third bullet :: video/action

[headedforhope]

[The mirror at first only shows robots marching past, destroying and trampling the Gardens as they go. Really, you might think, why did the Vine even bother? It's not exactly hard to miss the drama going on- no need for this kind of public awareness announcement.

But, see, the Vine sensed something exciting about to happen.]


TIRO FINALE!


[The roar of a single cannon blast; a nigh-blinding burst of light; a massive shot of bright yellow energy shoots into view from somewhere off in the surroundings, obliterating dozens of the robots. Their pieces litter the grass. Then, a small but growing spot of darkness over the busted gears and scraps of metal; the shadow of something falling out of the sky.

Mami gracefully touches down into sight of the mirror, fully transformed and for once not smiling. Unaware that the Vine is recording her, she summons a dozen muskets from thin air with a sweep of her hand. They remain hovering there, by her side, as her cold gaze takes in the damage the robots caused.

It's a very different Mami Tomoe than most in the Gardens know.]

They just won't stop, hmm....? Then neither will I.

Comments

[gentlecuteside]

[Amamiya shook her head.]

Perhaps it's different where you're from, but in my experience those who try to survive by running or hiding always end up dead in the end.

[She cast about, considering where they should go next.]

[headedforhope]

Just another difference between our worlds, I suppose.

[Although, really, she's being a bit of a liar without knowing it; not even in her world could girls survive by running away all the time.

In the lull, Mami takes the initiative and sets off in a random direction. It seems as likely as any.]

[gentlecuteside]

[Well, that's as good a direction as any. Amamiya follows.]

So, if you're a Magical Girl, what sorts of things do you fight?

[headedforhope]

[a quiet hum of thought; she might as well.]

To answer that properly, I need to ask you something first. Do you know what it means to despair- do you understand that feeling?

[gentlecuteside]

[Despair? Does she know despair? How about being trapped in an endless cycle of time travel, being sent back and forth between the present and a post-apocalyptic future? But not sent alone, oh no. Sent with a different group of chumps every time, fool who never listened to her when she warned them of this new world's dangers, who were only interested in their own fame and fortune. Who always died, no matter how she tried to save them. And how about having to repeat this so many times that you just gave up on saving them, didn't try to stop them anymore because you knew that they would die no matter what you tried?]

Yes.

[Yes, she knows a thing or two about despair.]

[headedforhope]

Mm.

Now imagine a creature whose sole purpose is to spread that feeling. To corrupt unsuspecting humans from the inside, devour their hope, until they're tossed over the edge into madness. Pushed into a spiraling, crushing despair; committing murder, killing themselves, just to feed a monstrous parasite they can't even see.

That's what, in my world, girls like me call "Witches". It's what we fight, and die, hunting. They come in many shapes, with their own uniquely twisted personality and lair, but at their core they're all the same; half-sentient curses.

[And it's against one of these monsters that Mami lost her life- had her head bitten clean off her neck so fast that all she knew before the swallowing darkness was a brief flash of red, red agony.]

[gentlecuteside]

...you know...until recently, I'd have said that I knew one personally. In fact, I suppose I still do; 'Half-Sentient Curse' is the perfect descriptor for it.

[headedforhope]

[She slows, glancing over her shoulder.]

Is that so?

[gentlecuteside]

Yes...well, I know better now, but-

[She cut off mid-sentence as she felt all the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She'd said too much - how could she have been so stupid? Get carried away with the conversation and forget about the rules?]

[She looks up and just as she thought, Nemesis Q is suddenly floating about a meter above her head. Amamiya is too busy freezing up to notice that its hips seem wider, its shoulders narrower, and its chest fuller than usual.]

[headedforhope]

[Mami spins fully around, already moving to summon another musket. There's no gasp of surprise, scream of warning, calling out of Amamiya's name. There's no point- there's no time. It's obvious enough from the other girl's expression that this thing isn't a friend.

Only amateurs waste their breaths.

Mami takes aim and fires.]

[gentlecuteside]

[Nemesis Q doesn't even respond to Mami's attack, but the space between them distorts, and the bullet is harmlessly teleported to the other side of it.]

[It turns its attention to Amamiya, extending one hand towards her. She immediately feels her chest contract painfully, feeling like she just got kicked in the heart by a horse. She falls to one knee with a cry of agony, her hand automatically flying to her chest, grasping uselessly at the pain.]

[headedforhope]

[A bare second of shock, this time, before Mami's pulling out another gun and firing again, stepping forward in the same motion. There's a sharp note of urgency in her tone, because Amamiya's pain is impossible to miss.]

What is this thing-? Miss Sakurako!

[gentlecuteside]

[The shot is once more transported to the other side of it, but Nemesis Q does respond this time: with a deep, resonant sound that vaguely resembled laughter. It looks at Mami, and tilts its head as though it was amused by her.]

[And just as soon as it appeared, it's gone. It had just fired a warning shot, and left. Amamiya slowly got to her feet, still clutching at her chest.]

I'm...fine. Really.

[headedforhope]

[gives you a tight, stern, somewhat exasperated look]

Don't lie. You're anything but fine.

[gentlecuteside]

[The pain is fading now, and Amamiya's grimace gradually turns into a more normal expression.]

I'll be fine in a moment, really. I'm pretty sure that was just a warning.

[headedforhope]

So if you had pressed further, should I assume you'd be dead now?

[gentlecuteside]

Yes. I hope you understand now why I can't explain much about myself.

[headedforhope]

And here I just thought you had a cagey personality.

[a sigh, hand coming up to massage her temples as if to ward off an incoming headache]

I think I would have preferred that. It'd be easier to work around.

[gentlecuteside]

I wish. There's a huge chunk of my life that I simply can't talk about or else that happens.

[headedforhope]

[.....]

I apologize, then, for tempting you into risking your life. I didn't know about that...."security measure".

[She takes the time to curtsy low, once.]

[gentlecuteside]

Don't worry about it. You couldn't have known.

[headedforhope]

Still, the apology stands.

Of course, this information won't be spread around, either.

[gentlecuteside]

I appreciate it. Last thing I need is a bunch of curious busybodies trying to pry open that can of worms.