A Magical Revolution [Azecreth & Wingshadow]

Sayaka's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance, not that she expected them to actually lay down their weapons and file out peacefully. She gripped her sword in hand, swallowing her fear with a deep breath she bolted through the open doorway and dove to the side, rolling behind a nearby box for cover from the hail of gunfire. They had the advantage of range and numbers, but if she could get in close, disabling and disarming them would be a simple matter. Her superior resilience and healing would ease her dependance on cover, but she knew better than to trust it to keep her alive. If Mami were there, she could have taken them on with ease... The thought alone steeled her resolve. They would pay dearly for their actions, and she would see to it, personally.

The bluenette jumped up, back flipping toward the wall and kicking her legs out to send herself flying forward, sword at the ready as she dove in. She slammed against the floor, a shock wave expanding outward as the dust she kicked up formed a circular cloud rushing across the floor. Her eye and the edge of her blade shimmered in the dim light, cape fluttering for but a moment before she dashed back and forth, aiming at the closest group of men.
 
As Sayaka entered, she was indeed met with a hail of gunfire from automatic weapons, which slammed into the doorway just a second too slow to find her as she dove for cover behind a box, which proceeded to take the brunt of the shooting. Luckily enough, it seemed that at the moment, even the prodigious rate of fire such weapons gave was no match for the speed and reflexes of a magical girl, at least so long as she was healthy and not running on empty. So in spite of being pinned down, she still had options available to her.

At the same time though, not everyone was spraying and praying, which was to her detriment. The Shadow Compact was no simple Yakuza gang, and while they had brought in some more men, at least a few were trained in the usage of these weapons, and had seen actual combat. Of course, there was a large gap between theory and practice, but they at least had the base knowledge, and that wouldn't make things easier. But she had no choice, if she was to avenge the fate that had befallen Mami.

Bullets followed as she sprang into action once more, stitching patterns across the wall as she moved through the air and closed. That bought her a bit of wiggle room, with the dust cloud obscuring the view of those there, and the desire to prevent friendly fire at the same time adding to that problem for the Shadow Compact. The men she aimed for reacted, some verging on panic, others more composed, as they backed away, a few firing at her, while some turned tail and ran. The air filled with cries, gunshots, and an audible racket, as the fighting began.

Behind the warehouse, Oriko nodded as she heard the fighting begin up front, and motioned for Kirika to go. With the signal, the loyal girl sliced the lock off of the back door and swung it open, slowly moving inside as she spotted men responding to Sayaka's loud distraction. She and Kirika moved further in, seeking their target. They were confident the blue haired girl could survive, and deal with the problems she was faced with, and so they planned to fulfill their own part. They just had to find the leader, and there they wouldn't have long to wait, since he would certainly be moving soon enough. And when he did, they would be waiting.
 
Sayaka's visage darkened as she closed the distance between herself and the few composed men from the group who stood their ground and fired at her, the burning sensation as they perced her shoulder and hip only serving as fuel to the rage which had become kindled in her very soul. She slid in close, her sword slicing twice across the first man she came across, one cut cleaving his weapon in two while the second cut across his chest, leaving a crimson stream flowing freely from the wound. She had originally intended to simply disarm and wound those who resisted, but rational thought was rapidly abandoning Sayaka's mind...

Mami, so kind and wise, gentle yet firm, caring and empathetic, loving and resillient, had been brought down by these men, deprived of the life which she had worked so earnestly to protect in others. What drove these people to do such things? How could they not understand? How could they be filled with such undeserved hate and malice? Where these the people Mami had given her life for? Where these the people that she herself fought for the sake of night and day?

The blunette stepped to the side, more gunfire spreading across the room as more stings of pain ripped through her body. No, this was only a fraction of the agony Mami must have felt moments before her demise... She could take just as much if not more. Blue flames kindled at the location of her wounds, the damage she sustained fading as she stepped toward the second man, footsteps padding lightly against the hard, cold floor. She cut him down as well, one slash across his right leg, cleaving through both bone and flesh as a bloodcurdling scream escaped the man's lips. her second strike landed even before he could hit the floor, this time across his wrist, depriving him of his weapon as well. She then slid to the side then dashed forward once again, pursuing the fleeing men. Wide splotches of blood smeared her cape and left cheek.

Again and again she cut them down, the pain from her wounds but a distant inconvenience as she ran amok throughout the warehouse. She layed one man low as he ran, a deep cut across his back which immobilized him in one strike. Another she cornered in an empty room, stabbing him twice, once in each shoulder, before turning and leaving him helpless with the door slightly ajar. As the initial panic began to fade, however, the resistance grew in both intensity and precision. She leapt from wall to wall, dodging, slashing, and diving as necessary.

She approached one group of four men, the first stood at the doorway while the other three took up defensive positions behind cover. She slid in, pushing off the floor as she flew directly toward the first man, the tip of her blade skewering him as his lifeless body was peppered with bullets from his former comrades. She tossed him aside then dashed forward once again, relying on her speed and precision to mitigate the damage she took in the process. One bullet caught her in the leg, forcing her to bend down just as another struck her in the neck. She gasped, her left hand clasping over the wound as her gaze grew hazy. She had been reckless.

Deprived of breath but not of fighting spirit, she pushed off with her right leg, slicing clean through the scattered desks and boxes the remaining men used as cover. she could feel the draw of fatigue tugging at her, eyes fluttering as she fought to remain conscious. No... She could not fall here... Not without avenging Mami! Ignoring the pangs of agony which surged through her body, she dispatched the two men who fled after being deprived of cover, then turned back to the third. he shrunk back, dropping his weapon and shrieking, "M-monster! You're a monster!"

Sayaka stepped forward coldly, flicking her own blood away with a wave of her hand, the wound in her neck having healed, and plunged the tip of her blade into him, "You're the monsters, worthless scum."
 
The fight was certainly not one sided, given the layout of who was fighting who. A single magical girl against a well armed group like the Shadow Compact with even a bit of warning was hardly a foregone conclusion. And had things been normal, Sayaka surely would have fallen with her blazing, reckless attitude, depriving Oriko of one of the assets she had worked so hard to cultivate and gain, which would certainly have been a blow to her, and a success for the Compact that they could further brag about, though it was obvious that such considerations were far from the knight's mind.

But there was one thing they had not expected, and one thing that saved Sayaka as she wove a song of death amidst her opponents, and that was her healing magic. Her wish had given her accelerated healing beyond that of a normal magical girl, and that meant she could take more damage, take harder hits, and keep on going, so long as nothing happened to her soul gem. And with her able to do that, the fight became decidedly more one sided.

Holding at first, panic soon rose as she cut a swathe through the ranks of the assembled men, collateral damage accruing as gunfire hammered and ricocheted, stitching patterns that did as much damage to the building itself as it did the magical girl. The more fanatical, or fearful ones fought while others tried to flee. But there was no escaping this avatar of vengeance and death, this berserker who'd fallen into a rage of blood that would not be satisfied until she had won and all her foes were gone. And if the magic wasn't scary enough, the bloodstained appearance she gave off, both from herself and the people she killed, certainly didn't help in that regard.

But her rage had other benefits, that were only immediately apparent to the other two girls. The inability to take her down and kill her had caused a flurry, and while Oriko was fairly certain that she wouldn't die, thanks to her future sight, her mind was on more important matters. Specifically, the fact that the leadership would be fleeing now that it was obvious that Sayaka could not be stopped, since they were hopefully pragmatic enough to go for living to fight another day over a pointless death. Sure, there were more normal humans to replace them, but that would take training, and time. And that was something they could not afford if their revolution was imminent.

So, inside, Oriko nodded, and she and Kirika sprang into action, moving through back offices. The flanking maneuver had not been anticipated, and Krika was easily able to cut down the surprised Compact soldiers that they came up against. Oriko's foresight certainly helped in that regard, avoiding nasty surprises, and the damage they accrued was minimal as a result.

At last they sighted their targets, a group of men moving for the rear with papers and supplies, and she moved to intercept. As a result, they'd round a corner, so close to the exit, only to find a duo waiting for them, one smiling, the other holding a sword. "You," the leader spat, recognizing her right away.

"Sorry," Oriko said with a pleasant expression, like this were tea time. "But I can't let you get away. It would interfere too much with my plans."

She was responded to with gunfire, which she dodged, and Kirika dodged forward as she fired off balls of energy and vines at the same time. They put up their best effort, but there was hardly any contest from one who could see the future, and someone as ruthlessly violent as Kirika, who also had total disregard for her own welfare beyond what Oriko told her to do. Blades slashed, reflecting the burst of gunfire as one man went down, and then another, the group quickly dispatched.

Rising from her crouch, Oriko kicked the last man, the leader she had kept alive besides disarming him, and whom was glaring back at her, to his knees. At the same time, she sent out a telepathic message. Sayaka, if you're done up there, we have the man we're looking for, she said, both of the duo watching the defiant leader at the same time. Now, to bring this act to an end
 
Much of the fighting up until that point had melded together in Sayaka's mind, the smell of spent bullet casings and blood mixing with the pain of her wounds and rage which burned within her very soul. Without her enhanced healing ability, she doubtless would have fallen, but as the Compact soldiers failed to strike her soul gem, the damage they inflicted on her failed to drain her magical reserves sufficiently to prove a sufficient deterrent to stifle the carnage. Her cloak had been stained red, with dark splotches upon her gloves and cloak. Her gaze was cold, almost lifeless as she stumbled forward, her mind in a daze. Then, in the distance she heard a whisper.

Oh... That's right... I'll be there in a second.

The bluenette turned, her footsteps carrying her down the iron stairwell toward the first floor. She could sense Oriko and Kirika's position, her body moving of its own accord. The remaining Compact soldiers made no effort to pursue her, as they knew well what the end result would be if they tried. Her footsteps came heavy, like the drumbeats of judgement at a public execution. The stage was set and the players assembled, only Sayaka had taken upon herself to act as both judge and executor.

When Sayaka appeared at the end of the hallway, she was quite a sight to behold. Crimson smeared both her cheeks, with a streak above her left eye and splashes of red up and down her right side. Small flickers sparked across her skin as she healed whatever meager wounds remained on her body, the tattered appearance of her clothes the only reminder of how much punishment she had endured. her sword hung loosely in her hand as she approached the leader and the two magical girls who kept him captive.

"Are you the one?" Sayaka lifted her sword, pointing its tip at the man's nose, "Are you the one who ordered Mami's assassination?"
 
The minutes ticked by as the trio stood where they had finished up their fight, making no effort to move the fallen bodies, nor stop the people who fled past them as they ran away from the magical girls that had taken them down like this. Oriko wore an expression of amusement, while Kirika was alert for threats, and in the meanwhile the leader that they had captured glared at Oriko, unable to really do anything else unless he wanted to find himself gutted like a fish by Kirika. and that was something that the white haired girl didn't want. After all, it would ruin her plans for him to die now.

After a few minutes of silence, the man spoke up, his voice a growl. "So what are you waiting for, aren't you going to kill me for interfering with your precious plans?" The disdain was obvious there, though what plans those were was a secret between the two of them.

"No," Oriko replied with a shake of her head, her smile not diminishing. "I'm not going to. After all, your plan helps my own, in a way. So really I should be thanking you. But no, I'm not going to kill you. Someone else is going to be doing that, since I think she would appreciate me waiting for her arrival." That said, she fell silent, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps like implacable doom.

At last, she appeared, and while the man did seem a bit surprised, Oriko merely shot the bloodied Sayaka an amused look." And there she is," she commented to the leader, before turning her full attention to Sayaka, whilst Kirika kept an eye on their prisoner. "My, you look like you had some fun," she commented idly, a sarcastic understatement that Sayaka probably didn't appreciate if she had even heard it, as she marched straight up to the man kneeling on the ground.

Said man looked unintimidated after getting a moment to regain his composure, which was some credit to his personality and strength of will, though still not his intelligence. As it was, he wasn't fazed by the sword in his face, and snorted. "She's using you, you know. Just-oof!" His gesture to Oriko, and whatever he had been about to say were interrupted by Kirika, who had hit him in the stomach to shut him up, a very successful move that left him gasping for breath, though he was fortunate to not stab himself at the same time. Or unfortunate, depending on how you looked at it.

"I won't let you talk that way about Oriko," Kirika said with thinly veiled, and icy hostility. and then she promptly fell silent, swords ready just in case he tried it again.

The man shot at glare at the duo before looking back to Sayaka, breath returned, before he spit at the bloodied girl's feet. "Yeah, I did," he replied openly. "To bring freedom for all humanity, freedom from you abominations. Even if I die, we'll win eventually. Even if it takes another hundred years, we'll rid the world of you magical girls forever." He fell silent then, glaring at her, daring her to do it.

Meanwhile, Oriko provided the push. "Well, go ahead Sayaka," she said from off to the side. "He admitted it, and he has to pay for his crimes, doesn't he? The one who passes the sentence should swing the sword." That said, she stepped back, and waited.
 
"You have thrown the city into a state of chaos in the name of freedom for all humanity?" Sayaka asked, the intensity of her narrow gaze not at all diminished by his words, "While I agree with you that the governance of the city was not ideal. It was not fair, either, but Mami was willing to listen to reason, to listen to my plans of hope for the future... A future where there is no difference between magical girls and ordinary humans." Her hand gripped her sword firmly as she spoke, "But you killed Mami! Do you really think that will solve anything? Do you really think you can just kill all the magical girls? Is that the foundation you wish to build your peace on, a foundation built upon a fountain of blood?"

"I-" Sayaka lifted her sword up above her head, "I am Magical Girl Sayaka, and I..." A single drop of blood dripped from the tip of her tainted blade, landing upon her cheek. She blinked once, then twice, her gaze drawn first upward to her sword then down at herself. She could smell the stench of death surrounding her, the self-imposed portrait of her own justice shattering into billions of pieces from before her very eyes. Unwanted tears welled up in her eyes, obscuring her view as she lost all strength in her legs, falling to her knees as she drove the tip of her sword into the floor to support her upper body.

"I..."

Flashes, brief glimpses of the past flickered before her mind's eye: The first witch she ever fought, her first time meeting Madoka, Mami's smile as she enjoyed tea in her favorite cup, a white bird fluttering in the deep, blue sky, a train rushing across a road, and the face of the one she had used her single wish to save all cascaded down one after the other. After drawing in a sharp breath, she shouted, "I can't! I can't smear Mami's memory any more! I..." Deep sobs escaped her as the adrenaline faded, and with it came the realization of what she had done, her soul gem growing dark at an alarming rate.
 
The man knelt as he had been, defiant, unanswering to her questions as he prepared for what was to come, his gaze following the sword in its ascent. There was no attempt to rationalize, to justify, no attempt to seek sympathy, though he was certainly surprised to hear that she had been seeking change on her own, though it had so obviously come to naught. Perhaps he had known and hadn't cared, or perhaps he had thought his method would be more effective. There was no way to know at this point.

But then....and yet, she stopped. Much to Oriko's consternation, since that hadn't been in her vision of what was to happen. As the human sat there waiting, watching as Sayaka broke down, Oriko was forced to think, to plan, lest her plans be ruined by this slight aberration of fate. She had not come this far to see Sayaka succumb now, not when she had been so close to twisting the girl for her own ends. Someone who couldn't deliberately kill outside of self defense was of no use to her, and the way things seemed to be shaping up, she would fall soon anyway unless she intervened.

So, after a second, she acted, moving forward and laying a hand atop Sayaka's hand, standing adjacent to the sword that she now used for support. At the same time she shifted to mental communication, to not give the man there anything to work with. Sayaka Miki, she said, mental tone firm and near authoritative. You wanted to be in charge, yes? To take up the reins of power and use them to change how things are? Then you must do this now. Being in charge means making tough decisions, ones that not everyone will agree with, and this man here, who ordered that assassination, he is of the breed of radical that will never be placated, never be satisfied. You cannot negotiate, or simply hope that he will go away. And if we leave him be, then we only serve to cause future suffering for others like us, and other innocent people.

She moved once more then, reaching over to touch the blunette's chin, to bring her head up so their eyes met, and Oriko could gaze into her that way, past the tears, the sadness, the despair and self loathing. Doing this will not besmirch her memory. Even Mami Tomoe knew that there were some people beyond reason, beyond compromise. Even she could make tough decisions when the time came for them. So if you truly want to fulfill your goal, if you are dedicated to your cause, then show your determination, swing that sword, and prove yourself as the upholder of justice that you wish to be.

She stepped back then to see what effect that might have while the man looked between them all. "Don't stop whatever mental games you have going on my account," he said in a gruff tone. "If you're not going to do anything, then I'll be-oof!" Once again, Kirika hit him, and looked to Sayaka. If she wasn't going to do it, then someone else would have to, and she had no problem playing the role.
 
When Oriko laid her hand atop Sayaka's the bluenette's grip reflexively tightened, her breath catching in her throat for a moment as if expecting to be reprimanded for her behavior. Instead, she heard words of encouragement, words that stayed the hand of despair as her soul gem's darkening paused abruptly, its cerulean gleam shimmering in the dim light. She understood what Oriko meant, or at least she believed she did as the gears of thought began to turn within her own mind. She was right. Mami had never broken down in such a manner, even in the face of the consequences (intentional or otherwise) of her own decisions. If she wanted to rise to power, to stand in the place that Mami once did and preside over the city with justice and equality for all, then there was a price to be paid. Those who want to eat cake have to break some eggs in order to bake it.

Sayaka's gaze met Oriko's, the gaze filtering through the tears which clung to her eyelids obscuring the girl's visage. Sayaka slowly nodded as she pulled herself up to her feet, wiping her eyes before pulling her sword out with a single firm tug, "Yes, you're right, Oriko-chan... I want to succeed Mami-san as the face of the city's authority, but in order to hold such a position I need to prove myself worthy. I need to show them that I am willing to lay down everything as a champion of justice. I cannot afford to falter here!" She took a step back, swirling her blade before drawing it back, preparing to cut through the man before her.

"Prepare yourself... I hope you will make wiser choices in your next life, because I will not be giving you any second chances in this one," Sayaka gripped her sword firmly in both hands, then in a single burst of speed dashed forward, drawing the blade across the space the man occupied. She swung her blade once again, flicking a thin line of blood from the sharpened edge before putting it away.
 
Oriko practically radiated satisfaction as her words took hold, bringing Sayaka back from the brink that she had been plunging down at a frightening rate, and staying the swelling darkness in her soul. It had been a gamble, based on whether she would be rejected or accepted in her logic and wisdom, and now she saw that realized. And at the same time it was another step along the path that would take her to a dark place, with Oriko as her guide, and the traveler unsuspecting. This man had undoubtedly been guilty, and in all likelihood Kyoko would have ordered his execution herself. But taking justice into her own hands, playing the part of judge, jury, and executioner, that did not fit into the kind of justice Sayaka envisioned. Yet in her grief, and rage, she couldn't see that.

To his credit, the man faced his oncoming death with an iron will, not even flinching as Sayaka recovered and struck, and he was practically silent as metal bit, ending his life in a single, magic powered blow. It was clean, efficient, and slightly impressive, though not as impressive as the display up front, all things considered. But that didn't matter in the grand scheme since the deed had been done, and the former leader toppled to the ground, a piece removed from play, another obstacle to Oriko's schemes removed in a swift and decisive strike.

"Very good Sayaka," Oriko said with that same smile enduring as she stepped up to the knight, patting her on the shoulder, though careful to avoid any real concentrations of red blood, so as to not further stain her own dress. "I'm sure Mami is proud of you. And you've taken a definitive step towards the day when you will assume control of the city, and remake it in your own vision." Whether that was true or not Oriko didn't know, much less really care, since she knew events wouldn't turn out quite that way. But it seemed reasonable, and it was what the knight most likely wanted to hear, and so she said it nonetheless, acting as the support her chess piece needed to keep going.

Kirika acted as guard, making sure that no one interrupted them, while Oriko glanced down at the cerulean blue, black stained gem, and motioned towards it with her index finger. "Now then, you should clean that, and then we can get going. I'm sure you'd like to avoid having to explain what happened here to Homura Akemi when she shows up, yes?" That would prove a difficult conversation, given the improbabilities involved, and so she was fairly certain that Sayaka would agree. That said, she waited until her instructions were followed, before motioning for the other girl to follow her and heading out of the warehouse, with Kirika at her side.
 
The rest of the day melded together into a meaningless blur. The bluenette could hardly even recall what she did at that point, only that she had a cleansed soul gem and a fresh change of clothes by the time she could think clearly. The ceiling above her bed was much the same the last time she saw it, but even so it felt different, as if something had changed in the intervening time. More than likely, it was herself that had changed, from an innocent and idealistic young woman to one who had begun to slide down a dangerous path, a path of violence and self-justifying immorality. Even with her mind somewhat cleared, however, most of her thoughts drifted toward the memory of a certain magical girl whose supposed demise had acted as the catalyst for the latest turn of events...

"Mami-san... I wish that your soul may rest peacefully now," Sayaka's eyes closed, the fatigue of the trying experience weighing down on her. Soon, the bluenette and sleep found each other, drowning out any further coherent thoughts or actions. The night stretched on, and with it came the approach of a new day. Only fate would dictate what direction it would take the girls whose very lives weighed in the balance.
 
With the darkness purged, Oriko led the trio away. It was a simple task then to guide Sayaka to a spot from which she could depart, leaving the shaken and recovering magical girl to handle affairs for herself, though with a small gift that would help with the quota currently in place, so she could focus more on training and fighting than trying to keep up with the taxes she had to pay. Where she went though was no longer Oriko's concern. She'd done what she needed to do, and now she just had to let events take their course. And all according to plan in the end.

"Come along Kirika," she said with a gesture after the blue knight had vanished around a corner, off to deal with the blood and her injuries. "We have work to do."

And that she did. With all this recent action, it was time to cement her hold on the Shadow Compact in this city, to force them to listen to her, rather than them working as cooperative allies. The man Sayaka had killed had been the main roadblock to that, and with him now out of the way she could assert her dominance. Then she'd have all the resources she needed going on to the future, to save the world as she had decided her destiny must be. It would be difficult, but it would be done.

With a nod, Kirika followed her as they walked their own separate way. Time to go to work.

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It had taken not an inconsiderable amount of work and investigation, but Homura had at last tracked down where the group that had perpetrated the assassination attempt against Mami had set up their base. Without needing any prompting, she was on her way there now, to place them under arrest, or to figure out where they had gone if they were already out of that particular area by the time she had arrived. It was a risk, but one she could take, thanks to time magic. If they were there, they wouldn't stand a chance.

At last she arrived via rooftop at the warehouse itself, and immediately she noticed something was off. Not the lack of people, no ,but rather the state of the door, which was not in the best shape, given how it was hanging open. Pulling a Desert Eagle from her shield, she froze time and jumped down, moving for the entryway and ready to shoot any hostiles inside.

What she saw inside though brought her to a stop in surprise, that lasted for a second before she submerged it. She didn't holster the gun though as she moved into and through the warehouse. It was impressive, chaotic. The place itself looked like it had suffered a full scale assault, with bullet holes stitched in the walls, spent casings littering the floor, damage abounding, and corpses left to cool there.

She stopped next to one and dropped down, taking a moment to examine the wounds that had killed the man. It was a weapon, a blade, and that meant it had to be another magical girl. Then again, only a magical girl could have done this really. But who? An image immediately sprang to mind, of a sword wielding 'hero of justice', but she dismissed that. This sort of thing wasn't Sayaka's style, and how would she know about this place anyway? No, there was most likely another explanation.

Rising, she moved onwards and into the back, until at last she came across the corpse of the leader, the man in charge who had done it. He had a sword wound as well, and there was no way they'd be getting any information from him. A pity, and definitely not a favorable situation.

Expression taciturn, Homura pulled a phone from her shield and flipped it open, dialing before she lifted it to rest by her ear. The dial tone went for a few seconds before the person on the other side of the line answered, impatient and eager. "Yeah?" There was no need for introductions, the secure line made it obvious who it was.

"I found them," Homura told Kyoko without preamble. "They're all dead. Killed by at least two other magical girls with bladed weapons. There's nothing useful here."

The sound of clicking teeth was audible, and Homura could just imagine how Kyoko was reacting on the other end of the line, how her fists clenched as fire burned in her eyes. But she had no trouble being the bearer of bad news. "Any idea who coulda done this?"

Homura's answer was quick, and succinct. "A few. I will have to look into them." That she would, though she didn't imagine that it would do much good. There were other important things to worry about after all, so some things would have to suffer as a result. But that was how you played the game, and she only had her eyes on one goal. And she would not fail.

"Alright, lemme know when you find them. Somebodies gotta pay, and I'm not gonna let some upstart dictator wanna be do my job for me." Kyoko hung up then, leaving Homura by herself, alone in the warehouse. She hung up then and moved off, to try and find any information she could, before continuing her search. There was something here, she knew, she just had to look hard enough to find it. Then she could go on and settle this matter already, and get on to things that actually mattered.

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Back in the hospital, Kyoko laid the phone back down on the table as she looked over at where Mami continued to rest, still as silent and peaceful as before, in her hospital bed. She was improving, but it would still take time. And in all that time, rumors would continue to grow, and their enemies could act with impunity. Homura was apparently doing her best, but they even had other people doing their job for them now. It made her angry just thinking about it.

"Damn it Mami, you just had to go and get yourself shot didn't you," she grumbled as she leaned up against the wall, fishing out a Pocky stick and jamming it between her teeth, grinding away at it like nothings business. "I'm not gonna let them get away with this. The Shadow Compact or whoever went off and killed them. That's my job, and no one's gonna infringe on my turf."

Thoughts raced through her head, before she settled on a decision. "I bet it was those Yakuza bastards," she said at last, her mind made up. "We knew they were planning something, so I bet they helped the Compact out, figured they could get a slice of the pie. Well, I'll show 'em. They're gonna regret trying anything against us." Oh yes, she could just imagine the bloody vengeance she would wreak against the organized crime in the city. They'd provoked a dragon, and now she was going to fight back.

A button activated the pager, to summon someone that could get her some paper, so she could write this stuff down. There was no time to lose, not if she was to keep control. "If it's a war they want," she grunted. "It's a war they'll get."
 
Unaware of the events her attempted assassination had set into motion, Mami lay calmly upon the hospital bed, the covers neatly pulled up to her shoulders, draped across her body without so much as a wrinkle to sully the picturesque serenity. She breathed in slowly, the only movement she ever made. Her gently shut eyelids refused to waver, not once hinting at how long it might be until she would awaken from her slumber. Like a princess under a curse of sleep, Mami remained quite literally blissfully unaware of the conflict that had already begun to unfold in her absence. Instead, her mind was preoccupied with other matters...

While more clear than before, her dreams no longer dominated by abstractions and random assortments of ideas and memories, she still drifted aimlessly through a dream-scape of her own imagining. An elegant hall spread out before her, with smooth marble pillars running its length. A single richly adorned table stood between the pillars, with rich, ornamental plates and cups set before each seat. Magical girls and ordinanry girls alike, and even some boys too for that matter, filled each and every seat. Mami herself sat at the head of the table. She propped one hand up, her elbow resting on the smooth wooden surface as she waved to those gathered before her. Among their ranks were Sayaka, Homura, Kyoko, Madoka, and many, many others, all of which returned her friendly gesture.

"Say something, Mami-chan," Kyoko, who sat directly to Mami's right, nudged the magical girl, "Don't just sit there! Say something quick so I can eat!"

"Alright, Kyoko-chan," Mami giggled, standing up from her seat as she cast her gaze across the room, "Friends... I count myself blessed that I can refer to all of you as such. I know that each and every one of you come from a different place, from a different walk of life, and from a different mindset from each other. I believe that these memories and experiances, these different starting points and roads through life are what makes each of us here today so unique and special. But we have all been drawn together thanks to the many things we share in common. We all have dreams. We all have hope. We all have love... And it is because of this that I have been given the opportunity to be called your friend. I thank you for accepting me for who I am, and for standing with me in both the good times and the bad..."

All of Mami's friends stood up and raised their glasses up in unison. Mami did the same, a broad smile lingering on her lips.

"To friendship!" she declared, and the clinking of glass soon followed. She closed her eyes and savored the warmth that surrounded her, a warmth that comforted and permiated her entire being. If only she knew that she lay alone in a hospital room, a heart monitor which maintained a constant vigil and a pleasant bed which held her healing body her only companions.

--------------------------------------------
 
With worry in her expression, and more than a little trepidation in her footsteps, Madoka proceeded down the same worn path she took every day to school. For once, it was not sunny but rather overcast, with a rain threatening, though it had not come as of yet. It was why she currently had an umbrella strapped to her backpack, courtesy of Mama. Wouldn't want to be caught without if it did end up raining, since she really didn't want to get sick.

Her head was bowed though as trouble thoughts ran through her mind. And who could blame her? Mami Tomoe, the girl she'd met only a few days ago, to have such a thing happen to her was terrible. And it hadn't been helped by Kyoko, who had gone on the television to make a station at last. And the measures she'd instituted, what she had said, even Mama hadn't been expecting that. A curfew for all non-Magical girls, near martial law, a deployment of the police into the business sector to crack down on organized crime, it was crazy!

The only good news to come out of it was that Kyoko had confirmed that Mami was still alive, albeit laid up in the hospital for the moment. That did some work to reduce the pinkettes worry, but she still found herself troubled nonetheless. Sayaka had been busy with magical girl business the near entirety of yesterday, was that somehow related to this? Did her friend know something she didn't? She wasn't sure, and wasn't sure in turn whether it would be alright for her to ask, but she had to do something. To have a fate such as that befall such a nice person, it was terrible to even think about.

So, darker, sadder thoughts on her mind, Madoka walked towards the spot where she usually met up with Hitomi and Sayaka, wondering if her friend would be there, and hoping that she might get answers, explanations, something to help make sense of it all
 
As Madoka approached their usual meetup location, she would find Hitomi and Sayaka already engaged in a calm conversation with umbrellas held over their heads. Hitomi wore her usual reassuring expression, her legs placed close together with her right hand grasping her left upper arm. In times such as this, Hitomi showed her true inner strength, remaining strong despite the circumstances that threatened to spiral out of control and send the city into turmoil. Sayaka, however, looked rather distraught, her shoulder sagging slightly despite her relaxed stance.

"Are you sure you are alright, Sayaka-chan?" Hitomi granted her friend a gentle smile, "You look exhausted..."

"I'm... I'm fine," Sayaka brushed off her friend's concern, "I just stayed up a little later than usual. Don't worry about it, alright?" Perhaps Hitomi sensed the unease swirling about inside Sayaka, the haunting torment of doubt that surrounded her breaking through despite her best efforts to conceal it. "I'm just glad Mami seems to be doing well... What a relief, right?" Sayaka offered her friend a weak smile in return.

Hitomi did not reply, instead remaining silent. With everything else in the city swirling with turmoil, it went without saying that even Mami's condition remained a mystery. Based on the official statement by Kyoko, Mami's condition had stabilized but it was doubtful that the hospital would allow visitors, security reasons taken into account, of course. With the face of the establishment incapacitated for an indeterminate length of time and Kyoko taking full control of the city's rule, the circumstances appeared rather uncertain. She did, however, notice Madoka's approach and turned toward her, "Good morning, Madoka-chan."

"Good morning," Sayaka greeted her as well, but the magical girl's tone felt somewhat empty.
 
Madoka wasn't entirely surprised to find her two friends already at their meeting place, her slower pace combined with her departure time practically making that an inevitability. She looked up though as she drew near, noting that the duo were already engaged in conversation. That wasn't unusual by any means, and she was glad to see that Hitomi was dealing with this state of affairs with the same level headedness that she always did, a comforting thing that certainly helped to increase her own resolve. Sayaka didn't look so well, but surely she had been more affected by what had happened than either of them. It was only reasonable as another magical girl.

She caught the end of the conversation, and smiled as she stepped up to the other two. "Good morning Hitomi-chan, Sayaka-chan," she replied to their greetings. She put her best face on, letting her determination to help, and her natural optimism take hold. Sure, this situation might be bad, but they couldn't let it get them down. As Mama said, that would be tantamount to letting those thugs and hooligans, as Mama called them, win. The best they could do was go on with their lives as normal.

With the three of them now joined, they could begin the trek to school, though Madoka would wait to make sure that Hitomi and Sayaka were ready to move before going ahead. She spoke up though now that she was here. "This is all unbelievable, isn't it," she commented, hardly needing to guess what they had been talking about before. "It's terrible to think that something like that could happen to Mami-san. Who would do such a thing to a nice person like that?"

Of course, she could guess, but it seemed unreasonable, seemed unnecessary, and she just didn't want to believe that it might be the truth. She supported cooperation, not fighting, and yet it happened anyway. Why couldn't anyone else see that it was the best way? For all her efforts, she was just too little to make a real difference, wasn't she?

At least there was Sayaka though. Unaware of what had transpired before, Madoka was just glad she had a friend who thought similarly, and who could work towards that goal on her behalf. Even if she looked a bit under the weather today.
 
"Not everyone understands Mami-san like we do, Madoka-chan," Sayaka replied, her tone somewhat distant, "Some people see Mami as a figurehead of magical girl oppression, so they attacked her in order to fight back against what they believe to be the source of their suffering. But really, it is magical girls who hold the power necessary to make a difference, to stand up for what is right. We aren't part of the problem, we are the key to the solution... But not everyone understands the true purpose of magical girls." Sayaka nodded with confidence, "And I'm sure Mami-san would agree if she were with us right now, too."

"A key to the solution, hm?" Hitomi considered the bluenette's declaration for a moment before commenting, "I believe that people grow as individuals through struggling and overcoming hardships in their lives. Humans are strong because they have survived so many trials and become stronger as a result. I do not mean to discredit your efforts, Sayaka-chan, but I think it is important for everyone to work together, human and magical girl alike, in order to find a solution and a more beautiful tomorrow."

"Er... Right, of course," Sayaka laughed nervously, "That's what I meant. I guess I really am tired. I can't even explain myself properly this morning." The magical girl waved her hand in the air dismissively, trying to play it off as misplaced words. Even so, the shift in Sayaka's thinking had become all the more evident, even to herself.

"As soon as Mami-san begins taking visitors, perhaps we should pay her a visit," Hitomi suggested, "All three of us together."
 
Madoka frowned in thought, that point very well made, at least as far as things were concerned. She knew that not everyone felt as she did, on a multitude of options, to be honest. But to simply try and kill someone, because you didn't agree with them or because they had something you wanted? That didn't sit right with her in the least. She agreed with Hitomi as her friend somewhat rebuked what Sayaka had said, that peaceful cooperation was the answer, not forcing ones goals on others. It was only that way that they could find a solution that would please everyone.

Still, she knew that not everyone thought as she did, but that wouldn't stop her from trying. "Right," she agreed with a nod as they moved along, situated close by her friends. At the same time, she noted how...weird Sayaka sounded today, but contributed it to the moment for the lack of sleep, and the impact that the attempt must have had on her. She knew that her friend had been looking forward to working things out with Mami, and now that had been brutally cut short. She knew she would have been affected by it if she were in her shoes.

At the suggestion though, she agreed with an emphatic nod. "That sounds like a good idea, Hitomi-chan." With the shift to an easier topic, her spirits rose, serving to attempt to try and raise the spirits of those around her as well as she moved along side her friends. She lit up all the more as an idea occurred to her. "Oh, maybe Homura-chan can help. Since she's probably in charge of security, she might be able to let us get in a bit early." Not that she wanted to take advantage of her friendship like that, but given that it was for a good cause, she was willing to make an exception. "I know I'd feel better to see that she's okay." That said, she looked over at the other two to see what they thought.
 
Hitomi nodded, "That sounds like a great idea, Madoka-chan. Perhaps Mami won't be well enough to speak with us for very long, but I'm sure she would appreciate some visitors." Kyoko's description of Mami's condition had been rather vague, lacking any in-depth explanation of the bodily damage the magical girl had sustained in the failed assassination attempt. Hitomi seemed to assume that the reason for the refusal of visitors was more due to political and security reasons than furthering Mami's recovery.

A pang of guilt struck Sayaka, however. she had hoped to put off seeing Mami a bit longer, as not only would it serve as a vivid reminder her own powerlessness, but also a conviction against her own actions the day before. She could have spared the lives of many people, but she hadn't... The most frightening part of it was that it had been so very easy to do it. They were obstacles in the way of justice, tools of evil given over to the pursuit of inflicting chaos and turmoil upon the city. Simply removing them was the easiest and most practical means of accomplishing her goals.

Then again, Mami had never been one to take the easy way out. She lent aid to others, even when she had nothing to gain from it. She spoke words of encouragement to those who had fallen upon hard times even when they had no means with which to repay her for her kindness. Meeting someone like Mami who had served as such an inspiration for Sayaka would only make the differences between them all the more evident.

"Wait, so you know Homura-san too, Madoka-chan?" Sayaka blinked. The bluenette knew about Homura as much as anyone else in the city would, but during their meetings they had only exchanged a few guarded words with each other. The raven-haired magical girl had a reputation for acting as a secret agent, the only one out of the three ruling magical girls which employed stealth and espionage to accomplish her goals. Kyoko preferred flashy, sometimes outright brutal, displays in order to establish her right to rule the city, while Mami stood up to the public eye as the voice of reason and humanity. Homura, however, appeared to have no interest in either being loved or feared by the masses. The fact that Madoka would refer to such a person with the use of the affectionate suffix '-chan' led Sayaka to believe that Madoka considered her more than merely a chance acquaintance, such as that not-so-distant occurrence in the past in which Homura had stepped in to save both their lives from a witch.
 
Indeed, Kyoko hadn't been very specific in relating the details of Mami's injuries when she had made her broadcast. Perhaps she was just uncomfortable saying it, which was unlikely; she didn't care, which was more likely; or she didn't want to let the enemies that had tried to kill Mami know how close they had come to succeeding, which seemed the most reasonable. She assumed it wasn't too bad, since it would take a lot to kill a magical girl if she hadn't been hit in her soul gem, and she knew magical girls could heal quickly. However, she might have been misled by how fast Sayaka could heal as a result of her wish, which was far in excess of the average magical girl without great expenditure of magic.

She was glad to have Hitomi's agreement though, and she smiled warmly as a result. "Okay. We just have to find a good time for all of us to visit. I know you're busy with lessons, and Sayaka is busy with her magical girl business, but we should be able to work something out." She hummed in thought then, turning her mind to that question while waiting for input from her friends. They were really the ones that would have to work it into their schedules after all, not her. She could be flexible like that.

Sayaka's comment though earned a look of confusion as Madoka tilted her head slightly, her attention drawn to the blunette. She wouldn't point it out to her friend, but it really was something of a silly question. Hadn't she noticed all the times prior, besides when Homura had saved both their lives? Apparently not. Not that she'd hold it against her. The knight did have a lot on her mind after all, so it was a reasonable mistake to make. As if Madoka would judge her like that anyway

"Um, yes, I know Homura-chan," she replied calmly, if still having the slight inflection of surprise in her tone. "She's helped tutor me sometimes, since she's really good at things like math and English. And she's watched out for me a lot too, when you aren't around." Hopefully Sayaka wouldn't be too offended by that particular news, though it wasn't exactly hidden, or even close to it. She just didn't want Sayaka to feel like she was unnecessary or being replaced. The blunette would always be one of her most important friends after all. It was just that she couldn't be in two places at once, and Homura really was better for that sort of thing when it came to academics. But that wouldn't stop her from trying to soften the revelation, for her friends sake.
 
Now it was Sayaka's turn to look confused. If what Madoka said was true, which Sayaka never even considered to doubt given her friend's strict adherence to honesty, then the stoic-faced Homura had apparently become friends with Madoka without Sayaka even realizing it. Had she allowed her magical girl duties to consume so much of her time that she had missed something so blatantly obvious? Homura had never spoken to her about Madoka before, at least not from what Sayaka could remember. Then again, getting anything at all out of Homura was a rare occurrence in and of itself. It went without saying that their interactions in the past rarely, if ever, involved casual chatter.

What really stung her was the revelation that Homura had watched out for Madoka, in Madoka's own words, "when you aren't around." Considering how busy Homura must have been with all her official duties and investigative tasks, it went without saying that her own academics and magical girl duties paled in comparison to the busy schedule Homura must have maintained. What excuse did she really have in light of that? Sayaka's shoulders dipped slightly, "Ah... Well, you know I'm not that great at math and English makes my eyelids heavy. But I'm glad Homura helped you out in my place, Madoka-chan. I mean, she's really reliable..." That was pretty much all she could say on the matter without beating herself up over it.

"But, yeah, I'm sure Homura could arrange something," Sayaka nodded, "I'll be sure to go with you to visit Mami-chan, I promise."
 
Madoka held back a wince, her effort to keep from hurting Sayaka too much with the answer she had given apparently not all that effective. Well, she'd just have to make up for it in another way. She hated the notion that she had caused offense, or hurt, whether it be on accident or on purpose, and as a result she'd do the best she could to make up for it. That was even more so the case when it came to her friends, since they meant so much to her. She'd have to think up some sort of satisfactory apology for Sayaka in the immediate future, to make up for it. It was the least her friend deserved

"Y-Yeah, she is," Madoka confirmed with a nod, her own mood dipping ever so slightly with her friends. Of course, she also wasn't going to mention the times that she had thought she'd seen Homura watching her when she was going about her daily business, since nothing bad had happened, and she didn't want to needlessly worry her friend. Knowing her, Sayaka would have gone to confront the older girl, and that would not have ended will even if Homura wasn't the type to go for direct conflict by all evidence. She could deal with it herself.

Fortunately, she was brought up by her friends agreement, and she smiled all the more warmly for it. "Alright then, I'll ask Homura-chan the next time I see her, and see what we can work out." She was confident in her success, since the other girl had a tendency to not really refuse what she asked, so long as it didn't involve Kyubey in any manner. And this most certainly didn't.

She allowed silence to fall then, but quickly replaced it with something else as she moved to address the other issues that there were to consider. Specifically in this case, the affairs that still greatly concerned them. "I just hope this all gets worked out soon. I know Mama's not happy with the curfew they instituted, and she said that this probably wouldn't be good for the city." Among other things, but she had related the relevant bits to the duo beside her, and felt she could leave it at that.
 
"True... If Kyoko wants to lessen the negativity toward her rule, she's certainly going about it the wrong way," Sayaka nodded, "Many people in the city work at night, and this curfew should cut into their operating hours directly. That being said, it might make their lives a bit safer due to witches being somewhat more active in the afternoon and night hours." It was likely an unintended side effect, as Kyoko's desire to stifle organized crime operations on her turf was a much more likely reason for the rule. Balanced against their livelihood, many people would rather brave the danger than loose their source of income, however. Even someone like Sayaka who lacked a wide societal viewpoint could see the reason in that.

"I think Kyoko-san wants to take the opportunity to strike back at those who hurt Mami-san. I know I would feel the same way if someone hurt either of you," Hitomi admitted, "It is a very human thing to do, but that does not make it right. I hope Mami-san gets well enough to help smooth things over soon." The green-haired girl did not even want to consider what might happen if Mami's return were delayed. At best, the people would direct their frustrations at Kyoko alone and welcome Mami's belated return. On the other hand, the might summarize the ruling trio's behavior as a whole instead, venting their dissatisfaction against Mami as well when she reentered the scene. In light of current events, it became painfully clear just how delicate a balance Mami had maintained.
 
Interpreting the thoughts that influenced Kyoko in making a decision was difficult at best, the gulf just too vast and wide for Madoka to try and cross, in spite of her efforts. Kyoko's history was a mass of rumor and contradictions, not at all helped by her penchant of bragging. And Madoka didn't know her in person, like she did Homura or Sayaka. All she knew of her personality was those same rumors and public appearances, which gave her all the appearance of a violent, fiery tempered hothead who was only concerned with her own benefit. It was something that Madoka found herself hard pressed to relate to, and made figuring out what the ruler was trying to do difficult at best.

As a result, she was grateful for the input of both Sayaka and Hitomi, and she nodded in agreement with what they said. "Yeah," she replied in further voicing of that. "Hopefully it won't last too long. I think she's only doing it because she wants to get rid of the Yakuza. At least, that was what she said." In that case, once she had gotten to the point where she thought she had won, then this would be ended, and they could get back to life as normal. Of course, it was easier said than done, but Madoka wasn't knowledgeable enough to consider that.

"Thank you," she added in return the expressed caring on Hitomi's part. "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to the two of you." She wasn't naturally violent, but she would act. At worst, she'd make a wish, regardless of the consequences. "And I hope Mami gets better soon too, before things get more violent." If there was someone who could deal with this all, she was sure it was Mami.
 
Get rid of the Yakuza, indeed. Sayaka knew better than to expect things to get better by simply putting pressure on the Yakuza, but she would have been lying if she claimed that she did not feel any amount of residual resentment herself. Even with the knowledge of Mami's survival in the forefront of her mind, the urge to move forward, to continue her chosen path of action, clashed with the guilt that huddled about her heart, the guilt of knowing what she had already done in Mami's name despite how blatantly it opposed the blonde magical girl's own ideals. At the same time, this was the path Sayaka had chosen and there would be no straying from it. Not if a certain pair of magical girls had any say in the matter, that is.

"Don't worry," Sayaka flashed a confident grin at her friends, "Even if all-out war breaks in the city, I'll protect you both... Not just because I am a magical girl of justice, either." She waved her arm dramatically, almost in defiance of whatever danger might befall them in the next few days.

The words, once spoken, could not be taken back. Perhaps their true weight would only become apparent as the dim future loomed in the distance, as the oft-mentioned Mami continued to rest undisturbed upon her hospital bed, completely unaware of the events her near scrape with death had put into motion. She slept, her mind occupied in other matters while detached from reality and blissfully unaware, as if the injury sustained from the nearly-lethal shot had shocked her into a state of withdrawal from the world she knew and cared about so dearly.
 
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