Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[UCC]

A Magical Girl's Trio to Kyoto I

Kyoto September 2013

Shima looked at the very regular looking house. This was a magical researcher's home? She admitted, she was sorta expecting something out of Spirited Away or some other Miyazaki film.

Not…a generic house in the suburbs of Kyoto. It had been a five hour train ride (with a ticket provided by the admiral) from Yokosuka to Kyoto. But despite refreshments being offered, she hadn't dared purchase anything. She was nervous. This magical researcher promised to be able to help her understand how her magic worked. But…wasn't that kinda dangerous?

Now she found herself in the Kyoto suburbs, having used her phone map to find her way there. Gulping, she rung the doorbell.

The door opened, revealing an elderly lady. "Can I help you?"

"H-hai! I'm Shima Isuzu! I have an appointment with…Shimazu-sama?"

The woman looked over the silver haired girl and nodded. "Come on in. And close the door behind you."

Shima nodded, entering the home and removing her shoes.

"Keep your shoes. Shimazu isn't here. But you can use our Floo to get to her."

Shima frowned but picked up her shoes. Shimazu wasn't here? Then where was she?

The woman led Shima to a fireplace, a small but crackling fire. Picking up a bag from the mantle, she handed it to Shima.

Shima stared at the bag, "Umm…"

"You've never used the Floo before?"

She was outed. "Ahh…no…I…I haven't." She admitted in shame.

"No worries. I'll show you."

A moment later, Shima stood in the fireplace, holding a pinch full of powder. "Kyoto Museum Archives!"

—-

Shima was very glad she hadn't eaten anything. The intense vertigo and dizziness nearly caused her to throw up her non existent lunch. Thankfully there was no lunch to vomit.

As she crashed onto the tiled floor before the fireplace, Shima wanted to kiss the ground, solid ground. But a voice interrupted her action.
"So…you're my magical girl?"

Shima looked up to find a woman dressed in a baggy hoodie and sweatpants. She had blue hair and large, oversized glasses. Honestly, she looked more like one of her father's animation interns instead of a magic researcher.

—-

"So you met an animated plushie that looked like an Incubator, something you knew was one of the most evil abominations in all fiction, and you took the contract anyways?"

Shima nodded, a bit ashamed. "Hai…it…it seemed like a good idea at the time."

The woman frowned as she squinted her eyes over the girl. "Well…it does seem like your soul is still in your body and not in a gem."

Shima nodded, "Hai. The Kyubey said he was a good Kyubey and wanted to help Muggles like me."

Shimazu raised her brow, "So it goes after muggles huh? Very interesting."

She led the magical girl to an open space in her laboratory, with various equipment surrounding a carefully drawn circles.

"I had this set up when I learned of your existence. This should get an accurate reading of your magic and how it functions." The woman explained, gesturing at the circle. "Go ahead and stand in the center."

Shima nodded, walking to the center.
"Good, now show me some magic."

Shima frowned. "Umm…I can't use magic unless I'm transformed."

Shimazu raised her brow, "You sure? Ok. Let's go with that for now. Transform then."

Shima focused, allowing for her clothes to transform into her white and blue robes and unfurl her white wings. "How's this?"

The woman remained motionless, her expression utterly emotionless. Shima gulped. Maybe she did something wrong.

"Umm…"

"What…"

Shima paused.

"The Fuck"

"Umm…"

"Was that?"

Shima blanked. "Ehh?"

Shimazu ran over to her instruments, frantically looking over the data it had been collecting. "You…you just transfigured your clothing completely and instantaneously. You didn't even wave a wand, make an incantation, or doing any sort of ritual. How?"

Shima frowned, she hadn't really thought about it like that. "Well…I just did it. I didn't really think about it." She shrugged.

"And that's what's even more confusing! Magic is built around rituals and following certain procedures. Even when I make a new spell, it's built around a particular set of actions that replicate a ritual. You just…transfigured your entire outfit like it was nothing."

Shima paused before speaking, "I mean…shouldn't all magical girls be able to transform? Sure I didn't have a transformation sequence but it's just natural that we can transform."

Shimazu stared at the magical girl. "…just natural?"

Shima nodded, "Hai. Magical girls transforming is just what we do right?"

The researcher frowned, "So…it's a form of self hypnosis and firm belief in your capabilities maybe? Hmm…ok. Let's move on. Show me a spell. You can use the target on the wall over there."

"H-hai!" Shima pointed her staff at the wall before sending off a pair of bolts.

Shima winced when the first bolt missed the target, hitting the section of wall beside the target. The second one hit just outside the second ring. "…I'm sorry."

Shimazu didnt seem to care, "Aether element stunning bolts. Chantless casting. I'm surprised you knew such advanced magic, but if we're going with the self belief hypothesis, it sorta makes sense. Now how about some fire spells? Or maybe water spells?"

Shima paused and frowned. "What?"

Shimazu sighed. "You can't do it?"

"I…I haven't tried."

Rolling her eyes, the researcher sighed. "I figured as much. I think I'm getting an idea of how your magic works. What else can you do?"

"Umm…" Shima paused, "I can summon and communicate with shikigami."

Shimazu's brow raised. "Oh? Do show."

The magical girl focused on her staff before planting her staff on the ground. A moment later, a pair of white semitransparent balls appeared next to her staff.

Shimazu looked over the balls in interest. "Interesting. These are a type of artificial shikigami. They don't have a conscious, but rather seem to be remotely controllable by you?"

Shima nodded, "Hai. I can manipulate them and have used them to create homing attacks."

"Is that so? Very interesting. Have you tried programming them to have independent action?"

Shima nodded, "Once. But it was pretty taxing and I wasn't able to keep it up for long."

"I see…" The researcher's brow scrounged as she looked over the data she had. "I think I have a theory but we would need to do some more research. How long do I have you for?"

"I…I have to go back to school this week. But my parents said I can come over the weekends. Just…"

Shimazu frowned. "Just what?"
"It's kinda far. Even by train." Shima admitted.

"Where do you live?"

"Sasebo."

"If that's your concern, then I'll have them set up a Floo in your family home." Shimazu dismissed her concerns, "Your contribution to my research is valuable enough that I can get that set up for you no problem."

"Th-thank you very much."

As she bowed, a loud crack noise was heard from the fireplace.

Shima spun around in response, her staff pointed and aimed. She knew that noise. It was the sound she had associated with Aurors and reservation guards teleporting in.

Standing before her was a young woman dressed in Auror robes with wand drawn and trained at the magical girl.

"Hold it!"

The two paused to see Shimazu stand between them. "Put down the weapons. No one is shooting in my lab without my permission!"

Shima made eye contact with the Auror before nodding. The Auror put away her wand while Shima put down her staff.

"Shima, this is my pupil, Kaya Sugihara. Kaya, this is Shima Isuzu. She's a magical girl who I'm currently studying. There will be no violence. You hear me?"

Shima obeyed, satisfied that the Auror was with the researcher. "I'm sorry for disrupting you."

The woman groaned, "It's fine. But you're a magical girl?"

Shima nodded, "H-hai. We're pretty new and I honestly-"

"You think you can help me resolve my magical girl problem?"

Shimazu and Shima stared at Kaya in surprise. "Magical girl problem?"

 

[UCC]

A Magical Girl's Trio to Kyoto II

Kyoto September 2013

When the Kyubey had shown up at her doorstep that fateful evening, Tsukune Yui wasn't ignorant of magic. She knew magic existed. After all, magic had cursed their family!

As a child, her grandfather told her story after story about his platoon during their occupation of Hong Kong. About the dangers they faced. How much the people hated them. And most importantly, about Lady Kitsune, the foxy vixen who committed countless murders against their forces. He described how she could disguise herself as one of them, kill one of their men, and then vanish before they could even notice. He recalled the chilling bloodthirsty laughter that continued to haunt his dreams.

"Never trust a fox! They are tricksters and malevolent beings who will bring horror and calamity upon your family as long as you live!"

His wisdom would stay with her. She knew it was true. Their family restaurant caught fire after her father took a photograph of a shrine dedicated to Inari-sama. Her grandfather had a heart attack after claiming to see a fox wearing a veil at the zoo. Their restaurant fell into ruin after the Okami food magazine rated their food 50/100. Foxes had cursed their family.

So when Kyubey offered her a contract, Tsukune knew better than to ask for their restaurant's success. She needed to get to the source! She needed to defeat Lady Kitsune and force her to remove the curse on their family! So she wished to be the mightiest magical girl!

After thanking the Kyubey for its gift, Tsukune set out on her journey to become strong. After all, just having magic would not defeat Lady Kitsune! She needed training and practice!

Getting into magical Kyoto wasn't hard. Learning everything she could about magicals and their way of life wasn't too hard either. But finding out that the school for magic had been destroyed by the Abyssals…that had been rough.

So she couldn't go to magic school. And apparently tutors were pretty expensive. So she needed an alternative form of magic training. Something that would challenge her and help her grow until she was mighty enough to avenge her family. And it just so happens to be that combat wizards show up when you cause trouble…

And thus, the legend of the mightiest magical girl took root in the alleyways and hideaways of Magical Kyoto.

Tsukune would challenge a civilian, maybe threaten them a bit, wait for them to call the Aurors, and then boom, training partners!

And for a while it worked! Her grandfather's training from his time in the war had done wonders in giving her hand to hand combat skills.

The wizards that arrived put up a decent fight, allowing Tsukune to train. And once she felt satisfied, she would use her enhanced strength and speed to escape before they could arrest her.

That was…until she arrived.

It was a normal evening and Tsukune was waiting for her "sparing partner" to arrive when she showed up. A woman in Auror robes with long black hair, wielding a wand and a knife simultaneously.

Their battle had been spectacular! The woman countered her every move and then some. Her mastery of both offense and defense as well as her array of unusual magics kept Tsukune on her toes.

No matter how many flames she could conjure, no matter how fast she moved, the Auror just kept up with her…and then some.

In a matter of minutes, Tsukune was on the ground; battered, bruised, and wounded. She managed to hobble away from that fight, just barely.

But never before had her heart been pounding so, her soul exhilarated, and her competitive spirit so turned on. She had to fight her again!
It would be a few days later when the woman showed up again. Tsukune thought she was ready this time. She wasn't. She ended up on the ground again.

At least this time she had a name. Auror Sugihara.

Over the next month, Tsukune would hang around alleyways, parks, and rooftops, politely explaining to people that she was threatening them, and they should call for "Auror Sugihara".

On their eighth encounter, the Kyoto Auror seemed a bit annoyed.

Sugihara didn't just push her, she absolutely destroyed her. Tsukune crashed onto the pavement in a matter of minutes. No warning whatsoever.

When she came to, she found a pair of cuffs on her hands and an angry Kyoto Auror glaring at her.

The ensuring conversation resulted in her being detained for obstruction of peace. Auror Sugihara reprimanded her, telling her that she couldn't just "fight aurors" for training practice. She was disrupting the peace and wasting the auror's time.

That night in the department lock up was a grim evening. The magical girl tried to reason, that she needed to become stronger, and no one was willing to help her. But being in prison was not what she had expected would to happen as a result of her brawls.

When she was released the next morning, she was given a firm warning against future fights and that she should take care to avoid giving the Aurors problems in the future.

Tsukune Yui had a choice. She could listen, give up on her dreams, and just live as a normal girl waitressing her father's diner.

Or…

—-

The Kyoto Auror department was a bustling building filled with busy aurors and staff. With the Kyoto Diet split from the Tokyo Diet, the Auror force was just getting revived and thus everyone was extremely busy.. Which is exactly how none of them noticed a teenage girl walking up to the receptionist at the front desk and ask her for an "Auror Sugihara".

The receptionist frowned at the brunette. "State the reason for your visit?"

"I came to apologize to Auror Sugihara." Tsukune explained, her head held high. "I caused her great strife and must atone for it."

The receptionist frowned, "Look, you don't need to apologize to her, she was just doing her-"

"-but I must!" Tsukune insisted. "I have done a great misdeed and did not behave in a way the mightiest ought to. I must atone for it!"

The receptionist wince as she felt a wave of heat radiate from the girl. "Well…I'll see if I can get a hold of her. She may be on patrol though."

"Then I will wait for her return!" Tsukune announced.

—-

"What's this you needed me to come back for?" Kaya asked as she appeared in the department lobby. "I got a message that you needed me back asap…"

Her eyes met a pair of energetic brown eyes.

Her eyes blinked. The other did as well.

"Oh no…" Sugihara groaned. "Are you really trying to-"

To her surprise, the girl bowed deeply. "I humbly apologize!"

Kaya froze. "Umm…"

"I was not thinking of how my actions were disrupting others." She continued, "I just…I wanted to become stronger, to be the mightiest! But in doing so, I inconvenienced many others."

Kaya tried to respond to the sincere and heartfelt apology, "Ahh. Well…thanks and-"

"Therefore, I should be direct in what I need." Tsukune concluded, "I wish to be the mightiest magical girl! Auror Sugihara, you are the mightiest person I've ever met! So please, be my Sensei, no, my Shishou!"

Kaya's mind came to a screeching halt. "Wait what?"

The brunette knelt down on both knees, "Please Sugihara Shishou, please train me to become the mightiest!"

—-

"And I turned her down." Kaya concluded, "But she kept persisting."

Shimazu struggled to hold back a smirk. To see her pupil grow to the point she had attracted her own disciple was a dream come true. "I see…"

"It's been two weeks since then, and almost every day, she's waited at the department for my return and continued her begging." Kaya groaned, "I've been trying to turn her down, but she's so honest, and so fervent about it, the aurors are actually starting to sympathize with her."

"Umm…is she still causing problems?" Shima inquired.

"And that's the worst part! This brat had turned into an absolute angel!" Kaya interjected, "We haven't had a single incident since then. In fact, it's been the opposite. She's been going around helping people. She helps disabled people cross the road, carries bags for elderly, and even helped shopkeepers hawk their wares! Apparently her stamina is near limitless! And all to get my attention!"

"M-maybe she's doing it because she's trying to show she's turning a new leaf." Shima suggested.

Kaya groaned, "I wish. But every time I see her, she merely requests my mentorship and a possible duel. She's obsessed, she is! I came over here without checking in so I could avoid her, but I just know she's waiting right outside the department for me."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that." Shima confessed. "I wish…I wish I could help."

"Actually," Shimazu's glasses glinted, "There may be a way you can."

Shima didn't like the way the researcher looked at her.

—-

When Tsukune arrived at the Auror department, she was surprised to see the black haired Auror waiting for her.

"Ahh, there you are!" The Auror greeted Tsukune, leaving her genuinely confused. Was she…happy to see her?

"Ummm…hai? I'm here." Tsukune asked hesitantly. "Have you changed your mind about being my mentor?"

"Nope!"

Tsukune thought so. "I see. Ok. I'll be leaving-"

"But I have found a suitable sparing partner for you!"

Tsukune froze. "Huh?"

Sugihara gestured at the silver haired girl standing awkwardly next her. "This is Shima Isuzu. Shima, this is Tsukune Yui."

"N-nice to meet you." The girl bowed respectfully.
Tsukune frowned in confusion. "N-nice to meet you. Auror Sugihara, is this some kind of jo-"

"Shima here is a magical girl." Sugihara announced, with a surprising amount of enthusiasm in her voice. "And you're also a magical girl. So you two are going to fight!"

The various aurors and staff who had stopped to watch the debacle paused. The two magical girls stared at Sugihara in shock. Then the entire room collectively expressed their disbelief.

"Ehh?"

 

[UCC]

A Magical Girl's Trio to Kyoto III

Kyoto September 2013

Shima glanced around nervously as she stood in the warded arena. "A-are you sure this is a good idea?"

Kaya gave a big thumbs up. "Relax, you got this!"

Shima did not think she had this. Across from her, Tsukune Yui, Kaya's "magical girl problem", was stretching her arms and legs, clearly preparing for a fight.

She still couldn't believe that she actually was not only in a building full of Aurors, but now fighting a trigger happy magical girl. And when she had initially expressed her doubts, Shimazu had taken her aside and reminded her of the real purpose of the fight.

"Think of all the data I can collect from this fight! Both from your and this other girl! Just, shove her a bit and try to push her to her limits."

Shima was starting to rethink whether she could actually push this girl to her limits. Apparently this girl fought aurors for fun! Who did that?

…Not like she hadn't fought her share of aurors…and defeated an entire squad once…but it was for a good cause! They were bullying a bunch of yokai! That definitely made her not a trigger happy magical girl. She was not Homura Akemi! She wasn't corrupted nor a time traveler!

Around them, behind powerful barriers, a small crowd of Aurors and shikigami had formed. All of them observers to the first ever recorded magical girl fight. Even the researcher was watching through shikigami as well. Shima gulped as she felt the burden of expectations, she needed to put up a good fight, or all these aurors might decide she should be arrested or something! Who knew with magicals!?

"This is the one on one duel between magical girl Tsukune Yui and magical girl Shima Isuzu! Duel will be to first down!" Kaya announced. "I swear on my auror badge that I will be a fair and impartial judge. Anything to add or object?"

Tsukune cracked her neck, hopping up and down before transforming. She wore a orange outfit, with a black bodysuit and shorts, leaving her midriff exposed. In her hands, a pair of oversized orange fans fluttered at the ready. "Say Isuzu, I'm trying to be the mightiest magical girl! So I've got a reputation to maintain. I won't be going easy on you!"

"Ehh?"

The brunette smirked, willing her fans to catch fire?! She used fire? "See, Sugihara seems to think you're hot stuff! So if I beat you, she would have to take me on as her apprentice! And with Sugihara Shishou, I can become strong enough to defeat every fox that stands before me!"

"Foxes?" Shima gasped, "What do you have against foxes?"

Tsukune's eyes narrowed, "Foxes ruined everything. So I won't hesitate to defeat every last fox, no matter the cost."

Something inside Shima snapped. The memories of little Kitsune children smiling at her, of watching reservation guards bully and torment an elderly kitsune, of the soft, fuzzy kitsune fluffy tails nuzzled against her cheeks. And this girl wanted to destroy all of that? That was unacceptable!

Transforming into her blue and white robes, Shima pointed her staff at the fire user. "If you're going to hurt foxes, than I will stop you! I refuse to allow anyone to harm the fluffy tails on foxes! That I swear on my honor, on my name as the ANGEL OF SASEBO!"

And thus the battle was on.

—-

Kaya turned over to her colleagues as several of the aurors had collectively gasped. "I'm sorry, who's the Angel of Sasebo?"

Mae nodded, "That's right, you're not really familiar with the other branches. Over in the Sasebo Reservation, there's a legend amongst the aurors and yokai there. The Angel of Sasebo, the guardian of the yokai and their rumored deliverer. Wearing white robes, wings, and a massive scythe, she protects and defends the yokai. Many of the Tokyo folks who have tried to hunt down escaping yokai have found the 'Angel of Sasebo' in their way."

"Actually," one of the other aurors muttered, "I think there's still an arrest warrant out for her."

The aurors glanced amongst each other as the explosions began to rock the arena. "You know, that's a Tokyo problem. Not ours."

Kaya fought the urge to facepalm as the group collectively nodded.

—-

Shima rolled to the side, diving under a pair of fire balls. Pointing her staff, she sent a trio of bolts at the girl.

Tsukune responded by bringing up a barrier of flame, incinerating the bolts.

Shima's brow rose. She could burn magic with her flames? Well that put the ranged approach out of the question. But how to get close without getting burned?

No time to think as the fire wielding girl swapped from defense to offense. Like a dancer, the brunette launched into an aggressive series of flame attacks, sending fireballs from her fans.

Shima ran forward, zigzagging between the attacks as she tried to close the gap between them. Tsukune had to picked up her strategy though, and encouraged it.

Shima felt a sliver of doubt rise in the back of her head. She was letting her get closer?

That doubt was confirmed when Tsukune blitzed forward, kneeing the silver haired girl in the stomach. Shima reeled back in pain as the brunette sent a magically enhanced elbow into her barely raised guard.

Shima flew back, slamming against the barrier before collapsing on the hard ground.

—-

"Oof!"

"That's a lot of damage!"

Kaya fought the urge to facepalm at her colleagues' antics. She just needed to check if Shima was out of the fight.

—-

Shima wanted to give up. Her muscles and body ached and pain clouded her mind. She wanted to just lie there and let the battle be over. It wasn't supposed to be a serious fight anyways!

But when she remembered all the foxes, all the kitsune who were depending on her, all those fluffy fluffy tails, she knew she couldn't give up.

Shakily, even as Kaya had extended her hand to call the match, Shima got back on her feet. "I'm…I'm not done yet!"

Tsukune raised her brow but nodded, "Bring it on!"

Twirling her staff before raising it into the air, Shima summoned as many shikigami as she could, nearing almost a dozen, and sent them flying in as many random directions as she could. The concentration of controlling so many fliers made her brain hurt, but she persevered through the pain, all to home them in on the brunette.

Tsukune's eyes widened but the mightiest didn't panic. She dived to the side, switching from fireballs to shooting blanket flame bursts at the swarm of spirits. Continuing her dash forward, the fire wielded kited the shikigami attack until she had successfully burned the last of the fliers. But where was the silver haired girl?

A faint flapping noise caught her attention as she looked up to see the silver haired girl floating from above, a pair of white wings flapping in full glory.

"It's over, I have the high ground." Shima called, pointing her staff.

Tsukune grimaced, but the mightiest don't run from fights, even when they have a height disadvantage. "You underestimate my mightiness!"

Furrowing her brow in concentration, Tsukune focused her magic inside of her, her passion and determination fanning the flames of her magic.

"Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora!!" She called, letting her magic surround her body in a fiery aura. Satisfied, she bent her knees and leapt onto the air, flames erupting from her feet as she rocketed towards the Angel. "Ahhhhhhh!"

—-

"They fly now!?!" One auror exclaimed.

Kaya groaned, "Yes, they fly now."

Seriously, she couldn't decide who was more cringe: the magical girls acting like shounen rivals or the aurors acting like anime commentators.

—-

Tsukune rocketed towards Shima, her body covered in a fiery aura. She was pouring everything she had into her fiery aura, propelling her upwards.

Shima patiently waited for the girl to arrive. The moment before they would have collided, she closed her wings tight and dove under the human rocket before climbing upwards, bringing her above and behind the magical girl. Transforming her staff into scythe form, she raised the weapon high over her shoulder.

Tsukune realized her mistake all too late. "Wow…an Angel…" she muttered, taking in the sight of Shima's fully unfurled wings and scythe waved high.

Shima nodded before slashing down as hard as she could.

Tsukune smashed into the ground hard, causing the reinforced stone to give away to form a crater.

Kaya took one look at the combatants before pointing her arm at the remaining magical girl. "Tsukune Yui out! Shima Isuzu wins!"

The room erupted into applause as Shima landed slowly. She had done it! She had won! She had protected the foxes! She had defended the fluffy tails!

Hamakaze would be proud, right?

 

[UCC]

A Magical Girl's Trio to Kyoto IV

Kyoto September 2013

"Where do I even begin with you two?"

Shima didn't understand why she was here. She had won right? She had defended the fluffy tail! Why was she now in seiza on Shimazu's cold floor?

Tsukune sat as well, also confused. She was nursing an ice pack on her bruised cheek where she had slammed into the ground. Shima could sympathize. Getting hit in the face sucked.

"Utterly stupid! Morons with magic! What was Kyubey thinking? Oh right! It wasn't! It just wanted to find vulnerable girls to make contracts with!"

Kaya was sitting behind them, her legs crossed as she seemed to enjoy the sight of the two magical girls being reprimanded by the researcher.

Finally Shimazu ceased her rant to look over the two girls. "Do you even remotely know why I am mad at you?"

Shima slowly looked over to the brunette and shook her head. "Did I beat her too hard?"

The brunette sent a fiery glare back at her as Kaya stifled a giggle. Shimazu only groaned. "Sure smartass! Act like that. Looks like I need to properly school you two then in basic magic 101."

She pulled out her wand and with a quick swish, a whiteboard and marker had appeared. "Casting magic can either be done by using your internal magic reservoirs or by following religious rituals that fuel your spells by belief. The more advanced or powerful the spell, the more magic it takes."

After she had written those words on the board, she sent a glare at the two girls in question, "Can you guess where your spells come from?"

Shima frowned, "Umm…our magic reservoirs? I don't think we're following any religious system."

Shimazu nodded, "You're close. But actually, you're self hypnotizing yourself into believing what your abilities are and what you can and cannot do. Which is why you can cast Aether and spirit magic effortlessly, but you couldn't cast a fire or water spell even when I walked you through the basic procedures. So you are fueling your own religious system to some degree."

Shima paused as she turned to Tsukune, her own mouth in disbelief.

"Wait, you're saying that I can cast even more spells than just fire?" She inquired.

Shimazu glared at her, "Yes. And you're also unconsciously transfiguring your clothes and casting strength charms. But you're missing the point. Normally, a religious system requires the beliefs of dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of individuals to effectively power these spells. But you're only one person. So guess where the rest of that power is coming from?"

Shima gulped, "Our magic reserves?"

"Precisely. And how long have you been casting magic?"

Shima froze, "Just over a year?"

"Six months for me." Tsukune answered.

"Exactly. Yet you were casting magics I would expect a veteran combat wizard with both elementary, secondary, and academy training to cast effectively. You know why?"

Shima shook her head. "Something about our beliefs?"

Kaya frowned, "Maybe some kind of unique ritual?"

"The incubator." Shimazu replied flatly. "That foul creature figured the best way to use your untrained and feeble magic reserves was to supercharged them. It basically gave you a jump start on your magic reserves and forced open the valves. This is what's allowing you to so recklessly cast such powerful spells without feeling a remote amount of strain."

"What?" Kaya shouted in disbelief. The idea that this creature could shortcut over a decade of hard work and studying was outrageous.

"I'm not done yet Kaya." Shimazu interrupted, "You think that having your magic valves forced open and then artificially supercharging them is a good thing?"

Shima gasped. "Of course it wouldn't. It would be very dangerous…"

"Finally someone catches on." The researcher groaned, "It's not healthy. Sure you may be able to enjoy maybe a couple years of magic living like this, but the constant strain to your magical reserves is going to cripple it! You'd be lucky to able to cast an elementary light spell by time you're 25."

Tsukune froze. "But…"

"Now you're understanding how messed up your situation is, let's go over how to tackle this problem." Shimazu pushed up her glasses. "I'm not giving up on your girls. Honestly, it's a miracle that you're able to cast like this and at least this incubator's way of helping squibs unlock their magic doesn't involve despair and turning into an abomination."

She gestured to Kaya. "You're going to contact Naoki and Momo. Tell them I've got two new students for them to teach basic magical theory. They need a rundown of magic 101 and to begin learning Omyodo and Western magic."

She turned back to the girls. "Western magic is great because it's much more efficient and streamlined. By using a magic that you can understand at a fundamental level, you'll be putting significantly less stress on your magic reserves. And while you're at it, I'll be trying to find a work around for your stupid magic hax so that it functions back to how it should. You'll be seeing me and your new magic teacher every weekend as we try to salvage your situation. Any questions?"

Shima was still trying to process her situation when Tsukune hesitantly raised her hand. "Umm…Shimazu Sensei?"

Raising her brow at the 'Sensei' Shimazu replied. "Yes?"

"Well…this is good information and all, and I'm really really thankful for everything! But…what about the others?"

"Others?" Shimazu frowned, "What others?"

"The other magical girls in Kyoto."

The trio turned in surprise to the brunette. "You mean there's more of you loonies in this city?" Shimazu cried in disbelief.

Tsukune nodded, "Hai, there's seven of us! We don't exactly get along, but I figured we might as well help them as well."

Shimazu groaned as Kaya tried to blot out the image seven Tsukune running around in her head.

—-

Sasebo High School January 2014

When Shima stumbled into class that morning, it had taken all of Rina's practiced patience and self control not to rush to her side.

"Hello Isuzu-san!" Rina greeted her instead. "You look tired."

Shima's eyes were red with exhaustion, but she nodded. "Y-yeah. I stayed up late last night."

Rina frowned, "You should take better care of yourself. If you keep pulling late nighters, you're going to die of exhaustion."

Shima muttered something under her breath about drill sergeant teachers before cracking a faint smile. "I'll be ok Ayano-san. Don't worry about me!"

As the silver haired girl walked over to her seat and sat down, Rina watched her with concern in her eyes.

"I'll be ok Rika-chan. Don't worry about me." Ren smiled faintly before running towards the witch. That would be the last time she would ever see her.

The blonde shook her head, trying to dispel the memories from her head. A tear fell from her eyes as she fiddled with a ruby ring on her middle finger.

—-

Undisclosed location January 2014

The wooden door blew off the hinges as a pair of magic bolts smashed through it. As the dust settled, a single figure entered the room.

Ishikki Tamaki looked over the shelves of the weapons cache. Rifles lined both walls and even a pair of machine guns. She reached into a small bamboo basket, pulling out a pair of rodlike shapes. Just as her informant promised, she had hit the jackpot.

This was the second cache she had raided in the past few months. Tracking down these magical caches had been difficult, but worthwhile. Picking up a pistol, recognizing it as a nambu with a sword blade attached to it, Ishikki gave it a experimental swing before putting it into the enchanted trunk she had brought with her.

Supposedly, during the war, the Japanese magical government had built dozens of these caches in preparation for the Allied invasion. How amusing that these weapons would now be used to abstract revenge against the very same magicals.

As she began packing the guns and ammunition into the trunk, a faint ringing sound could be heard. Ishikki cursed before pulling out her phone. "Hello?"

"…"

"What? Oh the culture festival project?" Yeah, we can do whatever."

"…"

"What do you mean I'm setting myself up to be the laughable villain? And what does 'befriending inbound' supposed to mean?"

"…"

"And I'm not even interested in being Ono's rival! They're all just boy crazy! I've got aspirations! Ambitions! Plans! Why should I care about some foreign boy who isn't even in class most of the time!?"

"…"

"I'm not in denial either! I'd rather date chuuni baka than join in a harem!"

"…"

"Don't jinx it? You don't jinx it!"

Ishikki shut off the phone in frustration. "Damned self aware fourth wall breaker!"

In that moment, the vengeful magical girl had been replaced with a teenage girl acting her age, only to vanish once again as she returned to moving rifles to the expanded chest.

 

[UCC]

Immediately after "A Magical Girl's trip to Kyoto"

The Mightiest Auror

—-

Kyoto March 2014

"Welcome to Banbanzai!" Tsukune greeted the customers cheerily her back turned to them. "Take a seat and I'll be with you in a moment."

"Nice place you got here." An amused female voice mused.

Tsukune whipped around, nearly dropping the bowls of ramen on her tray. "Kaya-Shishou!"

Kaya entered, followed by a young man and woman. "Table for three?" "Of course!"

Tsukune nodded, before turning to the back, "Flo, clear a table!"

"Wha-why me?" A blonde girl in her early teens complained from behind the cashier's post.

"Because we have special guests! VIP treatment, now!" Tsukune shot back.

"Ahh…" Kaya protested, "you don't have to do that, we'll take any table."

Tsukune shook her head. "That simply won't do! You're my Shishou after all! Only the best for you! Flo, get your ass moving or I'm docking your pay!"

"Fine!" The girl plopped off her stool and strolled over to an empty table, a rag in her hand. "Stupid baka, thinks she can boss me around just because she beat me." She muttered.

"So…Kaya-Shishou?" The woman teased Kaya, sending a friendly jab. "Are you sure you're an Auror and not a teacher?"

Kaya groaned. "I get enough of it with the twins. Now you too?"

"They don't seem to worship the ground you walk upon." The man commented, "What did you do to make her admire you?"

"I…I arrested her."

The pair gave Kaya started looks. "What?"

"It's…we just locked her up for a night." Kaya didn't feel like explaining. "It's complicated."

A few minutes later, the trio were seated at a…mostly clean table with a set of menus.

"Hmm…prices aren't bad. Not bad at all." Naoki commented. "We should come back here again."

Momo agreed. "Especially if the food is good."

"I don't know about that." Kaya groaned.

"Hello Kaya-Shishou!" Tsukune ran over to their table. "And you are her friends?"

"I'm Naoki. This is Momo." The man greeted her. "We went to school with Kaya."

"I see I see!" Tsukune nodded, "Well any friends of Kaga-Shishou are friends of mine!"

Kaya raised her brow, "Even if they're aurors?"

Tsukune shook her head. "They don't look mighty enough to be aurors. They don't have the same readiness posture and alertness that you and other aurors have."

Kaya stared at the girl before chuckling. "I guess you're right. Actually, let me introduce you. Naoki, Momo, this is Tsukune Yui. She's one of your new students."

The pair dropped their jaws. "So you're a magical girl then?"

Kaya gave an amused smirk. "She's not just a magical girl, but actually the 'mightiest magical girl'."

Tsukune blushed, scratching her head. "Ahh…hehe. That's me! But you're a teacher Mr. Naoki?"

The man nodded, "Well I going to begin teaching at Mahoukoto next month."

"Wow, you must be very smart!" Tsukune's eyes widened. "Do you think you could teach me anti fox spells?"

"What?"

Kaya groaned. "She's got a problem with Kitsune apparently."

"I-I see." Naoki shrugged, "Is it towards Yokai in general or…because Momo is a-"

Tsukune shook her head. "Not at all. Just Kitsune! They cursed my family!"

"Huh…maybe I'll get you in touch with a curse breaker instead." Naoki muttered. "Anyways, I look forward to working with you Miss Yui."

Tsukune nodded eagerly. "I'll promise to be the mightiest student! So what can I get for you?"

—-

A bit later, two large bowls of ramen and a massive plate of fried rice stood before the trio.

Kaya gaped, "Ahh…this is…"

"I don't know if I can eat all this." Momo muttered.

"Hopefully we can get to go boxes…" Naoki added.

Slowly the trio took a bit of their food. Chewing it slowly, they tried to get an idea of the taste.

Tsukune stood earnestly next to them. "How was it?"

Kaya slurped another spoonful of noodles as she tried to think. "Hmmm…"

"I guess…" Naoki muttered.

"If I were to put a numerical value to it…" Momo added.

"""50 points"""

Tsukune collapsed on the spot.

—-

Tsukune recovered a moment later.

"Sorry about that." Momo apologized. "It's not that it's bad or anything. It's just…kinda plain. And the flavor feels rather generic too."

"Yeah, I thought the ramen broth was kinda strong." Naoki agreed, "It sorta overwhelmed any other part of the ramen."

Tsukune nodded, "Yep. That's what we're known for! Large portions of generic but strong flavored food!"

"And that's a good thing?" Kaya muttered. "Are you sure a fox cursed you and not your father's cooking?"

Tsukune froze. "Ahh well…maybe? But I'm certain a fox is behind it all."

"She's just in denial." Flo added, bringing a tray of drinks.

Kaya eyed the younger blonde. "Aren't you a little young to be working at this time?"

"That's right!" Tsukune remarked, "I forgot to introduce you. Naoki sensei! Kaya Shishou! Friend Momo! Meet Florence Mitsuki, another magical girl!"

Florence raised her brow, "Huh?"

"Naoki sensei is going to be our new magic teacher, isn't that amazing?"

The blonde frowned. "He looks like weak. You sure I won't just turn him into a twig?"

Kaya smirked, "Naoki here may look scrawny, but I promise you, he's very good at what he does."

Florence shrugged, "Wait…and he's a teacher? Like a school teacher?"

Naoki nodded, "Yes. Momo and I are going to start next month at Mahoukoto."

"Is…is that a magic school?!" Tsukune shouted in glee. "I thought it was destroyed."

Kaya grinned. "Well we retook the island and rebuilt the school. So now we're a back in session."

"You-you think we could go to that school?"

The trio froze. Kaya turned to Naoki who shrugged, "th-that's a good question. I don't really know."

Tsukune shrugged. "Oh, ok. Anyways, isn't this the best Flo? We're going to get a magic teacher!"

Flo shrugged, "Still don't know why I need one."

—-

May 2014 Kyoto

Tsukune scrunched her brow in concentration as she carefully drew the sigil on the small sheet of paper. After a minute, she finally finished. "Whew…how did that turn out?"

Kaya examined the ofuda carefully and nodded. "You're getting better. But Obaa-Chan would say it's still very sloppy."

The mightiest sighed. "I'm…I'm a bit surprised."

"Really?" Kaya raised her brow. "Did you expect this to be easy?"

Tsukune shrugged, "Sorta. I'm an honor student in school. Top 10 in my class all throughout high school. Never really had to put in mind effort. So…I sorta thought learning Onmyodo would be the same."

Kaya chuckled. "Well I'm glad you found something hard then."

Tsukune nodded, "Exactly! Onmyodo is so interesting because it's challenging. I feel like I have to work super duper hard just to get the basic ofuda down. And…it only gets me more excited!"

"I'm glad you feel that way." Kaya shrugged, "I chose to be an auror because it felt right. Sure I had to work very hard, but it naturally suited me."

The two remained silent for a moment as Tsukune tried to make another ofuda. "Say Shishou?"

"Yes?"

"What's it like being an auror?"

Kaya froze. "Wait, are you-"

"We're doing career surveys and well…the idea came up." Tsukune shrugged. "Like sure, I could always do what my dad wanted and take over Banbanzai, but…then I realized…I wanted to do more than just serve noodles."

"Tsukune…"

"Kaya Shishou, you're so strong, brave, and have such a heart of justice, I really admire you." The brunette gazed upwards, as though looking at the nonexistent sky. "And the Kyoto auror corps embodies that. People who were dissatisfied with the Tokyo way of handling things and wanted to do things right."

Kaya fought the urge blush. "Umm…wow…way to butter us up. Like seriously, it's not all that exciting and dazzling as you're saying it is. And…thanks. I erm…appreciate your honesty."

"Thanks Shishou," Tsukune nodded.

"But…" Kaya grinned, "If you want to be an auror, you need to pass the magic exams as well."

Tsukune nodded, "Just you wait! I'll be the mightiest student you'll ever meet!"

Kaya laughed, "I'll look forward to seeing you in a few years."

 

[UCC]

With Great Power Comes…

—-

Yokosuka Feburary 2014

Shima glanced anxiously as she exited the Floo station at Yokosuka.

"So you're here."

Shima spun around to find her idol and doppelgänger standing before her. The girl's arms were crossed and she had a frown on her face.

"H-Hamakaze. Umm…hi."

"Hi."

The two silver haired girls stood awkwardly. Only for a cheerful voice to interrupt them. "Mou, do you really need to be so cold with her?"

Shima turned to see Urakaze, Yukikaze, Isokaze, and Shinano waiting for her. "Welcome to Yokosuka Shima-san!" Shinano smiled warmly.

Shima wanted to faint on the spot.

—-

"So you're learning magic, Shima-san?" Yukikaze asked, as the group walked down the streets of Yokosuka towards the base.

Shima nodded, "H-hai. We've been meeting with a tutor every weekend."

"That's so cool!" Urakaze remarked, "You're getting private magic lessons because you're a magical girl!"

"Ahh well…" Shima blushed, "We're actually discouraged from using magic for now. Our spells are actually bad for our bodies, so Naoki Sensei wants us to focus on learning how to use omyodo and western magic until Shimazu Sensei can figure out a way for us to use our magic without straining our reserves."

Hamakaze nodded, "It's good to stay safe."

"Says the one who punched poor Shima-san in the face." Urakaze teased.

"I…I thought Harry was in danger." Hamakaze protested.

"Yet you didn't bother radioing it in. Instead you just rushed into Hogwarts and tried to shoot Shima-san in the face."

Shima glanced behind her and froze. Her doppelgänger was awkwardly fidgeting, clearly embarrassed at her hasty actions. Shima had to fight to resist the urge to coo at her flustering.

"Hamakaze is really cute when she's embarrassed, isn't she?" Yukikaze whispered in Shima's ear. "Makes you want to tease her more."

Shima nodded in agreement. "H-hai, she is."

"St-stop it." Hamakaze shot back. Shinano giggled at the banter.

After a few minutes, Shima enters the admiral's office.

"Miss Isuzu." Goto greets the magical girl, "Good to see you."

"Hai, admiral."

"I read your report about magical girls." Goto commented, "I admit, I am concerned about the well being of magical girls if what your Sensei says is true."

"It's true, but she's working on a work around for our side effects." Shima explained, "So now we're learning how to use magic safely. She even mentioned that some of us might be able to go to the magic school next year."

"That's good to hear." The admiral agreed, "Knowing that someone is trying to make a difference for you girls is a good thing. Especially for our younger members."

That was a good point, "Actually admiral, if I may?"

"Go ahead?"

"What ever happened to the magical girl here? The one from Yokosuka elementary? I had wanted to find her, but after everything that happened, I had forgotten about her."

"Miss Takamachi?" Goto muttered, "Ahh, she's alright, but she's under a pretty strict no magic policy by her parents."

"Wh-why is that?"

Goto groaned, "It's…it's better if you meet her yourself. Actually that might be a good idea. Maybe you can help put some sense into that girl."

—-

Takamachi Household, Yokosuka

Shima stared at the house…or what poor excuse for a house this half destroyed building could count as. Several craters and destroyed trees littered the ground around the house. Patched up holes pocketed the walls.

Hamakaze, standing next to her, frowned. "So this is where all the noise complaints came from."

Noise complaints? This wasn't a house, this was a war zone! Shima could barely resist the urge to drop her mouth and boggle at the destruction. A magical girl had done all of this? Even she wasn't this destructive when she was moody.

Hamakaze walked up the door and rang the doorbell.

The door opened to reveal a tall man with a weary expression on his face. "Can I help you?"

"We're here to see your daughter." Hamakaze handed the man a letter.

The man examined the letter before nodded, "Nanoha? You've got guests!"

"Is it Fate?" A voice came from inside the house.

The man sighed, "No, it's not Testarossa."

"Then I won't see them."

"Nanoha!" The man shouted, "These people are here to see you."

"Don't want em!" The voice shouted back, "I only want Fate!"

"Umm…" Shima called out, "I'm…I'm a magical girl. I would like to talk to you."

There was a long pause before the man gestured to the girls. "Why don't you come on in? I'll see if I can convince her to meet you."

—-

Nanoha crossed her arms. "So you're a magical girl too?"

Shima nodded, "Hai. I met Kyubey about a year and a half ago. I made a contract and I've been learning magic in Kyoto for the last few months."

"Learning magic?" Her father raised his brow, "Don't you already have magic?"

"Well…" Shima explained, "Actually what we're doing is more like brute forcing a magic system. It's not healthy for our bodies and so it's better that we learn normal magics and avoid using our magic for now."

Nanoha's father nearly dropped his mug in shock. "Wait, what?"

"H-Hai" Shima nodded, "That's why I felt it best to let you know immediately. Our magic isn't safe and should only be used in moderation."

"She's speaking the truth." Hamakaze agreed, "I've seen the reports."

Mr. Takamachi nodded, "If possible…I would like to see these reports as well. This is my daughter's safety we're talking about."

Hamakaze nodded, "I'll notify the admiral about getting you those reports."

"It's a load of baloney."

The trio turned to the grade schooler in surprise. The girl shrugged. "It's just a bunch of baloney! They're just saying that to keep us from using our powers."

"Th-that's not true!" Shima protested. "The power we wield is to be wielded responsibly and safely. If we don't-"

"Something bad will happen to us, I'm sure." Nanoha rolled her eyes, "The point is, magicals don't want us using their magic! Kyubey told me that. So naturally they're trying to find a way to keep us from using it."

Shima stared at the child before her, disbelieving what she was hearing. Is this really how other magical girls were? Then again…if Tsukune and the others were told to just stop using magic, that probably wouldn't go well either. Wasn't that what she was essentially doing? Taking away a gift that the girl had received?

"That's bullshit and you know it." Hamakaze interrupted. "Don't believe a word she says for an instant Shima."

Shima turned to her doppelgänger in surprise. Hamakaze's face was hardened, her eyes glaring at the younger girl. "And you, you should learn to treat your elders with respect. Shima here has been learning magic that she can cast safely. She's not being denied her magic, she's being taught how to wield it properly."

Nanoha seemed taken aback, "They're still telling us we can't use our powers!"

"That's because we should use them responsibly," Hamakaze shot back, "What's the phrase, 'With great power comes great responsibility'?"

"Oh shoot," her father facepalmed, "Forgot to show her those movies. Will make a point to do so."

Shima's idol pointed at herself, "I'm a shipgirl. I have the ability to shoot canons, throw explosives, and punch with the force of 52,000 horsepower. But do I use it willynilly? No I do not. I practice restraint, only using my weapons in the correct situations."

"Unless it's my face." Shima muttered darkly, but Hamakaze didn't seem to notice.

"So if you cannot understand how to regulate yourself and practice restraint, then I can perfectly see why you have been prohibited from using magic."

"Why you!" Nanoha jumped to her feet, transforming as she did so. Before her father could stop her, the point of a golden staff with red sphere had been leveled at the destroyer's face.

Hamakaze didn't budge an inch. "This only proves my point. But if that's what you want to do, let me demonstrate it to you."

Shima stared at Hamakaze in shock, "What?"

"I know how to use restraint. In fact, I can beat you without even needing to summon my rigging." The destroyer confidently taunted.

"Ha-Hamakaze!?" The magical girl gasped in astonishment.

Nanoha narrowed her eyes, "Bring it on!"

Mr. Takamachi raised his hand to protest…but eventually put it down in resignation. "I'll…prepare the dojo."

—-

Shima stood on one side of a once elegant dojo. Craters pocketed the floor and the walls had scorch marks.

Mr. Takamachi noticed her gaze and sighed. "This…this isn't the first time Nanoha has fought here. And well…repair costs for bamboo floors aren't cheap."

Shima frowned before pulling out her wand, cherry wood with unicorn hair, and gave it a flick. "Reparo!" she called.

The crater on the ground reverted back to flat and smooth bamboo flooring. Nanoha's father turned to the magical girl in disbelief, "…can you do the rest?"

"I…I can try."

A few minutes later, the cratered and half destroyed dojo had been reverted back to a pristine and shining dojo. Mr. Takamachi fell on his knees. "…is it possible to learn this power?"

Shima paused, trying to remember from movie line. "Ummm…not from a magical girl?"

She heard a snicker. Shima turned to her fellow silver haired friend…but found a very rigid and stoic girl without a trace of emotion on her face.

Shima frowned before tapping the destroyer's arm. "Umm…you didn't have to do this?"

Hamakaze sighed, "I-I know. It was…I got upset."

"Y-you did?"

"It's not fair." She muttered, "You…you're like Harry. You work hard, even when the odds are against you. It's…it's not fair that someone should put you down for your efforts."

Now it was Shima's turn to blush. Hamakaze really saw her like that? "Ah…umm…thank you."

The destroyer nodded, before returning her gaze to the younger magical girl. "Now then, are you ready?"

Nanoha's expression hadn't changed: sheer determination and fury. "I'm ready!"

Transforming, she raised her staff high and pointed the end at the destroyer. "You're going down!"

Hamakaze didn't respond, instead cracking her knuckles.

Mr. Takamachi stood at the side of the dojo, raising his hand. "This will be a one on one match between Nanoha Takamachi and Hamakaze-"

"Umm…Hamakaze Potter!" Shima offered.

The participants paused. The destroyer's face slowly reddened but…she didn't protest. Nanoha's father seemed to understand. "This will be a match between Nanoha Takamachi and Hamakaze Potter. Winner will be decided by first down. You may begin when ready."

Nanoha took initiative. "Let's start with full power! Divine buster!"

A pink beam of energy shot towards the destroyer. Hamakaze cranked her head to the side. The shot flew past where her head was and smashed into the wall behind her.

Nanoha paused, her eyes wide. The destroyer shrugged, "I'm a destroyer. I dodge shells regularly."

"Then let's see how you handle multiple shots!" Nanoha called back. This time she summoned several small orbs of pink energy before sending them in a complex pattern.

Shima's eyes widened. The girl took her shikigami style attack and made it seem easy. How was she going to dodge all of those?

It turns out, the destroyer didn't need to. Her rangefinders tracking the orbs, Hamakaze raised her fist before slapping the first orb, and the second, and the third. Like a whirlwind of movement, the destroyer calmly blocked and deflected the orbs with her hands and arms.

Shima watched in awe, the destroyer looked so cool, her eyes calm and her expression stoic, like a knight out of her storybooks. Dammit, she didn't have her sketchbook on her (Later she would learn how to immortalize memories and would draw an entire collection of Hamakaze art).

Nanoha's eyes widened as the destroyer seemed to effortlessly dodge, block, and deflect her attacks. And what was worse, the destroyer had begun walked towards her, ever so slowly, ever so casually. As she did, the magical girl felt something shiver down her back, causing her to take a step back.

Nanoha didn't know it at the time, but what she felt was the foreign emotion of fear.

"Divine Buster x2!" She shouted, summoned two beams of energy.

Hamakaze raised her brow and quickened her pace. She ducked under the first beam and used her elbow to block the second beam.

"Divine Buster x 4!"

Hamakaze brushed it off without a sweat.

"Ex-Excellion Buster!" An even larger beam.

The destroyer kicked the beam with her foot, sending it flying through the roof.

"Ahh…well…damn it!" Nanoha panicked, her entire body trembling. "G-Gather shimmer of stars! I summon you to-"

A hand grabbed her staff, pushing it down. "I think that's enough."

"Ehh?" Nanoha looked up into the eyes of the calm but stern eyes of green eyes of the destroyer, only mere inches from her face.

The destroyer raised her fist, putting it level with the girl's face. "Yield."

The words hit the girl hard, causing her to flinch as her body. Her hands shaking, she dropped her staff, her transformation bursting as well. Trembling, the magical girl's legs collapsed as she dropped to the ground.

"You're strong. But you lack experience, training, and effort." The destroyer commended her. She gestured to the elder magical girl. "Shima has practiced, has trained, and dedicates herself to improving her magic. That is what makes her strong. You could do to learn a thing or two from her."

Nanoha's head turned to Shima, her eyes looking over the silver haired girl. Now that she looked at her, despite her shy and unassuming appearance, the magical girl's posture was straight, her footwork firm, and her hands steady, the image of someone who was prepared, alert, and ready.

Nanoha managed to look back up at the destroyer. "Y-you're saying…I…I can be like her."

Hamakaze nodded, "Indeed. Our little Shima is a great example of hard work and effort. She's brave and strong, kind and gentle."

"O-ok…"

The silver haired destroyer smiled softly before offering her hand. Hesitantly, Nanoha took the hand and allowed the destroyer to be pull her to her feet. "But first, I think you owe some people some apologies."

Slowly, the younger girl turned to her father. "I…I'm sorry for how I acted. I…I was being…rude and disrespectful."

Mr. Takamachi smiled. "We forgive you Nanoha. Though I would appreciate if you told your mother that too."

"O-ok." Nanoha nodded before turning to the magical girl. "S-sorry for what I said to you. You aren't being denied magic. I need…I need to learn how to use magic safely."

Shima walked up to the girl and put her hand on the magical girl's head. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry for making it sound like I wanted to take away your magic."

Nanoha stiffened at the sudden affection. She turned to the destroyer and her father, who nodded. "I-I forgive you."

The two enjoyed the moment.

Mr. Takamachi surveyed the damaged dojo. The wall behind them was riddled with small holes and the afternoon sun shown down a large hole in the roof. He sighed as he exited the dojo. "If Miss Shima would be kind enough to repair the place. And…perhaps teach Nanoha the spell to repair stuff?"

"At least the building is still standing." Hamakaze commented offhandedly.

With a crash, the roof collapsed and the walls crumbled. Standing conveniently inside the hole in the roof, Nanoha, Hamakaze, and Shima glanced around the ruined dojo in utter disbelief.

Then they noticed the small abyssal girl escorted by kitsune twins. Each child had a cute sash around their body with the words, "Anti baka patrol".

Hoppou surveyed the wreckage of the dojo, and the trio of girls in the middle of it.

"Rei, Asuka, put up the barrier."

"Yes Hoppou!" The twins drew ofuda and placed them on the half standing walls of the building. The paper sheets glowed, causing a golden barrier to be erected over property.

The magical girls stared in confusion at the barrier before they save the Abyssal installation draw a pair of hoses. "You are being very silly! Hosing for all of you!"

The girls had barely any time to react before twin jets of water crashed into them. Shima sputtered as water filled her mouth and soaked her to the bone. Her eyes met Hamakaze's and saw the shipgirl also trying to shield herself from the stream.

She couldn't help it. The two silver haired girls chuckled as the water continued to overtake them.

—-

Yokosuka Naval Base February 2014

"So Miss Takamachi asked to study omyodo under Miss Haru?" Goto raised his brow.

Hamakaze nodded, "Hai. She said it would be barebone basics, but it's a significant step up from where she was before."

"That's a relief. It's been…troublesome to keep law enforcement from investigating the Takamachi house." Goto sighed, "And what about you? You seem rather…chipper."

The destroyer raised her brow. "What do you mean, admiral? I'm just the same as always."

The admiral paused before smiling, "And Miss Isuzu has left already?"

"Hai! She reported that she returned home safely."

"Good, now in the meantime, here's your next patrol route. You'll be escorting Shinano to…"

—-

Yokosuka Auror Department, March 2014

Slipping into the Yokosuka Auror department was generally something most people wouldn't consider doing. Most people weren't magical girls with a talent for stealth and concealment.

Ishikki slipped past the wards without issue and into the women's restroom. Checking both ways, the magical girl snuck her way out of the restroom and toward the main offices. Sure enough, at this hour at night, the offices were mostly deserted, save for a few tired staff members on trying to finish some last minute reports.

Casting a silencing charm she had picked up from a "borrowed" book, the magical girl snuck past the distracted staff before finding herself before the chief's office.

Glancing both ways, she pushed the door ajar, just far enough for the teen to slip in and close the door behind her.

Pulling out her phone and turning the flashlight on, Ishikki began to scan the papers on the desk and the wall. There had to be some kind of name that she could track.

Reports on shipgirl activity. Something about some kind of activist group. New recruit profiles…and…

Ishikki's eyes caught a notice on the bulletin board, something about an American auror doing observations of various branches and was sighted recently in Yokosuka. The magical girl frowned before taking a photo of the bulletin. That might be useful. An American magical that caused the Japanese aurors to be on guard could be worth investigating.

Making sure she hadn't set off any alarm, the magical girl slipped out of the office, and was out of the department the minute later, leaving none the wiser.

 

[UCC]

After the Hunt for Norimune and With Great Power Comes…

No Hard Feelings

—-

Sasebo March 2014

It was late into the night when the five girls gathered. "You sure it's around here?"

The blue haired girl nodded. "I definitely felt her presence here."

The grey haired girl checked her phone, "The recent string of disappearances also match her style."

The black haired girl looked over to her blue haired companion. "Let's get this over with."

Entering the alleyway, the five girls examined the walls before the older of the two blondes called out. "I found her."

The girls walked over before freezing. The younger blonde sighed softly before walking up to the still body, a tear rolling down her eye. Bringing her hand to the girl's face, the blonde closed her unmoving eyes. "Farewell Karin-chan…"

The quintet gave their respects before turning their attention to the magical portal standing before them. Transforming into colorful outfits, the five magical girls entered the portal, weapons drawn.

—-

Adachi Ward March 2014

"And then these three women who I've never met in my life show up! And supposedly I'm their father! And I owe them child support? What the fuck is that supposed to be?"

"Child support is when you're helping support a divorced significant other raise your child. Typically it's calculated as a part of your income every year." Jin provides.

"Right," Norimune pauses before turning to the mizuchi is shock. "Wait…every year?"

"Pretty sure. I've got two tenants who are dealing with that. Even had to evict a douche who couldn't pay his child support and reported him to the authorities."

"And does it…does it accrue?"

"I think so."

Norimune froze as her mind attempted to calculate several centuries' worth of child support for 3 children. "I'm…I'm so fucked."

Jin watched her friend boggle over the numbers before providing a useful bit of information. "Also, court issued child support typically ends when they come of age. So actually you only need to pay for 54 years of child support, not several centuries."

"Why, I ought to pound you!"

Jin chuckled, enjoying the amusement of her friend's dismay. "Careful there. Pound me too hard and you'll have another 18 years of child support owed."

The blonde pouted as the pair walked towards the group of apartment buildings. "Say…you've had a rocky relationship with your mom right?"

Jin turned to the Muramasa in shock, "What? Me and mom? We're fine! We're tight as rocks!"

Nori raised her brow. "Didn't your mom have to put you down 3 times?"

"The third time didn't count! It was all verbal!"

"My point is, how did you and your mom…get better?"

Jin paused and frowned, "Well…I guess it just took a bit of time. I had to get resettled with my new status as an onryou and a mizuchi…and mom had to get over the fact that her daughter was not human anymore. Sure it took a few decades, but I like to think we're a lot better now."

The two continued to chat as Jin led Norimune to a rather spacious lobby in the main building. As they did, they passed by a pink haired teen with a blue duffle bag hoisted over her shoulder.

"Ah…hello Miss Hisakawa," the girl greeted Jin before walking past.

"Hey there bratling." Jin grunted, "We good on the rent this month?"

The girl nodded, "Yes. It's already in the box."

"Good. You going somewhere?"

"H-Hai! Going to meet some friends."

"Alright then, have fun." The landlord dismissed her. She turned back to Norimune, shrugging, "Sorry about that, she's one of my newer tenants."

"Awfully young to be a renter don't you think?" Nori raised her brow, before frowning. "Also…what's that I smell?"

Jin leaned in to whisper in the Muramasa's ear. "Honestly, I think she ran away from home. Probably has some family troubles and the like. I can relate to that. So I let her rent one of the smaller rooms for cheap."

Nori didn't seem to be listening though, her eyes closed as her nose sniffed the air around them. Suddenly her eyes opened in alarm. "You sure about that? Because I just smelled gunpowder coming from that bag of hers."

"You sure?" Jin raised her brow.

"Jin, it's me. I've spent more than half my life around firearms."

The mizuchi turned around and ran out the door. "Hey bratling! Hold on a sec!"

Ishikki froze. "Y-yes Miss Hisakawa?"

Jin gestured to the duffel bag. "Whatcha got in that bag?"

"Just some clothes." The pink haired teen explained, "Why you ask?"

Norimune's eyes narrowed. "Really? Didn't know clothes smelled like lead and gunpowder."

The girl's eyes widened. "I...I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Show us what's in the bag." Jin demanded, "Because that bag came out of my apartment building. If I think there's something dangerous in it, I'd like to know."

Norimune walked up to the girl cautiously, her other hand reaching towards a can of mace she kept pocketed in her back pocket.

The girl removed the bag from her shoulder and began to unzip it. Her hand reached into the open bit before Norimune called out.

"Don't. Pull your hand out of the bag." The Muramasa commanded.

Slowly, Ishikki pulled her hand out of the bag…as she revealed a small round object clutched in her hand.

Norimune acted out of sheer instinct. She tackled Jin to the ground.

"GRENADE!"

The girl threw the object to the ground, causing it to spew white smoke, concealing her from their sight.

—-

When the explosion didn't come, Jin glared at the Muramasa. "You dolt, that was a smoke grenade!"

Norimune shrugged, "Can't take chances."

"Except I'm a mizuchi. Fragmentation grenades do jack shit on me." There was a brief moment between them before Jin glared at the Muramasa. "Get off me! She's getting away!"

—-

Ishikki ran down the street, her bag clutched to her body.

She had been caught. She was exposed. She didn't know how those two women knew, but now she had escape. As she ran through the streets of Yokosuka, a plan began to form in her mind. She needed to escape her pursuers.

Actually, she needed to get rid of her pursuers, considering that Miss Hisakawa knew her name. She needed to find a way for them to vanish…though she felt a bit bad about it. They weren't her problems, just wrong place at the wrong time. They weren't the evil magicals, so they were innocent. It would be a pity…but if she was going to pull off her revenge against magicals, then…more than a few innocent might vanish as a side effect.

—-

"Dammit she's good." Norimune pointed out as they tan through the Yokosuka streets.

"What do you mean?" Jin asked.

"She's running in a civilian street, so we can't use our powers to catch up to her." Nori turned to Jin. "Any clues about her capabilities?"

Jin shook her head. "She's 13. She's a bratling. I think she goes to school. Didn't even know she was involved with guns, much less magic."

Nori paused. "Wait…she doesn't know you're a mizuchi?"

Jin shrugged, "Never mentioned it to her. Thought she was non magical."

Norimune frowned. "So we could totally be overthinking this?"

The two women paused to look at each other.

"Well, she's thrown a grenade at us. We know she's got a firearm…or several. So regardless, she's got something she from definitely shouldn't have. I think that's enough of a reason to go after her."

Norimune nodded, "Gotcha."

The pair continued their chase before finding themselves at an abandoned two story building.

"This…is a trap." Norimune announced.

Jin jabbed her side, "well duh it's a fucking trap. What gave it away? The gloomy building? The lack of passerbyers? The sign "slated for destruction"?"

"Just pointing it out." Nori shrugged as she walked towards the entrance. "You coming?"

"You're walking into a trap." Jin pointed out.

"Well duh, but I figured we could take it. I'm a Muramasa blade. You're a Mizuchi. She's a thirteen year old with a gun. I think we're pretty bullet proof." Jin groaned as she followed the blonde into the building.

Slowly opening the door, Nori chuckled as she knelt down. "Well well what do we have here?"

Jin glanced down as she noticed a strand of twine spread across the bottom of the entrance. "A tripwire?"

"Yep." Norimune pulled out a pocket knife and carefully snipped the string, her hand still carefully holding the string. "Wanna check what this leads to?"

The green haired woman crept through the doorway and followed the string until she froze. "Woah…Nori, you're clear. Get over here."

The Muramasa let go of the string before following her to the other side of the door. "Is that…that's a Type 99."

Jin nodded, "And check the markings."

Carefully picking up the rifle propped to face towards the doorway, Norimune examined the emblem painted on the side. "Holy fuck, this isn't an IJA rifle…this belonged to the Kamo." She turned back toward the mizuchi. "You still think she's not magical?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." Jin admitted. "Well we better hurry then."

The blonde narrowed her eyes as she swapped her pocket knife for a larger one.

As they entered into the building, the two women dismantled another pair of rifle traps.

"She's got more than one rifle." Norimune muttered, "Makes you wonder how she got her hands on these."

"I'm betting she raided a cache." Jin explained. "I know of at least a few that haven't been dug up yet."

"And you haven't done anything about them?"

The mizuchi shrugged, "You never know. Might come in handy."

Norimune hated how much that made sense. "Regardless, let's find this kid and get her to spill the beans." She entered an open space, probably meant for offices, and jerked her head back.

Just in time to avoid a pink bolt shoot past her head. "…what the fuck was that?"

Jin shook her head, "Some kind of magical bolt from the looks of it."

"Great, so she's a magical." Norimune considered her options. "You wanna push forward first? I'll draw up the rear."

The mizuchi nodded before charging forward. Her eyes caught sight of the pink haired teen…wearing the most ridiculous garb she had ever seen. But her eyes saw the raised crossbow and instantly Jin knew she had to take action.

Putting her arms in front of her face, Jin rushed the girl. The pink haired girl opened fire, magic bolts striking the woman's arms. The bolts stung but did little more than that.

Jin smirked at the girl's panic. She could just taste the fear and disbelief on the girl's face. That's when she heard Nori mutter, "Oh shit…Depulso!"

Ishikki had thrown another smoke grenade. Jin rushed towards the girl but she had vanished from her view. That's when she noticed Nori had vanished as well. That's also when she noticed the number of grenades and dynamite lining the walls of the room. All of them just so happened to have their pins pulled.

"Ahh shit-"

—-

Ishikki covered her ears as the building erupted in an explosion. While it wasn't ideal, it had gone off as planned. Though setting up a newly rigged building to trap magicals in would take time, Ishikki at least felt confident she could pull it off again.

That's when the rubble erupted and a multifoot long dragon flew out of the rubble. Ishikki's eyes widened as the dragon turned its scaly eyes on her. "Umm…nice dragon?"

She slowly backed up, trying to figure out the next best plan when a pair of hands camped down hard on her shoulders. "Woah there kiddo, awfully quick to leave are we?"

She looked up to see the blonde woman standing behind her. She smiled…but it did not reach her eyes.

"Ahh…ehehehe…no hard feelings?"

In fact, there were several hard feelings.

—-

Jin kicked down the door of the small apartment before strolling in. Behind her, Norimune followed, dragging the pink haired girl along.

"So little Miss Terrorist, why don't you explain what your agenda is." The Muramasa started. "And while we're at it, are you a magical girl? Cause Toku mentioned how she met some back a while back and-"

"Holy shit! Nori you gotta see this!"

Norimune stopped and turned her head towards the back wall of the studio apartment.

A detailed map of Yokosuka had taken up the whole wall, with sticky notes, string, and photos tacked on. Looking closer, Nori caught sight of several names.

Mary Maleficus - MACUSA auror

Jin turned to the still terrified and gagged pink haired girl. "So bratling, mind telling me why my mom is on your hit list?"

The girl's eyes widened as she tried to make a muffled noise. But Jin wasn't done yet. Another group of names were on the wall.

Usagi Tsukino - Yokai

Ayaka Ataksuki - Yokai

Rika Itō - Yokai

Kenta Kaku - Yokai

Asuka Miku - Yokai

Natsumi Ono - Yokai

Jin sent an icy glare at the girl. "Well aren't you a little shitbag aren't you? Trying to go after kids too huh?"

Norimune sighed, "So…are we going to let her talk?"

Jin chuckled. "Eventually. I've got a lot of pent up stress over the all and well…she just so happens to be nice and quiet just for me."

She turned back towards the girl. "Mind grabbing lunch for us? There's a nice udon shop down the street. Grab me a tonkatsu udon?"

Nori nodded, "Gotcha. What about her?"

Jin gave the blade a toothed grin. "We'll just be…talking. I won't lay a finger on her. Pinky promise!"

The muramasa sighed as she exited the small apartment. That's when she remembered. Pulling out her phone, she dialed a number. "hey, it's Norimune."

"…"

"Yeah, yeah. Could you do me a favor and tell my…my kids that I got caught up in a fight?"

"…"

"Yeah yeah…it's over, but we're interrogating her as we speak. Actually, is Toku there?"

"…"

"Yeah, wanted to talk to her about those magical girls of hers. Think we found another one."

Norimune covered the speaker as screams were heard from the apartment behind her. "What? That's nothing. Just a neighbor watching a horror film."

—-

When Norimune returned, three bowls of noodles in her arms, she found the pink haired girl untied and sitting lifelessly at the table.

"Is she?" Nori raised her brow in alarm.

"Dead? Nah. She's just passed out. But not before giving me the info we were looking for." Jin muttered, her eyes a bit tired and in thought.

"So what did you find?"

Jin groaned, "A sob story if I ever saw one. Girl saw her entire family get obliviated by some gung-ho aurors. Learned how to use her powers and swore to get revenge on magical society."

Nori rolled hey eyes. "Is she a magical girl?"

"Oh yeah, she mentioned that too. You know anything about them?"

"Yeah. Apparently Masamune no Toku caught a few of them last year. They've been more frequent as of late." Norimune explained. "Still, I don't think they knew how to get their hands on Kamo weaponry."

"Ishikki here found a map of caches after breaking into ruins of the old Tokyo Diet." Jin explained. "I didn't even know those were there."

"Damn, more Kamo stuff." Norimune shivered, "So…you planning on turning her in?"

Jin shrugged, "What, to the aurors? Nah."

"Really?"

The mizuchi gave the Muramasa a shit eating grin. "Why would I turn her over to the aurors…when I have a perfectly good punishment system in place?"

As she looked over the sleeping magical girl, Jin hummed to herself. "I've always wanted a personal magical girl at my beck and call."

 

[darthcourt10]

SFW Portion Subject to change if UCC has more pieces

+-+-+-+

Prelude to Hogwarts

*-*-*
Year 1 - The Power of Magicite
*-*-*


Year 1 - The Power of Magicite 1


Year 1 - The Power of Magicite 2 Christmas


Year 1 - The Power of Magicite 3


+-+-+
First Summer Holidays
+-+-+

*-*-*
Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls
*-*-*


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls Prelude


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls 1


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls 2 Christmas


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls 3


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls 4


Year 2 - Secrets and Shipgirls 5


*-*-*
Second Summer Holidays
*-*-*


Second Summer Holidays 1


Second Summer Holidays 2


Second Summer Holidays 3

*-*-*
Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping
*-*-*


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping Prelude 1


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping Prelude 2


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping Prelude 3


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 1a


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 1b


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 1c


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 2a Christmas


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 2b Christmas


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 3a


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 3b


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 3c


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 4a


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 4b


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 4c


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 4d


Year 3 - Prisoner of Shipping 4e

*-*-*
Third Summer Holidays
*-*-*

Third Summer Holidays 1


Third Summer Holidays 2


Third Summer Holidays 3


Third Summer Holidays 4


Third Summer Holidays 5


Third Summer Holidays 6


Third Summer Holidays 7

+-+-+-+-+



NSFW PORTION/THREAD

*-*-*
YEAR FOUR - GOBLET OF FEELS
*-*-*

YEAR FOUR - GOBLET OF FEELS Prelude


YEAR FOUR - A Germanic Trip 1


YEAR FOUR - A Germanic Trip 2


YEAR FOUR - A Germanic Trip 3


YEAR FOUR - A Germanic Trip 4



*-*-*
YEAR FOUR - Triwizard Tournament
*-*-*

YEAR FOUR - Triwizard Prelude 1


YEAR FOUR - Triwizard Prelude 2


YEAR FOUR - Triwizard Prelude 3


YEAR FOUR - Triwizard Prelude 4


YEAR FOUR - First Task and lead up to the Ball 1


YEAR FOUR - First Task and lead up to the Ball 2


YEAR FOUR - First Task and lead up to the Ball 3


YEAR FOUR - First Task and lead up to the Ball 4


YEAR FOUR - Christmas/Yule 1


YEAR FOUR - Christmas/Yule 2


YEAR FOUR - Christmas/Yule 3


YEAR FOUR - Christmas/Yule 4


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 1


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 2


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 3


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 4


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 5


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 6


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 7


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 8


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 9


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 10


YEAR FOUR - After the Ball 11


YEAR FOUR - Second Task


YEAR FOUR - Second Task Aftermath 1


YEAR FOUR - Second Task Aftermath 2


YEAR FOUR - Second Task Aftermath 3



YEAR FOUR - Second Task Aftermath 4 (ongoing)



*-*-*-*
Extras - In This Life, as in the Last: Pt 1(Ryouma &; Oryou) NSFW Version of A Young Ryouma and Oryou
Extras - In This Life, as in the Last: Pt 2 (Ryouma &; Oryou) NSFW Version of Teen Ryouma and Oryou

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Basic In-Universe Timeline

Written Out-of-Universe on December 13 2017

*-*-*


As was asked for, here's a basic timeline:


1,000,000+: Ancestors of Homo floresiensis use rafts to reach the island of Flores, among the first sea traveling humans.

130,000: First evidence of travel by boat to Crete.

50,000+: Gibraltar settled, first stirrings of Genius Loci.

10,000: Black Lake spirit begins forming.

9,000: Bath Genius Loci becomes aware, same with the spirit in what would become the Forbidden Forest.

8,500: First settlement on Hy-Brasil as the island can be reached by land.

8,000: Oldest found boat, the Pesse Canoe, is made.

4,200: Oldest ruins on Saint Brendan's.

4,100: Disaster on Hy-Brasil forces it into a sort of limbo, a number of the inhabitants manage to escape to nearby Ireland.

3,200: Trojan Ships in Italy are burned and become shipgirls. First possible mention of them in history as written in the Aenied.

The Sea Peoples attack various settlements and nations around the Eastern Mediterranean at this time. They become one of the major factors in the Bronze Age Collapse, possible Abyssals due to use of Abyssalized metal in their weapons found in an Egyptian tomb from the time.

865 BC: Springs at Bath discovered by King Bladud, Genius Loci becomes fully aware and is given the name "Sul".

29 BC: Aenied written after Virgil meets several Trojan shipgirls and takes down their story with his own modifications.

AD 43: First bathhouse made at Bath, England by the Romans with Sul renamed "Sul Minerva" as she is seen as an aspect of said goddess.

106 AD: People leave Saint Branden's for parts unknown. Reminder die off in the next few decades leaving behind ruins and the same magic protecting the island as Avalon.

457 AD: Sul grants the wish of one of her last worshippers and gifts her a child, said child is actually Sul herself reborn as a human.

490 AD: City of Ys sinks beneath the waves after the gate in the dike is opened during a stormy night and higher then normal tide floods it.

5th Century-6th Century: Events in Arthurian Legend occur.

530 AD: Lyoness, site of the last battle between Arthur and Mordred sinks beneath the waves. Some local magicals believe that magics unleash cause it, others are unsure.
545 AD: Prydwen appears as a shipgirl.

574 AD: Prydwen manages to get the last items belonging to Merlin and manages to gain him as a fairy.

840 AD: Small castle is built close to the Black Lake and inhabited by a cruel Laird.

873 AD: Laird's castle burnt down with all inside, spiritual impression eventually leading to Peeves being born.

990 AD: Hogwarts is founded.

1025: First stirrings of what would become Hogwarts' spirit occur.

1106: Deathly Hollows created.

1145: Hardwin Potter marries Iolanthe Peverell and the True Cloak of Invisibility passes into the Potter family.

1315: Branch of Potter family establishes itself in Germany, eventually becoming the Continental Branch.

1692: After various events in Europe, the Statute of Secrecy is established and soon goes world wide.

1723: First new settlers arrive on Saint Brendan's in the form of those who have become "Stuck" in transformations with animal features.

1860: The magical portion of Japan goes under the SoS after decades of trying to avoid it. Yokai Reserves established. Member of the Potter Family travels to Japan.

1883: Thunderchild becomes flagship of Saint Brendan's naval force.

1914: World War One starts, fighting occurs on both sides of the divide, magical and non-magical. A program involving dragons is started and later stopped when they eat everyone except for a Newt Scamander.

1926: Events of the movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" occurs.

1929: Construction begins at a secret shipyard inside of a caldera island with two Hitobashira being buried.

1937-1945: Various wars occur which eventually merge together to form the Second World War. In Europe, Grindlewald allies himself with the Nazis and delves deep into dark magic. In the Pacific, factions of Japan does the same in an effort to eventually end the SoS. War ends with the Surrender of Japan. ICW comes down hard on both Germany and Japan in the aftermath.

At the same time, Tom Riddle lays the foundation for his rise to power.

1957: First reports of "Modern" Abyssal activity reach human ears from mermaids and other sea dwellers.

1958: First contact with Abyssals occur in the Straits of Malacca when reports of magic being used brings wizards into contact with an Abyssal sailing ship attacking muggle vessels. It is rapidly sunk. It is deemed a success and those muggles who saw it have their memories modified, though it is reported as being harder then normal to do so. However, another incident occurs before the end of the year in the Mediterranean.

1960s-1970s: Continued battles occur with Abyssals and grow in number.

1978: First incident regarding an "Ironclad" Abyssal occur.

1979: The Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort reveal themselves in Britain openly for the first time.

1980: Lily Evans is born.

Late 1980s: USS Iowa comes across a group of Abyssals attacking a Freighter and fires on them, managing to sink two. Incident later covered up by mass memory charms and modifications of logs by MACUSA.
1991: Lily Evans goes to Hogwarts and meets James Potter. Outside of Hogwarts, Death Eater attacks rise as the British Ministry tries to fight them to little effect.

1997: Lily Evans and James Potter graduate Hogwarts and fully join the Order of the Phoenix.

1990s: Abyssal attacks continue to rise in number and power over the decade. The first "Humanoid Sea Ghouls" are reported by ICW fighters. With the war against the Death Eaters though, there is a hole open in the North Sea and North Atlantic due to lack of forces from Britain. Losses among the Abyssals drop during this time as they become harder and harder to kill. One Muggleborn comments that "It's almost as if they are evolving the more we fight them!"

2000: Harry Potter is born under a prophecy about him.

2001: Voldemort attacks the Potters resulting in the deaths of Harry's parents and his disincorporation.

2001-2005: Attacks reach a new height and eventually are too many for the ICW to handle, and so they pull back and decide on hiding the attacks until they can come up with a new way to defeat the Abyssals.

2005, August: Blood Week occurs when Abyssals attack almost at the same time across the planet in a coordinated action. Millions die before the military rallies and fights back. At the same time, thousands of witches and wizards die defending their non-magical fellows. There are unconfirmed reports of young girls and women fighting back, but these are dismissed.

2005, September: First confirmed reports of shipgirls come in as a small group with Kongou, Haruna, Fubuki, and several more appear to fight off an Abyssal attack on Tokyo.

2007: Nagato meets a young boy named Harry and soon adopts him, main events of fic occur.

2011: Harry heads off for his first year at Hogwarts.

 

[UCC]

just after Harry and Co make their film with Naka.

Ramune Anyone
—-
Sasebo April 2014

Emiri Kisaki sighed as she lay against the wall. It had been a good three years.

"Miyako Senpai, are you proud of me? Did I do well?" She muttered, her eyes fixed on her egg like gem. The once colorful gem now was almost pitch black, only a few blemishes of color remaining.

"I'm just…even though I knew this was coming…I…I just…why?" She cried, "Why is this our reality?"

When the lack of responses filled the air, the blonde smiled bitterly before looking up to the starless sky. "I know…I know. We both knew the reasons. And…it…it was a good life wasn't it?"

Breathing slowly, Emiri focused her magic and sent out a wave of power, charming the people in the building.

"Leave me."

Instantly, everyone began to file out of the building. Once the building was deserted, Emiri smiled, her job complete. Finally, she could rest. She closed her eyes, just as the last specs of color faded from the gem.

—-
As the witch erupted from the roof of the building, 4 girls watched somberly.

"Let's go." Shizuku transformed before drawing her chakram.

"Goodbye Emiri-chan." Rina Rika Ayano muttered, before following her teammates into the fray.

—-
Yokosuka Middle School April 2014

"For the upcoming culture festival, you are going to be a doing a group fundraiser project." The teacher explained as he began drawing on the blackboard. "I'm encouraging you to find creative solutions to this. It can be performing a skit, writing a manga, running a food stand, or anything you think would entertain people. Please refer to your handouts for guidelines and restrictions. I am looking forward to what you bring forward."

Ishikki groaned. Great, a group project? She just lay her head on the desk and tried to pretend everyone was gone.

"So how was your befriending?"

Ishikki turned her head to her classmate. "What?"

"Well it's been a month long time skip but all the readers know about how you got befriended via angry mizuchi."

Ishikki groaned. She didn't want to deal with this kid. She just didn't make any sense, all this muttering about rivals, protagonists, harems, and how she was an anti hero.

"So what do you want?"

"Wanna make a group?"

Ishikki sent a glare at the girl. "What? Why would I want to make a group with you?"

"Because it's amusing." The girl shrugged, "Plus you need a group right?"

"I can choose whoever I want!" Ishikki insisted.

The girl gestured to the rest of her class. Ishikki hissed. Everyone else was already forming groups and finding partners. Her classmate smirked. "Unless you want to work with the Chuuni squad, I'd suggest you take my offer."

Ishikki rolled her eyes before grumbling. "Fine. What do you have in mind?"

"Well-"

—-
Adachi Ward April 2014

Ishikki groaned as she stumbled into her apartment. How did it end up like this? Somehow, she had gone from being the mastermind to the most elaborate (in her opinion) revenge plot…to being the personal grunt to a freaking Mizuchi…who happened to be her landlord.

The last month had been hell. She would be in the middle of homework or reading a book or even trying to get a nap in when the shitty mizuchi would drag her out of her room and have her do jobs for her.

Most often, Ishikki would run errands. Buying food, delivering groceries, running messages, the Mizuchi would run her all across Adachi ward.

For a tormentor, her boss was actually quite…nice? Apparently her boss was helping hide and support dozens of Yokai and magical runaways from the magical government. And so she used Ishikki to deliver supplies to the fugitives. It wasn't that bad actually.

She hadn't known that Yokai were treated as subhuman. She didn't know about their plight, about how the magical government had screwed them over so hard. Sometimes the Yokai would be kind enough to share a story, or mention how things were like at the reserves in passing. Ishikki didn't know how these people would trust her like this.

And then…sometimes Jin used her for her magical skills.

There was more than one time where Jin instructed the girl to break into local municipal offices…to steal ration books. It was scary how easily she could avoid pull it off. Cutting off her signature from heat sensors and cloaking her body from camera was just a snap of her fingers. At first she was against the idea of using her skills like this, but when Jin reminded that those books were for the fugitives and runaways, Ishikki begrudgingly agreed.

"You've spent the two years living for yourself and your little vendetta. It's time we put those talents of yours to helping others." She had said.

Ishikki generally believed her boss, but then occasionally, said boss would tell her to break into the liquor store to grab some sake. Also…why was it harder to break into the liquor store than the municipal offices?

A knock at the door pulled Ishikki out of her thoughts. She jerked up. "Yes Miss Hisakawa?"

Jin poked her head through the door…literally. Out of amusement, the bastard landlord had installed a "head" hatch (like a dog door but at head height) where she could just poke her head through the door to bother her. Apparently it was to "keep an eye on her" and "make sure she wasn't causing trouble". Ishikki thought the Mizuchi was just a sadist.

"Hey bratling." Jin's face grinned. "Don't make any plans for the weekend. We got a job."

"Sure." Ishikki offhandedly responded. "Not like I have any friends…"

"What was that?"

Ishikki jerked up, "Nothing at all Jin-sama!"

Jin smirked, "Good. Pack a bag and…maybe get a hoodie."

"Why?"

"No reason." Jin smirked as she withdrew her head slowly from the hatch.

Ishikki groaned as she finally relaxed. Damned nightmares. The moment that evil landlady spoke a word of anger, Ishikki's brain ceased to function and she was suddenly unable to resist anything that damn snake said.

It was too much. She needed sleep. Bad.

—-
Onsen owned by Naka

Ishikki's mouth dropped aghast. "What…"

A large gathering of people had gathered in front of the inn, led by none other than Harry F'ing Potter! And standing by his side, Natsumi damned fox woman Ono was directing people.

And weren't those her classmates? Rika, Kaku, Ayaka, Asuka, and…Nobu, Okita, and Uesugi.

So this is what they had in mind for their group project huh? And wait…were those shipgirls? JSDF officers? Did that man have a white admiral's jacket?

Just want kind of overpowered line up was this?

"Good thing you brought your hoodie isn't it?" Jin muttered to her assistant.

Ishikki wore an oversized hoodie that covered her head and hopefully would prevent her classmates from realizing she was here.

"Wait, you know them?" Ishikki sent a glare at Mizuchi.

"Never said I didn't. Now then, let's get to work. I'll handle the heavy lifting but you…how about you help them set up lights?"

Ishikki grumbled but got to it.

— -
"Hey Natsumi?"

Natsumi turned to Rika. "Yes?"

The nekomata pointed over to a girl wearing an oversized hoodie. "Isn't that Tamaki?"

Natsumi narrowed her eyes before raising her brow. "Yeah, you're right. It is her? What's she doing here?"

"She lives with Jin." Asuka explained. "So I guess Jin asked her to help out."

"She does?" Natsumi and Rika turn to her in surprise. "Does she know…"

"Don't think so." Asuka shrugged, "Jin just mentioned that she does odd jobs for Jin from time to time to help pay off her rent. Guess this is one of them."

Natsumi kept her eyes on the hooded girl before frowning. "Ok then. Kinda weird for her to not mention it to us."
—-

Ishikki spent the next twenty minutes helping set up lights. Carrying the large lights and cameras was rough work, but for a magical girl, it was but a breeze.

As she wiped the sweat off her brow, her boss approached her. "Nice work bratling."

Ishikki rolled her eyes. "That wasn't that bad. What's next?"

Jin gave her a smirk. "With everyone working so hard, someone ought to get them refreshments."

Ishikki's eyes widened. "No…"

Jin's grin reached 10 kilonazis. "I want you to get everyone's drink order and then go and buy it."

Ishikki looked over the crowd of children, serviceman, Yokai, and shipgirls. "There's like…30 people."

"That's right." Jin smirked, before taking out two 10,000 yen bills. "That should cover the drinks…and to make it worth your while…you can keep the change."

Ishikki stared at the pair of bills slowly before groaning. "Fine."

—-
"We're getting everyone drinks, what do you want?"

"Get me a ramune. Wait…Ishikki what are you doing here?"

The girl shrugged. "Just helping my boss out. So a ramune?"

"Y-yeah." Okita frowned. "So umm…"

"Hey Shiki!" Nobu placed her head on the blonde's cheek. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Just give me your drink order."

Nobu's brow perked up. "Ahh! The blood of my enemies, poured out in buckets-"

"That's enough Nobu," Okita dropped her hand on the chuuni's head. "Seriously."

"Whatever." Ishikki sighed. "So that's two ramune?"

Nobu smirked, "Make it one and Okita and I will share the sweet sweet romance of constant indirect kisses awk!"

"Two ramune coming up."

—-
"Potter."

"Tamaki, thanks for coming out."

Ishikki shot a glare at the messy haired boy. "Shut it Potter. Just…give me your drink order."

Harry raised his brow. "You're getting drinks?"

"Miss Hisakawa's orders."

Now Harry was concerned. "Listen, Ishikki-san, if Jin isn't treating you well, I can have a chat with-"

"Can you just stay out of my business?" She snapped.

Harry paused. "Ummm…sorry."

He actually looked hurt. Dammit, she didn't mean it like that. "No…I'm sorry. She's actually a nice boss and stuff. I'm doing this because she's paying me ok? No need to worry your little head about it."

"Well if you're sure, then can I have a ramune?"

Ishikki nodded, jotting it down on a notepad, "Got it. Oh and Potter."

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

Harry looked confused. "For what?'

"For your Kyubey. He said you made it." Ishikki shrugged, walking away. "I'll be back…good wizard."

Harry paused, trying to figure out her words before he froze. "Wait, does that mean you're a magical girl? Have you met Shima?"

—-
"What do you mean you don't have ramune?"

The shopkeeper shrugged. "Sorry, our stock was bought up a few days ago by some cultist abyssals. I think they were called the cult of the dark one. Something about it being the favored drink of their revered god."

A long pause. "I see."

—-

"Ramune? Yeah we sold out."

"Cultist abyssals?"

"Y-yeah, how did you know?"

"Just a hunch."

—-
"Those damn loonies? They bought out all the ramune?" Jin's voice roared over the phone.

"Yes. What should we do?"

There was a long pause before the voice returned over the phone. "Ishikki, I gave you an order to get everyone their drinks. Just because some crazy abyssals have them now doesn't mean you can give up."

"What?"

"Go get those ramune! Even if you have the wretch it from their fucking claws."

Ishikki hated her life.

—-
Adachi Ward: April 2014

Ishikki surveyed her target.

The only thing she could think of was "That's a lot of Abyssals."

Despite having grown up in Yokohama, Ishikki never really encountered abyssals. Sure, she had gone with her family to the shelters during raids, but she had never really met an abyssal in person.

As she looked over the gathered crowds of abyssals, she caught sight of her target. Several of the women were carrying crates of ramune towards what looked like…a massive monument? Or was it a throne?

Honestly it didn't matter. Ishikki needed those bottles. And she needed them now. But how was she supposed to get them?

Attacking abyssals head on was suicidal. Even if she never met one, she knew how strong they were. They were like shipgirls, almost nigh unstoppable…except to other shipgirls. And Jin probably.

Ishikki shuddered at the thought. The idea of Jin going ham on the forces of the abyss terrified her. Though why these abyssals were setting up their alter…in front of her apartment building eluded her. Regardless, if she wanted to avoid getting mauled by Jin, she needed to complete her mission…even if it meant fighting cultist abyssals.

She eyed the ramune crates. She needed thirty three…so about six crates. Probably the stealth option was best. But even then…how was she supposed to sneak out 6 crates of ramune out from their noses?

If only she had some sort of diversion. Or maybe some kind of way to thin out their numbers. Wait…a diversion? Ishikki paused as a plan began to formulate in her mind.

—-

Ishikki pointed her crossbow at the lock before giving it a quick double tap. The lock exploded as the bolts smashed through the thin metal covering. Slowly, Ishikki pushed the door open, leading into the basement.

Ishikki really hoped Jin would forgive her about the door. She really did. But if she was to prevent Jin from blowing up at her, she needed some extra firepower.

Turning on the light, she glanced around the basement filled with random odds and ends. Several old bikes were covered by tarps while a collection of books, gizmos, and collectible patches were scattered about. But in the middle of the room, was a familiar expandable chest.

Ishikki clicked open the latch and opened the chest before grinning. Everything was still just as she left it.

Reaching into the chest, she grabbed an enchanted drawstring bag. Pulling it upon, she began filling it with several small cans, taking care to put them in gently. Satisfied, she closed the drawstring bag and began to close the chest…but stopped.

She glanced back in the chest. Should she grab the riffles too? But then she shook her head. That would draw too much attention. Instead she grabbed a long knife and slid it into her belt. Finally closing the chest, she stood up and left the basement, taking care to close the door as best she could behind her.

—-
"PRAISE TO SHE WHO CROSSED THE BOUNDARIES OF LIFE AND DEATH!"

"PRAISE THE DARK ONE! PRAISE THE DARK ONE!"

"WHOSE VENGEANCE CROSSES THE SEVEN SEAS AND PLUCKS THE EVIL ONES!"

"PRAISE THE DARK ONE! PRAISE THE DARK ONE!"

Ishikki didn't know what they were talking about, or who this Dark One was. And honestly, she didn't want to know.

Though…if this Dark One they spoke of was so strong…

Ishikki wondered who was scarier, the Dark One or Jin. Then she decided that they both must be pretty scary. Wait…wouldn't stealing the ramune make the Dark One upset at her? That wouldn't be good. Hopefully Jin would protect her.

Wait…maybe she should side with the Dark One instead. Then they could gang up on Jin…

She shook her head to clear it. The Dark One wasn't her landlord. The Dark One didn't blackmail her into becoming her personal errand girl. Jin was. And that meant that she had to serve the dragon bitch.

Activating her stealth charms, she carefully placed the small cans around the vicinity of the park. One can per square meter, the guide had said. Which wasn't much space, but she felt confident it would do that job. Once in place, she snuck her way to the back of the throne before triggering her magic.

All at once, the smoke canisters erupted, sending yellow smoke everywhere.

"Wha-what's going on?"

"We're under attack!"

"Who dares interrupt our ritual to the DARK ONE!"

The cult was thrown into disarray as the smoke blocked their vision. Civilians who were observing ran away in terror…except for one teacher from Yokosuka.

"Hey it's MiniLector, I was initially going to stream the Cult of the Dark One's ritual to their god but it looks like someone is starting a fight. I can't see very well with all the smoke, but I'll do my best to bring you live commentary of this battle!"

Ishikki didn't care as she quickly opened up her sack and began taking bottles from the monument and placing them inside. One…two…three…

She was at fifteen when those noticed her.

"Hey! I found one! She's after the throne!" One shouted.

Ishikki's eyes widened to see a Ru class pointing in her direction.

She grabbed another bottle of Ramune, throwing it into the sack as her other arm raised her wrist mounted crossbow. Aiming carefully, she opened fire.

The pink bolts flew through the air and struck the abyssal…who paused before shrugging. Ishikki groaned. Why was every opponent due fought immune to magic crossbow bolts?

Now more abyssals had gathered, slowly surrounding her position. One had summoned its rigging, only for another to shake her head. "Put that away! The Dark One never needed weapons to defeat her foes. She used fear and brute strength! And so we must do also!"

"PRAISE THE DARK ONE! PRAISE THE DARK ONE!"

Ishikki really liked this Dark One right now.

The first two abyssals, a Ru class and a Ne class rushed her. Ishikki dropped her sack as got into a ready position. The first abyssal sent an overhead punch at her head. Ishikki dropped low, drawing her dagger and slashing at the abyssal's heel. The blade cut through the exposed flesh, causing her to cry out in pain. The second abyssal had tried to flank her from behind, but Ishikki's magical girl instincts alerted her, giving her time to dive to the side, before sending a set of bolts into the abyssal's head.

The bolts wouldn't hurt the woman in the slightest, but it just felt good to do so.

The other abyssals seemed a bit more cautious now. Ishikki took the opportunity. "If you don't want to end up like your friends, then I suggest you stay back."

"Fool! You think you can defeat the cult of the Dark One?"

Ishikki shrugged. "Your choice."

Internally the magical girl was panicking. The Abyssals were clearly not scared of her. And she was certain she couldn't pull that stunt off again.

"Get her!!"

Ishikki activated her cloaking charms and dived toward the throne. The two abyssals tackled the location she had been standing previously. Ishikki grabbed an arm full of bottles and shoved them into the sack, the glass banging together loudly.

"She's going after the throne!" One called.

"Find her!"

Hopefully that was enough, because she was out of time. Ishikki pulled the bag shut and slung it over her shoulder just in time to see another group of abyssals charging her from all sides.

Wait…maybe…

Ishikki focused her magic to create an illusion of her above the throne.

"There she is!"

The cultists charged at the illusion before leaping into a flying tackle…only to fly through the illusion and into each other, resulting in a massive crash of steel and bodies.

"Awk!"

Ishikki didn't even hesitate. She turned and ran without a second thought.

"MAY THE DARK ONE'S VENGEANCE FIND YOU AND CURSE YOU TO THE ENDS OF THE ABYSS!"

"PRAISE THE DARK ONE! PRAISE THE DARK ONE!"

Ishikki really hoped the Dark One didn't know where she lived.

—-
Naka's Onsen

It was late afternoon when she arrived.

Panting hard, Ishikki finally returned to the onsen, her bag slung over her shoulder. Standing at the entrance was her resident landlord and boss, Jin no Hisakawa. "You're late."

Ishikki wanted to punch the dragon in the face, but just groaned. "Sorry…"

Jin jabbed her hand towards the door. "They're all waiting inside. Told them you were going all the way to the next ward to get their drinks. So you'd better apologize for your tardiness, ok?"

"Ahh…is that so?" Ishikki was too tired to complain. "Nice. Ok."

"Head on inside. Oh and bratling?"

Ishikki paused, waiting for the next scolding.

Jin smirked, "I was serious when I said keep the change. Good work out there."

The pink haired magical girl managed a soft smile. "From you? What a nice thing to say."

With that, she trudged into the lobby to a crowd of thirsty workers.

—-
Harry frowned as he scrolled through SGO on his phone, "What the-"

"What's going on?" Natsumi asked, sipping her ramune.

Harry showed her his screen. "Apparently there was a riot in Adachi ward. Someone attacked the Cult of the Dark One in the middle of their ritual."

Suddenly interested, Asuka joined them, putting down her ramune. "Wait, someone attacked the Cult? But they're peaceful."

Harry pulled up the feed from SGO. "A streamer who was nearby caught the footage of the fight."

The three teens watched as the abyssals seemed to be fighting a small hooded figure.

"Whoever it is, they're quite resourceful." Natsumi muttered, "Those are legit smoke grenades right?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. Looks like they're pacific war era too."

Asuka was focused on something else. "What are they trying to protect? Some kind of alter or monument?"

Harry frowned as he tried to zoom in on the grainy feed. "Looks like it's made of glass…or glass bottles of some sort…"

The trio of teenagers looked at the bottles they had just been drinking. And then at the worn out Ishikki laying passed out on the couch.

"So all in favor of accepting that Ishikki is actually a magical girl?" Harry muttered.

Natsumi sighed, "Still can't see why I didn't notice sooner.

Asuka frowned. "I guess? But…that still doesn't make sense. Jin is the one who told her to get drinks. And the Cult of the Dark One worships Jin. So…why didn't she just ask them for it?"

The trio paused before an angry voice interrupted them.

"Mom…slow down. What do you mean the Cult is out for blood?"

"…"

"They got attacked? So what? They're abyssals for Christ's sake! Who would be foolhardy enough to attack them?"

"…"

"A girl in a white hood attacked them? That's ridiculous…"

"…"

"They went to you, asking for you to intervene and bring vengeance upon the interloper…in my name?"

"…"

"Wait…they're mad because someone desecrated their monument made to me? Was it per say…made out of ramune?"

"…"

"…mom, I gotta go. I errm…I need to clarify something. Can you tell them to hold off for a bit? There's…there's been a misunderstanding."

"…"

"I'm serious, mom. Thanks. Call ya later. Bye."

The mizuchi ended the call before groaning. "This…this isn't good."

"I bet it isn't." Harry agreed.

Jin spun around to find the three teenagers gazing down at her with…disappointed looks in there faces.

"Mind telling us where these bottles really came from?" Natsumi smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

—-
Sasebo April 2014

"No way, another magical girl incident?"

Shima jerked her head up from where she had been laying her head. "What?"

A group of boys were huddled up, staring at a phone screen. Shima got up and peeked her head over.

"Isuzu, just who we needed. You're our weirdness expert. What's going on?"

"Hey that's not nice!" A voice interrupted them group. Shima looked over to see Rina walking over to them. "Calling someone a weirdness person is just rude."

"Ahh…" Shima tried to protest, "It's ok Rina. I like researching into magic and shipgirls. So…I am sort of…in the know if you would."

"Even so. Calling an interest in magic weird is just outright rude." Rina disagreed. "Calling her a magic expert would be more positive."

The boys looked at each other and shrugged. "Sure. Isuzu, you're the magic expert, what you think?"

Isuzu looked at the grainy image on the phone. "Well… I'm not sure it's magic. From what I can see, it's just someone with a gun and some smoke bombs."

Internally Shima was freaking out. That was the second magical girl exposed in public. She just hoped they'd buy the pink magic bolts as gunshots.

"Yeah guys," Rina shrugged, "It's not magic. Just some hooligan with a gun. Right?"

The boys opened their mouths to disagree but suddenly froze. "I…I guess so. It's not magic. It's just dangerous people with guns."

Shima kinda found it creepy, but this stuff happened around Rina from time to time. People would just go along with her ideas and whims. But it made sense. Rina was outgoing, popular, and attractive. It made perfect sense that people would agree with her ideas. Heck, Shima personally found Rina very attractive, as if there was some aching or longing binding them together.

Rina turned to the silver haired girl. "So Shima, wanna go hang out this weekend? I found this really cool art exhibit downtown!"

Shima ponded the thought. On one had, she really should check out that other magical girl. On the other hand…spending time looking at artwork and being with Rina?

"Sure, I'd be happy to." Shima replied. The magical girl could wait, right? And it wasn't like she was the only person who could do something.

 

[UCC]

After Ramune Anyone

To be a magical girl
—-
Yokosuka April 2014

Ishikki groaned as she trudged into class.

"Morning Tamaki. Praise the Dark One."

"Good morning Tamaki. Praise the Dark One."

"Mornin' Miku, Ono…Praise the Dark One…"

Ishikki greeted the Tengu and Kitsune as she sat down at her desk…

"Wait?" Her head jerked up to see two girls hovering over her desk.


Natsumi smirked. "See, I told you she wouldn't notice us."

"That was still mean Natsumi." Asuka sighed. "Hello Tamaki. Thanks for the drinks the other day."

"Praise the Dark One." Natsumi added for good effect.

Ishikki looked at the two girls in stunned disbelief. "But…how?"

Natsumi pulled out her phone and showed her a video clip. The pink haired girl's eyes widened as she watched a white cloaked magical girl engage the Cult, as pink magic and smoke flew about. "This was taken by a streamer who happened to be there. Thankfully no one seemed to make the connection. We only knew because of the ramune."

"Sorry you had to go through that." Asuka apologized. "If I had known, I would have asked for a green tea."

"Still, fighting an entire cult of Abyssals on your own? Impressive, most impressive." Natsumi commented. "We'll be watching your career with great interest."

Ishikki rolled her eyes. "Th-thanks. I'm erm…was just doing my job."

Natsumi smirked. "So…are you now a member of the cult?"

Ishikki wanted to die.

—-
Adachi Ward

"Wait…you're the Dark One?" Ishikki shouted in disbelief.

Jin's face was a bit flushed in embarrassment. "Y-yeah. Sorry about that. I guess I forgot to mention that."

"Meaning that…I could have just gone up to them and said you needed the ramune? And they probably would have given it to me? Just like that?"

Jin scratched her head awkwardly. "I guess so…so yeah….sorry."

"And why didn't you tell me about this?" Ishikki demanded. "I put my life on the line here!"

"Well…it's not something that I typically advertise." Jin tried to explain, "And like, I didn't know if it was the Cult of the Dark One or some other cult."

"Other cults?"

"You know, like the Cult of the Fiery One, the Cult of the Pure One, and the Cult of Tanaka's Steel Balls."

"The what?"

"Y-yeah…something about how he puts on his pants every day." Jin muttered. "I try to disassociate myself with them whenever possible. So like…sorry about that."

Ishikki glared at the mizuchi. "I see. I guess…I would be a bit embarrassed if I had a cult as well."

"Y-yeah."

"So…you'll forgive me for attacking the cultists?"

Jin shrugged, "Oh yeah, that's on me. Mom's already talking em down. Consider everything under the bridge."

Ishikki sighed a breath of relief. "That's good. I was worried you were going to get mad about the basement door."

Jin paused. "Wait…what's this about the basement door?"

—-

"And now I have to work extra to pay for the door repairs." Ishikki groaned, before pausing. "Wait, why I am I telling you two?"

Natsumi smirked. "Because I'm a kitsune and it amuses me."

Ishikki rolled her eyes, "Well yeah. You girls are a bunch of Yokai rich kids aren't you?"

Asuka froze as Natsumi's eyes narrowed. "Is that how you see us as?"

"Well yeah," The pink haired girl shrugged, "Yeah I get that Yokai are treated poorly and stuff. Like, I heard some of the stories about the reservations and they're not pretty places for sure. But like…you guys get a lot of perks? Long life, pretty faces, natural powerhouses, and some of you guys got powerful families and money. Me? I lost everything. My home, my parents, my sister…and all I have to show for it is these flashy little tricks that apparently can't even hurt a mizuchi. So no offense, but don't think that just because I got you drinks means that we're friends or anything."

With that Ishikki got up and left the two Yokai. She walked towards a certain classmate.

"Ahh, Ishikki, I saw you on the stream. How's the Dark One?" Her classmate greeted her.

"I don't have time for this. Look, about the project." Ishikki growled, "Remember how I wasn't really interested?"

"Yeah. Did you get a magical change of heart?"

"Har har har. Let's just say I changed my mind. I'm in." She grinned, "We need to beat those rich kids and their stupid op budget works. And I know just how we're going to do it!"

—-

Natsumi turned to Asuka, "Well that happened."

"Should we tell Jin?" Asuka wondered allowed.

The kitsune shook her head. "I don't think so. I think we should give her some space. She's clearly got a lot on her plate so…Let's talk to Harry about this. Maybe he can help her meet some other magical girls."

"Other magical girls?" Asuka wondered allowed.

"Yes, Harry knows a few of them too." Natsumi chuckled, "Hopefully they can help her with her issues."

—-
Sasebo April 2014

Shima frowned as she stared at her watch. Rina had promised to meet with her at the pier at 2:00. But now it was 2:30 and the blonde was nowhere in sight.

Maybe…she had underestimated herself. Maybe Rina had just hung her to dry. Which was a pity. She really liked Rina. Rina was outgoing, she was cheerful, and she didn't judge her for liking shipgirls and magic (some of her female classmates thought shipgirls just gave boys excuses to leer even harder). So…she was kinda excited about meeting up with Rina. She had even tried to find a nice dress to wear as well.

Well, she would wait a little bit longer and hope she would was just late.

—-
Shalimar, Emiri Kisaki's Witch Labyrinth

Rika glared at the cackling witch. "So who wants to explain how one of Emiri's familiar got away from us?"

The black haired magical girl shrugged, "Could just be a coincidence. Like a really bad joke!"

The blue haired girl frowned, "Let's just take it down before anyone finds out."

Rika raised her handmirror at the cackling abomination. "You're making me miss my date! And that really, really, pisses me off!"

—-

"Shima! Sorry I'm late!"

Shima had waited an hour in the end, but there she was. "Ahh Rina! No problems."

Rina tackled the silver haired girl in a hug. "It's not no problems! I was an hour late and didn't give any warning. You should have left by now! I'm so sorry."


"It's…it's ok." Shima muttered, blushing at the very close and intimate contact.

"Anyways, let me make it up to you!" Rina giggled as she released her hug. "You'll have my complete and undivided attention for the entire afternoon ok?"

Shima's heart rate quickened as the blonde's smile pierced through her. "H-Hai!"

 

[UCC]

During the Orochi Bunker

To Serve and Protect
—-
Adachi Ward June 2014

Ishikki trudged home after a long day of errands. First the damned dragon had her head all the way out to the next ward to pick up motorcycle parts, then she had to bring ration books to some new Yokai families living in the city. Then she had to negotiate with the freaking cult, she's Jin's "messenger of the Dark One" now, to organize a reclamation effort at a nearby stream as a favor to one of the river kami.

Jin never mentioned she had to teach the abyssals how to pick up and dispose of trash efficiently though. She had to talk a few of them down from outright blowing up the river because it would "be more effective".

That had taken most of the day and Ishikki was ready to enjoy the warmth of her bed and a nice hot meal. Then she could continue to complain about how unfair it was that Ono and Potter's group had won the school festival fundraiser project with such an op line up. She had danced, sung, and fought way too many times for the kid's stage performance. Who knew Precure had unlimited stamina?

The phone rang. Ishikki was tempted to not answer. Especially when the ringtone was "Cruella de vil". But she knew she had to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Bratling…where are you?"

Ishikki paused, noticing the urgency in her voice. "Not far, was heading home."

"Ok, head over to Yuu's drug store and tell 'em I need my specialty bag…oh and get yours as well."

"A specialty bag, and I have one too?" ishikki was confused. "What's going on?"

"Can't explain over the phone. Brat…Ishikki, I'm going to be honest. Right now I need you to just listen and obey ok? Something's happened and we need to get moving fast."

"Umm…ok."

"Good, now get the gear and meet me out front in 10."

"R-right." Ishikki hung up the phone and broke into a run.

Jin had never…ever called her by her first name before. Which meant that something was definitely off. And when something was off, Ishikki knew better than to argue.

A minute later, she dashed through the door of the drug store. A nice woman glanced up from her magazine. "Ahh Tamaki, can I help you?"

"Jin sent me. Says she needs her specialty bag and…mine too?"

The woman…now revealed as a Jorogumo jerked straight up. "You're sure. Jin asked for the specialty bag? Not the formal bag or the prank Kiba bag?"

Ishikki nodded.

The spider reached a leg up and into the ceiling tile. Pulling the part of ceiling off, she brought a pair of gym bags down and hefted them down on the counter. "There you go. Jin's specialty bag, and your bag as well. Also be careful, I put lightening charms on them, but they're still quite heavy."

"Thanks." Ishikki slung the two bags over her shoulders and nearly tripped. Those bags were heavier than she thought.

"I warned you," the woman tried but Ishikki cut her off.

"I know I know." Summoning her transformation, Ishikki used her enhanced strength to stand back up and broke into a run towards the apartment building.

She reached the building just in time to see several Yokai arrive as well. She recognized a few of them. They were all dressed for a battle, something Ishikki dreaded.

"You made it just in time." Jin nodded gravely.

"I got the bags. Now what?"

Jin reached into one of the bags and pulled out a dark jacket and pants. It was made out of a material Ishikki didn't recognize. "Now we put 'em on. That's your bag. Head on in and put 'em on."

"What is it?" Ishikki asked, picking up the bag and following the mizuchi.

"Body armor. I've got em specially made for situations like this." Jin smirked, "Can't have you running around a combat zone in that squishy outfit of yours after all."

"C-combat zone?" Ishikki paused, taking off her shirt and pulling the oversized shirt over her chest.

Jin's expression turned grave. "I won't hide the details, but we've got a crisis right now, and it's a serious threat. Some kids got trapped in a bunker…and we're pretty sure it's a Unit 942 lab with a lot of very dangerous weapons inside."

"Unit 942?"

"So you know how during the war, we did some pretty nasty stuff right?"

Ishikki paused, "Y-yeah. Don't know a lot but it was mentioned in class once."

"Ok, now imagine a magical side to the group committing war crimes."

Ishikki froze. "Wait you mean that this is the remains of a magical unit from the war?"

Jin nodded. "Yep, that's why we're so eager to go destroy it."

"But…why am I here? Do you need me to fight?"

Jin shook her head. "Nothing of the sort. We've got plenty of heavy hitters going. What I need you for is a much greater purpose."

"And what's that?"

"Why to carry my stuff!" Jin announced unashamed.

Ishikki paused. "R-really?"

"Yep!" Jin picked up a few bags that Ishikki recognized from the basement. "This is medical supplies, and this one is water, oh and that one is my booze supply."

"I'm not grabbing that one," Ishikki glared.

"Yes you are." Jin shot back. "There are things in there you just can't look at sober. So you're grabbing that bag too."

A few minutes later, Ishikki joined the group, clad in the dark body armor. She grunted under weight of the bags. "Ready to go ma'am."

Jin smirked. "Good, thanks for coming over here." She called over to the other Yokai.

Kiba scowled. "Asuka is trapped in there. It's personal."

Ishikki's eyes widened. Wait, Asuka was trapped in there? Wasn't she on the Onsen vacation with the rest of op squad?

Jin held a crystal high. "Yokosuka onsen !"

—-
Just outside of the Orochi Bunker

For all Ishikki's exposure to magic, never before had she used the floo nor had she used a port key . More often than not, she was shooting people who teleported rather than teleporting herself. So it was perfectly normal for her to nearly lose her stomach as the group flashed into an active military zone. The rain did not help.

All around her, Ishikki could see the signs of legitimate military activity. Helicopters were hovering around the bunker entrance and groups of soldiers, both no-maj and Yokai, were actively patrolling the landing zone.

Jin took one whiff of the air around her and snarled aloud, scales running up her neck as her eyes turned to black sludge. Her appearance caused magical girl next to her to shudder in fear.

"Bratling," Jin's voice even had turned draconian in tone. "Put our bags down at the supplies stations, then join me."

"R-right," Ishikki stuttered, grabbing the bags and lugging them over, a rather difficult feat in the pouring rain. As she did, an adult in auror robes stopped her. "Hey, this is a restricted area. Who authorized you to be here?"

Ishikki looked up at the woman in question. Aurors were always troublesome. All nosey and in your business. "I am the servant of Jin No Hisakawa," she replied, "She requested me to bring the bags over."

"She brought a kid with her? In a combat zone?" The black haired woman frowned. "You shouldn't be here. It's very dangerous."

Ishikki shot the auror in question a glare. "I can handle myself. Now let me do my job."

As she trudged past her, Kaya Sugihara frowned as she turned to her partner. "You think it's ok for her to be here?"

Mae shook her head. "If she's with Jin no Hisakawa, then we have no right to butt in."

"I guess. I just…I don't like to see kids here."

Meanwhile Ishikki brought her bags to a sheltered zone covered by several shipgirls. "Jin sent me." Ishikki mentioned only to blanch at the sight of Naka herself raising her brow.

"Ahh Tamaki, you came with Jin?"

Naka knew her? Ishikki nodded, "Yeah…"

"Makes sense. But don't worry too much." Naka reassured the girl, "We got enough big guns that we probably won't need magical girls. But thanks for coming anyways. Harry would appreciate it."

Naka knew she was a magical girl?! Oh wait, she was friends with Harry. Of course she knew. "Wait…Potter's in there?"

Naka nodded, "Yep. Chibi and his friends are all in there, trapped with a horde of monstrosities the old Kamo government cooked up. That's why we're all here. We're here to rescue the kids and put an end to a terrible relic left behind by our ancestors."

"I-I see…" Ishikki swallowed hard. Potter was down there, which meant all those other Yokai kids…and chuuni baka and her friends were as well. "However I can be of help them."

Naka frowned before nodding, "I think I got just the thing for you. Know any healing magic?"

Ishikki frowned, but nodded, "A little. Learned a few first aid spells from a book. But I don't have a wand, so they're not very effective."

"Good enough," Taking the girl by the shoulder, Naka led the magical girl to a large encampment on the far side of the clearing, right across from a large stream. Inside, she found a dozen women dressed in robes scurrying about.

Naka caught the leader, a woman with a Red Cross on her robe. "Excuse me, you the head nurse here?"

The woman nodded, "I am. How can I help you?"

"This gal here is one of our volunteers. She's got a bit of healing magic under her belt so I figured she could make herself useful here."

The nurse gave a critical eye over Ishikki. "I don't know how much you can do, but we could use some help moving supplies into the tent."

Ishikki nodded numbly. "Ok. Miss Naka, can you tell Jin where I am?"

Naka gave her signature smile. "No problem kiddo!"

An explosion rocked the ground. "Ahh sounds like they just breached the bunker. Gotta head back. Thanks for the help kiddo." With that, the light cruiser ran off towards the battle.

The nurse gave the girl a look over. "I'm too busy to ask where you came from, but I need to those boxes yesterday. You with me?"

Ishikki nodded, "Yes ma'am."

"Good, the boxes are over in the main compound. They're labeled medical and have the Red Cross on them."

Ishikki dashed back out into the rain. What was she doing? She didn't sign up to be another person's servant! And Jin was nowhere in sight! She could just run off and…

Ishikki froze. She could just run off…and leave Potter and those kids to suffer against the scariest beings imaginable. It sounded ok. They were just a bunch of spoiled kids, given the gift of magic and having power and wealth to lord over the rest of them. But why didn't it feel right?

"Dammit!" Ishikki muttered as she resumed her sprint. No one deserved what could be hiding in those tunnels. Not even those annoying rich kids. She reached the main compound and located the first crate. She picked up the crate and resumed her run through the mud, the rain pelting her face.

A minute later and Ishikki broke into the medical tent, her breath fogging up the air around her. "Where do I put it?"

The head nurse gestured to the far side. "Good, and not a moment too soon."

Ishikki placed down the crate and looked up. Already, several stretchers were being brought into the tent, each one carrying a human or Yokai on it.

Ishikki's eyes caught sight of blood oozing from several wounds on a solider's chest. She saw an Oni nursing a slashing wound on their arm. A kitsune missing an arm. An auror coughing up blood as nurses tried to treat a stab wound.

Ishikki dashed out of the tent and towards the river. Her stomach gave way and caused her to vomit the remains of her lunch into the river. Ishikki wasn't unfamiliar to blood. She had shot enough aurors and…others to have seen blood, but even then, she generally aimed for the wrist or forearm. This…this was something totally different.

"Hey kid! We need another crate!" The nurse shouted from the entrance of the tent.

"H-Hai!" Ishikki nodded robotically and began a run.

Another crate later and Ishikki was back in the tent, but the tent had become significantly more crowded.

Several Oni were escorting a stretcher in carrying a wounded soldier. A female Oni was speaking to him in hushed voices.

"Good." She aided the man into one of the cots. "Apart from the obvious damage to his arm, he has three broken ribs and maybe spinal damage, I will treat his ribs as you treat his arm and search his spine for damage."

Nurses rushed to and fro, continuing to provide potions and fresh bandages to the wounded.

Not wanting to stay too close to the blood, Ishikki prepared herself for another run when she heard a scream.

"They're in the water!"

Ishikki jerked her gaze over to the riverbank as her eyes widened.

Several ghostly figures were emerging from under riverbed. 6 foot tall warriors clad in full samurai armor, each one carrying a deadly looking katana. Instead of faces, all Ishikki could make out were a pair of ghostly white eyes.

Already personnel were responding to the surprise attack. A few soldiers were running towards warriors, taking up defensive positions as they raised their rifles to bear. A pair of wizards joined them, wands raised as they began to chant charms and curses.

But Ishikki could count the number of soldiers and wizards on two hands. And there were a lot more samurai than there were wizards. Ishikki knew they would have to fall back, retreating closer and closer to the medical tents.

Ishikki considered her situation. Those samurai looked very strong. Those swords were razor sharp. She was just a kid, a teenager. She didn't need to get involved. Reinforcements would arrive soon enough.

So why was she running towards the action, transforming out of her clothing into her white and black outfit, her crossbow raised?"

"Dammit!" She shouted, taking aim at the nearest and opening fire. Pink magic bolts struck the front samurai, causing it to stumble. The samurai's head turned towards Ishikki in surprise as it turned its lumbering body to follow.

Ishikki kept running, using her momentum to slide under the first samurai's legs. Drawing her dagger, she slashed the gap in the warrior's leg armor, causing it to stumble. Moving to finish the job, she stood up behind the warrior and stabbed the dagger into the warrior's exposed neck.

Ishikki's eyes widened when the warrior didn't seem fazed in the slightest. The warrior jerked up suddenly, throwing the magical girl off its back and turned to face her, its katana raised high.

Only for an explosion to knock the samurai back. Ishikki turned to see the platoon of soldiers and wizards waving to her.

"You're clear, fall back!"

Ishikki was never happier to be told to retreat. She rolled onto her feet and ran over to the squad.

The auror in the group raised his brow, "Magical girl right?"

Stunned, Ishikki nodded. "h-Hai."

The wizard nodded, "Met a few of your type in Kyoto. You guys are quite the bunch."

"She's a magical girl!?" One soldier gasped aloud, "A real live magical girl?"

Ishikki groaned, "Yes. I am. Unfortunately, my magic bolts don't seem to hurt them much."

The soldier shrugged, "Not like we're doing much better."

The wizard turned to the soliders, "Provide covering fire, magical girl, you aim for the eyes."

Ishikki nodded and aimed her crossbow.

To an outside observed, the image of a Japanese special forces, Wizards, and a magical girl forming a single line of rifles, wands, and a crossbow would be an image they would take to their grave.

The combined group opened fire, letting lose a stream of bullets, bolts, and spells at the charging samurai. Ishikki focused her shots on the samurais' heads, causing several to roar in pain as the bolts shattered and tore into their eyes. But even so, they did not cease their relentless charge.

"Change of plans," Ishikki shouted, "Cover me."

She drew her dagger and rushed the samurai. The first one swung its blade in a sideways strike. Ishikki dived under the attack and slashed the warrior's wrist. The warrior dropped its blade as its hand was rendered inept. Ishikki kicked the blade away and jammed her crossbow into its exposed face. Gritting hard, she fired the strongest bolt she could muster, tearing right through the back of the warrior's helmet. But even as she did, she noticed the warrior's head starting to reform.

"Kid get back!"

Ishikki didn't even hesitate, she leaped back just as a wave of bullets and spell fire riddled the incapacitated warrior, blowing it to smithereens.

Ishikki sighed a breath of relief. They had done it, they had beaten one…only twenty or so more to go.

She looked back and noticed how close the med tent was to the retreating soldiers. She got up and rushed towards the next samurai…only to slip on the mud, sliding a few feet until she was right in front of one of the warriors.

"Oof!"

"Kid!" One of the soldiers screamed.

Ishikki's eyes widened as the warrior raised its sword. This was it wasn't it? This was how she was going to die. Not to an angry mizuchi. Not to wizards. But to an evil ghost samurai. She shut her eyes…only to hear a sudden clanging noise.

She opened her eyes to find the warrior's katana fly out of its hands. Standing over her was a young woman dressed in a one piece swimsuit, a rain coat covering her upper torso. In her hand, a diving knife was held in her hand. "That…was really really stupid of you." The girl muttered, "but that was also the second most brave thing I've ever seen a chibi try to pull off."

USN Harder fished a grenade out of her jacket and jammed it into the warrior's head. With a mighty kick the warrior was thrown back, its head exploding a moment later. The submarine offered a hand to the magical girl. "Naka sends her regards. But we'll handle it from here."

Ishikki took her hand in shakily. "Th-thanks."

As she noticed her surroundings, she saw several young woman engaging, not not engaging, pummeling the samurai. The ghostly warriors didn't stand a chance as the submarine squad obliterated the flanking group.

Harder turned to the soldiers. "Thanks for holding the line. We figure there's a secondary underwater entrance to the bunker down there. We'll go investigate."

The sergeant nodded, "Roger that. Thanks for the save."

Ishikki nodded warily. Her brain tried to process what had happened. She had nearly died right there. She nearly died. A hand on her shoulder pulled her out.

She twisted around to find the head nurse holding her shoulder. "So…you're a magical girl huh? Better come inside. We need to make sure you didn't take any concussions or injuries."

Nodding slowly, Ishikki followed her into the tent. "Roger."

"And kid." The nurse sent a small smile. "Thank you. You saved a lot of lives today."

Ishikki froze. That's right. She had just saved people. What was the world coming to?

"Y-you're welcome."

 

[UCC]

After To serve and protect

A brief respite
—-
Orochi Bunker June 2014

"So what did you do wrong?" Jin growled.

"I…I didn't tell you where I was." Ishikki muttered.

"Damn right you didn't. I nearly freaked out when you weren't at your post. Didn't have time to go find you until after we cleared the bunker." Jin clarified. "Now I find out not only did you get roped in at the medical tent, but also went and fought the enemy when I explicitly told you I didn't want you on the frontlines."

"Wasn't on the frontlines…" Ishikki muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing at all." Ishikki squeaked. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

The mizuchi sighed, "Look bratling, I know I sound harsh…but…like…I was really worried for you. For all I knew, you were with the Guard and the special forces who got pummeled by the Orochi. And…I can't have you dying on me ok?"

Ishikki sighed as she turned to leave, "Right…so when are we getting out of here?"

To her surprise, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her chest. "Ishikki, it pains me a bit, but…I'm proud of you. You protected the wounded and bought time for the shipgirls to arrive. G-good job."

Ishikki felt her cheeks reddening, "It-it's nothing. They needed help…and I would have felt bad if I hadn't helped."

"Even so, that was very brave of you Ishikki."

Her face heating up, Ishikki broke free of the mizuchi's hug and stormed off. "Anyways, I'm cold, wet, and miserable. Can we go home now?"

Jin watched the girl walk off and smirked. "Soon bratling. Soon."

—-
Yokosuka Hospital June 2014

Ishikki peaked into the room. "Hello?"

Harry looked up from his game of wizzarding chess. "Tamaki! Thanks for visiting."

The rest of the residents of the room looked up. "Hey Tamaki, praise the Dark One!" Natsumi greeted cheekily.

Nobu gave a smirk. "Hey edge lord!"

Okita sighed as she put down her book. "Hello Tamaki. Didn't know you were cleared to visit us."

Ishikki rolled her eyes. "The boss sent me. Brought drinks."

Unslinging her bag, she pulled out several glass bottles. "Ramune anyone?"

Asuka's eyes widened. "Wait, you got more?"

"Praise the Dark One." Ishikki sarcastically quipped, handing the tengu a bottle.

Ayaka frowned, "I feel like there's a joke I'm missing."

Natsumi smirked, "Praise the Dark One."

The other residents stared at the girl in confusion. "Wait, how are you allowed to be here?"

Ishikki shrugged, "Not really. But it's not like guards and security means much to me. Jin said we needed to get rid of the stock and so here I am."

"Wait, you snuck your way here? But how?" Okita boggled in confusion.

Harry gave a smug chuckled, "You see my dear Okita-Chan, Tamaki-san is my personal magical girl."

"I don't work for you." Ishikki shot back. "Just because you made the Kyubey doesn't mean I serve you."

"She's a what?" Ayaka shouted in disbelief.

"Dad's going to have an aneurism." Usagi muttered.

Harry threw his arms up…and winced. "Pan paka pan! Magical girls are real! And it's all my fault!"

Natsumi sighed, "Yes, we know. Anyways, thanks Tamaki for the drinks. How are you doing? Obaa-san mentioned that you were at the bunker."

Ishikki rolled her eyes, "It was nothing. I just shot a few of those warriors that came from behind. Not like what you dealt with."

"Oh?" Harry raised her brow.

"J-Jin told me what you've been dealing with over the past few years. And…I owe you an…an apology." Ishikki muttered, fidgeting with her hands, "You guys deal with a lot…magical or not, you guys got it rough too. So…sorry."

Harry turned to Natsumi. "Natsumi, can I hug her?"

Natsumi pondered the thought but Nobu beat her to it.

"Cute girl hug!" Nobu shouted as she tackled the pink haired magical girl.

"Argh, get off of me you damn chuuni."

"Actually…" Harry smirked, "She's not a chuuni. Tamaki, meet Nobu, the actual reincarnated Oda Nobunaga."

Ishikki's eyes widened, "You're joking!"

Nobu rubbed her head against Ishikki's stomach as she giggled, "Tis true! It is I, the unifier of Japan in the flesh, and about to enjoy this cute fles-ITAHH!"

"That's enough," Okita grabbed the warlord and dragged her off the magical girl. "Sorry about that. And thank you for your assistance Tamaki. If you ever need a kendo instructor, I'd be happy to help you."

Ishikki was still dealing with the previous development, her head trying to wrap itself around her new reality. She slowly got up, her back to the window.

Ayaka turned to Harry. "So there's more magical girls?"

Harry grinned, "Yep. There's another magical girl I know who's really nice and looks just like Hamakaze-"

At that moment, the window blew open and a silver and white angel flew through the window, only to crash into the pink haired magical girl.

"Ouch…sorry about that." Shima apologized. "Ahh Harry, Hamakaze said you were hurt in a fight, but wouldn't tell me more. Are you ok?"

Harry looked down at the now flattened magical girl, "umm…"

The silver haired magical girl looked down at the pink haired magical girl.

"Ahhh!"


—-

"I'm really sorry about that." Shima bowed earnestly. "I wasn't paying attention and was just worried about Harry."

Ishikki tried to scowl at the older girl but it more looked like an injured kitten than an angry lion. "I said it's fine ok? Just…be more careful."

Shima bowed again, "Th-thank you. So…"

Harry grinned, "Perfect timing. Shima, meet Ishikki. You're both magical girls."

Shima's eyes widened. "You're a magical girl too?"

"There are more of us?" Ishikki raised her brow.

"Yep!" Harry grinned. "Now I want you two to get along ok?"

As the two gave each other cautious gazes, Natsumi scooted up to Harry. "You're right Harry, she really does look like Hamakaze. A smaller Hamakaze."

Harry smirked, "Dess! And that's not the best part! She's also a shipgirl expert like myself."

Natsumi raised her brow in interest. "Oh? How's her skill?"

The wizard grinned, "Watch. Hey Shima!"

"H-Hai?"

"Poi, poi poi poi!"

Shima froze, her brain trying to calculate all the various nuances and subtle hand gestures and glints of Harry's glasses into a sentence. "Umm…I didn't quite get the last part but…poi, poi~, Poi!"

Harry sighed, "Almost Shima. Almost. You need to practice your hair tuffs a bit more and you'll get it."

"H-Hai! I mean Poi!"

Asuka turned to Natsumi, "Did you get it?"

The kitsune nodded, "I understood about 80 percent of Shima's. Naturally I understand 100 percent of Harry's poi though. Consider me impressed Harry, Shima-san."

"Th-thank you."

Ishikki stared at the interaction with concerned eyes. "You guys are loonies, all of you."

Kaku groaned, "Welcome to the club, Tamaki. Not a day goes by when we aren't trying to grasp what new and absurd method those two find to make us go nuts."

Ishikki sighed, "Anyways…I guess you're my magical girl senpai?"

Shima frowned, "I guess so…how long have you been a magical girl?"

"Two and a half years."

The entire room froze. Harry turned to the pink haired girl in question. "Tamaki, you've been a magical girl for over two years?"

"Yeah. Why?" Ishikki shrugged.

"You might be the oldest magical girl we know." Harry muttered.

"I only contracted a year and a half ago." Shima admitted, before her eyes widened. "Wait, that's terrible. You don't know about the side effects!"

Ishikki froze. "What side effects?"

Harry's face went grim. "Tamaki, I need to apologize. We didn't know when Kyubey first started its contracting spree but…there's a very bad side effect for all that magic power."

"If you use too much of your power, your magic reserves will dry out and cripple you." Shima explained. "We need to get you to Shimazu Sensei asap. She can help you."

Ishikki froze, her mind trying to process what she had just discovered. "Wait…so…my magic is hurting me?"

Shima winced. "Sorta…it's better when Sensei explains it. When are you free to visit Kyoto?"

Ishikki shrugged. "I'll have to check in with my boss. Maybe she knows your Sensei."

Harry nodded, "Please do. I completely forgot to mention this earlier. I'm…I'm sorry."

The magical girl paused. "Well…the contract was my choice anyways. Kyubey saved me from some bad aurors. So…I'd say it was worth the contract. Anyways, I gotta go. I'll…try to reach out to your Sensei about finding out the side effects."

Shima nodded, "H-Hai! Here's my number just in case."

"Thanks." With that, she opened the window and popped out, vanishing into the night.

Shima sighed, "I hope she's ok."

Harry nodded, "I think she'll be ok."

Nobu smirked, "So you're a magical girl too?"

Shima spun around and noticed the rest of the teens in the hospital room. "Oh, hi. Y-yes, I'm a magical girl."

"Show us some magic!"

"Do you have a transformation sequence?"

"How many super villains have you put down?"

"What is your magical weapon?"

"What's your theme song?"

Shima's eyes spiraled as she began to feel overwhelmed.

—-
Sasebo Naval Base July 2014

"So…what am I looking at?" Admiral Richardson looked over the files.

The police investigator pointed at various folders, "These are the files of the victims we've found so far."

"And you can't find any cause of death."

"Y-yes. We began to suspect something…supernatural was at stake."

"Which is why you came to the Navy because of our shipgirls." Richardson muttered, "Well…I don't know anything, but I can consult some magic specialists and such and-"

"Hey daddy!"

The admiral and investigator were interrupted as a teenage girl poked on. "Sorry to bother you, but Mutsu mama says she wants you home early tonight for a special dinner."

Richardson nodded, "I see. Thank you Jane. As you can see here, I'm meeting with investigator Takehashi right now and-"

Without asking Jane gave the files a brief glance through before freezing. "Daddy…"

John winced. This was definitely stuff a teenage girl should be looking at. "Jane sweetie, this is a bit too-"

"Why am I looking at lifeless Puella Magi?"

The room went deadly silent.

"I'm sorry," the investigator spoke, "Puella Magi?"

"You know, Magical girls." Jane offered. "They make contracts with an evil being called the incubator, who takes their souls out of their bodies and makes them witch out in despair. The report you have matches what they show in the anime."

Richardson gave his daughter a very stern look. "Jane, I don't appreciate joking around and stuff-"

"Hold on." The investigator interrupted, "You're saying that magical girls are real?"

Jane nodded, "There's been some talk about them recently."

"Well…we have been having some strange reports about vigilante activities by young women…and if magical girls are real…" the investigator mused. "Can I get in contact with a magical girl? Maybe they can help our investigation."

John groaned, "Look, this is quite a stretch and-"

"Can do." Jane saluted. "Cus mentioned that there's a magical girl who lives here in Sasebo. I'll ask him to give us her contact info."

"Thank you Miss. You've been most helpful." The investigator left the office, leaving Jane and her father alone.

"Jane…did you really-"

"Daddy, can you trust me on this one?" Jane's voice had gone icy cold. "There's…I've got a hunch ok? That this is part of something a lot bigger than just some magical vigilantes."

"O-ok then." The admiral nodded, "So…Mutsu has something special planned?"

Jane resumed her cheery demeanor. "That's right! She said she had something really really special planned for tonight!"

—-
Sasebo July 2014

Mitsune Miwa stumbled her way down an alleyway.

"Just a bit longer." She muttered, her breath short. "Just a little bit longer."

She focused her magic a bit harder. She needed to keep everyone away from her. They needed to stay safe. Away from her, away from the next disaster.

"Just a little bit longer." She muttered, her eyes focused on her darkening ring. "Just hang in there a little bit longer."

 

[UCC]

takes place after A brief respite

Mentors
—-
Norimune put down her hand. "I want one! Give me one."

Toku stared with a horrified expression. "Excuse me?"

Several hours earlier

Kamakura July 2014

Noriume peeked her head into the shrine's dojo. "Anyone home?"

Seeing the area being empty, she crept into the dojo, taking care to remove her shoes before she went inside. "Toku? You there?"

"Can I help you?" A voice came from behind.

Looking back, Norimune agreed that she over reacted. However, at the time, she felt like it was an appropriate response. She pulled her bear mace out of her back pocket and sprayed the green haired girl right in the face.

"Ahh!! My eyes! It burns!" Kako Natsume screamed as she collapsed on the floor in pain.

"Don't scare me like that!" The Muramasa cried out in frustration.

"What's going on here?" Three girls ran onto the scene.

Akira took one look at the writhing girl on the floor and the empty bottle of bear mace in the woman's hand and instantly made the connect. "Kako! You'll pay for this!"

"Intruder! Sound the alarm!" Nanaka instructed, transforming.

Norimune's eyes widened as she recognized the transformation. "Wait are you Toku's magi-"

"This is for Kako!" Akira yelled as she rushed the blonde, her brass knuckles ready.

"Hey I'm not done talking!" Norimune shot back as she dodged the girl's strike. But just as she stepped back to dodge, her instincts alerted her to duck, just as a steel claw swiped where her head had been.


Meiyui cursed as she fell back after her initial surprise attack failed. Nanaka's eyes observed the situation before she she pointed her finger. "Meiyui, take the flank, I'll support Akira from the rear. Just as we practiced."

"Roger."

Norimune's eyes widened as her guard was relentlessly harassed by the magical girl trio, weaving their attacks in fluid and deadly precision. However, she noticed the attacks felt like it was off a beat, as though there there was a gap in their strikes, an opening that normally should be filled. Ahh that was it, the girl who she knocked out was that missing piece, the filler in the relentless attack style. This meant that their teamwork, while strong…was flawed.

Norimune waited for the next gap before striking. She reached out and grabbed the brawler's wrist, pulling her around and throwing her into the blunette trying to get her from behind.

"Ahh!" The two girls collided into each other. The cherry haired girl struck, trying to take advantage of the blonde's blind spot but Norimune had seen that coming from miles away. Her other hand caught the katana with two fingers.

Nanaka's eyes widened before Norimune's free hand chopped her on the head, causing her to collapse oh the floor.

Panting a bit, Normimune glanced around. Four teenage girls lay on the ground around her. It was also at that moment that Masamune no Toku rushed in. "I heard sounds of fighting, is everyone ok?"

She looked down at the girls, then at Norimune. The blonde chuckled awkwardly. "Hey Toku…I swear this isn't what it looks like."

—-

"So you wished to speak with me…but instead you decided to harass my students and utterly humiliate them?"

Norimune scratched her head. "I said I was sorry about that. The first one caught me off guard and I panicked."

"By spraying a 12 year old with bear mace. Kako is going to have serious trauma over this." Toku remarked dryly. "She's very skittish at times…and now you've pretty much terrified her."

"Ugh. Why can't I make a good impression on magical girls?" Norimune groaned.

"That's a good point." Toku recalled, "You and Jin met that other magical girl, right?"

"Ishikki. Yeah, you missed her at the Bunker. But she's more Jin's errand girl than mine." Norimune offhandedly commented. "Still though, she's very resourceful for a kid. And apparently she actually gave Jin's cult a run for their money."

Toku giggled softly. "I see. It's not every day a young magical can put an abyssal in their place. Still though, the idea that magical girls are real is quite an amusing thought. Had I not met my girls I never would have believed it."

"Yeah, though they're kinda aggressive and violent." Norimune added.

"They're simply misguided." Toku answered, "All four of my girls had lost their way and needed purpose, wisdom, and guidance. I'm proud of the growth they've shown over the past six months. And apparently Shimazu has had success with her girls as well."

"Shimazu has magical girls as well?" Norimune raised her brow in surprise. "That's the first I've heard of them."

"Yes. She's been a great resource for me to learn how to teach and guide my four. What the incubator did to them is both a blessing and a curse." Toku sipped her tea. "I've seen the dangers that magical girl powers can pose. But at the same time, for girls who have never had the privilege to pick up a wand or sword before, is it not a blessing as well? This is why I still teach them, why I still instruct them, that they can take the gifts given to them and harness them with wisdom and maturity."

Norimune sighed. "Raising kids huh? I guess I sorta skipped that part of the process. Colombe, Jackie, and Del are already adults…and Erhen and Claire act like adults most of the time. So I don't really have a kid to raise and disciple…"

"I'm sorry you missed those years with them. It sounded like they were quite the children."

"That's it!"

Toku put down her tea. "What is it?"

Norimune put down her hand. "I want one! Give me one."

Toku stared with a horrified expression. "Excuse me?"

"One of your girls. I want a magical girl." Norimune blissfully imagined, "I would mentor her, raise her, show her all my tricks and tips for surviving on the battlefield. Then we'd go on adventures and hunt down evildoers together. So which one can I have?"

"None of them!" Toku shrieked in abhorrer. "They're not just things to be given! And plus…they're a group. I can't just split them up!"

"Oh? So you see them as your children huh?" Norimune teased, "Preparing for your own kids with Colombe are you?"

Toku's face turned bright red. "Th-that has nothing to do with it. And besides, they're not my kids. They're my students."

"The way you dote on them tells me otherwise."

Toku took a deep breath before letting out slowly. "These girls are my pupils and no one will be changing that. If you want a magical girl, go get your own."

"Maybe I will." Norimune smirked. "Just you wait, I'll have the most badass magical as my pupil and you'll be super jealous."

—-
Banbanzai Kyoto

"Achoo!" Florence Mitsuki sneezed as she paused, trying to figure out how why she had sneezed.

"Flo, get your ass moving! We have customers to serve!" Tsukune's voice called from the kitchen.

"Coming!" Florence retorted, grumbling as she picked up a tray of food.

 

[UCC]

Meet the Team!

—-
Kyoto July 2014

Shimazu stared at the magical girl in front of her. "So you're probably the most veteran magical girl I've worked with yet."

Ishikki glared, "Get to the point. That auror friend of yours looks like she's going to murder me."

The black haired woman frowned, "I'm not going to kill you? I'm just observing while waiting for Obaa-chan to finish so I can be free to go check in on Momo and Naoki."

The blue haired woman shrugged, "Just head on over Kaya. I'll be fine."

The woman frowned, but shrugged. "If you're sure."

Shimazu waited for Kaya to leave before returning her gaze to Ishikki. "How much do you know about your powers?"

Ishikki frowned, "Well…I have my magic crossbow, but most of my skills are centered around invisibility and illusions."

"I see." The researcher mentioned, "And apparently you've been learning some magic on your own?"

The magical girl shrugged, "Kinda? I read a few books on jinxes and charms. But I can only manage a few of them since I don't have a wand."

Shimazu nodded, "That can be fixed. There's a wand maker I know here who would be happy to help you get a wand. And you already having a basic knowledge of magic will make my job a lot easier."

"What kind…of job?" Ishikki asked, "I was told that our magic hurts us or something like that."

"For now, yes." Shimazu agreed, "The incubator's effects on you is extremely risky and if left unattended, will cause serious damage to your magic organs."

The pink haired girl's eyes narrowed. "Unattended?"

"Haven't had much time recently due to some…complications…but yes." The researcher explained, "I do believe I've found a possible work around for your magical powers and how to reduce the burden it places on your bodies. It's not ready yet, but I've got the basic theory down."

Ishikki nodded, "I see."

"Which is exactly why you're the perfect test subject." Shimazu concluded, "You've been a magical girl the longest and I can already tell how much damage has been done to your body. Which can give me a clear example of how fast the deterioration occurs…though…"

"Though what?" She growled, "I don't like being treated like a lab rat."

"Well…it's just…"

"What?"

Shimazu adjusted her glasses. "You're probably one of the weakest magical girls I've ever worked on."

Ishikki froze. "What?"

"I mean, you definitely have magic. You've got a decent bit of it. But like…in comparison to Yui or Isuzu, you're sorta a pushover."

"A…a pushover."

"Well…you've probably got like…half of what Yui has in magic reserves and maybe a third of what Isuzu has. You're not that far from Toku's girls though. They're only slightly higher than yours. But then again. They're martially oriented girls, unlike the other two, who are casting oriented."

"I'm a pushover?" Ishikki shouted.

"…sorta." Shimazu shrugged, "Don't feel too bad about it. You're still an excellent specimen for understanding how the incubator's magic system works and I look forward to working with you."

"…" Ishikki remained silent for a moment before raising her crossbow at the woman. "Fuck you!"

The bolt struck a barrier in front of the unfazed Shimazu. "Yeah, I saw that coming. This entire lab is my domain. If you really think you can harm me in my home with that puny crossbow of yours, then you really have a lot to learn."

Her glasses tinted. "Now then, I do believe it's Punishment time."

—-
Sasebo high school July 2014

The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Rina (or Rika, depending on which universe you were in) Ayano stretched as she began to pack her bag. Checking her phone, she scanned the incoming messages from her friends before sending sending out her own texts.

"Rina-chan!"

Rina looked up to see R-Shima Isuzu, her soft silver hair partially covering her right eye. "Hey Shima-chan! You look cheery."

Shima blushed, "Actually, well…a friend I knew got hurt and I just found out he got out of the hospital."

"Oh? Is he someone special? A boyfriend?" Rina teased.

The silver haired girl shook her head. "It's not like that. He's a very close friend, but that's all it is. I'm actually trying to help him get together with a friend of mine."

"Oh." Rina shrugged, "And here I was worried I was going to have competition."

Shima paused as she tried to process her words, then broke into a serious blush. "Ahh…I promise, we're not like that. And well…I…I like girls so."

The blonde raised her brow enthusiastically. "You do? That's great! Me too."

The silver haired girl smiled, "Who would have known, right?"

Rina winced internally. The way she smiled was just like her. The way she adjusted her hair, how her pale blue eyes flickered left to right when she was anxious, it was just like her. And somehow, that made it hurt even more. "So…any plans this weekend?"

Shima nodded, "I've been invited to go to a festival this weekend."

"Oh…is that so?" Rina muttered.

Shima pondered, "If you're free…you can come as well. I'm sure Harry and his friends would be ok with you joining us."

"I'd love to-" Rina agreed, only for her phone to buzz. Her eyes caught the message on the screen.

Mitsune missing. B rdy. - Shizuku

Rina's eyes widened. "Actually, I can't. One of my friends needs a hand and so…I'll be busy."

"Oh, ok." Shima drooped, looking like a hurt puppy. Dammit, she did it just like how she did it.

"I'm sorry about it. Maybe next time ok?" Rina tried to salvage the mood.

Shima nodded, "Sounds good. Take care Rina."

Rina smiled but paused. "Hey Shima-chan?"

"Yes?"

"Do…do you believe in fate?"

Shima frowned, "Fate?"

"You know, like fated encounters. Or the red string of fate. The one that binds two souls across the universe together. That kind of stuff."

Shima paused, "Well…maybe. Fate seems kinda fickle you know? Fate means that there's a predetermined ending in place…and it feels sorta limiting. So like, maybe fate exists…but I'm not sure I would trust it."

Rina considered her words. "I see. Well…sometimes I think fate is unavoidable you know? Some things are just meant to happen, no matter what you try to do to make 'em seem otherwise."

"Isn't that just resignation? Wouldn't it be better to stand against fate, to forge your own future the way you want it to happen?"

Rina shrugged, "Maybe…I wish I had your optimism Shima. Thanks anyways. Hope you have a good weekend."

Getting up, Rina exited the classroom, her fists clenched. If fate were that easy to defy, then she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. After all, fate is what kept them in their place. The fate of all magical girls. The fate of the puella magi. Opening the text app on her phone, Rina wrote a short message.

Let's meet up 2nite to find her. And say farewell. - Rika

—-
Isuzu Residence

"I'm home." Shima called, closing the door behind her. She noted that there was another pair of shoes at the door. "Mom? Do we have guests?"


She entered the living room of their apartment and froze. Sitting across the couch from her parents was a young woman with long brown hair.


Her parents sat somewhat uncomfortably on the sofa, their eyes catching sight of her.


"Ahh welcome home Shima," her mother chimed, "We were just having a nice chat with Miss-"


"Jintsuu. Please, call me Jintsuu." The woman explained.


"H-Hai." Shima nodded, her mind in chaos. Jinstuu was in her home. Jintsuu was sitting on the couch and talking with her parents. Why was she here? Was she in trouble or something?


"Miss Isuzu." Jintsuu gave a professional smile, "I have come to request your assistance. The admiral wishes your help with an urgent matter."


Shima wanted to die.
—-
Sasebo Naval Base

Shima fidgeted awkwardly before the two men before her.

"Miss Shima Isuzu, 2nd year high schooler. Daughter to Ken and Yae Isuzu. Not part of any school clubs. Enjoys researching shipgirls and drawing." Inspector Takehashi read aloud. "Is that you?"

Shima nodded, "Hai…"

"Also Shima Isuzu, magical girl. Contracted with a magical familiar calling itself Kyubey. Has a record of magical terrorism against the local Auror department. Is a known collaborator of the Yokai Underground Railroad. Is nicknamed "The Angel of Sasebo"." Admiral Richardson read a second report. "Has an arrest warrant by the Tokyo Auror department. Is this also you?"

Shima shamefully bowed her head, "H-hai."

Takehashi sighed as he put down his report. "I'm…new to this entire magical world, much less the politics surrounding Yokai and magical policy. And while some should say that I ought to arrest you for undermining authority…I'm also aware that this is way over my current authority, plus, you're our best chance at solving this case. So rest easy."

Shima let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Takahashi looked over to Richardson who nodded. "Miss Isuzu, if you could look at these reports."

Shima opened the first file and gasped. "Umm…is she…"

The admiral lowered his head. "Yes. Kari Misoka's body was found five months ago in an alleyway. There was no explainable cause of death."

Shima slowly opened the next one and her eyes widened. "She's the same?"

Takahashi gravely nodded. "Emiri Misaki was also found last month at the top of an office building. No explainable cause of death. I've gone over numerous possible explanations as to these girl's deaths. But I just kept drawing blanks. That was…until an observation was made."

Admiral Richardson gave the girl a grave stare. "What do you know of Puella Magi Madoka Magica?"

Shima slowly nodded, "Yes I've seen it. I've seen it several times, my dad helped animate it…" Her eyes widened as she began to connect the pieces. "Wait you don't mean?"

"I admit." Takahashi sighed, "I didn't make the connection at first. But I quickly binged the series and…it makes uncomfortable amounts of sense."

"But that's impossible." Shima protested, "Kyubey here doesn't corrupt your soul. We don't have soul gems. We don't turn into witches."

"So I've been told." Richardson agreed, "Goto's reports have been very enlightening and assure us that this is not the case. However, we cannot discount the possibility of our worst possible fears."

"The possibility that there's a second breed of magical girls. Which means…"

"That the real incubator is out there." Shima concluded, her voice turning cold. "If that's true then…Inspector, Admiral, please allow me to assist you in your investigation. Kyubey must be stopped at all costs."

"That's exactly what we were hoping you'd say." Takahashi nodded, "We're putting together a task force to investigate this. Police, magical authorities, a shipgirl or two, and hopefully, magical girls as well."

Shima nodded, "Please let me join. This is a magical girl matter now. I'll get some fellow magical girls to join as well."

Richardson nodded, "That would be appreciated." He glanced at the clock, "It's getting late and we don't want to keep you. Keep us in the loop."

"This is my number." Takahashi handed her a business card. "Please share it with the other magical girls."

Shima nodded, "I will do so. If you'll excuse me."

—-
Kyoto Auror Department

Florence ducked under a jet of flame as she pointed her own wand at the brunette. "Levisoa!" She called, flicking her wand.

Caught off guard, Tsukune found herself rising from her cover. "W-Woah!"

Florence cheered, "I did it! I finally beat you!"

But the brunette smirked, "Oh Flo, if only that were so." She drew an ofuda and placed it on her feet. The paper ignited and sent flames jetting outwards. "Yahhhh!"

Flo's eyes widened as the brunette used the flames to turn herself into a flaming rocket towards the blonde. "Oh shoot!"

The flaming girl slammed into the blonde, sending her flying back. Tsukune smirked as she got up and brushed herself off. "Well that went off without a hitch. You need to work on your dodging skills."

Florence mumbled. "Thought that would work. Book mentioned no one could work out how to fly with the levitation spell."

Tsukune gave a smirk. "Well they're not the mightiest magical girl are they?"

The two girls packed up their things and exited the arena. Around them a few aurors gave the two a thumbs up. "Nice shot Mitsuki! Almost had her."

Another called out. "Try spinning, I hear it's a good trick."

"Thanks!" the blonde replied, face a bit awkward.

Auror Sugihara had apparently gotten permission for magical girls to use the Kyoto Auror department's dueling arenas to practice their magic under supervision. She had felt it was a safe way for magical girls to practice their skills while avoiding causing trouble for the public. Tsukune had eagerly agreed and convinced the rest of the Kyoto girls to join her.

As the two began to pack their gym bags, Tsukune noticed a text on her phone. "Hmmm…oh it's Shima!"

Florence gave her a raised brow. "That other girl?"

The brunette nodded, as she read the text.

Possible Incubator in Sasebo. Need assistance. Might be witches. -Shima

Tsukune frowned. Kyubey being in Sasebo was interesting but not anything to be concerned about. But…why would she use the word Incubator? Wait…witches? Like in the anime…

Immediately Tsukune's aura grew fiery. "Flo, we need to get to Sasebo as soon as possible. There's trouble amidst."

Florence raised her brow but nodded. "Ok?"

 

[UCC]

after meet the team

The briefing

—-
Isuzu residence Sasebo July 2014

The fireplace lit up as several girls flashed into existence.

Shima smiled as she greeted the leader. "Welcome to Sasebo Tsukune!"

The brunette nodded, "Thank you. Let me introduce you to the gang!"

She gestured to the trio behind her. "This is Florence, Koko, and Masa."

"Hello there. Thank you for having us." The brunette nodded, a girl around her age. "I'm Kokoro, and Miss Tall and Brooding over there is Masara."

The tall white haired grunted in greeting.

Florence grinned, "Is it true? You found a witch for us to smash?"

The room froze. Tsukune's eyes darkened. "Is it true?"

Shima shook her head. "We don't know. We have have a few hunches. They'll explain at the police department."

Tsukune jerked up. "Police department?"

Shima nodded, "Hai, the police were the first ones to notice. So we'll be working with the police."

"Are…are there any aurors?" Masara finally spoke, a cool and firm tone.

Shima internally wanted to squeal. Masara totally had Hamakaze vibes. But the months spent around her older doppelgänger had taught her to control her fan girl. "Y-yes. They agreed to lend their support as well. At least that's what Inspector Takehashi said."

"I hope they're wrong." Kokoro muttered, "Being a magical girl is an amazing gift, even with the side effects. But I can't imagine having to be one of those girls and knowing I'm going to die at any time."

Tsukune nodded, "That's why we're going to find them! And then we're going to save them!"

The group collectively agreed. Except for one.

"I don't get it." Florence shrugged. "But if there's a fight involved, I'm in."

Tsukune sighed, "Good enough."

—-
Sasebo Police Station

Shima thought she could handle seeing aurors again. After all, she regularly saw the Kyoto aurors and they were really nice.

But seeing the Sasebo aurors again and seeing some…familiar faces…was a bit much for her.

She hoped they wouldn't recognize her.

The briefing room was filled with dozens of people though. Shima recognized Takehashi, as well as Miss Jintsuu.

Tsukune's eyes widened, "Shima-chan, Shima-chan, look! It's a real shipgirl! You think she'll sign an autograph."

Shima paused and wondered why she wasn't doing the same. She was supposed to be the shipgirl fan after all. Maybe it was being around Shinano and the Kagerous that had….numbed her a bit. "Not the time."

"Oh…right." Tsukune chuckled nervously.

The room slowly calmed down as everyone began to take their seats.

Inspector Takehashi, followed by a man in robes, walked up to the podium.

"Let's bring this briefing into order. The time is 1600 on the dot. The case is "Magical disturbances connected to possible otherworldly interference." He paused as he made sure he read that correctly. "Anyways, I want to thank all of you for being here, especially our compatriots from the Sasebo Auror force, the JMSDF, and our magical girl volunteers. Honestly, I don't know how to feel about bringing in kids, but you're our closest lead to the case. So thank you for volunteering your time."

He began to go into the details of the case, starting with the deceased teenagers found over the past few months. "After cross referencing with auror detective Shinzo, we found out that our investigations went hand in hand. Detective?"

The man in robes took the podium, awkwardly adjusting the microphone. "Is this working? Ok. I'm Sasebo Detective Shinzo. Inspector Takehashi is correct. For the past 6 months, we've been getting weird reports of magical incidents involving mysterious creatures. However, whenever we arrive on the scene, the creature is gone and there's no sign of a battle. However, our forensics team found evidence of young females in every scene shortly before we arrived." He grunted awkwardly, "This isn't our first 'magical girl' incident. We've been dealing with…one particular magical girl for some time now. However, these incidents did not match her MO. Thus I saw it fit to categorize these incidents as a separate magical vigilante group. Inspector Takehashi's finding coincided with our own and we realized that there's a high likelihood that the girls who have been found were connected to the magical girl incidents."

He pointed his wand at the large map of the city. Magically, dots began to appear. "Most of the reports we've found are located in this part of the city."

Takehashi looked at his marker, then at the detective's wand. Then he signed. "We've found the bodies in around the same area. Which indicates that the girls are operating in this general vicinity."

Shima gasped out loud, that was near where she lived and went to school!!

One auror raised his hand. "Do we have any evidence to suggest there are more of them?"

Takehashi shook his head. "As of late, we haven't."

"The last magical incident happened about two weeks ago." Shinzo explained.

Shima tried to recall what she was doing that weekend. Wasn't that the weekend she was on a date with Rina?

Detective Shinzo sighed, "I know there's not a lot to work with, but please check with your sources and reach out to us if you find anything correlating to that area."

"Ano?"

The group collectively turned to the brown braided magical girl.

"Ohh…" Kokoro blushed at the attention, "Would an increased crime rate in Sasebo train station be any hint?"

The room paused. Inspector Takehashi frowned. "Run that by me again?"

Kokoro blushed. "Ahh. Well I just thought to check my instagram and noticed that the Sasebo municipal news put out a notice about increased thefts and felonies near the station. And since it was in the search area…"

The inspector turned to the detective, who nodded. "It's worth a shot. He turned to his team. "Pull up all files about the recent crime spree. See if there's anything 'magical' related in it. I'll reach out to their municipal office."

"Auror team, go ahead and increase patrols near the train station. See if you can't spot anything out of the ordinary." Shinzo added, "Let's get moving."

He turned to the magical girl. "Good call."

Kokoro nodded as her cheeks reddened at the attention. "Th-thanks."

The room began to empty as officers and aurors stood up and left their seats.

Shima breathed a sigh of relief as she stood up. "Tsukune, let's go check it out as well."

"Miss Isuzu, a word?" Shima turned to see the detective behind her.

Shima paused, before nodding. "Go ahead Tsukune, I'll be right behind you."

Tsukune frowned, "If you're sure."

—-
Shima stood before the detective, feeling a sense of awkwardness hover over the room.

Detective Shinzo cleared his throat as he sat down on one for the seats. "It was about two years ago," he started, "I was assigned to the magical vigilantism case from Tokyo."

Shima's eyes widened. He was from Tokyo? Then that meant…

"I was assigned to assist with a new case of reservation escapees. Now keep in mind, I didn't really think about what was going on. I just heard that someone was obstructing the law and attacking aurors."

He chuckled nervously, "Consider my surprise when the reports mentioned a literal angel swooping down and opposing the reservation garrison. The 'Angel of Sasebo' they called her. Like she was so kind of reverent god or something."

"Ahh…haha…" Shima muttered, trying to laugh along.

"So I joined a group of pursuers. We tracked down a runaway Yokai nekomata."

Shima gulped awkwardly. She knew where this was going.

"Those tunnels were in horrendous condition, but we kept our pursuit. But just as we had cornered the runaway, she appeared."

"She did?" Shima tried to feign innocence.

"She did. An angel with silver hair and white wings. She shot my teammates with Aether bullets and then flew into the air." Shinzo recalled the incident. "Before I knew it, my wand had been cut in half and I was out like a rock."

"I-I see." She really didn't know how to respond to this.

"Found out half of the force is now scared of birds and flying objects. The other half can't look at a seagull without trying to shoot it." He chuckled.

Shima tried to shrink away. She hadn't meant to do that much trauma.

"I'm not too shaken up about it. But my wife swears I can't stand the sight of feathers. I can. I definitely can."

"Wh-why are you telling me all this?" Shima nervously asked.

"Because…" Shinzo tried to put it into words. "I just…wanted to clear up the air…Miss Angel. Like…no hard feelings?"

The magical girl in question frowned, "You know what they were doing to the Yokai in those reservations?"

"Well…now I know." Shinzo admitted. "I knew reservation guards were a…rowdy bunch, but being there definitely opened my eyes."

He sighed, "I know it's not much, but consider this an apology from the Sasebo Auror department. We tried to turn a blind eye to what was going on there and it caused you a lot of trouble. And…when we broke away to work with Kyoto, we rescinded your arrest warrant."

Shima gasped, "You did?"

"Not a lot of us like to admit it, but…you were doing the right thing. I just wanted you to know, no one in our team is going to give you any trouble Miss Isuzu." He held out his hand. "So can we count on your assistance…as we try to do the right thing for once?"

Shima took the hand. "I-I'll try."

—-
Sasebo Train Station

Rika looked from atop the rooftop. "Well, that's definitely Mitsune's style."

Shizuku frowned, "You'd think she'd be more discreet about it. She could get caught doing that."

"I…I'm not sure she really cares." Rika admitted. "We must need to find her before her witch hurts civilians."

"Well, it's not like anyone is going to catch us. What a joke!" Ayaka grinned.

Feeling the faint bending of reality around them, Shizuku grabbed the black haired magical girl by the collar. "You idiot! Why did you use your magic like that?"

Ayaka gave a lopsided grin. "Well you know me, gotta make sure everyone's safe! And like, it's going to be harder to stay hidden once we lose Mitsune."

Rika reached into her pocket, pulling out a small grey spindle. "Use it. I won't take no for an answer."

Ayaka gave a rare frown but nodded, "Th-thanks."

Pressing the spindle against her soul gem, she watched the darkness fade from her gem. "Alrighty, I'm better than Shizuku's sense of humor!"

The blue haired girl sent her a glare. "Any lock on Mitsune?"

Rika sighed. "Think we'll have to hunt her ourselves. Let's go."

The final Puella Magi transformed and began their hunt for their missing comrade.

—-

Introductions to the remaining Puella Magi (info straight out of Madoka Canon)

Spoiler: Rika (Rina) Ayano

Wish: I wish to make her fall in love with me. Used her wish to make her crush fall in love with her and break up with said girl's boyfriend. Broke off her relationship after realizing how fake it was. Was very close with Ren Isuzu (from Madoka verse). Unique Magic: Charm/Seduction

Spoiler: Shizuku Hozomi

Wish: I want to find the place where I belong. Used her wish to teleport to her friend, only to watch him die in her arms. Got involved with a magical girl cult before being saved. Unique Magic: Warp gates (almost unlimited distance)

Spoiler: Ayaka Mariko

Wish: I wish to carry on her smile. Used her wish to permanently force herself to be cheerful like her old friend was. Wishes to be a comedian despite being terrible at it (worse than dad jokes). Unique Magic: Joking (can turn concepts, ideas, and possible futures into jokes, thus negating them)

Spoiler: Mitsune Miwa

Wish: I wish to be a slacker magical girl. Used her wish to prove she could be a shut in magical girl. Didn't work out and instead she got tangled with a magical girl supremacy group. Now is trying to atone for her mistakes. Unique Magic: Subconscious Suggestion (implants suggestions into people's subconscious, causing them to do things they normally wouldn't).

 

[UCC]

Takes place immediately after the briefing

Station of Mystery & Confrontation
—-
Sasebo Train Station July 2014

The team of magical girls apparated into alleyway, holding the hand of an auror.

Shima bowed respectfully. "Th-thank you for the jump."

The auror nodded, "No worries. You know where you're going?"

Shima turned to the assembled magical girls. "We'll spread out around the station and look for clues."

"We'll ask the locals and see if they know anything." Tsukune added.

Shima, a natural introvert, turned her head towards Tsukune in shock. "We are?"

The "mightiest" nodded. "That's right!"

Kokoro sighed, "Tsukune and I will. Masara and you can focus on looking for signs of magical girl battles."

Masara simply nodded. Shima sighed in relief. Florence frowned, "What am I doing?"

"You'll be with me." Tsukune grinned. "Come on!"

Taking the blonde's hand, the two left the alleyway.

Shima turned to the white haired girl. "So…I can fly, so I'll find a rooftop. How about you?"

The girl shrugged, "I'll cover the ground. More efficient that way."

"Good to see you've got a plan." The auror nodded. "We'll keep in touch."

He handed Shima a slip of paper. Shima opened it to see a string of numbers. "What's this?"

"The detective's phone number. We're magicals. We're not barbarians."

With that, he vanished in a shower of sparks.

Shima looked at the number before handing it to Kokoro. "You wanna hold onto it?"

The brunette smiled, "No problem. How about you save the number on your phone and I'll keep the paper. That way two of us have it."

Was this the power of extroverts? The ability to naturally know how to communicate with strangers?

Shima transformed, flexing her wings before leaping upwards. Rather than propelling her, she used them to help maintain her balance as she leaped from wall to wall until she had reached the top of the 4 story building. Once on the wall, she released her transformation and pulled out a pair of binoculars (a gift from Yukikaze on her birthday). Then she began her own hunt.

—-

"Problems with theft?" An elderly woman frowned, "Can't say I have really noticed anything. We always have our share of pickpockets, but nothing really strange."

Kokoro nodded. "I see. Thanks for your assistance."

"My pleasure dear."

As she watched the elderly woman depart, Kokoro sighed. That was the fifth person she had talked to. While people seemed to have heard a thing or two, no one seemed to be in the know about a crime spree. Maybe it really was a bust and they were just wasting time.

"Thief! Thief! My bag!"

Kokoro spun around to see a young woman collapsed on the ground as she held out her hand towards the perpetrator…the very same old woman Kokoro had just been speaking with?

Kokoro shifted her body to pursue the woman but before she could respond the elderly woman collapsed.

A ghostly figure stood behind the woman, her arm raised. Kokoro sweat dropped as she recognized the girl. "Grab the purse. It's fine now." She spoke aloud, running up to the fallen lady. "Are you alright?"

The young woman nodded, "Hai. Umm…ahh my bag!

Kokoro jerked her head to see the white haired girl walking towards them, a small handbag in her arms. Masara handed the bag to the woman. "Keep a better eye on it."

Kokoro sent the white haired girl a stink eye. "Masara!"

"Just saying it for what it was."

The woman shook her head. "It's fine. I'm just glad I got my bag back."

"Is everyone alright?"

The trio turned to see two police officers running towards them.

Kokoro was about to speak, but then paused. Masara gave her a glance and then back at the old woman. She nodded.

Kokoro resumed. "I was helping this woman with her bag. That's all."

The officers glanced back towards the elderly lady. "Is she alright?"

"She will be." The brunette moved towards the officers before speaking in a lower voice, "We think she's part of the crime spree."

The first officer's eyes widened but nodded. "I see. Let's move her to the police box."

—-
Sasebo station Police Box

Kokoro put down her phone. "I called Tsukune."

Masara nodded, "Any luck?"

"She thinks she found a lead. She agreed to meet us here." Kokoro sighed, "Any luck?"

"The woman doesn't know anything. She claims that she just suddenly had to grab the woman's bag and did it." Masara's stoic expression was neutral, but Kokoro knew her well enough to know that Masara was being skeptical.

"So she doesn't have any criminal record. She doesn't knew why she grabbed the purse. And honestly, she didn't know anything about the crimes before this." Kokoro summarized. "Anything sounded suspicious to you?"

Masara raised her brow. "You think?"

"Maybe." Kokoro concluded, "Let's wait for Tsukune and the others."

The police box opened again, and the first officer walked out. "It's been like this all week!" He groaned. "One case after another. And each one of them claims to be clueless."

He turned to the girls. "Apologies. We got the notice about you being here."

He paused. "You guys really are…magical girls?"

Kokoro nodded, "Yeah, it's hard to believe. And we suspect this crime spree might be connected to another one."

The second officer joined them. "If it really is magic…I'd believe it. Too many cases like this? Something's definitely off."

"We're here!"

The group turned to see Tsukune running over, tugging a grumpy looking Florence by the arm. Kokoro waved over to them. "Thanks for coming! But where's Shima?"

"I'm right here." As if on cue, a silver figure dropped from the sky between them. The police officers jumped back in shock.

"Holy Kami, Shinto mother of Buddha!" The first officer exclaimed.

"What the fuck!"

Shima unfurled her wings. "S-sorry. I came as fast as I could."

Tsukune chuckled. "That's our Angel of Sasebo alright."

So what did you find?" Kokoro asked.

Tsukune frowned. "Not a lot of people remember crimes but people have heard about it."

The magical girl nodded, "Which aligns with what we found. A lot of people are committing crimes they didn't mean to do. And then they forget they even did them."

Shima frowned. "You think it's wizards?"

Tsukune shook her head. "I read up on memory charms. The people of Sasebo are pretty resistant due to the constant exposure of shipgirls. Also obliviate spells don't work like this."

One of the police officers froze. "You mean, they can wipe our memories?"

Shima shook her head. "Not very well anymore. Used to be a thing. But even then, this doesn't sound like a wizard or Omnyoji. But maybe a magical girl could."

Kokoro joined in, "That could be the case. Maybe the incubator is trying to wipe people's memories or…"

The two paused as they reached the same conclusion. "It could be a witch!"

Kokoro turned to the police officer, "did you see any weird marks on the woman?"

"I didn't." The trio turned around to face the white haired magical girl. "I checked her when I stopped her. No marks on her neck."

"Masara, you gotta tell us these things." Kokoro protested.

"Ah…I thought it was obvious." Masara shrugged.

Kokoro looked like she was ready to strangle her partner. "Ok. That leaves out witches. But we should check around the area."

"Oh, one more thing." Masara added. The group turned to face her. "The woman said something when I knocked her out. 'Save me'. Sorry…forgot the mention it."

"Masa-chan," Tsukune groaned. "You need to get better at telling us things."

"Believe me, I know." Kokoro joined in.

"Save me?" Shima frowned. "It sounds like…a call for help. If it's a magical girl from Madoka that means…"

Realization came to the group as a whole as the atmosphere deadly cold.

"I'll call the inspector." Kokoro pulled out her phone.

"Shima, take the to skies. We'll follow behind you." Tsukune ordered. She turned to the police officers, "Please try to evacuate the station. We have a magical girl problem."

The police officer in question froze but nodded. "Of-of course."

Shima shot into the air as the magical girls dashed into action.

—-

Sitting across from the police box at a small cafe, two supernatural beings sat at a small table. To the human eye, they were a pair of (rather homely and ugly) salarymen complaining about their job and boss. To the eyes of a Champion or other divine agent allowed to see beyond the Veil, they were something else... complaining about their job and the new policies implemented by their Boss -- the king of the Buddhist Underworld.

"You sure this is the right way?"

"Using the locals to solve these problems is the best for all of us." Gozu took a sip from his coffee mug. "At least they'll break through that stupid barrier."

"Go easy on her, will you? It's not really her fault." Mezu added. He sipped his tea. "Actually this tea is pretty good. Remind me to add this place for catering our next office party."

"I don't think they cater to the underworld." Gozu muttered. "Still though, making a conceptual barrier keeping us from directly intervening? Going to make her experience…less than streamline."

"Last two have been pretty smooth." Mezu stroked his shaggy neck. "But yes, having to wait for them to die before we get to them is so…inconvenient."

"Now now, let's be lenient here." A third figure joined them at the table. An elderly bald man sat down. "I know they're a bit of a handful, but this is for the best. If they're going to be saved, it should be by the girls who know them best."

"If you're sure Jizo." Gozu sighed. "Still going to make sure to lecture them about keeping us out. Who makes a conceptual barrier… as a joke?"

Jizo chuckled, "The best kind of people."

—-
Sasebo July 2014

Shima flew overhead as she tried to get a view on their missing magical girl. Unfortunately, hundreds of people came in and out of Sasebo train station all the time. She squinted her eyes, but saw no sign of a colorful or odd outfit that would signify a magical girl.

She landed on a rooftop as she tried to find to figure her bearings. There had to be a way to find the girl, but how? She closed her eyes. In the anime, magical girls could sense each other to a certain degree, even communicate telepathically. Why couldn't they?


Do you wished to be saved?

She flared her magic, putting as much power as she could into her thoughts.

Can you hear me? Do you wish to be saved?

Please, please, someone respond!

-S-A-*&*$*#-ME-

Shima jerked her eyes open. She knew. She didn't know, but she knew there was a direction. She pulled out her phone. "Kokoro I found her! But I don't think there's much time left."

"Ok. I've got the Detective and the Aurors as well as the cops. We're ready to go when you are."

Another voice added in. "Use the marker I gave you. That will provide a port key for the rest of us to apparate to your location."

"Got it."

Shima took to the skies, flying at high speed towards the distress beacon. Her eyes followed the narrow city alleyways as she tried to locate the girl. Finally, her senses went off and she just…knew she was in the right place.

She furled her wings in and landed at the end of a long back alley. Sitting at the end was a teenage girl, a bit older than herself. She had short grey hair and amber eyes. Her eyes widened at the sight of Shima. "Y-you found me."

Shima nodded, "H-hai, I'm Shima Isuzu and I'm here to save you."

The girl smiled bitterly, "A little late for that ain't it?"

Shima shook her head, taking out the marker and leaving atop a pipe. "It's never too late to be saved. And we'll save you too. What's your name?"

"I-I'm Miwa, Mitsune Miwa."

Shima nodded. All the fear, all the anxiety about meeting puella magi were gone. She was calm. "Nice to meet you Miwa. I know it's a lot to take in. But I'm not a Puella Magi. I'm actually a different kind of magical girl. And we know about your despair and want to help you."

"Y-you want to help me?"

Shima nodded, "Yes. We have some magical specialists who can help with your soul gems and-"

"Get away from her!"

A red laser shot past Shima's head. The magical girl jerked around to see three new girls dressed in magical outfits approaching her. And leading them was-

"Rina-chan?"

"Re-Shima-chan." The blonde muttered aloud. "It figures you know. Of course you'd also be a magical girl. That doesn't matter. Please step away from Mitsune."

"You guys…" Mitsune muttered. "You found me."

Shima frowned, "So you're also Puella Magi?"

Rina nodded, "And you are as well?"

Shima shook her head. "No, I was contracted from a different Kyubey, one that didn't steal our souls."

The black haired magical girl smiled. "Really? Does that make it a good Kyubey?"

"Yes." Shima nodded, "It's not like we don't have side effects, but we can use magic without risking our souls."

"I guess that makes you guys the Puella Not Die!"

The room froze as the blue haired girl sighed and smacked the black haired girl on the head. "Sorry, she does this from time to time."

Rina frowned, "I…I'm glad you're not contracted to the incubator…but the point still stands. We need to finish Mitsune before she witches out."

"Finish her?" Shima turned to the grey haired girl.

Mitsune smiled bleakly before revealing a small egg shaped gem. The gem had lost almost all of its color. Rina gestured towards it. "Mitsune's witch is likely the most powerful one out of our group. If she witches out, it's going to wreck havoc on the city. Even we'd have a hard time putting it down. So…it's better to do it now."

"But-" Shima tried to protest.

A hand touched Shima's. Mitsune spoke. "It's ok Shima-san. I'm living on borrowed time anyways. Let them do it."

Shima thought about it. This meant that Rina and the others were quietly killing each other to prevent their witches from hurting others. That…that was unacceptable. "I refuse! I won't let you kill each other."

"And we won't let you either."

The Puella Magi jerked around to see four magical girls standing behind them, wands and ofuda drawn. On cue, several robed figures dropped from the rooftops around them. Uniformed police officers rushed in from the alleyway entrance, batons in hand. Detective Shinzo pointed his wand steadily at the girls. "Puella Magi, in the name of the Sasebo police and auror departments, please stand down."

Rina looked at Shima in disbelief. "You actually got the civilians on your side?"

"They're not civilians Rina-chan." Shima somewhat proudly declared. "We're a team. Magical girls, aurors, and police officers, we even work with shipgirls."

"Shipgirls?" Ayaka exclaimed out loud, her eyes scanning the crowd for a possible shipgirls. "Rika, Shizuku, maybe working with them isn't such a bad idea."

Shizuku frowned, "Even so, there's not enough time. We need to stop Mitsune before she witches out."

Rina/Rika agreed. "There's too much at stake! And how do we know we won't be experimented on? We know what humans are capable of." She turned to Shima. "We can talk later, but we need to deal with Mitsune now."

Shima shook her head. "I won't let you kill her. We have a magical researcher who can help her."

"This isn't the time to argue this!" Rina shot back.

"T-too late." Mitsune muttered, as her soul gem faded to black.

A blast of energy erupted from the gem as the stone shattered, knocking everyone off their feet. Shima gasped in horror as she watched the a dark spindle rise from the ruins of the shattered gem. Dark energy spiraled around the spindle, causing it to grow in size until a massive witch had formed around it.

The witch Claudia roared, enveloping the surrounding area, magical girl, Puella Magi, Auror, and police officer included.

 

[UCC]

Rubia

—-
Claudia's Labyrinth, Sasebo July 2014

Shima watched in horror as the labyrinth formed over head. She looked down at the magical girl lying lifeless in front of her.

Her hands lay listlessly on her lap as her eyes gazed upwards, empty and hazy. When Shima put her hand on the girl's neck, she failed to detect a pulse.

Mitsune Miwa was gone. She had failed. Another magical girl had died…right in front of their eyes.

"Shima!"

Shima jerked up to see Tsukune grabbing her arm. "How is she?"

She shook her head. "We were too late."

"Dammit!" The brunette cursed, but then she recomposed herself. "But this is not the time to mourn. We're dealing with a real witch right out of the anime. A lot more people are going to die if we don't get back in the game now!"

Shima looked around in shock as she took in the situation. Already familiars had appeared, 4 foot tall sticklike creatures with cotton heads and felt mustaches. They were quickly surrounding the entourage of police, aurors, and magical girls, who were responding the best way they knew how.

Inspector Takehashi fired his revolver at the familiar. The bullets punctured the abomination, but the creature didn't seem fazed in the slightest. He slowly stepped backwards, trying to keep distance between the creature and himself. Just when he saw the creature drawing its tendril arm back, a voice shouted next to him.

"Incendio!"

A beam of flame engulfed the familiar, causing it to roar in anger. Takehashi turned his head to see Shinzo pointing his wand at the creature. "Well, looks like our fears were confirmed."

"In all my years, never thought we'd actually fight monsters like this." Muttered the inspector, "We need to regroup and plan a counter attack."

"Agreed."

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught another police and auror pair trying to stop a trio of the familiars. However, the creatures were quickly overwhelming them. "Look out!" The inspector called, raising his revolver.

The two men saw the creatures standing over them and braced for the worst. Suddenly a pair of red lasers tore through the familiars.

He turned to see the blonde Puella Magi pointing her hand mirror. "Get clear!"

She pointed her mirror at the next familiar, a pair of red beams shooting from the reflected metal. Said beams obliterated the familiars with ease.

Ayaka, the black haired Puella, pulled her massive hat from her head and held it like a magician's hat. Streamers and sparkly glitter erupted from the hat, flying into the air before homing on a trio of familiars. The shiny ribbons shot downwards, wrapping themselves around the familiars before crushing them tightly.

Shizuku raised her twin chakram and threw them in a deadly dance. Each razor sharp blade boomeranged and sliced cleanly through a wave of familiars before returning to her hands.

The trio of Puella Magi dispatched wave after wave of familiars, allowing the human police and aurors to regroup in the middle.

Florence put down her wand as she stared in awe at the deadly efficiency the Puella Magi practiced. Kokoro pressed another ofuda into her boxing gloves as she took a breather. The other magical girls enjoyed a moment of respite as Shima turned to Rina err Rika. "Th-thank you."

Rika shook her head. "We'll leave them in your care. We need to dispatch this witch as soon as possible."

Shima nodded. "I see…is there no way to save them?"

The blonde sighed. "I once wondered that as well. Where we came from, we even formed a union to fight against despair together. But ultimately, it failed. Hence why our universe came to an end."

Tsukune raised her brow. "So you're really from another universe?"

Ayaka nodded, "Yep. It's all Shizu's fault!"

"Shizuku can connect spaces. As our world collapsed, Shizuku was able to make a portal to your world for the six of us. We don't know how it worked, but it did." Rika explained. "Emiri's hypnosis and Ayaka's joke magic let us integrate into your world. And we…we've been living in your world since then."

Shima sighed. "But your world is an anime in ours."

"I know right? We even knew Madoka and her friends! How funny was it to see them as a tv show?" Ayaka exclaimed.

"Regardless." Rika sighed, "We need to finish this witch. Already the curse of despair is growing. I fear that the civilians will not be protected from its influence. Not to mention, Mitsune's always had a powerful mind magic. This ends now."

Shima looked back. The aurors and policemen were recovering, but she could tell that they all had anguished expressions on their faces.

"Fucking hell." Takehashi grunted as he tried to stand. His mind barraged him with despair as he tried to resist the mental attacks. "Shinzo…my neck. Do you see anything?"

Shinzo pulled down the inspector's collar and gasped. A small cryptic mark was stuck to the back of the man's neck. "Holy Kami…"

"So it is there." Takehashi muttered, his breaths labored. "Shinzo, we gotta get all the infected to the back. We're in no shape to fight."

"Already on it." The detective ran towards the larger group, barking orders.

Shima turned back to the Puella Magi. "I see…"

Shizuku nodded. "As you can see. Someone needs to protect them. We'll finish the witch."

Shima frowned. "But didn't you say that this witch would be too powerful for you? You can't fight it alone."

Rika smiled bitterly. "Yeah. But what choice do we have? Someone has to protect the people here."

"We've already had a good life." Ayaka chimed in, "It's time to go out, with a bang!"

"This world…isn't where we belong. It's only right than we finish it properly." Shizuku added.

Shima reach out her hand to stop them, but a roar sounded behind her.

Rika smiled. "Sounds like the familairs are back. You keep them off our backs ok?"

The three girls turned and headed deeper into the labyrinth.

Spoiler: Play for maximum feels

View: wKVJi-FLvak

View:
%20
Shima%20watched%20them%20leave%20but%20turned%20to%20face%20the%20wave%20of%20familiars%20chasing%20after%20them.%20%22I-it%27s%20not%20right.%20It%27s%20not%20right%20that%20you%20have%20to%20sacrifice%20yourselves%20to%20such%20a%20cruel%20fate.%22
%20
She%20turned%20to%20Tsukune,%20who%20nodded.%20%22Go%20ahead,%20we%27ll%20keep%20%27em%20at%20bay.%22
%20
The%20silver%20haired%20magical%20girl%20smiled.%20%22Thanks.%20And%20just%20this%20once,%20I%20think%20it%27s%20ok%20to%20go%20loud.%22
%20
%22I%20was%20just%20thinking%20the%20same%20thing.%22%20She%20turned%20to%20the%20other%20magical%20girls.%20%22All%20magical%20girls,%20it%27s%20time%20to%20let%20loose!%22
%20
Florence%20grinned.%20%22I%20thought%20you%27d%20never%20ask.%22%20She%20put%20her%20wand%20in%20her%20pocket%20and%20summoned%20her%20massive%20battle%20hammer.%20%22Oryahhh!%22
%20
Kokoro%20put%20down%20her%20boxing%20gloves%20and%20summoned%20her%20massive%20piledrivers.%20Masara%20summoned%20her%20blade.%20Tsukune%20picked%20up%20her%20fans%20and%20raised%20them%20high.%20%22Magical%20girls!%20Let%27s%20go!%22
%20
Tsukune%20focused%20her%20magic%20into%20her%20legs,%20%22Ora%20Ora%20Ora!%22%20She%20shot%20rocketed%20into%20the%20air,%20a%20flaming%20missile%20dead%20set%20on%20the%20familiar%20wave.
%20
Florence%20hefted%20her%20battle%20hammer%20as%20she%20ran%20towards%20the%20nearest%20group,%20%22Bam!%22
%20
Kokoro%20stood%20guard%20in%20front%20of%20the%20remaining%20aurors%20and%20officers,%20her%20piledrivers%20ready%20to%20repel%20anyone%20that%20got%20close.%20Masara%20flashed%20to%20and%20from,%20stabbing%20familiars%20with%20her%20dagger.
%20
Shinzo%20watched%20the%20magical%20girls%20enter%20the%20fray%20and%20sweated.%20%22Glad%20they%27re%20on%20our%20side.%22
%20
—-
%20
Shima%20ran%20after%20the%20Puella%20Magi,%20her%20staff%20in%20her%20hand.%20As%20she%20did,%20she%20stumbled%20as%20suddenly%20a%20wave%20of%20magic%20washed%20over%20her.%20Memories%20that%20were%20not%20hers%20flashed%20before%20her%20eyes.
%20"We%27ve%20lost%20too%20many.%20Sisters,%20friends,%20lovers.%20All%20to%20the%20terrible%20fate%20that%20awaits%20magical%20girls."
Mitsune%20stood%20in%20object%20horror%20as%20she%20watched%20her%20closest%20friend%20witched%20out%20before%20her%20eyes.%20Next%20to%20her,%20a%20blue%20haired%20girl%20turned%20to%20her%20comrades.%20%22Well%20now%20I%27m%20really%20angry.%22

%20
%20"We%27ve%20watched%20our%20friends%20kill%20each%20other%20in%20the%20name%20of%20salvation.%20%22%20Shizuku%20stood%20frozen%20stiff%20as%20the%20girl%27s%20battle%20axe%20smashed%20through%20her%20friend%27s%20soul%20gem.%20The%20girl%20dropped%20to%20the%20ground%20lifeless.%20%22Rryou!%22%20She%20screamed.%20
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/809317015881515048/1070583795692081182/78CD397E-5BC2-47FA-92F5-127C8F7F2DE5.jpeg

%20
%20"We%20saw%20the%20worst%20of%20humanity,%20and%20then%20our%20retaliation%20to%20it.%22
Ayaka%20watched%20with%20a%20forced%20smile%20as%20she%20saw%20protestors%20and%20rioters%20ransack%20the%20shops%20and%20streets%20of%20their%20city,%20their%20anger%20the%20result%20of%20a%20magical%20girl%27s%20tampering.%20
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/809317015881515048/1070583795964715069/5916B245-9100-40D5-8F98-EA03BE3AF21B.png
She%20then%20saw%20the%20same%20people%20collapsing%20on%20the%20street,%20their%20throats%20unable%20to%20drink.%20She%20saw%20young%20children%20trying%20to%20drink%20water,%20only%20to%20vomit%20the%20moment%20the%20liquid%20touched%20their%20tongues.%20All%20while%20the%20video%20screens%20showed%20a%20blue%20haired%20magical%20girl,%20demanding%20their%20fealty.%20%22Ain%27t%20that%20a%20cruel%20joke.%22%20The%20black%20haired%20magical%20girl%20mused.%20
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/809317015881515048/1070583796329623622/351EC689-7EB3-49C2-B11F-F431A398571F.png

%20
%20%22And%20we%27ve%20seen%20too%20much%20sacrifice.%20Every%20victory%20is%20bittersweet.%22
Rika%20lay%20in%20the%20mirrors%20labyrinth,%20wounded%20and%20battered.%20She%20tried%20to%20get%20up,%20but%20was%20stopped%20as%20a%20pair%20of%20arms%20caught%20her.%20%22Rika-chan,%20you%20can%27t.%22
%20
A%20silver%20haired%20magical%20girl%20held%20her%20as%20Rika%20lay%20in%20her%20arms.%20%22R-Ren-chan.%22%20
%20
Ren%20smiled.%20%22Just%20hang%20in%20there%20ok?%20I%27ll%20be%20right%20back.%22%20
%20
%22But…the%20witch…%22%20
%20
%22Rika-chan,%20you%27re%20my%20light,%20my%20reason%20for%20living.%20I%27ll%20be%20right%20back%20ok?%22%20
%20
With%20that,%20Ren%20lowered%20Rika%20to%20the%20ground,%20picked%20up%20her%20staff%20and%20ran%20towards%20the%20witch.%20Rika%20watched%20in%20pain%20only%20to%20notice%20the%20fireball%20too%20late.%20%22Ren!!%22%20
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/809317015881515048/1070583796690325554/831892AA-1375-4224-9D0A-39E13F9B4FBE.png

%20
Shima%20jerked%20out%20of%20the%20visions,%20panting.%20She%20understood%20now.%20She%20understood%20the%20pain,%20the%20suffering,%20and%20the%20anguish%20these%20girls%20had%20gone%20through.%20She%20understood%20why%20they%20were%20so%20hesitant%20to%20trust%20anyone.%20And%20she%20understood%20why%20they%20would%20selflessly%20sacrifice%20themselves%20like%20so.
%20
%22I%20understand%20your%20pain,%20but%20I%20refuse%20to%20let%20you%20suffer%20any%20longer.%22
%20
She%20thought%20of%20the%20loss%20of%20their%20comrades.%20%22We%27re%20in%20a%20world%20where%20we%20no%20longer%20have%20to%20succumb%20to%20despair.%20We%20can%20overcome%20it%20together.%22
%20
She%20thought%20about%20the%20murder%20and%20killing%20of%20their%20friends.%20%22Sure%20we%20may%20bicker%20and%20squabble%20from%20time%20to%20time,%20but%20here,%20we%20can%20become%20a%20united%20front%20towards%20our%20salvation.%22
%20
She%20remember%20their%20distrust%20of%20humanity.%20%22Here,%20humans,%20Yokai,%20and%20wizards%20have%20come%20together%20to%20support%20each%20other.%20You%27ll%20never%20be%20alone.%22
%20
And%20then%20she%20remember%20the%20girl%20who%20looked%20just%20like%20her.%20%22I%20may%20not%20be%20Ren%20Isuzu,%20but%20I%20promise%20I%20will%20never%20abandon%20you.%20I%20won%27t%20die%20like%20she%20did.%20I%27ll%20be%20tougher%20and%20stronger%20than%20Ren%20Isuzu%20ever%20was.%22
%20
With%20that%20final%20declaration,%20Shima%20finally%20broke%20past%20the%20magic%20barrier%20and%20into%20the%20center%20of%20the%20labyrinth.%20She%20looked%20around%20and%20then%20behind%20her.%20She%20knew%20what%20she%20had%20to%20do.%20She%20would%20save%20them,%20and%20prove%20to%20them%20no%20one%20needed%20to%20sacrifice%20themselves%20any%20longer!
%20
—-
%20
Claudia%20roared%20as%20it%20opened%20up%20its%20shower%20curtains%20to%20allow%20the%20rod%20to%20shoot%20out%20in%20multiple%20directions.
%20
Puella%20Magi%20leaped%20and%20dove%20to%20dodge%20the%20metal%20tendrils.%20Rika%20sent%20a%20beam%20of%20magic%20at%20the%20witch,%20only%20for%20it%20to%20block%20it%20with%20its%20shower%20curtain%20like%20shield.%20Ayaka%20smacked%20a%20pair%20of%20tendrils%20away%20with%20her%20hammer,%20but%20grunted%20as%20she%20did.%20%22You%20know,%20I%20don%27t%20think%20she%20appreciates%20us%20peeping%20on%20her%20in%20the%20shower.%22
%20
%22Shut%20it.%22%20Shizuku%20muttered,%20leaping%20over%20another%20pair%20of%20tendrils%20before%20hacking%20through%20them%20with%20her%20chakram.
%20
Rika%20tired%20to%20adjust%20the%20aim%20of%20her%20mirror,%20but%20couldn%27t%20find%20an%20angle.%20%22Dammit,%20what%20I%20would%20do%20for%20homing%20lasers.%22
%20
Ayaka%20nodded%20as%20she%20tired%20to%20find%20a%20way%20in.%20Suddenly%20her%20eyes%20widened,%20%22Rika,%20above%20you!%22
%20
The%20blonde%20glanced%20up%20just%20in%20time%20to%20see%20another%20set%20of%20tendrils%20diving%20in%20on%20her%20location.%20She%20dived%20to%20the%20side,%20barely%20avoiding%20the%20tendrils,%20even%20as%20one%20grazed%20her%20chest.
%20
Rika%20grimaced%20as%20she%20looked%20down.%20%22Well%20that%27s%20not%20good.%22
%20
Sure%20enough,%20a%20small%20piece%20of%20her%20soul%20gem%20had%20been%20chipped%20by%20the%20tendril.%20Rika%20frowned.%20Back%20in%20Kamihama,%20the%20healer%20girls%20could%20have%20fixed%20that%20no%20problem.%20Unfortunately,%20they%20didn%27t%20have%20any%20healers.%20In%20other%20words,%20that%20meant%20one%20thing.%20%22Guys,%20I%27ve%20got%20an%20idea.%22
%20
Shizuku%20frowned.%20%22I%20don%27t%20like%20that%20idea.%22
%20
%22If%20it%20involves%20using%20her%20soul%20gem%20as%20a%20bomb,%20don%27t%20do%20it!%22%20Ayaka%20had%20a%20rare%20serious%20moment.
%20
%22But%20if%20I%20don%27t…%22%20Rika%20countered.
%20
%22I%20won%27t%20let%20you%20sacrifice%20yourself%20Rika-chan!%22
%20
The%20trio%20turned%20to%20see%20a%20silver%20haired%20magical%20girl%20leap%20into%20the%20air%20and%20land%20in%20front%20of%20the%20blonde,%20her%20scythe%20drawn.%20%22I%20refuse%20to%20sacrifice%20anyone!%22%20Shima%20repeated.%20%22You%20stay%20back.%20I%27ll%20handle%20the%20witch.%22
%20
%22I%27ll%20be%20right%20back%20ok?%22
%20
%22N-no!%22%20Rika%27s%20eyes%20widened,%20%22I%20won%27t%20let%20you.%20I%20won%27t%20let%20you%20die%20on%20me%20again!%22
%20
Shima%20smiled%20softly,%20%22I%20know.%20That%27s%20why%20I%27m%20not%20alone.%22
%20
%22That%27s%20right!%22%20Tsukune%20jumped%20in,%20her%20fans%20in%20a%20cross%20position.%20%22It%27s%20time%20for%20the%20mightiest%20magical%20girl%20to%20take%20the%20stage!%22
%20
%22Some%20mightiest,%22%20Florence%20muttered,%20her%20arms%20slung%20over%20her%20battle%20hammer.%20%22You%20can%27t%20even%20handle%20foxes.%22
%20
%22Wait,%20you%27re%20afraid%20of%20foxes?%22%20Masara%20asked%20as%20she%20shimmered%20onto%20the%20field.
%20
%22Not%20afraid!%20I%20just%20really%20dislike%20them!%22%20Tsukune%20shot%20back.
%20
%22I%20guess%20the%20mightiest%20does%20have%20a%20weakness.%22%20Kokoro%20chuckled%20as%20she%20followed%20the%20group.
%20
Rika%20stared%20at%20them%20in%20shock.%20%22You%20guys,%20but%20how?%20Who%27s%20protecting%20the%20civilians?%22
%20
Tsukune%20smirked.%20%22See%20the%20thing%20is,%20we%27re%20not%20the%20only%20powerhouses%20in%20town.%22
%20
%22I%20called%20for%20back%20up.%22%20Kokoro%20gesture%20to%20the%20phone%20in%20her%20hand.
%20
—-
%20
BLAM!
%20
The%20familiar%20blew%20apart%20as%20the%20canister%20pellets%20punctured%20through%20the%20fluffy%20head.
%20
Hamakaze%20pumped%20the%20shotgun%27s%20gauge%20before%20aiming%20at%20the%20next%20familiar.
%20
%22Nice%20shot,%22%20Yukikaze%20called%20before%20swinging%20her%20anchor%20into%20another%20familiar.%20%22But%20you%20missed%20one.%22
%20
Another%20group%20of%20familiars%20detonated%20as%20a%20dive%20bomber%20bombed%20the%20group.%20%22I%20got%20them!%22%20Shinano%20cheered.
%20
%22Nice%20one%20Shinano,%20Harry%20would%20be%20proud!%22
%20
Isokaze%20and%20Urakaze,%20each%20wielding%20rifles,%20sent%20a%20hail%20of%20bullets%20into%20the%20abominations.
%20
Across%20from%20them,%20Arizona%20picked%20up%20a%20pair%20of%20the%20familiars%20and%20crushed%20their%20heads%20together.%20Her%20sister%20Pennsylvania%20stabbed%20another%20with%20her%20rifle%20bayonet.%20%22Utterly%20disgusting.%22
%20
%22Agreed.%22%20Arizona%20nodded.%20%22To%20think%20such%20vile%20creatures%20existed.%22
%20
Jinstuu%20didn%27t%20say%20a%20word,%20but%20instead%20dual%20wielded%20her%20naginata%20and%20tanto.%20Slashing%20familiars%20with%20the%20naginata%20before%20finishing%20them%20with%20Hogosha%20Odori,%20the%20blade%20seeming%20to%20giggle%20in%20delight%20as%20it%20stabbed%20effortlessly%20into%20the%20monster%20flesh.
%20
Another%20warrior%20rushed%20forward.%20%22With%20me,%20my%20students.%22%20Masamune%20no%20Tokunotakai%20called,%20drawing%20her%20blade.
%20
%22Roger!%22%20The%20four%20magical%20girls%20nodded.
%20
Akira%20rushed%20the%20pack%20of%20familiars,%20her%20fists%20smashing%20into%20the%20head%20of%20the%20first%20one.%20Meiyui%20followed%20up,%20slashing%20their%20sides%20with%20her%20claws.%20Kako%20slipped%20past%20their%20defenses%20and%20jabbed%20her%20spear%20through%20its%20chest.%20Finally%20Nanaka%20finished,%20drawing%20her%20katana.%20She%20inhaled%20deeply,%20her%20words%20spoken%20slowly%20but%20surely.%20%22First%20Form%20of%20the%20Way,%20SUDDEN%20SLASH!%22
%20
Her%20blade%20bisected%20the%20entire%20pack%20in%20an%20instant.%20Toku%20smiled,%20proud%20of%20her%20students%27%20work.%20%22Well%20done…for%20first%20years.%22
%20
Nanaka%20rolled%20her%20eyes.%20%22Hai,%20master.%22
%20
—-
%20
Rika%20couldn%27t%20believe%20her%20ears.%20%22Y-you…you…but…%22
%20
Shima%20nodded,%20%22As%20I%20said.%20We%27re%20not%20alone.%20We%20support%20each%20other,%20we%20ask%20for%20help,%20we%20have%20each%20other%27s%20backs,%20that%20way%20no%20one%20person%20is%20shouldering%20the%20burden%20alone.%22
%20
She%20took%20turned%20towards%20the%20witch.%20%22So%20please,%20let%20us%20handle%20it.%20Let%20us%20save%20you,%20Rika-chan.%22
%20
Tsukune%20looked%20over%20the%20witch.%20%22So%20it%20looks%20like%20its%20weak%20spot%20is%20behind%20the%20curtain,%20so%20we%20need%20to%20attack%20it%20from%20above.%20Shima?%22
%20
%22Roger.%22
%20
%22Kokoro,%20you%20focused%20on%20drawing%20its%20attention.%20Masara%20and%20Florence%20will%20cover%20your%20flanks.%22
%20
%22And%20what%20about%20you?%22%20Florence%20asked.
%20
Tsukune%20smirked.%20%22Why,%20I%27m%20going%20to%20get%20my%20mightiest%20attack%20ready!%22
%20
—-
%20
Kokoro%20stood%20before%20the%20witch,%20her%20weapons%20drawn.%20Focusing%20her%20defensive%20magic,%20she%20let%20the%20tendrils%20shoot%20towards%20her,%20not%20flinching%20in%20the%20slightest.%20As%20the%20tendrils%20reached%20her,%20Kokoro%20took%20action.%20With%20a%20mighty%20heave,%20she%20shot%20her%20armored%20hand%20forward,%20smashing%20the%20head%20of%20the%20pile%20driver%20into%20the%20tendril.%20The%20tendril%20shattered%20on%20impact.%20She%20continued%20fending%20off%20the%20attacks%20even%20as%20more%20tendrils%20began%20to%20snake%20around%20to%20her%20side,%20only%20to%20be%20stabbed%20by%20Masara%27s%20dagger%20or%20smashed%20by%20Florence%27s%20hammer.
%20
Shima%20rose%20high%20into%20the%20air%20with%20her%20wings,%20peppering%20the%20witch%20with%20Aether%20bolts.%20The%20witch%20roared%20in%20response%20as%20it%20sent%20more%20tendrils%20into%20the%20air.%20The%20Angel%20dived,%20rolling%20and%20twisting%20to%20dodge%20the%20tendrils,%20even%20as%20they%20turned%20to%20home%20in%20on%20her.%20Shima%20led%20them%20into%20a%20high%20pace%20chase%20as%20she%20hacked%20and%20slashed%20at%20tendrils%20until%20she%20was%20in%20the%20clear.
%20
Taking%20a%20deep%20breath,%20Shima%20focused%20her%20magic%20into%20a%20massive%20ball%20of%20Aether%20before%20sending%20it%20hurling%20downwards.%20The%20witch%20reacted%20immediately,%20sending%20all%20its%20tendrils%20to%20block%20the%20attack.%20The%20tendrils%20shattered%20and%20writhed%20under%20the%20massive%20attack,%20but%20managed%20to%20hold%20back%20Shima%27s%20assault.
%20
However,%20using%20all%20its%20resources%20blocking%20Shima%20meant%20it%20was%20vulnerable%20to%20other%20sources.
%20
%22You%27re%20clear%20now!%22%20She%20called%20downwards.
%20
%22Yosh!%22%20Tsukune%20rushed%20forward,%20igniting%20her%20fans%20as%20she%20ran.%20%22Flame%20Waltz!!%22
%20
Tsukune%20slammed%20head%20on%20into%20the%20witch,%20setting%20the%20witch%20ablaze%20with%20her%20flames.
%20
The%20mightiest%20magical%20girl%20smirked.%20%22Figures,%20shower%20curtains%20can%20be%20flammable%20after%20all.%22
%20
The%20witch%20roared%20in%20pain%20as%20it%20tried%20to%20put%20out%20the%20flames.%20The%20tendrils%20lashed%20out,%20only%20to%20catch%20ablaze%20as%20well.
%20
Tsukune%20turned%20to%20Florence.%20%22Do%20your%20best.%22
%20
%22You%20don%27t%20have%20to%20tell%20me%20twice!%22%20The%20girl%20grinned%20as%20she%20hefted%20her%20battle%20hammer.%20She%20ran%20up%20and%20smashed%20the%20hammer%20into%20the%20witch%20repeatedly.%20%22Bam!%20Wham!%20Kablam!%22
%20
With%20the%20witch%27s%20defensive%20curtain%20compromised,%20the%20powerful%20hammer%20attacks%20tore%20through%20the%20currtain%20rods,%20exposing%20the%20witch%27s%20core.%20Tsukune%20smirked,%20%22Now%20Shima!%22
%20
%22Hai!%22%20With%20that,%20Shima%20swooped%20down%20and%20cleaved%20the%20witch%20in%20two%20with%20her%20scythe.
%20
The%20witch%20screamed%20its%20last%20before%20disintegrating%20into%20dark%20sand.
%20
Shima%20panted%20as%20she%20looked%20around.%20The%20Puella%20Magi%20stared%20at%20them%20in%20awe.%20Rika%20smiled%20softly.%20%22You%27re%20an%20angel%20Shima,%20a%20real%20angel,%20you%20know%20that?%22
%20
The%20group%20of%20magical%20girls%20watched%20the%20labyrinth%20collapse%20around%20them,%20leaving%20a…rather%20large%20group%20of%20individuals%20gathered%20in%20the%20small%20alleyway.
%20
Shima%20returned%20to%20unmoving%20body%20of%20Mitsune.%20%22R-rest%20in%20peace,%20Miwa-san.%22
%20
Rika%20nodded.%20%22I%27m%20sure%20she%20will.%22
%20
Shizuku%20looked%20around%20at%20the%20amassed%20force%20before%20her%20and%20for%20the%20first%20time,%20breathed%20easy.%20Perhaps%20things%20would%20be%20looking%20up%20for%20once.
%20
%22So,%20who%20wants%20to%20hear%20a%20joke?%22%20Ayaka%20proposed.

 

[UCC]

immediately after Rubia

Endings, and a new beginning

—-
Sasebo July 2014 (immediately afterwards)

Rika sat down on the back of the ambulance, several small bandaids covered her face. She watched in utter amazement as dozens of people shuffled in and out of the alleyway.

To think that so many people would have shown up to help them. To save magical girls. To save them?

"Kinda hard to believe…" she muttered allowed.

Ayaka, sitting next to her nodded. "Like, who would have thought…magicals and mundane working together. It sounds like a bad comedy routine."

"Sorta makes one wonder, is it ok to be here? Can we belong here?" Shizuku added.

"You do." Shima walked up to them, a limping mildly.

"Re-Shima-chan!" Rika jerked up, "You're injured."

"It's nothing." The silver haired girl shrugged it off, "I just landed funny. Didn't even notice it until they checked me out."

"No pain, no gain!" Tsukune added, as she, Kokoro and Masara joined them.

"Where's Florence?" Shima asked.

"She's talking to those magical girls from Kamakura. Apparently her fighting style reminded them of someone."

Kokoro groaned. "Another blonde berserker? Now there's two of them?"

Shima shrugged.

"Excuse me." The group of girls turned to see a woman dressed in Miko robes, a long katana at her side, "You're the Puella Magi correct?"

Rika nodded, "And you are?"

"I'm Masamune no Tokunotakai, I'm Shimazu's younger sister."

"Oh!" Tsukune's eyes brightened, "You're sensei's sister!"

"Hai. I'm also a messenger for Hachiman-dono. And he brings a message for you."

"Hachiman? Like the Kami?" Shizuku frowned.

"The one and only."

"Wait, the Kami are real?" Ayaka exclaimed in shock. "Do they like jokes? Do they laugh?"

Toku's eyes darkened. "Actually…that's part of the problem. They're asking for the Puella Magi to take down their conceptual barrier keeping them from intervening. It's not funny any longer."

"Conceptual barrier?" Rika tried to postulate. "Wait…you don't mean?"

Shizuku groaned, "That actually worked?"

"What's going on?" Shima asked in confusion.

"Ayaka happened." Shizuku muttered as she recalled the first day they arrived.

—-
Sasebo January 2014

"So like, it turns out ships have returned as cute girls!" Ayaka exclaimed, "That's like totally wacko!"

"To think that magic is more widely accepted here." Shizuku glanced through her phone, reading various articles. "Wh-what if we're caught?"

"What? Divine beings trying to catch us? What a joke!" Ayaka laughed.

—-

"Wait, you're saying my joke worked?" Ayaka's eyes brightened, "I was funny! My jokes work!"

"Ayaka…" Shizuku glared at the girl.

Rika had her face cupped in her hands. "We are so sorry. We'll take it down immediately. Right?"

"Totally!" the comedian confirmed, "Us being untouchable by divine beings, what a joke!"

The girls suddenly experienced a vague dejavu as reality warped around them.

"For the record, that wasn't funny."

"I thought it was rather amazing."

The girls jumped up in shock at the sudden appearance of the two men standing in their midst.

The bald man smiled. "Oh don't mind us. We're just here to chat a bit."

Shima froze as she tried bowing. "A-are you Kami?"

The ox headed man nodded, "That is correct. I manage part of the underworld, while Jizo here is the Kami of children."

"Indeed." The elderly man agreed. He turned to the Puella Magi. "You've had tough lives, haven't you?"

Shizuku nodded slowly, unable to find the words to speak. There were real Kami in their midst. Real Kami.

"Ehh…sorry about the barrier. It was a joke! Honestly!"

The ox man grumbled but Jizo chuckled. "To see children enjoying pranks and laughter is completely normal I assure you. When your god approached us about saving you all, we were quite surprised. For a goddess so young, and so desperate that she begged us for aid, I was moved by her actions."

"Our god?" Rika muttered.

"Yes, the Law of Cycles. MadoKami some call her." Jizo acknowledged, "She just wanted a future for you girls. Free of despair and of pain. And so with much thought, we found a suitable solution."

Shima looked up in surprise. "You did?"

"Of course we did. We're Kami after all." Jizo chuckled. "It's quite simple really. While it was easy to convert your souls to be compatible with our world, your bodies, modified by the incubator, were incompatible. So the solution simply is to take your souls and put them in compatible bodies."

Rika frowned, "Compatible bodies?"

"Y-yes." Gozu nodded. "Amaterasu-dono and her sisters agreed to have artificial bodies crafted for you, in the form of Yokai. Your souls would be placed inside of them and last you a typical yokai's lifespan."

"I-I see." Rika nodded, "So…we would have to get rid of our current bodies then."

"Rest easy, they would make the bodies to be as similar to your current bodies as possible." Gozu placated Rika's worries. "Now, if you have any preferences for what body you wish to have-"

"Rika will be a Kitsune." Shima spoke bluntly.

Rika turned to Shima in surprise. "Huh?"

Shima's eyes were dead serious. "Rika-chan will be a Kitsune."

While Rika boggled at Shima's request, Jizo chuckled, "I see. We'll keep that in mind. And as for you two? Are you willing to follow through as well?"

"Bodies that are free from despair…and being free from our curse? How could we ever say no?" Shizuku muttered, "But there's a price I assume?"

The girls paused as they realized the same conclusion. Jizo nodded, "Ever the sharp mind I see. Yes, there is compensation involved. When you pass on, you are to become our servants for the next few centuries afterwards to pay off your bodies. There's plenty of work to be done in the heavenly realms and we're always looking for more employees."

"I see." Rika processed the information. "I…I still think it's worth while. I'm in."

"As am I." Shizuku nodded.

"If Shizu's in, so am I!" Ayaka cheered.

Jizo smiled warmly. "I'm happy to hear you accepted our terms. Your bodies should be ready within a month's time. When they're ready, please head to Hachiman's temple in Kamakura for the ritual. You'll hear from us then."

And just as abruptly as they arrived, the Kami vanished.

Shima let our her breath. "Well…that happened."

"We're…we're free!" Ayaka cheered as she hugged Shizuku. "I can pursue my dream of becoming a comedian!"

Shizuku frowned, "I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Rika looked over at Shima who smiled back. "I promised didn't I? I'm never going to leave you Rika-chan."

Rika smiled warmly as tears ran down her cheeks. "Yes. That you did."

—-
Elsewhere

"Please take a number."

Mitsune Miwa opened her eyes. She was standing in a large room. The room was filled with people and she was standing in front of a kiosk for some reason.

"Oi, I said, take a number."

"Oh…sorry." Mitsune looked at the blonde man scowling at her. "Umm number?"

"Yes. For the line." The man in the black robes responded. "Take a number and find a seat. Here, I'll do it for you."

He pulled a slip from the machine and handed it to her. "You're number 2814. Go and take a seat."

"H-Hai." Mitsune accepted the ticket and moved to the large waiting area. Hundreds of plastic benches formed massive rows. Each bench was filled with people of all sizes, shapes, and…species.

At the front, people lined up in front of several desks with other people in black robes sitting at them. Mitsune pondered to herself. "Did I end up in hell or something?"

The wait was hellish. Much to her chagrin, she didn't have her phone. Or any other electronics for that matter. She ended up fidgeting and messing with her fingers for hours.

"Number 2814 please report to desk number 5."

Mitsune jerked up and ran over to the desk. A young woman with short black hair looked up. "Mitsune Miwa…hmm…wait…it says here you're an other world visitor. You have to go to customs first."

"What?"

The woman pointed to a door. "Over there is the office of customs. You'll have to get clearance from them first and then line up again."

"What?" Mitsune muttered in disbelief. "But I already waited so long."

"Welcome to the underworld." The woman muttered as she handed her several sheets of paper. Next!"

"But, I don't even know what I'm doing here! What's going on!" The girl protested.

"Not my problem. If you have any issues, you can make a request at the help kiosk down the hall."

"But-"

"Rukia, I can handle things from here."

The woman glanced up and saw a towering figure coming up behind the girl. "G-Gozu-sama. Of course. I'll let you handle it. Next!"

Mitsune turned around and gasped. The man…if one could call him that, had a freaking horse head. "Horse man?"

"Call me Gozu." He clarified. "You're one of the Puella Magi that the Law of Cycles sent us. My apologies for the confusion. Now if you'll come with me."

He led the girl out of the room and into a small office. "Please take a seat."

Mitsune slowly sat down. "Umm…where am I? Last I remember, I turned into a witch."

"That's correct. You did. However, that doesn't mean life is over for you." Gozu sat down on his desk, digging through some papers. "You see, when you arrived in this world, the goddess of your world, nice lady by the way, made a request that we find a way to save you."

"S-she did?"

"Yes. The Law of Cycles pleaded with the Kami and eventually worked out a deal. She would rescind her rights and authority over you and your souls, and in exchange, we would be able to restore your souls, even after witchification. So technically your body is dead, but your soul is still alive."

"I-I see. What happens after that?"

"Well, you've got a few options." Gozu pulled out two brochures. "One, you can serve a Kami, become one of their attendants. I've got at least one Kami who's offered to take you in as an attendant. He's looking for a QA tester for his game line and would be happy to have you work for him."

"So…I'd be an eternal servant for a god?" Mitsune muttered, "Sounds like a pain."

"Well, it's a lot of work, but I hear they have good benefits and some even get retirement plans." Gozu agreed, "Your other option is reincarnation."

"Reincarnation…like an Isekai?"

"You're not the first person to ask that. Sorta. Well, actually for you, it actually is an Isekai. You'd be reborn into our world. Nothing special, you may keep some of your memories if you'd like, but most choose to leave them behind. You'd get a relatively normal life. Try life again without having the curse of despair."

"I see…Has…my other friends…" Mitsune began

"I'm going to stop you there." Gozu interrupted. "I cannot tell you what they chose. Patient confidentiality and everything. So it's entirely up to you. What do you say?"

Mitsune frowned as she considered the two brochures. "Ummm…I'll take the reincarnation. I…I don't want to remember my past life. It's…it's too messy, painful…so if I could start over…that would be nice."

Gozu smiled. "Very well then. If you'll come with me, there's a few disclaimer forms and stuff I need you to fill out before we begin."

Mitsune nodded, her heart somewhat…light for once. She'd get her second chance, a change to redo everything, to be free of her past.

—-
Sasebo Police Station July 2014

Takehashi stared at the screen of his computer. "H-how do I explain explain "and then the magical girls saved us"?"

Shinzo looked up from his report. "Ahh, you don't have a magical girl attachment?"

"Magical girl attachment?"

The detective pulled out a pink sheet from his binder. "You can use my copy."

Takehashi looked over the sheet. "Magical girl attachment. The following are actions are to be understood and excused. A. Transformation sequences. B. Sudden bursts of power while discussing truth, love, and friendship. C. New transformation sequences mid fight. D. Mid battle monologues. E. Point blank non lethal lasers in the face…what am I reading?"

"Basically, an excuse to say "this is magical girl bullshit, hell if I know". The higher ups in Kyoto made it a few months back to deal with the rising magical girl incidents. All you have to do is attach the names of the magical girls involved." Shinzo explained.

Takehashi nodded, "Hmm…I think I can scan it and attach to my form when I turn it in. Actually, can I get a few of these?"

"Sure thing." Shinzo pulled out his wand and tapped the form. "Geminio!"

A second form materialized beside the first. Takehashi froze. "Are you serious? Just like that?"

Shinzo shrugged. "Helps deal with having to file duplicates to multiple departments."

"…so this is magic huh?"

"It's not as impressive as it sounds." The detective muttered. "I still have to write the first form by hand. You guys get to file digitally."

Takehashi looked over the detective carefully. "Is your uniform also enchanted?"

"Yep. For durability, defense, and comfort."

"Comfort?"

"Well yeah, for one, we don't have any bulky holsters in our uniform. I imagine your shoulder holster is quite uncomfortable at times?" Shinzo gestured to Takehashi's coat.

"Oh you don't know the half of it, I had to deal with that thing digging into my side-"

—-
Shimazu's Lab Kyoto July 2014

"What's the meaning of this?"

Tsukune flinched as the scientist roared in frustration. "Here I am, preparing to go on tour and a much needed vacation. And now you choose to do stupid things!?"

Shizuku turned to Tsukune, "Is she?"

"Don't worry," Tsukune assured her, "She can be like this, but in reality she really cares and doesn't want us hurting ourselves. Just let her get this out of her system."

"Sounds like she needs to get laid." Florence giggled.

Shimazu stopped and sent the brat a glare. "I'll have you know I've got more sexual experience than you'll ever get. I've had experiences so vivid, so explicit, they had to be written in a book and became a best seller!"

Florence opened her mouth but wisely closed it. Kokoro bowed. "We're sorry for using our powers again. But we had to! It was to save everyone!"

"I know that." The researcher groaned. "I know you did it for the right reasons. But we have contingencies and back up for a reason. And I was just ready to implement my new workaround for fixing your magic powers."

"You were?" Tsukune raised her brow in excitement.

"Yes. Basically I've worked out a way that you can tap into religious powers built around the belief in magical girls. That way, your spells shouldn't strain your magic reserves so rapidly." She went the girls a glare. "It's no excuse for not learning how to magic the proper way…but it should give you the boost in power when you need it."

"Hai!" Tsukune cheered. "You're the best…err…second best, Shimazu Sensei!"

"Second best?"

"Kaya Shishou is the best naturally!"

"Figures."

Shimazu turned her attention on the Puella Magi. "And now for you two."

"H-Hai." Shizuku muttered awkwardly. "We're…sorry?"

The researcher sighed. "So like…I get your issues and stuff. And what the incubator did was terrible and everything. But using reincarnation to solve your problems? What were the Kami thinking?"

"It's not really reincarnation?" Ayaka shrugged, "More like animating new bodies! Like a video game!"

Shimazu sent a glare at the comedian. "Sure. But reincarnation has several side effects, like possibly wiping out the previous soul that lived there. Though…I guess since they're artificial bodies, they wouldn't override out any previous soul…but still! It's the ethics of it all!"

She groaned. "But if this is how the Kami want to handle it, so be it! But I'll be keeping a very close eye on your girls! You can count on it."

"H-Hai!" Shizuku and Ayaka squeaked out.

—-
Sasebo Naval Base July 2014

"So…it's over?" Richardson looked at the report before him.

Shima nodded, "Hai. The remaining Puella Magi are in our care."

"And you're certain the incubator has not arrived in our world."

Rika shook her head. "It was just the six of us. Kyubey wasn't with us when we arrived."

Richardson nodded. "I see. That is good to know." He turned to Rika, who was nervously fidgeting. "Please, speak freely. I may be an admiral, but knowing how we can best help you is both of our goals."

"H-Hai. Shima-chan…has been most helpful. Where we came from, we didn't trust the authorities. In fact, the authorities were outright out of the question. So talking with a…non magical girl about these issues is a bit unusual for me."

"I can understand such feelings." Richardson agreed. "Thankfully, at least Goto and I have your safety and futures in our best interests. I've received several outstanding reports from our people and the local authorities about your impact on the field. I wouldn't be surprised to see a magical girl branch to our police and peacekeeping departments in the future."

Shima nodded. "Hai."

"I…I see." Rika tried to process what she had been told. "So…what happens next?"

The admiral smiled softly. "For now, you rest. You take care of yourselves. I believe it would be best if you relocated to Kyoto, but honestly, we can set you up in Sasebo if you'd like. Our people will get to work trying to give you the best medical care we can provide."

As the two left the office, Shima turned to Rika. "Ummm…well that went well."

Rika chuckled, "Ahh well…I guess so. I never would have thought you had connections like this…with the military and everything."

"H-Hai. Ummm…Rina…I mean Rika…"

"I said it before, you can call me anything Shima."

Shima blushed. "Ok then…Rika-chan. Would you like to go to the festival this weekend with me?"

Rika smiled warmly. "Sure Shima-chan. It's a date!"

—-

I'd love to end it here. Rika and Shima go to the festival at Shiromizu's mountain (meeting Kensho and Harry there). Shimazu continues to berate the Kyoto gang while looking forward to her vacation. The three fallen Puella Magi (Karin, Emiri, and Mitsune) live out their lives as reincarnated souls. Tsukune curses the foxes. Florence wonders when she'll find a family.

But that would be boring wouldn't it? Better get some drama set up.

—-
Taiwan June 2014

A white haired girl looked out into the sea, the sea breeze blowing through her ponytail.

"Xiao Jie, you must return with us." A voice called behind her.

She sighed as she turned to the men in suits. "For the Buddha's sake, it's safe out here. Go pester my mom or something. I'm fine here."

The men's expressions didn't change. "Your mother has request your presence."

The white haired girl scoffed. "Is she trying to convince me to do a shoot? I already told them, I'm not interested in working for the nunnery. I want a life of action, adventure, not being a model for a photo shoot."

"Xiao Jie, your mother specifically demanded your presence. You should come immediately."

"Fine," she groaned, "I'll be there when I feel like it."

Watching the men leave, the girl returned her eyes to the crashing waves. That's when she noticed a small white creature pulling itself onto the pier.

Curious, she walked out to the end of the pier. The white cat like creature shook its fur free of excess water before looking up at her. "Konichiwa!"

The girl frowned, "Ni hao?"

"Ahh, you speak Mandarin!" The cat spoke to her, "Is this better?"

Befuddled at the talking cat, the girl nodded. "Wh-who are you?"

"I'm Kyubey! And I make contracts with girls to become magical girls."

The girl nodded slowly. "Magical girls?"

"Yes!" Kyubey clarified. "Magical girls are girls in Japan who have received powers to fight against evil and the oppressors."

"I see. And you can offer these powers to girls?"

The Kyubey nodded, "That's right. Hmm…you feel interesting. You're not human. Your aura is different."

The girl slowly nodded. "That's right."

"You seem somewhat like a kitsune of sorts." Kyubey concluded. "While I typically contract human girls, that doesn't mean I don't make exceptions. What is your name?"

"Wei Tsu Wa." The girl let her ears and tails show. "I'm a Huli Jing. Is that a problem?"

Kyubey shook its head. "Of course not. Now then Wei Tsu Wa, you wish for adventure, action, and romance?"

Tsu Wa paused, "Something like that. You can grant me that?"

"Well, magical girls have a significant boost to their combat abilities. Several of the girls I've contracted can hold their own against several aurors."

"I see."

"Well then," the beady eyes narrowed down on the foxy girl. "Wei Tsu Wa, will you make a contract with me and become a magical girl?"

 

[darthcourt10]

Let's go like this.

Ramune anyone - Set after Harry and Natsumi do their horror movie set up
(School project - Horror Film)

To be a magical girl - set immediately afterwards

To serve and protect - After Jin shows up on the scene (I don't remember the exact snippet) but probably before Kaya goes into the bunker
([Bunker] Cavalry Arrives) Jin shows up
([Shimazu] 2014 Wayward Flower 1 {Bunker} Kaya teleports to Bunker with Musashi and Toku


A brief respite - After Harry and co get out of the bunker and are in the hospital
([Bunker] The Moments After 1&2) - ?June 24 2014?

Mentors - after the bunker cools down, so maybe a week or so later ?June 31 2014?

Meet the team (and the entire Puella magi arc) - sometime before when Shiromizu is going to have the festival at her shrine
Before ([Ginzan Fest.] Heading for the Mountains 1) ?after? (Stuffing the cult of the DARK ONE (BEHOLD!) )