Well, one could hope, but she honestly would have been disappointed if it had. Considering the reputation of the person she was going up against, she expected someone with some knowledge of how to fight. And that was what she was indeed getting. Even as she twisted out of the way of the sudden rush, getting clipped back that big shield in the process, she wore a grin. This, this was going to be fun.

Recovering, she reoriented to face Mitsuki once more, ignoring what bit of pain radiated from the impact zone of the previous hit. She'd got the first hit, but it hadn't been first blood, and that was what counted as much as anything. "Thanks," she commented with a chuckle. "Wouldn't want this to be too easy for me."

She then went at it again, rearing with her spear for another stab, only to have it disengage into multiple chained segments, a whip now with a bladed tip at the head. And as she sprang to the side, she sent it snapping at Mitsuki, aiming to hit the other girl by dodging past her guard with a series of blows that would come at her from different directions, never aiming for her shield head on as she circled about. Time to see how well the knight could dance.
 
The blow merely skimmed Kyoko, the full force of the strike failing to land. As expected, Kyoko certainly did not disappoint. Less-experianced magical girls would have taken the attack head-on, the bone-shattering blow crippling them for the remainder of the battle. She'd have to negate Kyoko's mobility advantage at some point, but for now she placed herself on the defensive once again. Mitsuki didn't reply to Kyoko's combat banter, seeing no need to do so when it would only pander to Kyoko's pride. There were more pertinent things to worry about, like the sharp tip of the whip-like implement Kyoko used to continue her assault.

Mitsuki shifted her weight, turning the shield left and right, up and across as necessary to deflect each strike. She maintained a firm footing as she turned, keeping Kyoko to her front as she blocked, the force of the rapid strikes reverberating with a sharp ping each time the blow bounced off her weapon of choice. One stab glanced her shoulder, another sliced just across her left cheek. Kyoko had begun to compensate for her movements, that much became clear.

Mitsuki raised her right foot up then slammed it downward with force, shattering the already-cracked cement like brittle glass, each fragment jutting upward and tilting at oblique angles from the point of impact. At the same time she slid forward and swung her shield wide, aiming to knock her weapon back and follow it up with a firm punch from her armored fist. The more blows she could land on Kyoko, the more hesitant she would become to dive in aggressively, giving her an opening to begin her own attack.
 
So, no response to her banter? Well, that was fine, she could play it tough and silent as well. Certainly was no skin off her back, and she'd more than make up for it as they fought. She had the initiative and she was going to use that to her advantage, since Mitsuki had a bonus in terms of defense, with her shield and also with her plate armor, that made finding places to attack and land meaningful hits difficult at best. She'd have to keep on her feet and not let herself get worn down if she wanted to win. But she could manage that.

So they went on, spear swinging like an oversized whip as she battered at the solid defense of her opponent. The clashing sound of metal rang through the air, the thrum of combat as Kyoko's blood pumped fiercely, like a red hot fire, and she felt more alive than she had in some time. She worked the spear with a good hand, and to her satisfaction managed to draw first blood against her opponent, in a stab to the shoulder, or a slice above the cheek. Nothing major yet, but it was only a matter of time, that she was sure of. Maybe the Knight had a bit less bite than she thought.

That quickly revealed itself to be not true as Mitsuki slammed her foot down, quaking the sidewalk even more, sending the fragments shifting obliquely and throwing Kyoko off her balance. If she had to guess, she would say that that was Mitsuki's magic, or at least related to it in some way. Good to know. It didn't help though as her spear was batted to the side by that oversized shield, which she quickly moved to retract back to spear form while dodging the follow up. Only with the unstable ground that wasn't as successful as she would have hoped, and she did receive a good brunt of the hit, eliciting an involuntary cry of pain from the redhead.

Quickly slamming down on the pain, Kyoko swung her spear in a wide arc as she moved to unshattered ground, mostly to get a bit of breathing room back to recover from the hit she'd received, while realizing that she'd probably taken more damage than Mitsuki had thus far. That wasn't good, to say the least. It meant more work for her. Fortunately, she had some of that, as evidenced by her next action, using the environment to her advantage as she wrapped her spear in chain form around a mailbox and hurled it at her, excusing the property damage for someone else to deal with, before launching a spinning follow up aimed at her knee. Cut down her mobility even more, and Kyoko would have a growing advantage
 
The clash of battle was something that Mitsuki had grown accustomed to, with blows exchanged and strength pushed to the absolute limit. Danger and pain went hand-in-hand for her, with the reward for her toils but a distant hope. Why did she continue to fight? Perhaps a part of the reason resided in the possible need that Osaka would have for her to return as its protector, but at present that appeared as but a vain hope. She had only herself to protect and look after, little thought given to the destruction of property that their battle inflicted. No, the primary reason for her stalwart resistance resided within the desire to be needed, for her strength to serve some greater purpose outside her own being. The long sleepless nights were all the more painful to endure when she realized that the Osakans on the behalf of which she toiled had likely long since forgotten her, as she no longer acted as their shield and protector.

When her armored fist met its mark, she allowed a slight smile to slip. Not only did the satisfaction of landing a firm blow boost her confident, Kyoko had also given up ground. Mitsuki closed her eyes for a moment, a brilliant green glow shimmering across the surface of the shield as she held it horizontally. The shield shifted in shape, extending outward while a sharp blade extended from its outer edges, along with a lengthened handle. She shifted her weight, swinging the two-handed sword in an upward slice, cleaving the mailbox cleanly in half, continuing the motion as she drove the tip of her blade downward into the shattered cement and lifted herself up to avoid Kyoko's second attack directed at her leg, performing a brief handstand atop the blade before tugging at her weapon, using her weight and momentum to pull it free with relative ease.

If she could wrest the flow of battle from Kyoko by shifting her battle style, then perhaps she could convince Kyoko to back down. Shifting from shield to sword had its risks, however, as it was far more difficult to block and defend while wielding such a large weapon.
 
Already moving into her retaliation for getting punched, which hurt, Kyoko was surprised to see the glow on the surface of Mitsuki's shield before it shifted into some giant bastard sword, or maybe it was a broadsword or claymore or something. She was a bit too busy watching with some appreciation as it cut through the mailbox like butter, before she used it to vault into the air to dodge her lower blow. Okay, that was cool, she would cede, and at the same time it would probably hurt like hell to get hit by the thing, so she should probably avoid getting hit by the thing. Didn't want to lose a limb or something, in terms of this fight and general unpleasantness afterwards.

Pulling her spear back from the attempted hit, she did a quick guess. So, really big sword, two handed. If she had to guess, it gave her a lot of attack power, but it had to be hard to maneuver or do anything quick with that weapon. If you swung, it was coming down whether you changed your mind or not. Good things to know, if you happened to be fighting one. And fortunately, not that hard to deduce either.

That made things easier to get a grasp on, and she reacted relatively quickly, her spear snapping back together into it's normal form, without the extra reach provided by the chain. While that was useful, she needed speed to dodge those tremendous strikes she was throwing down, not reach. That done, she moved back in, attempting to use her own agility to dodge any strikes aimed her way while throwing a flurry of stabs in return. Theoretically, with the amount there was she wouldn't be able to block them all because of how cumbersome the weapon was, and she could land a few hits on the weak spots in her armor near the joints, or just any spot in general. And then hopefully not get hit in return. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, that seemed to be her strategy for the moment.
 
Mitsuki shifted her weight to the side, drawing the large double-edged blade horizontally in a single wide slash. Instead of pulling back and preparing a second attack, however, Mitsuki maintained the momentum and continued swinging, building up speed while diverting the path of her slashes with each revolution. She stepped forward, Kyoko's spear strikes either bouncing off her armor when improperly aimed or cutting at her vulnerable joints, without showing a visible indication of the pain even registering. It had to hurt, as several of her blows drew blood from her wounds which dripped onto the concrete below, but even so she maintained her movement with rigid resilience. The blade hummed as it skimmed the air, its honed edge slashing, cleaving, and cutting anything in its path while with each passing moment the opening between each strike became narrower.

Mitsuki began to jump and lunge forward, her blade swirling and flashing with deadly intent, the edge slicing through the pavement like a knife through soft butter. She moved aggressively, pursuing her opponent with relentless determination while her face showed only steeled concentration. The armored magical girl had reached the peak of her fighting prowess, harnessing the power of a combat form she called "Zenith Blade". She rarely employed it, as not only was it her one and only ace card, it also demanded a continuous depletion of her magical reserves as she channeled her magical power over localized gravitation in order to maintain control of her own movement.

Localized gravitation, the essential root of all her magical powers, resulted from Mitsuki's wish to protect herself and all those dear to her from all harm, to bear the weight of their lives upon her own shoulders without being crushed. She could manipulate the effects of gravity, both increasing and decreasing, upon all physical bodies within her reach, and any mass she came in direct contact with, assuming sufficient magical energy to do so. She didn't care to explain any of that to her opponents, who often marveled at the precision and skill with which she could maneuver herself while wearing full armor and wielding a sizable weapon. Of course, continuous use of her power put a tremendous strain on both herself and her magic, which was one reason why she often relied upon her personal skill and played upon her opponent's overconfidence to counter and soundly defeat them while using her powers to simply amplify her own attacks and negate that of her opponents. Against someone like Kyoko, however, she could not afford to hold herself back.
 
The clash of their went on, neither seemingly aware of the time that went by in the process, nor the intervention that might be brought on by other magical girls. Well, Kyoko wasn't concerned anyway. The only one's who'd be dumb enough to do that would be Mami or Sayaka, and she'd just have to make her opinion on that clear to the others if they did. But for the moment it was just the two of them. And while Kyoko enjoyed the thrill of the challenge and the fact that she was fighting someone worth her time, her cocky attitude had settled into grim determination, unwilling to cede this fight. The only way she'd be going down was if her legs were broken, but she didn't plan to let that happen. the Osakan Knight wasn't the only person with a reputation, nor her own tricks.

As the fight went on though, Kyoko maneuvering for better positions while Mitsuki cut through anything in her way, the redhead rapidly got the appreciation that her power was a bit more than making the ground crack. Magic could be the only way she was swinging that sword around like it was a stick, and wearing that armor, while still having the strength to slash through pretty much anything. Mami wasn't going to appreciate the property damage, but a magical girl had to do what a magical girl had to do. As it was, Kyoko rapidly abandoned the notion of sticking solely with her spear, to switch between it and the chain form as needed.

She landed some hits, which was good, and if the red that fell to stain the ground was any indication, they had to hurt. But that was nothing with the power a soul gem had unless she could drain her magic, or incapacitate her somehow. At the same time, she was being worn down, though she hadn't yet tapped into her own abilities. Best to save those for if things really got serious, and in her opinion, it wasn't yet.

Then Mitsuki leapt onto the attack, and with the strength of her cuts Kyoko was forced to shift to the defensive, using her spear to divert strikes while dancing backwards, looking for an opening to counterattack. She took her own hits, clothes torn and cuts dripping red from her right arm and torso onto the concrete to join hers, but she wasn't about to give up yet. Spear spinning as she stabbed, blocked, and otherwise whipped it's chain form in some attempt to disarm her, she kept up the fight, still confident in her own ability to win in spite of the magic needed for healing and to combat her growing fatigue.
 
Weapons clashed and blows exchanged, Mitsuki swirled her sword about, a verifiable dervish of destruction. She crashed down onto the roadway, shards of debris being lifted up into the air from the force of the impact while her sword slashes hummed, sparking as they connected with Kyoko's spear which itself seemed to be the one substance her sword could not slice cleanly in two. The surge of magic and adrenaline helped displace the pain which tore through her body. She could not keep up this pace, not forever anyway, and Mitsuki understood her limits well. Few magical girls had pushed her to the limit, and Kyoko certainly was well worth the effort.

Why had Kyoko's words struck such a raw nerve within her? Had her own pride been struck? Did she feel like the honor of Osaka would be tarnished if she had given in to the redhead's demands? Not in the slightest. It was because Mitsuki realized how little the two of them differed. Like two paintings made with the same paints but different artists, Mitsuki saw some of herself in the redheaded dictator, a vivid reminder of how her own life could have proceeded had she resisted even to the destruction of those dear to her. There had to be an end to the fighting, a fact that only became more evident as her own strength began to wane.

She could imagine herself dying at some point in this duel between magical girls, each having too much to lose by caving to the pressure. Would the Osakans mourn her loss? Mitsuki could honestly admit that she did not know the answer to that particular question. She imagined her parents would, but the sentiments of two people amid the millions of people that lived on planet earth mattered little by comparison. The tragic irony remained, that even as she possessed the strength to bear the pain of others, they offered her nothing in return. The thanklessness of humanity knew no bounds, it seemed.

A single musket shot derailed her train of thought, the presence of a third party being made known as the bullet whizzed right past Mitsuki's nose. She reached up and grasped the base of Kyoko's spearhead, her rotation coming to an abrupt end as she held her sword aloft. She took a step back and released the redhead's weapon before turning to face the blonde magical girl who had interrupted their duel.

"Kyoko-san... What is the meaning of this?" Mami held a musket in each hand, one of which she thoughtlessly tossed aside before another took its place, "I thought we agreed that your little spats should take place outside the city where it doesn't make so much of a mess..." She then turned toward Mitsuki calmly, her guns still held at the ready in case the armor-clad magical girl tried anything foolish, "You should know better as well. I do not take kindly to meaningless disruptions of the peace."

Mitsuki found no point in defending herself from the blonde magical girl's accusations as she drove the tip of her sword into the rubble beneath her, the weapon transforming back into a shield in the process, "I will take my leave, then..."

"I did not say you could leave," Mami pointed one musket at Mitsuki's head, "Would either of you care to explain what is going on here?"
 
For her part, Kyoko was definitely not thinking about any similarities or lack thereof that might exist between her and Mitsuki. As far as she was concerned, they were two distinct breed of people, one selfish, the other not, and the latter just hadn't seen how stupid her own ideals were. Kyoko'd wished for others, tried to help people, and it'd bit her in return. She wasn't going to make that mistake again. Not that Mitsuki knew that, nor did she need to know. And at the end of the day, all Kyoko was concerned with at this immediate moment was beating her down to a level where she'd have the proper respect for her betters. She could use some of that, as far as the redhead could tell.

Of course, Mitsuki didn't make it easy on her, still, and Kyoko was reaching the point where she was considering tapping into her actual powers to gain the upper hand as her opponent swung her sword like a scythe harvesting wheat, red sparks flying as their weapons met repeatedly, Kyoko grunting from the impacts. It might be lessened for her because of her weapon, but it was annoying, draining, and didn't help in any regard. But she'd seen worse, fought worse.

She was about to move to another stab and repartee when the musket shot rang out, fortunately not aimed near her, though she did come up short as a result. A growl issued forth then as she spun, ignoring Mitsuki's hand on her spear, to see Mami standing there, looking very displeased. Well, they had wrecked a good portion of the block, which was amazingly not exceptional when it came to Kyoko's fights with other magical girls. But she was not amused with the interruption, much as Mami was not amused she was having this fight in the first place.

The butt of her spear slammed into the ground as she glared at her blond co-ruler and answered. "Oh c'mon, that's too much of a hassle and you know it. Besides, I didn't wreck that much." This time, as opposed to several other occasions. She gestured to the other girl then. "I think she did more damage than me. And I was about to win too, until you showed up."

She reached into a pocket to fish out a grief seed, one of the many she had as a result of the taxes placed on all the magical girls in her territory, using it to clear away what corruption had accumulated there over the course of the fight, before exchanging it for a granola bar which she bit into angrily, a small attempt to soothe her battle desiring soul. She'd gotten into it, and ending without a conclusion was very unsatisfying.

Asked for an explanation, she shrugged. "The Osakan Knight here wanted asylum in our turf, but didn't wanna play by our rules. And since I figured we couldn't let that sort of thing fly, I decided that I'd show her how it works if she wasn't gonna leave." She shrugged. "Not my fault she chose the hard way, and to 'take me down a few notches'." She didn't think she'd done anything wrong, besides maybe a casual disregard for collateral damage that wasn't exactly unusual.
 
The Osakan Knight's presence peaked Mami's interest to some degree. She'd heard quite a bit about her in the past, about her valiance and stalwart defense of Osaka. Much like herself, she was also a senior magical girl who did not take well to the rise of a younger and more rigidly aggressive wave of magical girls. Regardless of the similarities the two of them may have had to each other, Mami did not take to this act of hostility well. Kyoko had probably said something inflammatory, as Mitsuki had a reputation of not starting the fights in which she was involved, but even so she could have simply backed down and moved on to the next city instead of turning an entire city block into a broken pile of rubble.

"If you wish to stay, you need to learn how to keep your temper in check and to follow our guidelines," Mami addressed Mitsuki first, "I would have expected you to know that by now, given your situation." Mami withdrew her weapon, as the Osakan Knight showed no indication of continuing the fight, instead carefully studying her body language and stance.

"I'll leave in the morning... I's rather not travel at night when magical girls are freely making their rounds through the streets," Mitsuki nodded toward Mami.

"Very well," Mami held up one finger, "But you are not allowed to hunt while you are here. If you are found doing so, I will personally escort you out of the city limits."

"How kind of ya," Mitsuki offered the blonde magical girl a wary smile, "But ya won't have to. I have enough grief seeds on hand to handle a few scrapes."

"Kyoko-san," Mami then turned to the redheaded magical girl, "You need to find a more productive outlet for your aggression. I cannot keep stepping in to clean up your messes whenever you feel the need to put someone in their place. PR is important in maintaining your rule, and acting impulsively is not going to improve your image or exhibit your strength in a meaningful way." Mami crossed her arms in front of her chest. The two of them normally got along reasonably well, but at times their viewpoints on matters clashed sufficiently to draw a bit of tension. This was one of those instances. If Kyoko felt the need to punch someone's face in, why not do something useful with it like put down individuals that posed an actual threat to the city and their continued rule over it?
 
Kyoko watched the exchange between Mami and Mitsuki with general nonchalance, preferring to get a handle on her temper rather than get involved in that part of the conversation. It wasn't that she wouldn't if she had to, but for the moment she was trying to get her temper in check. She had the feeling that she'd have to go beat up something like a junk yard later though, just to work out the leftover steam And that was why interrupting her in the middle of a fight wasn't a good idea from her viewpoint. Once she got going, an abrupt resolution like that was hardly satisfying.

Finishing off the food she had, she shifted her gaze back to Mami as she was addressed, scolded once more for fighting inside city limits, which she was used to, and for picking a fight with a magical girl in particular, which she didn't enjoy as much. As opposed to Mami, she kept her spear out, since she wasn't about to let down her guard that easily, and sending it away didn't seem necessary either.

"I had it under control," she replied with a frown, this a reminder of why she didn't really like Mami sometimes. "Besides, this is productive. Any two bit magical girl can take out some lowlife thugs. Stuff like this...." she gestured to Mitsuki, "makes sure no one gets any ideas by getting the message across that I'm too strong to be messed with. And with Akemi handling internal security, it's not like I gotta waste my time with the gangs anyway."

She left unsaid the matter of Oriko and Kirika, since even she had enough tact to not mention that in front of an outsider. Still, her defiance and casual disregard was obvious, a renewed sticking point in the cordial relationship they generally had. But Kyoko was confident that Mami would see her way eventually, or at least offer some sort of incentive to do otherwise. And in the end, Kyoko would just do what she wanted anyway, so as far as she was concerned, it was fine.
 
"If you keep picking fights like this, people will begin to think you lack disgression when choosing your fights," Mami countered, "Unalligned Magical girls are not your enemies. They are valuable members of society. The sooner you realize their value, the better off you will be as a leader. There is more to being a ruler than beating people up and spending afternoons at the arcade, you know." Mami's expression softened, "Still, I understand that you were just doing what you felt was best... I can't blame you for being true to yourself in that regard."

Mami once again nodded to Mitsuki then after a polite bow turned to make her way from the scene. She had spoken her mind, although exactly how effectual her words would be remained to be seen. Mami understood well how stubborn Kyoko could be, but she felt more than just a hint protective of her fellow magical girls. Even if they were a bit unruly at times, she felt like they needed proper guidance rather than a show of force to keep them in line. In this respect, as in many other ways, the two of them differed greatly. Perhaps a part of her wished she could get closer to Kyoko as a result, but with her mind occupied with more pressing matters such as Oriko and Kirika, she could not put much thought into it at present.

The green-clad magical girl turned and walked through the rubble on her own as well, her mind already turned to more important matters than bringing Kyoko down a few notches. She'd fought the ruler of the area to a draw by all accounts, although she entertained the possibility of a loss on her own part since Mami had interrupted them just before her own reserves had begun to run a bit low. She calmly reached toward her waist and drew out a single grief seed, reaching up toward her neck and pressing it to a small pendant that she wore around her neck, a pulsing green soul gem of her own. Travel was something she had grown accustomed to, but with the next city she had in mind to visit being even more hostile than this one, she had little hope that they would be any more accepting.

"Time to find a bridge or overpass to sleep under for the night," Mitsuki sighed, the similarity of her common living conditions to that of a homeless bum not at all lost on the magical girl.
 
Kyoko snorted at Mami's comment, much as she might be used to such lectures, to the point where they didn't matter all that much to her. "Please, I'd hardly call her 'unaligned'," she shot back, giving a glance to Mitsuki before her attention fixed on Mami once more. "We take her in and we'd have half of Elysium breathing down our necks in a split second. If she's unaligned, as you put it, it's for a reason. And much as I'd like to take in another charity case of yours, I'd also like to not provoke some kind of intervention because our 'allies' think we're working against them."

She resisted the urge to spit on the broken ground, her own opinion of Elysium clear. Much as the informal alliance of magical girl fiefdoms was useful, it also came with it's own handicaps, namely by way of the fact that it was informal, and that alliance would have no problem turning on the two of them if they found a reason. It more existed to drive off people like the Tokyo Authority and the Shadow Compact after all, not to completely prevent warfare amongst the different magical girls. Course, they and Kyoko didn't exactly have the best relationship, but she was aware of the details regarding that. She just chose to let Mami handle it most of the time.

"Well, I think this has been enough amusement for my day. See yah when I see yah," Kyoko said back to Mitsuki before spinning about and walking off, to get back to what she was doing. She had faith that Mami could deal with any further problems that arose there, though Kyoko wouldn't mind another rematch in the future. The opportunity to assert that she was stronger would be more than welcome. But for now, she continued on with her theory that it was better to be feared than loved, as opposite her co-ruler, who espoused the opposite viewpoint. And as long as no one did anything about it, she didn't care.

A Pocky Stick returned to her mouth, she walked off, and away from the shattered city block. Time for the next important thing on her list, and this matter she gave no more thought to as the day wound down and away, for night to fall and herald the coming of a new day.
 
The day in question followed closely upon the close of the last, with the usual tasks accompanying the life of a magical girl resolved and a certain someone in particular having found a suitable overpass under which to take refuge. This particular day would carry with it its own set of challenges and excitement. Although not all of this particular day contained the flair and intensity of two magical girls locked into a battle which neither could afford to lose, the city would never be quite the same afterward. Lives would be changed, without the ability to return to the uneasy but comfortable existence that many of the city's inhabitants had come to expect. It all began with a certain fated meeting that had been arranged in exchange for a favor on a previous date.

Sayaka stood across from Mami, who remained seated comfortably at her desk. The blonde's hands rested in her lap, her eyes calmly studied that of the girl before her whose mind doubtless was racing. She had managed to earn herself an audience with Mami, one of the most influential people, if not the most influential person in an absolute sense, in the entire city. The Bluenette stood mute before her, the pair exchanging unspoken cues for the other to speak up first. As it turned out, Mami took the initiative and broke the thick barrier of hesitation that had settled between them.

"I believe that you have a few changes that you would like to see in how I manage things, correct?" Mami granted her a reassuring smile. If she didn't do at least that much, the poor girl might have stood there for the rest of the day.

"Right..." Sayaka nodded, clearing her throat in an effort to work up some enthusiasm, "I believe that the way you are going about ruling the city is not in the best interest of the people."

"I'm afraid that's a bit vague... What exactly do you have a problem with?" Mami leaned back slightly, "Are you against the notion of magical girls ruling at all, or do you believe that some of our policies are improper?"

"I think the entire system is backward, for starters," Sayaka crossed her arms in front of her chest defiantly, "Magical girls are supposed to bring hope to others, not use their strength to better themselves at the expense of others, especially the normal, everyday people who lack the strength to do anything about it. What you are doing now is the exact opposite of what you should be doing."

"How so?"

"Let's take the grief seed tax, for one thing," Sayaka held up her left pointer finger, "Because of the tax, the magical girls in the city are more interested in hunting witches and gathering grief seeds than actually helping people. They are trapped here because they cannot simply go into another area ruled by different magical girls, either, so its not like they are voluntarily accepting the terms you have placed on them."

"I believe that the grief seed tax performs two very important functions," Mami held up two fingers on her right hand, "First, that by focusing the magical girls' attention on hunting witches, it makes the city safer by eliminating the resident witches and makes it far less likely that the magical girls will stir up trouble on their own. Secondly, the grief seeds provide a very important resource for Kyoko, Homura, and myself to draw upon if it becomes necessary for us to defend the city from an all-out attack. We do not have an army of magical girls on standby, after all."

"Well..." Sayaka hesitated, as Mami had touched upon some very valid points, "You aren't a bad person, I know that already, but can't you see things from the ordinary person's point of view as well? Its hard for them to see Magical girls as anything but oppressive tyrants in light of the rules and laws you have set up."

"Perhaps so, but I refuse to do anything that would weaken our position," Mami replied softly yet firmly, "Showing signs of weakness would only endanger all of us. It might make the populace view us in a better light, but is it really worth the risk when you consider the danger? All decisions carry intrinsic costs and drawbacks. Do not presume that I have not given the matter careful thought... I understand better than most other magical girls the pain of suffering and loss."

"I want to help you, Sayaka... I believe that your desire to help others is an admirable one, but ideals without proper disgression will only lead to suffering, not happiness," Mami continued, setting her arms atop the desk, "I promised I would discuss your ideas of change and support you when the opportunity arises for you to speak to Kyoko and Homura on the matter, but that does not mean I will do so blindly."

"I think of my fellow magical girls as underclassmen, in a way," Mami smiled gently, "I want to help them through the struggles and trials that I myself underwent. I can offer them advice and guidance, but in the end it is up to them to find their way through. I want to help them, but in the end the only path available to me is to maintain a position that would allow me to help them. We all have our own dreams, Sayaka-san, but not all of them can be actualized. I want everyone to be happy, but it just does not turn out that way in the real world. I can wish for the happiness of others, but we have to fight for our own happiness as well. Sentiments alone do not bear much worth."

"I have been alone for a long time... But I think I've finally found friends who will stay by my side," Mami beamed brightly, "For the sake of our friendship I would go to the end of the world. It is something I hold very dear to me, and I'm sure your wish to stay true to your ideals is very precious to you as well. I'm not asking for you to give them up. I'm asking for you to realize the difference between what we can do and what we want to do."

"I see..." Sayaka nodded, "Then can we at least reduce the grief seed quota?"

Mami sighed, "I'll see what I can do about that, alright?" Apparently it would take a bit longer for the blonde magical girl's point to get across to the bluenette.
 
The morning had rolled around, and Homura was quick to rise before the sun had even crested the horizon. Though she didn't know for certain what this day held, due to the anomalous timeline she now found herself in, she still held to her old habits, her routines. This might be an anomaly, but Madoka was still here, alive and unharmed, and if she was then Homura would keep it that way. To do otherwise would be anathema to her nature, and her wish, and would be a slight against the pinkette herself, which Homura would not stand for.

After a quick shower of cold water, and a breakfast of cereal and a bagel, Homura went to handle more serious affairs. First was the recordings, checking all the accumulated data from the listening devices that she had planted across the city, including inside Madoka's house. It was a violation of privacy, but one Homura made for the greater good. She had to know Madoka's plans, had to know if Kyubey had been there overnight, and if Madoka had somehow contracted in the interim while she took the couple hours of rest she needed to maintain this magically fueled body. If she could she would have gone without sleep entirely, but even with her body being merely a shell, it turned out she still needed a bit of rest to keep in top physical condition.

Listening was difficult in it's own way though. To hear her voice, happy, or tired, enjoying herself in the company of her family, it pulled at Homura like nothing else. It was a reminder of why she cared so much, and yet it also hurt that she had to be so standoffish, that she couldn't experience such moments with the person she cared for the most in this world. But there was no choice, she had to do it. For Madoka's safety as well as her own chances of success.

And she had a real chance here. For all the magical girl dictatorships, and the quota, and the twisted nature of the world she had found herself in that seemed to fit Kyoko Sakura's viewpoint on the status of magical girls to a T, it still seemed to be her greatest chance, perhaps since she began time traveling. Gathering a stockpile of Grief Seeds was easy, Mami was emotionally stable, Kyoko Sakura didn't need convincing to come to the city, and there was no need for her to sneak around when she could just walk up to an armory and appropriate their weapons, allowing her to save some of her valuable sand for when she really needed to stop time. If she could just navigate the oncoming storm of Oriko and Kirika, then it was entirely possible she could succeed this time, where she hadn't in the past.

But she shouldn't get too ahead of herself. Such things were detrimental, to say the least, and she would not allow defeat to be snatched from the jaws of victory again. Finished with the recordings, she placed them back inside her shield and out of sight of anyone who might try to break into her apartment, before she headed out. Given her current rate of consumption she'd have to stock up on some of her heavier weaponry soon, but for the moment she could put off paying a visit to the mundane army to get those.

Instead, she headed off to do her own rounds, to silently check up on the other magical girls and their territory, to make sure everything was under control and no one was perhaps plotting anything. She'd heard of the fight Kyoko had had yesterday, and while she didn't particularly care, there were others who might that needed to be watched for. She would take no undue risks. Not here and now.

And so the day wound on, Homura perhaps more busy than she had ever been in the previous cycles, but not a state of affairs she complained about. And all too soon the rest of the city stirred and began to go about it's business as well. Citizens, magical girls both veteran and novice, heroes, and villains, all unaware of the reverberations that would come from events this day, events that would prove all too dangerous for the situation here.
 
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