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A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

While the first familiar had been dealt with, it's attack had apparently acted as some sort of signal for the others that were in this place, and the trio was quickly set upon by those other familiars in the area, with more sure to show up. They came through the walls of fishes, slimy things grabbing at them with outstretched arms, attention that was most definitely not wanted at the moment. But there was nothing they could do about it besides push onwards and further in.

"Right," Etsuko agreed with a nod, shifting in time with her sister to stand as the third point in a combative triangle. Her cavalry saber flashed in the light as she struck, cutting off any limbs that got close to her, and killing any familiars that strayed too close as well. Not that it happened often, but she took the opportunity when it came. She was not about to let any of them be dragged away to a grisly fate.

Miyako made the third point, agreeing with an "Okay," as she fought. Knives flew through the air as she tossed them at familiars before spawning more, building up quite the kill count. She considered using her magic to hide them, but decided against it after a moment of thought. In this situation, it would do them no good, since they were in an enclosed space and unable to slip past, rendering stealth useless. Even she could see they only had one choice.

So the two fought on, covering each other as well as Mami as they neared the arch in the distance that offered a respite from these attacks. They just had to avoid any close calls and make it there, which they had done a good job at thus far. Then, they could get their breath back and worry about the rest of the barrier and the Witch itself. This was not going to be easy.
 
Mami's shots rang clearly amid the struggle to reach the arch before the sheer number of familiars overwhelmed them. The jellyfish-like monsters crawled over each other like zombies out of a bad horror flick, hands stretched outward toward their intended victims before being cut down, stabbed, or shot without remorse. Mami turned, firing two more rounds before reaching out and touching the stone surface of the arch with one hand, then grabbing Etsuko's shoulder with the other. She tugged on her, pushing her through before doing the same for Miyako. The last thing she wanted was for either of the sisters to make a stand at the arch. The familiars drew close, Mami glancing at them one last time before jumping through the arch herself, the scene from before seemingly vanishing into a void of nothingness just as soon as she passed through the stone pillars.

The three girls found themselves in a wide, open area, a welcome change from the school of striped fishes from before. The floor and ceiling still bore the same design as before, but the scenery was very much different. Like the lost city of Atlantis, only with modern buildings and fragments of giant newspapers strewn about, there were buildings and sections of skyscrapers jutting up from the soft sand below their feet. The giant newspapers stood alongside the empty buildings, their words still fresh and distinct despite the ruined state of the city. The words echoed the sensation of loss and chaos, with headlines pronouncing accusations and scandalous declarations against the readers.

Mami looked about, her eyes scanning the landscape until she spotted what appeared to be a path through the city working upward toward a single peak, where rested a Roman-style temple which gleamed in the distance. "There... That is where the witch is hiding." Given the relative importance of the structure, it was a good enough guess. Summoning two more muskets, she motioned to the other two to follow after her while she kept a watchful eye on their surroundings.
 
They struggled onwards through the near nightmarish scene, jellyfish creatures reaching out with waving hands and practically climbing over each other as they attempted to get at the trio of magical girls that cut them down in quick succession, with steel or shot. It was tiresome, and there were some close calls to be had, but eventually they reached their destination, the arch that heralded the exit from this place, and an escape from the swarm coming after all. Miyako and Etsuko needed no prompting to jump through the arch then, the former following her sisters instruction, while the latter chose discretion as the better part of valor. Dying in a fight against familiars would hardly be worth it, so they vanished through the entryway with Mami close behind.

There was nothingness, a brief moment that was all inky blackness in which they felt like they were falling, before they emerged into a new setting. this was a wide open area, cluttered with parts of skyscrapers and giant newspapers that sprouted like plants from the sand, a winding pathway present that led to some sort of temple on single peak. In spite of apparent age, the newspapers seemed new, but that could be attributed to the nature of the barrier itself, since it was the only explanation to make sense in the process. And at least they had a destination now, and room to maneuver should they be attacked again.

"Right," Etsuko confirmed, drawing a new sword as Miyako brought out more knives to use, and the trio proceeded onwards, scanning the surroundings for possible attackers. But as they went along towards the temple, Miyako couldn't stop herself from reading the ever present headlines that surrounded them in bold letters. Her heart fell just a bit to see them, though she knew that there was no reason why she should feel that way. "It's so sad," she muttered to herself, though not low enough that Etsuko couldn't hear. "Don't think about it," her sister replied. "We have a job to do. Feeling anything like sympathy for a Witch will only get you killed." Miyako nodded then, falling silent as they continued along, approaching the building thus far unmolested. Hopefully it would stay that way.
 
"Witches really are pitiful existences," Mami answered in turn, her shoes sinking slightly into the sand with each step she took along the path leading up toward the temple-like structure before them, "Given that their only purpose is to spread sorrow and despair among humans and destroy their lives, they must have rather depressing lives of their own, unable to make anything beautiful or beneficial to anyone, their only power being over destruction. However, it is our duty as Magical Girls to hunt them and gather their grief seeds. There really is no point in feeling sorry for them. Left to themselves, they would quickly overwhelm the entire planet."

The sheer number of them alone, especially as of late, was rather staggering. Mami had never actually made it a point to question Kyubey as to the origin of Witches, and for the most part she felt as if such details were unnecessary. Regardless of their origin, they were enemies that must be confronted, and that alone justified the duty she bore as a Magical girl.

Such thoughts faded into the background as they approached the towering edifice upon the hill, its thick pillars reaching up toward its lofty ceiling. Looking past the outer court, there stood a smaller inner court of similar pillars, albeit smaller in diameter. Amid the inner court, however, sat the Witch, a mass of hair cascading down its back and flowing outward along the floor like a cascade of water from a mountain stream. It turned slowly as the magical girls approached, revealing but a single eye turned sideways in the center of its head, a mockery of a face. It had long, lanky limbs, blade-like protrusions instead of fingers on each hand, with thick, segmented pillars for legs. Its body was but an amorphous mass, shifting and changing form while a crimson-red shattered heart-shape remained eternally imprinted on its upper left portion of its chest.

Mami lost no time in spearheading the attack, firing off two shots just as soon as the Witch turned to face them. The magically-infused projectiles struck its shoulder and the upper corner of its eye, causing spurts of jet-black blood to spurt from the wounds. Its eye widened and a soul-chilling shriek echoed as it lashed out at the three magical girls. Large, claw-shaped blades jutted up from the sands, sliding across each other in waves. Forcing Mami to swiftly jump to avoid being sliced clean in half. As she flipped in midair, she summoned more muskets, deftly catching and firing them as she went.
 
Etsuko agreed generally with what Mami told them, though she wasn't about to get into a debate about whether Witches were sentient or intelligent enough to recognize how much their current existence sucked, as opposed to just seeing humans as food. She too, hadn't put much thought into the origin of Witches beyond them coming from Grief Seeds, as Kyubey had explained when she had contracted, and she didn't see a particular need to look further. It didn't matter that much after all, not when they were faced with the fact of the Witches continued existence.

Miyako nodded in understanding and fell silent as well as they neared the temple. It was architecturally grandiose, of staggering proportions, and had it been a real building then she would have put some thought into how it had been made, constructed. As it was, this was not the time for that sort of thing, and she restrained herself as they proceeded into the building, to confront whatever kind of Witch was inside it.

They entered then, and pulled to a stop upon seeing the Witch itself. It certainly won no awards for appearance, body a shifting mass with a single eye resting on blocky pillars, blades for fingers and long flowing hair that had Etsuko stepping carefully just in case. And as it turned the fight began, Mami shooting it in the eye as soon as it presented itself to the trio, a blow that succeeded in drawing blood, if the black ichor could be called blood.

A scream rang out, and the sisterly duo found themselves having to leap out of the way of rippling blades in the sand that would have bisected them had they been caught as they were. Landing, they began to fight, Miyako vanishing from sight except for when blades would sprout from thin air and target the Witch, her taking advantage of her illusion magic to get around it and use the distraction her sister provided to attack from unexpected directions. Meanwhile, Etsuko moved to close the distance, wary of the things sword fingers as she moved to a range where she could strike at the Witch with her swords in whatever way possible.
 
The Witch remained stationary, as unmoving as the pillars of stone that made up part of its own body. The central eye pulsed and flashed as the screams continued, a shrill cry of despair and anguish. Aside from the unpleasantness of the sound, Mami felt little with regard to the Witch's vocalization, as it bore no significance to her. The possibility of the voice resounding from the being's own soul, the very heart of whatever remnants of emotions that may have remained, never once passed through the blonde magical girl's mind as she fired volley after volley into the Witch's eye and body. She landed briefly on the sand floor of the temple only to flip and spin before picking off one of the pillars alongside the Witch in order to maintain her mobility while simultaneously limiting her contact with the ground. There simply was no telling when the sharp blades would rise up from the pure white sand with murderous intent.

The witch swung its right arm down in a wide arc toward Etsuko, the attack followed up by another wave of curved blades washing over the smooth, rolling sand in gentle ripples. Miyako's blades stabbed it in its back and sides, relatively uninhibited as the magical girls assaulted it from all directions. Its arms reached out, grasping and swinging, narrowly missing Mami and unintentionally Miyako in the process as its fingertips slashed through the very pillars that held up the roof in its blind fury. A large block slid loose from the ceiling just as one of the pillars collapsed, the marble stone dropping toward Mami. She fired two shots at the stone while midair, but to little effect as the shots only succeeded in cracking the polished surface.

The blonde magical girl's eyes widened slightly but for a moment, her teeth clenching together as she reached out her left hand. A single length of ribbon wrapped around her wrist, the other end wrapping around a nearby pillar just before she tugged, shifting her direction of motion into a sweeping slide across the sand in a shallow arc. She let go of the ribbon using her momentum to tumble across the sand and out of harm's way as the stone crashed down mere inches from where she lay. She looked up at the clear blue sky of the barrier for a moment, letting out a sigh of relief. She quickly pulled herself up, looking about to see if her two friends had avoided the falling stones as well.
 
The three struck in tandem and as a team, growing all the more coordinated and effective the longer they worked together, and the sisterly duo adapted their fighting style to the presence of Mami, who was a long range fighter as opposed to the two of them, who couldn't really do significantly damage from far away. Still, having worked together thus far, they were managing, and rained attacks upon the Witch as it sat unmoving. The screams of pain struck at Miyako, who felt a touch of empathy, but she quickly buried that as per her sisters instructions. They couldn't change what they were doing after all, and it had already tried to kill them once. Knives flew as she darted about, striking from every available angle, to add to the damage Mami was dealing.

Etsuko continued her charge forward, sword raising to block the sweeping arm headed her way as she ducked, sliding under it before a flip took her over the blades that sprouted from the sand, just barely missing her. She let out a breath of relief at the near miss, but didn't dwell on it as she charged forward to begin slashing away at the Witch, while continuing to dodge it's arms. It was definitely a challenge, but she wouldn't back down. This was the best place to do damage after all, and she had a few advantages over the average magical girl that would make it that much easier. So she struck, adding to the ensemble of wounds before going straight for the eye with sword in hand, as if stabbing it there would make it any more unable to see than Mami shooting it.

Mami's attacks had yielded results though, of a questionable quality as Miyako watched one of the pillars be knocked away, sending a large block of stone tumbling to the ground. Already in motion, she watched with relief as Mami pulled herself clear. While Etsuko was busy fighting the Witch close in, and thus hadn't been in danger, the look of concern the blond wore was enough to make Miyako act. I'm okay, she told her telepathically before tossing a spread of knives into the things back. We'll have to watch out for that.
 
Good The mental sigh of relief could not be missed as Mami once again steeled herself for battle. The hapless flailing of the Witch indicated that their attacks were having a strong effect on it, a fact that Mami took to heart as she dove back into the fray. The blonde magical girl slid to the side, another wave of blades sliding right across her back without even touching the tip of her skirt, the wind it created as it passed tugging the tips of her hair.

She stepped once, then twice before jumping, long ribbon strands extending outward from her left hand. The magical length of fabric wound itself around the Witch, twisting and binding it in place as Mami once again summoned another long ribbon which swirled, a brief flash of light shimmering in the ocean-depths-like barrier as she summoned a massive single-shot cannon, steadied by a tripod as she herself grasped onto the firing mechanism on its back. She tipped her head forward slightly, eye upon the sights as she aimed it directly at the Witch's head.

The Witch screamed, blades slicing across the ground fruitlessly as it made a last-ditch effort to free itself from the powerful magic binding Mami had placed it into. Its eye, though wounded and pulsing with thick, black fluid, could only stare directly at the magical girl before it in terror as she pulled the trigger, shouting, "Trio, Finale!" A single thin beam shot through the center of the Witch's eye, the creature all at once becoming still just before the beam expanded, boring a sizable hole directly through its head.
 
Reassurances given, the magical girls got back to the fight at hand, the ineffectual flailing of the Witch a good indicator that they were getting close to victory. And honestly, if it weren't for that blade wave attack and the possibility of the ceiling falling on them, it hadn't been that difficult. It was something they could be grateful for, and something they had to hope would continue as the night went on.

But for the moment, the fight went on. Miyako dodged the next wave of blades with unseen grace, retaliating with more knives as she landed. She couldn't really tell the effect that they were having, but she continued regardless, aiming to use them as a distraction on her sisters behalf. Meanwhile, Etsuko slashed and spun, dodging or blocking strikes from the Witches blade hands as she laid it open with gash after gash, black fluid spraying out in a facsimile of blood. Cries of exertion issued forth, but she was nowhere near her limit.

She leapt back though as the ribbons came snapping in to wrap around the Witch, holding it in place. That heralded what she expected, and when the Trio Finale slammed home, she was safely out of the line of fire. Watching, she nodded then, to herself and the others. "My turn," she commented as she summoned two giant swords to her hands before charging in, striking like a whirling dervish with one attack after the other, her swords cleaving it apart as she struck with the left, then right, then both at the same time. Across , around, a display meant to finish it off. With a cry of "Omni-Slash!" she came down, practically cutting what was left in half as she landed. If that didn't do it, then they would have issues.
 
The combination of the two finishing moves reduced the Witch to segmented ribbons which fizzled and vanished like a breath of air on a cold morning. The barrier vanished, leaving them in their previous location as a single black object landed before them, its pointed tip touching down with a distinctly audible sound. Mami closed her eyes for a moment, tossing aside the spent musket in her right hand before pulling out her teacup and raising it to her lips, the soothing taste and scent a welcome reprieve from her earlier exertion.

They had improved significantly as a team, their latest success showing just how effective and deadly they could be when working together. Magical girls rarely formed such battle groups, many preferring to work alone in order to maximize their grief seed efficiency. There was also the matter of inner-group quarrels and disputes over leadership and the distribution of grief seeds, often leading such arrangements to dissolve before long. They were different from most magical girls, however, as they trusted and supported each other. They were her precious friends, and the time they spent together meant more to her than the entire world's worth of grief seeds.

Mami cast a familiar smile in the direction of the siblings as she stashed her teacup away, "Shall we move on?" With the night still young, they could squeeze in two or three more Witch hunts before morning threatened to encroach upon them.
 
Landing with arms spread and blades held like wings, Etsuko dismissed her swords as the Witch dissolved and the barrier vanished, leaving them back where they had entered, except with a few more wounds, a bit more tired, the sky darker for the nighttime, and a small black gem that hit the ground with a ringing sound. As she straightened up, Miyako uncloaked herself, rejoining the other two as the adrenaline rush from fighting the Witch came to an end, sure to be renewed when they faced their next foe. At this point, neither of the two commented on Mami once again producing tea, having accepted it as one of her idiosyncrasies. It wasn't like it mattered that much anyway.

Etsuko took the few steps necessary to reach it, and picked up the Grief Seed, placing it in her pocket once she had checked her sou gem and her sisters to see if either needed purifying. For the moment though, they were fine, and could manage at least one more fight before the corruption needed to be purged, depending on how difficult the next Witch they fought was. Having done that, she turned and returned to where Mami and her sister stood, nodding in agreement with the older blond's suggestion.

"Yes, let's get going," Miyako confirmed as well, and the two sisters moved to leave with soul gems alert for hints of another Witch. They were confident about their future prospects, and it seemed Mami was as well, so they thought they had no reason to worry. For now, they had to move on, and find another Witch so that the night wasn't wasted away in frivolous pursuits. Without a steady influx of Grief Seeds, they wouldn't be able to hold on to the territory they did have, and neither of them wanted to be evicted (if Mami was willing to let such a thing pass, which was debatable in and of itself). So, they went on, already planning ahead for the future fights they were to have.

What happened next though, not even they could expect.

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A man dressed in black rested on his stomach on a rooftop. A black duffel bag was off to his side, a radio in his ear, and he was currently observing a trio of magical girls through the scope of an M24 sniper rifle. It had been quite a bit of waiting, having staked out this position previously, then watching them enter, and the interlude between their entry and them defeating the Witch that the Shadow Compact had known was there. But now, there was no more waiting. With them drained from their fight, he could take them out all the easier, and that would be one less threat to humanity.

Swiveling slightly, he traced the crosshairs over the robed girl, then the cavalry officer, before settling on the one in charge. As if he had any other choice in that regard. He was smart enough to recognize who it was, knew Mami Tomoe by sight. Taking her out would be a fait d'accompli by the Compact, a serious blow for the freedom of Mitakihara, Kazamino, and the other cities under her sway. In that regard, the other two were barely worth considering. They were small fry, compared to the big fish here. "Target in sight," he said in a low voice, activating the radio. "Taking the shot."

He took deep breaths, steadying his aim on the girl as she stood there, nice and vulnerable for him. In his head, he ran over variables, distance, wind speed, that sort of thing. All the while, the scope remained centered on her glittering amber gem. That was the key, the weak spot of any magical girl. If he could shoot that, she would be stone cold dead, with no hope of revival. And at this distance, it would be near impossible for him to miss. So, call it his lucky day then. Perhaps they magical girls weren't the only ones to have wishes granted every once in a while. With everything settled, he held his breath to steady his aim, and pulled the trigger.

Bang
 
Mami nodded in agreement, "Yes, there are still plenty of Witches in the area. If we keep it up, I'm sure we could make great progress today." By progress, she meant not only their success in gathering Grief Seeds, but also in working together as a team. Through such trials and dangers, their friendship and skills would become stronger all the while. They would be invincible, the bonds of friendship which held them together would last forever. She flashed both of them a confident yet pleasant smile, pivoting on her heel and taking a single step back in the process, "Miyako-chan, Etsuko-chan, I-"

Bang

Mami's eyes went dark in an instant, the light snuffed out as the sound of a high-powered rifle reverberated through the air. Indescribable pain erupted from her head, consuming what was left of her consciousness. Mami could not even scream, however, as she fell forward, landing on the cold, hard cement below her, all the strength being drained from her body in that one moment. Her eyes stared blankly, blood pooling around her from the gaping wound in the back of her head. Her soul gem, although darkened, still shimmered with a dim glow.

She could not hear whatever her two friends might have said. She could not even feel her own body for long after impacting the ground. No, all that remained was the gradually dimming light, and the penetrating darkness that lurked behind it.
 
The two sisters nodded as they began to walk, with Mami right behind them. They were looking forward to the rest of the night, Miyako more than her sister, and the confidence that had been budding thus far was not to be dissuaded by the potential of finding other strong Witches, such as the one with two forms that she and Mami had fought before when Etsuko wasn't around. With the three of them, such Witches wouldn't be a problem. Yes, everything would be just fine.

Then the shot rang out, and time seemed to slow to a halt as Mami's voice cut off, and both sisters spun about to see her falling to the ground, a bullet hole in the middle of her head, form the back to the front, her eyes dull with no life in them. And as the sound faded away and Mami hit the ground, the girls had two very different reactions. "No," Miyako cried, springing forward to where the older girl laid, immediately activating her magic to hide them from the sight of whomever had done this, ignoring the blood as she shifted the still body beneath her. "No...Mami-san. Please, don't die." Looking, she was relieved to see that her soul gem was unbroken, if distressingly dark, and she did a quick search for any grief seeds there might be, so she could use them to aid the girl. After all, if her soul gem wasn't destroyed, there was still hope.

On the other hand, Etsuko practically shut down, body coming to a halt as her eyes widened in shock, looking at, yet not really watching, her sister and Mami vanish as she stood there. "No...Not again," she said, mind a world and a lifetime away from the current reality. In that state, there was no way for her to notice the sniper depart, confident of his success. This...this couldn't be happening. Not to her. And the mere fact that it was, meant that she couldn't cope, as the darkness in her own gem grew.

Distracted as she was, it took some time for her to notice Miyako yelling at her telepathically. Onee-chan, help me. Wake up. Please! Mami-san needs our help! Vision focusing, Etsuko returned to reality with a shake of her head, rejoining her sister as the swell of darkness was stopped. "Here," she said, handing over the grief seeds in her possession. "Use these."

Miyako nodded, and began the process of applying them before giving her sister a worried look. "Should we call the police or something?"

"Yeah," Etsuko replied, not going to abandon someone like that, especially in this situation. A quick check revealed a cell phone on the leaders person, since Etsuko didn't have her own, and she called the first number in speed dial. There were a few brief rings, before the phone was answered by a curt, dull voice on the other side. "Yes?"

Brow furrowing in temporary confusion, Etsuko was quick on the rebound. "Hello. This is magical girl Etsuko Komatsu. Mami Tomoe has just been shot and needs immediate medical attention. Her soul gem is intact." She added her current location to that, though she could only hope that the person on the other end of the line had some sort of authority. If not then there would be serious issues. And that was the kind of thing she didn't need, right now or ever.

There was silence for a few moments, giving her a worried impression that she might have been hung up on, but before she could check another curt reply came. "I'll be right there. Keep her alive." With that the line clicked dead, and she was left to close the phone and turned back to her sister, who could not shake the worried look she had.

"They're coming," she told her, and went back to the process of applying grief seeds, all the while watching and waiting for that expected help. She was not going to let Mami die, not if she had a say in the matter, even if it took every grief seed she had on her. She didn't care if it was the dumb thing to do, but she would be damned if she lost someone again. And as she watched inky blackness be sucked away with agonizing slowness, she blinked away the drops in the corners of her eyes. Damn it, hurry up. Please.

---------------------------------

The hospital was quiet, the only sounds that of the air conditioning, and a heart monitor. The staff had all been dismissed except for the most trustworthy of them, and none of them were currently in the hospital room itself, instead stationed outside in case one of the two currently conscious magical girls inside called upon them. And for the moment, their attention was on the third in the bed, with her head wrapped in bandages and a supply of black gems ready to leech the corruption from the amber jewel that contained her magic and soul, so she could begin to heal from the wound she had been given. It hadn't been that long after Etsuko's call that Homura had arrived, and provided everything needed to stabilize the gunner so she could be transported to a private hospital for treatment from her near death experience. Currently, the magical girl sisters were in detention, awaiting interrogation from Homura, but they would keep.

Looking from the end of the bed at her co-ruler and senior, Kyoko growled, fists clenched with barely restrained fury, her anger even overpowering her appetite. It was a distressing reminder of their mortality, how easily their lives could be snuffed out. And that she would not allow to stand. "Do we know who's responsible for this," she asked her spymaster, who stood nearby in an unobtrusive fashion.

"The Shadow Compact has claimed responsibility," Homura replied simply. "We're currently keeping that information, as well as the news of the attempt on Mami Tomoe's life a secret." It getting out would have all sorts of negative consequences, and she was disturbed enough that an attempt such as this had gotten off the ground as it was. But she was aware that it couldn't stay a secret forever. Even in spite of the precautions taken, rumors were doubtlessly starting to circulate even now about what had happened. They would have to act quickly to get a lead on the situation.

Kyoko grunted, entirely unsurprised to hear that. "Of course they do. And what about you, huh? Isn't it your job to keep crap like this from happening in the first place? If yah can't even do that, why are we keeping you around?" Her fury was at full blow right now, and the fact that she didn't get a visible reaction only made it the worse. She was this close to punching Ms. Mysterious in the face right then and there.

Homura folded her arms, gaze narrowing. "I cannot stop every madman or plot that comes up. It would take too much resources. And I expect you two to have some survival skills. This was unfortunate. It will not happen again." It was obvious from this that she would need to put more effort into her surveillance. She could not risk losing an asset like Tomoe. Not yet.

"Unfortunate? Unfortunate! Is that all yah gotta say! It sure is unfortunate," Kyoko growled, rounding on Homura like an angry wolf. "This is the kind of thing I can't let stand. Not if we wanna stay in charge of this city. So you had better go out there, find the group responsible, and make them regret living, or I will personally see you off into the next life. Got it?"

Homura flipped her hair then in that annoying smug manner of hers. "Understood." With that, she twisted her shield and vanished from the hospital room, leaving Kyoko staring at the wall. And that reminded the redhead that she still hated when she did that, if only because of jealousy, or the fact that with her powers Homura could kick her ass and yet didn't, for whatever reason. It didn't sit right with her.

But leaving that behind her, she turned to look at the comatose Mami once more, teeth grinding against each other as she grimaced. She'd come too far to let it all be lost now. And she swore, someone was going to pay for this. "Damn it, don't you dare die on me," she told the girl. She needed the other ruler too much to let her off that easily. Homura had better produce results, or else she'd find herself the next target of Kyoko's rage, an unenviable place to be. "I already lost one family to this stupid world. I'm not gonna let you get off that easy." She was in no hurry to have anyone she could trust end up dead. Not after her early life. And those idiots out there would learn that soon enough. She had a bite, and she wasn't afraid to go at it.
 
Mami lay just a short distance from the fuming redhead, her expression calm and eyes gently shut. Her soul gem glistened, pulsing with a dim glow which flickered upon the pale walls like the light of a homemade observatory globe. Her head was bandaged, mostly to ensure that what remained of her head stayed in-tact as her natural regenerative ability worked its magic in restoring her, but despite the grievousness of her injury the girl looked remarkably serene. The bed sheets were tucked up under her arms, her expression like that of a hibernating saint awaiting the moment she should awake. It appeared that no matter the time line, Mami's head had the least luck of all as it once again epitomized her greatest weakness. When she stopped using her head, she would loose it.

Mami of course remained ignorant of her past iterations, and least of all the plight her attempted assassination had caused for those close to her. Her mind swam with thoughts far from the hospital bed, a haphazard conglomeration of memories and wishes, things past and things she had at one time longed to see. Teacups and rising steam mixed with laughter and harmonious tunes interwoven with the scent of freshly spread frosting. There were yellow ribbons tied like sashes about the waist, as silver-tipped shoes stepped along well-worn sidewalks. A pink-haired girl in the center of it all held out her hand outward. Who was she, again?

She hardly remembered her own name for that matter, not that anyone cared to consider their own name in such a state. A name was but a title, a given thing. It hardly summarized one's being, or stood as the sum total of one's existence. There were many other names she could hardly remember, let alone dwell upon. She could remember a certain Kyubey, however, and the soft feeling of his fur brushing her fingertips.

Mami felt cold, piercing sort of coldness while a dull warmth gently murmured, the two pressed against each other in an endless yet ultimately fruitless battle for superiority over the other. The cold could not overpower the heat, but nether could the warmth snuff out the coldness. What was this sensation of fear and worry? What was this emotion of elation and comfort? Was it simply another delusion, a construct without true form or origin? Mami hardly knew the answers, but questions swirled aplenty within the poor girl's mind.

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Rumors circulated a plenty, whispers exchanging when watchful eyes were turned away. There was talk of a betrayal, of a hidden motive and a lethal blow being dealt to one Mami Tomoe. Others claimed that she had simply faked her own death in order to escape her would-be assassin. The most widely-circulated rumor, however, is that the Shadow Compact had orchestrated the entire plan, regardless of the method. The face of the ruling three which presided over the city had not made a public appearance to dismiss the rumors, either, which only served to fuel the strength of their influence. If someone like her could be taken down, someone who boldly strode about the streets and enforced her rule upon the city, then how safe could anyone think themselves to be? Some took secret pleasure upon hearing the news. Others wept, as they believed her to be the only one of the three which still bore an indication of humanity within her. One was filled with a silent rage, her rashness demanding that she take a stand against those she had believed to be her allies in forming a better world.

Sayaka strode past the huddled masses, her cape billowing behind her as her eyes remained centered on a single set of doors, the doors of the pub she had met with Oriko not many days prior. Her right hand rested on the handle of her sword which currently rested on her side but could be drawn at a moment's notice. Her footsteps took a brisk stride, carrying her ever closer to her intended goal, fully intending on demanding an audience with a known Shadow Compact member who would hopefully have an answer ready for her.

"I am Sayaka Miki!" the bluenette declared firmly when the man at the front door stepped up to impede her from barging straight in, "Tell Oriko that I need to speak with her, immediately!"
 
For her part, Oriko hadn't entirely been taken by surprise with what had happened. She had been well aware of the plot through her futuresight, though she didn't know whether it would succeed or not. Given that uncertainty, she had chosen to let it proceed rather than pre-emptively nip it in the bud. While it would cause her problems in the short term, she could also use it to further her own agenda no matter how it turned out, both within the Shadow Compact itself, as well as in other matters. Such as the one that she could see in her minds eye, the angry blue haired girl approaching the club with vengeance on her mind.

For his part, the bouncer knew when to push and when to give, and he stepped aside to allow Sayaka entry to the club unopposed. She wasn't on the guest list then, but at that moment it was pretty clear that he shouldn't challenge her if he wanted to finish the night with his body fully intact. And since he liked to be that way, he didn't do anything stupid.

Entering, the club was practically unchanged from how she had last seen it, if she bothered to look at all. Which she probably wouldn't given her state of mind, and Oriko expected as much. And that was why she would receive a message from the girl almost immediately after entering. Up here Sayaka, Oriko called, her and Kirika in the same room as the last time. For her part, Kirika was a lot more attentive to any acts of violence Sayaka might try, while Oriko sat there complacently, waiting for the bluenette to enter and unleash her rage at her. Better for her to get it out at the beginning, so they could talk like reasonable people.
 
Sayaka barged through, her fury flaring as she asended the stairs leading toward the room that she had spoken with Oriko and Kirika in before. She noticed this fact, but it was quickly shelved away within the far recesses of her mind as more important matters came to the fore, specifically giving out a piece of her mind to those present in said room. When she stepped inside, Oriko's calm demeanor, her laid-back expression of dismissive apethy only added fuel to the raging fire within the bluenette's heart.

"Alright... Explain to me how killing Mami-san is supposed to help bring us closer to establishing a proper government?! She agreed to listen to me, and she kept her promise! We were going to do great things for the city, but now look at her... I don't even know if she's still alive, but either way I know your organization is responsible, so don't just sit there, tell me what is going on," Sayaka demanded, slamming her hands down onto the table, "You... You don't understand what this means, do you? You've practically declared war on Kyoko and Homura. They'll hunt you down until they find each and every one of you... What do you have to say for yourself?"

Sayaka took in a few deep breaths, the redness fading from her face as she managed to regain control of herself after a moment. Her hands relaxed, palms pressed against the cool surface of the table as she let her gaze drop slightly, a feeling of shame creeping into her. What right did she have to say such things? If she let her anger get the better of her, she might do something she would regret later.

"Well?" Sayaka looked up at Oriko once again, much more composed than before while the fire simmered silently behind her eyes.
 
Oriko sat there patiently as Sayaka barged in, letting the girl rant and rave and burn out her anger now, as she had planned to do from the start. There was nothing said that she hadn't been expecting, and the fact that the other girl wasn't immediately threatening to cut ties was a nice bonus. Certainly it made things easier as the anger ebbed away, under control for the moment.

Waiting, Oriko only acted once Sayaka had calmed down, straightening up in her seat and fixing Sayaka with her gaze, expression falling to one of serious intent to convey that she wasn't lying, when in fact she was. She could be grateful for her upbringing that she could lie with a straight face. It certainly made her chances of convincing the crusader across from her that much higher.

"I didn't know this would happen," she began, not wavering or betraying her emotions. "I know what you were trying to do, and I wouldn't jeopardize that while we had a chance of success." That wasn't necessarily true, but Sayaka had no way of knowing or proving that just yet. A state of affairs that Oriko wanted to endure for some time. "But as I told you, the Shadow Compact isn't a single, monolithic organization. It has different sects and factions. This recent attack was the work of one of those groups, acting independently of the main body. Had I known, I would have warned you." A lie. She just had to hope that Sayaka didn't see through her subterfuge, what with her current emotional state.
 
"What good would warning me have done?" Sayaka shot back, her eyebrow furrowing with tension, "I can't do anything as I am now... I couldn't have saved her even if I had known. I..." Tears of regret began to well up within her eyes, the blue haired magical girl pausing to wipe away the clear fluid with her arm, "It sickens me how powerless I really am... But how can you say that you could not have done anything? You're in the same organization, after all. Something could have been done..." She looked up at Oriko once again, determination rising within her gaze, "Something can be done. We can bring those responsible to justice. We can find those responsible and hand them over to Kyoko and Homura for punishment. That way, we can make sure nothing like this happens again, right?"

Poor girl, still clinging to her ideals even in the face of betrayal which calmly opposed her, like a drowning child grasping at straws. She had no way of realizing how close to sliding down a dangerous slope she had come, and no way of knowing what might push her past the edge. She wanted Mami back, the one person she felt might be able to understand her vision of the future and also be able to work to putting it into action. But there was no way to change the past, to rewind time and undo the damage.
 
Oriko faced her breakdown calmly, providing easy answers and the support that Sayaka was seeking, support that would lead her to a dark and tragic end if she went unawares. "You could have warned her," she pointed out. "She certainly wouldn't have listened to me. But if she had known, this might have been avoided." Of course, without knowing the details of what had happened there was no way for Sayaka to tell whether that was true or not. She would just have to trust her.

To her next suggestion, she nodded, still exuding calm certainty. "We can. I did some digging, and I believe that I know who are responsible, and where they are currently based. We can go in and apprehend them at any time." This was true, though she had prepared beforehand, not afterwards as she claimed. Only a small lie.

Her gaze hardened then as she gave Sayaka an appraising look. "I doubt they will come quietly though. Are you ready to fight if they resist?" It was hard to argue that they wouldn't, and a conflict was a high possibility. She just had to see whether Sayaka would be willing to draw her sword and fight if it came down to it. If she couldn't, she would be a lot less useful.
 
Avoided? Sayaka's hands clenched into tight fists, Oriko's words striking a cord within her. What could she have done to prevent something like this? The guilt still gripped at her, whispering accusations concerning her own complacency. She never once doubted Oriko's assertions, playing into the future-seeing magical girl's hand without even realizing the danger she exposed herself to in the process.

"Of course I will fight," Sayaka replied almost instantly, her gaze level with Oriko's, "I will bring these villains to justice. We cannot allow such people to do as they please." The blue-haired magical girl's emotions were getting the better of her, her desire to enact vengeance upon those who would dare to strike down the one person who had actually considered her ideas, given careful thought about how to enact change and make the world a better place for all those involved.

How could they be so thoughtless? Did they not realize what their actions might incite? Mami was the public face of the local governing body, and if they were willing to do such a thing to Mami of all people, it was not simply an attempt on a single magical girl's life, it was a defiant act of contempt and hatred toward all three ruling magical girls and their authority.
 
For her part, Oriko knew the logic and reasoning behind the strike, though that was more because she was actually involved, as opposed to Sayaka, who merely had to guess. And the logic, such as it was, was simple. It was not a statement on the vulnerability of the triad that ruled Mitakihara, but a blow for freedom itself. Mami was the competent one, the rational face, the one that people liked. With her elimination, Kyoko would have full control. And knowing Kyoko's personality, it would not be long until there would be a full on uprising, casting Mitakihara back into the hands of the normal people, courtesy of the Shadow Compact. Quite a devious, yet simple plan, really. A pity Sayaka wouldn't appreciate it.

Oriko seemed to get something of a small smile as her blue haired ally almost immediately voiced her agreement to do what it took to bring those responsible, even if things came to blows. That was well and good, and at the same time, who knew how things might get out of hand once combat had begun, with blood boiling, and plenty the opportunity for things to slip, and her own agenda to be furthered. But they would just have to wait and see, wouldn't they?

"Good," Oriko replied with a nod, rising to her feet. "Let's be on our way then. We wouldn't want them to move while we're sitting here deliberating after all." With that said, she moved for the door, Kirika falling into step behind her. She didn't have her weapon out yet, but Kirika did, and that, if not their status, cleared a path for them as they moved towards the front entrance. From there Oriko took the lead and began to guide them towards their target, which seemed to be residing in the warehouse district somewhere. She kept up a good pace too, since time would be of the essence, especially if Homura Akemi was also looking for those responsible. They would have to move fast, and the duo began to focus for the fight ahead, though Oriko was more casual about it than her partner and friend. It would not be hard, probably.
 
Sayaka said nothing more, as no further words needed to be exchanged. She relaxed her grip on her sword. There would be time enough for that if the perpetrators resisted. How did Oriko know the identity of those responsible? Did they brag about it within the Shadow Compact, or did Oriko have sufficient internal surveillance to determine their identities? Sayaka entertained neither of these questions, her thoughts instead focused toward Mami's memory, the memory of a young woman who sought to do what was best and give hope to those around her. The bluenette strode a few steps behind Oriko, her cape billowing out behind her as she took up a brisk pace. She hardly even glanced at the other club patrons. They were not important, not in light of recent events, anyway.

As they drew closer to their destination, Sayaka took casual note of their surroundings. Old warehouses and storage buildings alongside rusted equipment stood side-by-side with only thin roads and walkways dividing one from the other. Due to the lack of trade, the warehouse district had fallen into disuse as of late, and many magical girls passed over it in favor of more profitable hunting grounds as few humans frequented the empty streets and dusty storage facilities. It was a prime place to plot, however, a fact that only became more evident as they strode boldly toward their intended destination.
 
Together they moved further into the warehouse district, the full dilapidated state of which became more apparent the further they went in. Shattered windows, rusting buildings, piles of trash, it was evident that this place had seen better days. Which it had. But now the only trade that took place was between the various magocratic city-states that made up part of Mitakihara's neighbors, and as a result the amount of trade they did had dropped off significantly, leaving this place to fall into disrepair. Witches hardly spawned here, and so magical girls didn't tend to come around, and that, in turn, made this the opportune spot for dissenters against the regime, such as the Shadow Compact, to plot.

Moving along, their bold nature had to lessen somewhat as they began to spot guards and patrols, not in a large number, but enough that it would force Oriko, still leading the trio, to move more cautiously, carefully. After all, they didn't want to alert them that they were coming. So, taking advantage of their enhanced speed, strength, and agility, they dodged past, and continued on their way towards the warehouse that Oriko had identified.

At the same time, Oriko used the mental link to converse with her two companions. So, we need a plan, she noted as they moved along. Sayaka, if you want, you can knock on the front door for us and see if they're interested in surrender. Me and Kirika can go through the back and make sure none escape that way. She glanced over to her blue haired companion, to see what the knight thought of that suggestion. Oh, and they're most likely using automatic weaponry and explosives. So try to make sure your soul gem doesn't find a bullet.
 
Thank you for your concern. Sayaka made a metal note of the general layout surrounding the warehouse, in case the patrols doubled back to join the fray once the group made their presence known. Given their numbers, the bluenette began to doubt that this was simply a small detachment of the Shadow Compact. To her, it felt more akin to infiltrating a local yakuza hideout. Perhaps they had hired more guns in anticipation of some form of retaliation for their crimes, but whatever the reason, Sayaka had no intention of stepping through those doors rashly.

The sword-wielding magical girl stepped up to the front door, rapping her knuckles twice on the hard metal surface before taking a deep breath, "I am Magical Girl Sayaka... Surrender now or be prepared to face just retribution for your crimes!" Sayaka instantly sidestepped, swinging her sword to the side as she sliced the door knob clean off the door, breaking the lock and causing it to swing open on its own. Hiding beside the doorway, the bluenette awaited the rain of bullets and explosives that would doubtless soon follow her bold declaration. Despite her lack of experience in dealing with groups of hostile humans, she had seen far too many yakuza films in the past to be stupid enough to stand in an open doorway. She hoped her distraction would give an opening for Oriko and Kirika to get into position in the very least.
 
With a nod and Sayaka's confirmation, the group split up, the blue haired girl proceeding up front, while the other duo headed around to the back, to cover that exit. They could trust on the girl to handle herself, and eliminating this cell was more important than anything else, at least from the perspective of the girl they were dealing with. And for future plans, as they snuck past patrols, that was what mattered in Oriko's mind.

As things stood for the group inside, while they had expected a response they hadn't anticipated that it would be this rapid. They had imagined that they had some time, and were in the process of packing everything up to move out before the city government came down on them for what they had done. As a result, Sayaka's announcement and subsequent breach took them by surprise, though a smattering of gunfire responded as the door swung open, bullets punching out in short bursts as the people doing the shooting were cut off by their comrades.

At that point the sound of movements and low voices could be heard from inside, the men there presumably readying the weapons they had to deal with this threat. It would be a moment before a loud voice responded from beyond "Come in here and make us, you soulless freak," the man cried angrily, the sound of a gun being cocked echoing his statement. It seemed they weren't going to go quietly, as expected.

Meanwhile, Oriko and Kirika took up positions, Oriko drawing on her magic to provide predictions for Kirika as they waited for the fireworks to begin up front and give them a real distraction so they could get inside. We're in position, she told Sayaka telepathically, and prepared to make their move. Time to see how well she knew this particular cell, and how good the knightly magical girl really was in a fight. This was the only way to find out after all, and Kirika held her pronged blade in ready anticipation. Time to go.
 
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