"Ume, please wake up." But, of course, she didn't. Seina hung her head, sobbing as she cradled her friend.
"Strongest magical girl, what a joke!" Seina said, her bawling turning into a bitter laugh. While they'd finally defeated the mad Yuuka, it offered Seina little comfort.
How could this have happened? It brought back terrible memories of her days before becoming a magical girl, living in a heartless world where anyone could die senselessly on a whim. She'd been powerless then, too. Seina asked herself why she'd even bothered being a magical girl.
"Even now, you're still that scared child I fought back in the arena." A voice said.
Seina jerked, her heart beating a mile a minute. Who was that? It'd been a voice she hadn't recognized. "Who are you?"
"Your death, Seina." The voice replied. Two glowing red orbs watched her from a shadowy outcropping of rock, burning with malevolence. "I am the butcher who haunts your nightmares."
"Dreven?" But the voice didn't match whatsoever. Seina peered harder into the shadows, but found its depths impenetrable.
"I thank you, Seina. You make this so much easier." The voice said. Before Seina could decrepit their meaning, her fingers twitched. She gasped, suddenly finding them empty. "Ume?"
"I'm one step closer to your destruction, Seina. It's a pity I couldn't feast on the Devil Princess too, but Ume's blood will be sweet." A shadowy figure appeared in the darkness, a stain of crimson the only color amongst the shadows. Ume hung in their arms, her blood dripping onto the rock below. What the heck? How'd they steal her friend away without her noticing?
"Hold it!" But Seina's words were in vain, the baleful red eyes vanished into the shadows. When she entered the outcropping of rock, Seina uncovered no trace of the vampire. The only clue he'd been there were droplets of blood in the dirt.
"Ume, no! Give her back!" Seina said, venting her anger at this outrage. Despite her best efforts, she uncovered no trace of the vampire, not even a trail of blood.
"No!" Seina's voice broke, pounding the ground in frustration. "No…"
"Seina, are you okay?" Paliah asked, walking up to Seina. "What happened? Where's the Devil Princess?
"Ume's gone," Seina said, her voice dead. Her body sagged, her expression languid. "Dreven stole her."
"Sorry, what?" Her partner asked. "Please start from the beginning."
"Please, Colten, can't you just take me home? I'm not in the mood to talk right now." Seina replied.
"Okay," Paliah said, grasping his partner's hand. He'd decided whatever had happened could wait. In a flash, they reappeared back at Seina's apartment building. A breeze drifted through the patched hole in the roof from when she'd fought Miko and Chō earlier. But Seina barely noticed, she just collapsed across her bed and waited for the world to go away for a while. But rest refused to come, her mind still turbulent from the day's events.
"There she is!" Takako said, annoyed. "What the hell is going on, Colten? Yuuka is dead, right?"
"So it seems," Mr. Kiyojiro said instead. "But it came at a terrible cost, Ume's life. Seina's not taking it well. The poor thing."
"Yeah, Seina needs her space right now," Colten added.
"Oh…" Takako's voice trailed off.
"Oh, Takako! It was terrible!" Neir said, throwing himself into his partner's shoulder. "Hope and I were playing cards together as usual, then she suddenly vanished into dust!"
"Yeah, it's hard to believe," Liam said, shaking his head.
"But she won." Her bodyguard said, not hiding his pride. "That's something, at least. I'm sure Ume will rest easy knowing that monster is dead."
"Still, a dead Devil Princess," Neir said. "What a miracle!" And her friend's voices trailed off as Mr. Kiyojiro pushed them from his charge's room to give Seina her privacy.
A slight smile appeared on Seina's lips when she realized her room stood in better shape than when she'd left it. Debris from the destroyed ceiling no longer cluttered the floor. All her belongings had returned to a neat order. He'd even patched wooden boards across her ceiling until repairs could be done.
Her Mr. Kiyojiro sure outdid himself while she'd been away. Seine sniffed, gladdened beyond words for this small comfort. But her mood remained somber as she hugged her stuffed animals, tears returning in full force.
What am I doing? I barely knew her. But Seina's grief was real, blaming herself for her failures, failures which had resulted in Ume's death. It didn't take Seina long to cry herself to sleep.
A gentle hand stroked across her head. Seina awoke to find her bodyguard sitting by her side. He jerked away like she was molten lava, pretending nothing had happened.
After an awkward cough, he spoke. "How are you holding up?"
Seina didn't reply, only hanging her head. While the sleep had helped, her heart was heavy. It was a void that had grown in volume since her parent's betrayal, making Seina feel so alone.
"I'll carve up some apples." Mr. Kiyojiro said, standing. "It'll cheer you up."
"Mr. Kiyojiro?" Seina said, calling her bodyguard back.
"Yes."
"Thanks for everything." She still didn't know why he tolerated her.
"It's my duty." Mr. Kiyojiro said earnestly. "I owe you my life. It's the least I can do."
This answer surprised her. Seina had always assumed her bodyguard was that loyal because Uncle Kenji ordered him to be. But she realized his obligation had a much deeper source than this.
Before she knew it, Seina had thrown herself into Mr. Kiyojiro's arm for a big hug. His powerful arms offered her a comfort she'd never realized she needed. Her real father had never given her much of this type of attention. It was nice having Mr. Kiyojiro protect her for a change.
"You better?" Her bodyguard asked when Seina separated from him.
"Yeah." Seina paused, a sudden thought occurring to her. "Could, could we hold a funeral for Ume? She deserves her rest." While they'd lost her body, it'd still be a kind gesture, regardless.
Mr. Kiyojiro nodded. "We could arrange that."
---
With a spatter of dirt, her bodyguard drove the gravestone into the ground. After a few pats with his shovel, the grave was complete. The field was still an ugly mess from where they'd fought Yuuka, but it would heal. According to her bodyguard, her fight with Yuuka had somehow landed them in southern Brazil. Despite the damage, its rich, expansive green fields were breathtaking.
The memorial wasn't much, just a slab of gray stone. But the message engraved on its surface touched Seina's heart.
Its inscription read, "Ume Akiyama and Hope, heroes and friends. They sacrificed their lives to fight against injustice. As long as good people fight, evil cannot prevail."
"She would have appreciated this," Himari said, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Yeah," Takako said in uncharacteristic somberness. "Hero indeed. Made all of Starlight Dream scared of her."
"And you saved my world and universe," Seina said, placing a pink coneflower, Ume's signature flower, on the grave. "For that, I'm forever grateful. Thanks to you, maybe the cosmos can finally heal."
As each of them passed, they placed a coneflower by the gravestone. It created a cornucopia of color, a fitting tribute to their lost friend. Mr. Kiyojiro placed a comforting hand on Seina's shoulder as they walked away.
"And I have just the idea!" Himari said, her eyes alighting with determination.
"What?" Seina asked, curious.
"We go to Starlight Dream and change hearts! Ume always assumed that no one there was worth saving. But she's wrong! Not all magical girls are evil! We will change Starlight Dream for the better!"
"Okay?" Takako said, raising an eyebrow. "But how?"
"I'll go there myself and talk with people," Himari replied. "Tell them the truth about the Devil Princesses, that they can be beaten!"
"That sounds dangerous," Seina said, somewhat apprehensively. But from the light in her friend's eyes, nothing would deter Himari from this task. Her friend was powerful. Maybe she'd be okay?
"Yeah, this seems a little too dangerous, Himari!" Liam said, his tone tense.
"I say go for it." Mr. Kiyojiro said. "Just the news that a Devil Princesses is dead will damage their credibility and influence. Just don't draw too much attention, okay?"
"I'm suited for this," Himari replied. "Any sign of the Princesses, and we'll slip into another dimension."
"That works," Takako said, beaming before frowning. "And we can't forget Chō, Emiyo, and Miko are still out there. They might cause trouble." Though considering Jin's mysterious disappearance, it seemed probable that Miko had perished.
"I'll talk with them," Seina said. "With a Devil Princess gone, they might listen to reason!"
"And I suppose I'll stay here as backup, Seina," Takako said. "Just in case another Devil Princess causes trouble." They hadn't forgotten that Reiko Yoshida, the Poison Ivy, was after Seina's blood.
"It's a plan." While Seina worried about Himari's safety, she was proud of her new friend. She'd grown into a fine magical girl since they'd first met. "If you uncover anything about the old queen, it would be helpful."
"Can do!" Himari gave a salute. "Ready, Liam?"
"This is crazy, but okay." The fairy forced a smile, not eager to join in this crazy plan. A portal of glimmering lights appeared before them, swirling with multicolor light.
"Good luck!" Seina said, waving.
"You too. We'll both need it!" With that, Himari disappeared into another realm of existence.
"I so hope we didn't just send her to her doom," Seina said, deflating. They'd all seen firsthand how fearsome the Devil Princesses were.
"It'll be okay." Mr. Kiyojiro said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She's a tough one."
"Yeah."
"Speaking of that. I believe it's about time to intensify your training." Her bodyguard added. "I've been too gentle on you. You too, Takako. We can't afford to slack off. More Devil Princesses are still out there."
"Yeah, yeah," Seina said, her mood souring. Just what she needed.
Much to her surprise, the other magical girl was nodding emphatically. "Good point. At first, I'd always assumed this battle against Starlight Dream had been a hopeless venture. But we actually defeated a Devil Princess! And we'll do it again! I'm willing to sweat a little to make that happen."
"Eh?" Seina stared at her friend like she was crazy. Where was Takako's trademark laziness? Didn't she hate training with a passion like Seina?
"I'm training too!" Colten said, pumping a paw into the air. "I need to get stronger to defend Seina!"
"You guys." Seina only shook her head before relenting. "Okay. Let's do it."
"And you can start with 100 laps around that patch of forest." Mr. Kiyojiro said, pointing to a nearby forested area. "And no transforming Colten. You need to train both your bodies."
"Got it!" Colten said, nodding. Seina wondered if her fairy partner would retain this eagerness once the training started.
"After a funeral, though?" Seina said, hoping to delay this training by at least a day.
"No time like the present. Get going!" Her bodyguard said, pointing.
"Hey, cheer up, Seina," Takako said as they started their jog. "It might be a key to unlocking our powers without transforming!" Behind them, Colten was puffing as he worked his tiny legs.
"Okay," Seina said with little enthusiasm. No doubt Ume was laughing at her from beyond the grave.
---
A scream escaped Jin's lips as she writhed on the floor, paws clutching her chest. Every second was another eternity of agony as her magic destroyed her from within. She prayed to any god and demon close at the ear to ease her suffering. When Colten said he'd felt funny after taking Emiyo's blood, this wasn't what she'd expected.
The magic leaking from her body was intense enough to leave scorch marks on the carpet of this abandoned apartment. Her body was literally burning itself out. If Jin didn't regain control soon, she'd die for sure.
And it's what I deserve! I killed my own partner and committed the greatest blasphemy a fairy could commit!
No, she knew better! Jin was glad about what she'd done, refusing to repent. It was a step forward in freeing fairies from magical girl tyranny! Miko deserved to die!
This singular thought provided Jin the anchor she needed, clinging to her hatred for survival. It fueled her, allowing her to stand on shaky paws. A croaking laugh escaped her lips, proud of this achievement. No, Jin refused to die until her people were free. Those magical girls, they'd ruined everything for her kind. They'd all leave her Starlight Dream, she'd kill them all if need be.
Jin bellowed a roar as she stood on shaky paws, declaring her resolve to fulfill her dream. Was it her imagination, or had her pain lessened?
"I won't lose. I can't lose!" Jin stomped around the room, repeating this mantra. Her hatred anchored her further, building an unbreakable foundation. Magical energy ceased flowing wildly around her, instead focusing into a dark aura around her.
"This power. It flows within me." Jin slammed a paw against the floor, beaming. Her agony turned to exultation as she conquered Miko's power. Never in her many centuries did Jin feel so alive.
"I did it! It's all mine!" Jin laughed and laughed, rolling over the floor. She'd conquered her once hated master. Now she possessed all the power! Jin was no longer a slave.
A glint of color caught Jin's eyes, and she turned towards her reflection in a dirty mirror. Staring back at her were two orbs of shining pink, the color of the late Miko's eyes. While saddened she'd lost her greenish-blue ones, they suited her. Jin beamed, showing all her teeth.
"And I'll begin by hunting down and killing Emiyo and Chō." They'd gotten too lucky in their battle against Yuuka. With her special ability, finding them would be a cinch.
A thought occurred to Jin, wondering what she should do about Seina. While the magical girl wasn't wicked, she'd still enslaved a fairy for her purposes. Jin was still undecided if the girl deserved punishment for that crime. But that matter would wait until the other magical girls were corpses.
A broach appeared in her paws, but this one glistened with a black jewel whose depths seemed to swallow the surrounding light.
"Change Change, Magical Dark Destiny Costume Change!"