Calamity Jet wanders the wastes in the vague direction of where she saw the escapees go. She's sweating. She's exhausted. She's got sand in her shoes. But it's all worth it, because she totally looks badass right now. A lone swordswoman wandering through an empty desert.
She blinks. Then all of a sudden, the desert disappears. "What the–"
She was so caught up in catching the escapees off guard while they were in their memory deluges but she never considered that she'd get caught up in one herself. How could she? She hasn't forgotten anything, has she? She finds herself in an ancient living room, older than she is. Seated at the dining table is a giant bear of a man and a young girl with golden eyes and bob cut hair. They're both eating a watery stew.
"What happened to your eye?"
"I ran into a pole." Valeriya's never been good at lying but hopefully, father doesn't notice.
"The other children hit you, didn't they?" He did.
"They hate me…"
"Because of your blood?"
She nods her head.
Her father sighs and pinches his nose bridge. "My daughter, how can you possibly take care of your sister if you cannot even take proper care of yourself?"
"Yes, papa." Just bear it.
"How many times must I tell you? The whole family rests on your shoulders, Valeriya."
"I know, papa." Just bear it.
"You need to learn to stand up for yourself? How much longer are you going to just sit down and take what other people force on you?"
"I know, papa." Just bear it.
"Speak in Russian when we're in the house."
"Yes, papa." Just bear it.
Calamity Jet watches the two continue eating their dinner in somber silence.
She suddenly blurts out something ridiculous. "I'm going to join the ICMG."
The rest is history. Shock. Disbelief. Then anger. It ends in a shouting match. She had never gone against her father before. Not even once. She didn't even know she had it in her to explode like that. Even now, she doesn't know why she said that. She had no intention of joining the ICMG until that very instant. Maybe she just wanted to see if her father even cared about her. Apparently, the answer is yes. Only, he cares about his beloved Iko even more. Well, screw her and screw him too.
As it turns out, joining the ICMG was the best thing she'd ever done. They say that you learn who you truly are in the dark. The ICMG was the first time she'd ever been away from the light of her father's scrutiny. She's brash. She's loud. She's arrogant. She waged war against the Yokai. And she loved every second of it. Eventually, after a long and bloody adventure, Valeriya and the rest of her squad managed to place a great seal on a spirit realm gate.
They were heroes. They were awarded medals and a position in the ICMG as proper contractors. What greater honor was there? While her other squadmates turned into I-C's, Valeriya was a soldier turned instructor. She was damn good at it too. She even invented her own school of jutsu after years of practice. She had praise, fame, accolades, respect, everything anyone could want. But she craved more. Always more.
"Oya oya. If it isn't the prodigal daughter."
She came to her while she was bound in the chains of an antimagic field, deep within the recesses of the Tokyo department's custody. Her half-sister stares at her with frozen resentment.
"Klara Anatolyovna Volkova. Reduced to a failed experiment. What a shame."
"Have you come here to gloat–"
"You're in Japan, speak Japanese. Don't speak to me in that pig tongue 'Russian'." It reminds her too much of her father.
"Have you come here to gloat?"
"No. On the contrary, I'm here to help."
"What do you want in return?"
"Who said I wanted anything in return?"
"You always want something in return."
"...Heh. You're not wrong. But it's better if you think of it as a… mutualistic agreement. I want you to join me." She leans in, giddy. "We'll be mercenaries, a pair of magical girl sisters hunting down the most dangerous girls on the planet. Imagine the respect! The immeasurable wealth! We'll be legends! Legends! It'll be just like a movie."
"..."
"What do you say?"
"I think you're completely fucking insane."
"I'm not hearing a 'no'."
Klara presses her lips together before sighing. "Fine. Just get me out of here."
Valeriya draws her sword and slashes through both the antimagic field. Alarms start to blare throughout the facility.
"First step in becoming legends, getting out of here alive." Valeriya sheathes her sword and places her hands on her hips.
"Do you have a plan?"
"I was hoping you would have a plan, actually."
"Guns blazing it is."
From that day onwards, Valeriya turned from beloved war hero to the ICMG's most wanted. A mercenary using the name of 'Calamity Jet'. After a while, Jet grew tired of Klara's methods– subtle, professional, but most of all, fueled by spite against the ICMG. Completely at odds with her explosive tendencies. In her opinion, the key difference is their ambition. Klara only wanted to survive, Calamity Jet wanted to live.
Those were the days. Valeriya smiles as she strolls down a literal memory lane. One by one, her exploits line up for her viewing pleasure. Daring heists, duels against powerful foes, she even clashed against an ICMG Major once. Each and every single one of them a shining star in the night sky that is her life. How could she have forgotten? The glory, the fame, the legend that is Calamity Jet. How could the world have forgotten?
That's right, she remembers now. She remembers bursting into her own home. She remembers her father's shocked face.
"Father." She has a wide grin on her face. "I'm hooooome."
"Valeriya?"
"It's Calamity Jet now." She fiddles with the hilt of her sword. "Lady of Twilight. Bringer of Night. Crescent Moon Fang. Yes, that Calamity Jet."
"..."
"All the legends are true."
"..."
"If not watered down."
"You… you killed all those people?"
She licks her lips. "You rotting, petulant, child of a man, I've done so much more but that's what you focus on? I've done it, papa. Don't you see? I've become a legend! Can you say the same for your beloved Iko?!"
"Those people… they're dead because of my daughter?"
"They're dead because of me! Not your daughter! That girl is dead!" Calamity Jet slams her fist on the table. "I'm Calamity Jet now! I've made it! I'm a success! Everyone knows my name! I don't need you anymore!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Well say something, dammit! Aren't you mad? Aren't you ashamed you raised such a monster?"
"Valeriya–"
"CA-LA-MI-TY JET! IS IT SO HARD?! "
"I was wrong."
"..." Calamity Jet feels a pang where her heart is. "...What?"
"I was wrong to treat you that way."
"..."
"I was wrong to force my responsibility onto a child."
"..."
"I was a terrible father."
"...Why?" Calamity Jet's eyes turn from jeering to cruel. "Why is it only now that your apologies mean nothing to me that you apologize? Where was all this fifteen years ago, huh?"
"..."
"Where were you when I needed you the most?"
"..."
"You think you get to get off scot free just because you said sorry? OH no, I don't think so. Look at what you've created." She draws her blade.
"..."
"Look at me."
"..."
"LOOK AT ME!" She swings her blade with nothing but distilled fury driving her.
"That's enough." But instead of her blade cutting flesh and bone, it only bites steel. The barrel of a musket.
"Calamity Jet."
"Tami." Her gaze clashes against that of the I-C's. "Get out of my way, this is personal."
"No more games, Jet."
Four other I-C's step out of the shadows. One or two she can duel just fine. Four is a little out of her price range.
"Now this is just plain unfair."
Jet turns her gaze from Tami to her father. "You led them here, didn't you?"
His silence confirms it.
"If you're going to kill me, kill me. Make it quick."
"Not this time." Tami touches a paper talisman to Jet's back. "「Fuinjutsu - Hell Seal!」"
Black ink begins to spread all along her body. A half grin forms on Jet's face. This is really it. The end of the line. This is where the legend came to a close. The dream fades from Calamity Jet's eyes and she returns to the desolate emptiness of the spirit realm. There are tears in her eyes.
How could she have forgotten? That which mattered most to her. More than the night sky needs stars. More than the day needs night or the night needs day. More than the twilight needs the horizon. How could she have let the legend come to a close when she's still alive? A wide grin heralding a cackling laugh forms on her face. It's so silly. It's so stupid. How that bitch Tami ever got it into her head that a place like hell could hold her is beyond her.
Because she's finally realized. As long as she's alive, the legend will never die.