"I can't believe she just ditched us without a word!" Seina said, annoyed.
"..."
"Right?" Seina said, unsure what she'd agreed to. Unlike Emiyo, Seina had little clue about what thoughts ran through Chō's head. Or did the magical girl speak so quietly that Seina hadn't heard?
"She does what she wants. Who cares?" Emiyo's partner said with a shrug. To emphasize this, Nyx flew out a nearby window and vanished.
"They both seem convinced they shouldn't like you." Her bodyguard said. "Hard to change a mindset like that."
"At least you like me, right?" Seina gave Chō an encouraging smile.
"..."
"Yeah." Seina gave a weak smile, unsure what that meant.
"You'll turn her around," Aiko said, giving Seina's hand a comforting squeeze. Mr. Kiyojiro remained unconvinced but didn't voice his opinion. Colten only shrugged.
"Well, whatever. We'll meet up with her later." Seina said, forgetting the other magical girl from now. They enjoyed a bowl of ramen before joining Takako to hang out. Her friend had suggested they visit a new mangaka wanting feedback on his work. It was another welcome sign normality had returned to their world.
Much to their collective surprise, this drew Chō's attention. It seemed she dearly wanted to join them. With a shrug, Seina nodded in assent.
---
"It isn't much, just some doodles." An abashed teenager said, his face showing a half-grown scraggly mustache. He gestured to his collection of storyboards amongst the clutter of his room. It showed a young girl in a fanciful dress fighting an army of horrors with only a magic wand and a trusty fairy.
When Seina recognized the similarities, Izumi flushed. "I suppose I got some inspiration from an outside source."
"It's pretty cool!" Seina said, eyes alight at the half-sketched magical girl.
"It's something." But Takako sounded impressed despite her tone.
"..." Only Chō seemed unimpressed, frowning. Was she offended by a story about a heroic magical girl? Much to Seina's surprise, Chō stretched something on her notepad. When she'd finished, she presented it to Izumi.
"Perfect! Just what I envisioned!" The man nodded with enthusiasm. "You're a great drawer. I'm still learning. By myself, it is difficult to accomplish much."
"..." But Chō pointed at his storyboard, giving an enthusiastic smile. Seina blinked, unsure what the other magical girl meant.
"I think she likes his storyboarding," Takako said, filling in the gaps.
In confirmation, Chō nodded her head emphatically. She encouraged Izumi to continue. The two 'chatted' further about his manga ideas. It soon became awkward as Seina felt like the odd girl out, leaving them to their conversation.
"Seems like someone made a friend," Takako joined her by the railing.
"Yeah, she did," Seina said, smiling. While somewhat disappointed it wasn't her, she was happy for Chō. She wondered how long it'd been since Chō had a normal friend?
When they rejoined the pair, Chō was helping Izumi storyboard a fight scene between the heroine and a garish young man with white face paint and poofy glam hair. Seina also noticed the heroine had become heroines, plural.
"Nice setup you have here," Seina said.
"With Chō on art and me on storyboarding, my manga's really coming together," Izumi said, giving an enthusiastic smile.
"..."
"Yeah, I know. Maybe you don't like the main bad guy, but trust me, people will love him!" Izumi replied. "In return, I promise to let you design all the monsters he'll be throwing at our heroines."
"..." This seemed to satisfy Chō, who nodded and gave a thumbs up. She seemed in her element, smiling more often than usual. Seina hoped the girl had finally found a purpose in her life beyond Starlight Dream. Who would have guessed someone could regain their humanity through art?
---
"These fools haven't a clue what's coming," Jin sneered, shutting the blinds. Still with Emiyo and Chō aiding them, they might stand a chance.
A part of her longed to join them, instead of lurking in the shadows like a vampire. With Miko gone, an inexplicable loneliness had washed over her. It was like she'd lost a part of herself somehow. Only an ever-blackening void remained.
Were fairies connected even more to their partners than was commonly believed? Joined not only at a magical level but a spiritual one? What nonsense. She didn't even like Miko! Why should she care that the magical girl was gone?
A giggle caught her attention. She watched as Chō showed her drawings to her new friend. The smile seemed odd on the usually stoic magical girl's face, appearing almost like a different person. Odd. With the Devil Princesses gunning for your throat, laughter seemed a distant memory.
"No, I don't need them." Jin ruthlessly tossed aside her loneliness and melancholy, hardening her heart to blackened steel. The late Ume was right. With them at war, sentimentality was an unaffordable weakness. She was an instrument of death now.
Besides, they'd hate her once they learned of her crime. They'd call her an unforgivable monster and cast her away. But Jin could live with that. She'd chosen this path and regrets were for fools. It wasn't like anything had changed, anyway. From her childhood, she'd been the outcast, bullied for not being cruel enough, and forced to hide her true self from everyone.
With a gleeful smile, Jin channeled unbelievable magic into her paw. It glowed with dark power, reflecting her darker heart. But with this power, Jin could be her true self, no longer the cowering waif.
I don't need friends or a partner. I have something better. And it would lead her to victory. This brought comfort, boarding over the void in her heart and her doubts. Power was the great equalizer.
"Huh?" Jin froze as Seina's partner suddenly turned towards the window. With her power, she found the best path to avoid detection. Just in time, Jin ducked behind a wooden post as Colten glanced in her direction.
"Is something the matter?" Seina asked.
"It's nothing." But Colten kept his frown. Had he somehow detected her? They shared the same power. After another glance out the window, he returned to whatever he'd been doing.
"I can't dally around here much longer." While Seina and her crew were dangerous, they weren't her first priority. It wouldn't help to linger. Instead, she needed to go on the offensive and hurt Starlight Dream. Rivers of blood would flow through its streets.
But what should be her approach? Guerrilla attacks like her late friend Ume? No, that wasn't her style. She preferred a flashier, more direct approach. Jin wanted to send fear through her enemies.
She'd go to Starlight Dream and strike at their weakest points. Her power would allow her to find the exact points that would crumble the most. Soon magical girls would learn to fear the species they'd once subjugated.
After a last glance at Seina, Jin summoned a portal. But she paused, pondering a possibility. Against the Devil Princess, an ally would be helpful. Colten had the same type of power as her. Could she convince him to betray his former master and join her? But after some consideration, Jin shook her head.
No. Colten had already gotten brainwashed into believing Seina's pathetic attempts at pacifism. He'd never understand the joys of true freedom. Like many other fairies, the chains that bound him brought him comfort. He'd never break free.
While it brought Jin a pang of sadness, it only lasted a moment. With her mission so critical, sentimentality would only weaken her. She needed to prepare herself to win at any cost. Her partner's death already put her on this path. There wasn't any turning back. She stepped through the portal, pushing aside what she'd left behind.
---
"Why did you call me?" Reiko said, beyond annoyed. Seina was still lurking somewhere, causing trouble and disrespecting the Devil Princess. Reiko knew she'd been close to finding her, only a few universes away from discovery. But then Mei had sent their secretary to retrieve her right before Reiko reaped the fruits of her efforts. "This better be good."
"Yuuka Tsujikawa is dead." Kaguya said without preamble. It was a rarity for the Devil Princess to be wide awake, though her partner still napped on her shoulder.
Perched on her ebony throne, Mei nodded in assent, her lips in a grim line behind her mouth mask. "The four have become three."
Reiko starred, stunned by this news. It was impossible. The only threat to them was the Wicked Queen. Or so Reiko had believed. Her throat was dry as she spoke. "How?"
"She joined you to search for this Seina girl, right? The answer is obvious." Kaguya replied.
"Her? How?! She was weak! A pathetic whelp fighting against giants!" Reiko fumed, beyond furious at Yuuka's stupidity. It was like dying from a gnat bite.
From her throne, Mei stood. "She's getting more dangerous by the day. We must accelerate our plans. Nothing can interrupt them."
To this, Reiko rolled her eyes. The plan had always been their leader's obsession. To her, its promise seemed fanciful. But Mei was determined to complete it, whatever the cost, even if it was them.
"Whatever. I'll look harder. The entire sector will be a wasteland when I'm finished." Reiko cracked her knuckles, smiling with pleasure. Destroying the entire sector seemed a much simpler solution, anyway. She enjoyed seeing universes burn.
"Stay," Mei said, putting her foot down. "We can't allow anything to threaten the plan. If Seina can destroy a Devil Princess, she can defeat you."
"So you say," Reiko said, scowling. What nonsense, she was far more powerful than Yuuka.
"Besides, trouble is brewing here, too," Kaguya said, finally speaking. "Dissent is gathering among our followers. Someone leaked info about Yuuka's death. It'll become quite the hassle if it grows into total rebellion."
"So? Let them. They can't do anything." Reiko said, already impatient.
"No! They're vital to the plan." Mei said, her voice becoming firmer. "With Seina becoming a greater threat, we can't afford to lose more. We need them to cause more suffering! What we've cultivated so far won't be enough!" Passion and frustration crept into their leader's voice, showing rare emotion.
Reiko supposed she couldn't blame her. The Hall of Suffering's destruction was an enormous setback, releasing energies they'd gathered for centuries.
"Then you do it, great leader," Reiko said, not hiding her sarcasm. Mei bristled, insulted by her fellow Devil Princess's tone. Her pride would never allow such an insult or open threat to her leadership. Like Reiko cared.
To stop the growing tension, Kaguya stepped in. "The damage has been done. But it matters little. With our goal so close, we only need to reach out and grab it."
Pacified, Mei nodded. "And I suppose you have some suggestions?" It seemed she usually did.
"Mass planetary destruction," Kaguya said like she'd just ordered a cup of tea.
"Explain."
"Simple. Slowly cook a planet until it's a scorched ruin. The panic, pain, and fear it causes will be sufficient for our needs." Kaguya said.
"It's that easy?" Reiko said, marveling. A child could accomplish that. "Why didn't we do that sooner?"
"Because, while it's a quick burst, its output will be thousands of times less than general suffering gathered over centuries," Kaguya explained.
"Makes sense. You can't farm suffering from a dead person." Mei stroked her chin, liking the plan. "Do it."
"But what about Seina?" Reiko asked.
"Leave her." Behind her mask, Mei smiled. "We'll allow her to hide. While she's sheltering in some hole, we'll enact Operation: Extinction. If we leave Sector 8 last, she'll never know until it's too late."
"Really?" Reiko frowned, displeased. While the death of trillions upon trillions sounded fun, a certain magical girl had humiliated her! "I want Seina dead!"
"Patience, my friend," Kaguya said. "That day will come soon enough. Just a little longer."
"Fine." Reiko rolled her eyes, still unhappy. Then an evil smile appeared on her lips. Seina was a sentimental fool. How emotionally devastated would she be when she learned about this tragedy? What if Reiko made her experience every death she'd been unable to save?
"I like how you think!" Her partner said, joining her mirth.
"I'll give the general order," Mei said. "And it gives us an excuse to round up any possible rebels."
This brought a chuckle to Reiko's lips, wondering how the Wicked Queen would have reacted to Operation: Extinction. It'd be fun ruining everything she'd worked towards. Reiko rubbed her right arm, re-experiencing the phantom pain from their first fight centuries ago. Like Seina, she'd humiliated Reiko too, calling her an insane maniac unworthy of the magical girl's name. And debts were something Reiko refused to allow.
"Come on, Jiji! Let's start the extinction event!"
---
"And this will work?" Mei asked, watching Reiko leave.
"Trust me. It will produce suffering we'll need. I'll guarantee it." Kaguya replied.
But behind her mask, Mei frowned. This reckless plan would cost many lives. If it failed, it seemed doubtful the cosmos would ever recover. If they failed, the centuries of pain she'd cause would be for nothing.
"You still have your doubts? Trust me. The fruit of your plans will soon ripen." Kaguya said, whispering into her leader's ear. "When the Pin of the Cosmos collapses, you'll get your greatest wish."
Mei nodded. Her wish was all that mattered. It had to be worth it.
"But to asway your doubts. I will oversee the process myself. With my ability, I can optimize the suffering we harvest."
This brought a rare smile to Mei's lips. With Kaguya's ability to manipulate timelines, they'd gather the most suffering possible. It would cost her, but it'd be worth it.
"Come, let's check our progress," Kaguya said.
Without a word, Mei joined her as they left the Devil Princess's cathedral. As they passed, magical girls and fairies paused whatever they'd been doing to bow in respect. But Mei paid them little attention.
"Are you sure you can handle the task?" Mei asked, noticing how her fellow Devil Princess had sagged somewhat. It'd been decades since Kaguya had stayed awake this long.
"It's a sacrifice worth taking," Kaguya said over her shoulder. "One must never avoid what's necessary."
"Indeed." And that included the death of countless trillions. All in the name of her greatest wish.
"I can handle it. Don't you worry." Kaguya said, giving a sly smile despite her droopy eyes.
Rage built in her chest as they arrived at the ruined remains of the Hall of Agony. Yes, Seina would pay dearly for this outrage. Their secretary nodded as they approached, waving her hand to create a stone archway from the rubble. Beyond the portal was a stairwell that led down, and their steps echoed as they traveled into its depths. Thankfully, the understructure hadn't been as damaged as the surface. Though, the desecration was still visible if one peered close enough. But with their secretary's power, it shouldn't be a problem.
A distant howl echoed through the stairwell as they got deeper, the agony of countless souls. It heightened to an almost deafening level as they approached the main chamber.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Kaguya said, gazing in wonder at the orb that dominated the room. Connected to it was a familiar tower, its gray brick surface blackened by the exposure of the contents of the sphere. Cracks lined the Needle of the Cosmos' surface, bricks crumbling in some areas.
Inside, black mist crashed like distant waves. It towered over Mei as she approached, gazing at her reflection as it swirled with the dark mist. Her mouth tightened when she noticed cracks across the sphere's surface, damage from when the roof had collapsed on top of it. It'd been a miracle the crystal orb hadn't shattered completely.
"Here to enjoy your dirty work?" A familiar fairy said. From a wall, Charity hung by chains. "How does it feel? Looking into the blackest part of the human condition? There is pain, despair and hopelessness."
"That's the mortal's lot in life," Kaguya said, shrugging. "They exist to live in pain. We've just put it to good use."
"A monster like you would say that. What about you, Mei?" The fairy asked. "Charity remembers the days when you'd fought to protect people, tried to make a cosmos where they could smile without fear."
"Those days have long since passed. That version of me died long ago." Mei said without emotion. She wouldn't have her motives second-guessed by anyone.
But the fairy insisted regardless. "It wasn't your fault! What happend to…"
"Enough! The past is the past." Mei said, interrupting the fairy.
"Yes, our friend here made her decision," Kaguya added. "And how could she quit when we're so close? You see it, don't you? The moment of our victory?"
"The future can change! I see your destruction too!" But Mei noticed Charity spoke with less confidence with that last part.
"What? Are you expecting your Wicked Queen to save you?" Kaguya said, her tone mocking. "With my power, I'll ensure that possibility never happens."
Good. She was a problem they didn't need. Even if Seina possessed her magical wand, the odds of her resurrection were remote. She'd personally ensure nobody would ever find her body. And even if someone did there was the distinct possibility the ancient magical girl would be driven insane from isolation, a prisoner in her own body, helpless to affect anything. But Mei doubted that one. That girl was an unconquerable mountain. Thank goodness she was gone.
A sudden snap interrupted her musings, noticing that another crack had formed in the Needle of the Cosmos' surface. Yes, it wouldn't be long now. The Needle was crumbling, and she'd finally have the power to fulfill her greatest wish.
She sighed. Then this entire ordeal would be worth it.