"Three orders of bone broth ramen." Shosuko places the money on the counter and sits down at the head of the table. Both Oka and Daisuko seat themselves in the chairs closest to her. "What a week, huh?"
"You have no idea." Oka brushes off some of the dirt on her clothes. "Or maybe you do, I don't know what you've been up to."
"Oh, y'know, just stuff." Shosuko shrugs. "So, what's next for the Kuze Clan?"
"You tell us." Daisuko points her chopsticks at Shosuko.
"Last I checked, mama made you head." Oka nods helpfully.
"That was more of a temporary thing."
"No, the eldest child of the eldest child gets to be head," Kiara says as she enters the ramen shop and sits down next to Daisuko. "That's how yakuza works."
"So it's up to me?"
"Yep."
"Hmmm, I guess we can start by cutting ties with the ICMG. They've shown their true colors one too many times for me to be comfortable working with them. If anything, we're standing against them."
"Makes sense." Kiara tilts her head. "There will be other invaders seeking out the Ozawa gate."
"Then we'll just have to fend them off. One by one, if need be." Shosuko leans back in her chair. "We'll have to talk to Emu, Sumire, and Oe about mustering an army. They have the connections and the motivation to help us. The Kuze clan has always protected Ozawa, we will carry that duty towards the future."
"Well said." Kiara raises a glass of water. So do Oka and Daisuko.
"Don't forget about me." Nakasuko calls out as she enters the restaurant. She places an order at the counter before sitting down next to Daisuko. The air thickens.
"You… don't have to force yourself." Daisuko can't meet Nakasuko's eyes. "I can't imagine the amount of sheer killing intent you're suppressing just by being in the same room as us."
"Nah. The Daisuko, Oka, and Kiara I once knew are dead. I'm plenty okay with working with this new Kuze Clan."
"So… all is forgiven?"
"I wouldn't go that far… but we're getting there."
"I see." A look of determination crosses Daisuko's face. "We haven't quite earned our redemption, not yet."
"Yeah." Oka half-grins. "We better do our best not to disappoint, then."
The two nod thoughtfully as two more people walk into the restaurant. Or rather, two 'people' walk into the restaurant. Elexi and The Lady of Tokyo place their orders before going to sit down at the table Shosuko and the others are sitting at.
"You all don't mind if we eat with you, right?" Elexi awkwardly shuffles in place.
"Go ahead." Shosuko gestures at the seats. As The Lady of Tokyo sits down, both Daisuko and Oka unconsciously but noticeably shift away. She raps her fingernails on the glass.
"Aren't you going to say something, mama?" Elexi tilts her head at The Lady of Tokyo.
"...I'm… Sorry." She hides her eyes behind her glasses. "I wasn't thinking properly. I was lost. I was grieving. I realize now some things are more important than some far off ideal." Her head shifts towards Elexi ever so slightly.
"No hard feelings." Daisuko nods her head.
"As penance, I pledge to protect Ozawa with everything I have. I know it's not much, but I hope you'll make use of my assistance regardless."
"An ICMG major as an ally is a great boon for us." Shosuko bows a little bit. "Thank you."
"Make that two ICMG majors," Elexi chimes in. "I may not be as powerful as mama, but I can at least promise that wherever my dearest is, I'll be too."
"Your… dearest?" The Lady of Tokyo tilts her head.
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Mama, meet Nakasuko, she's my girlfriend."
"G-girlfriend?!" She looks like she's about to have a heart attack.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Nakasuko puts on a business-like smile and extends a hand to her future mother-in-law.
"Y-you're much too young for a relationship! I can't abide by this! I won't abide by this!"
"I'm not a child anymore, mama." She pouts. "I can make my own choices."
"But… but still–! And you! What are your intentions with my daughter?!" The Lady of Tokyo summons her scythe and places the tip at Nakasuko's neck.
"I'll be sure to treat your daughter with utmost respect." Nakasuko answers plainly, straightforwardly. "I intend to marry her someday."
"Bah! You'll lose interest in a month. I can tell that you're the womanizing type." She says to someone who's never womanized anyone before.
"I'll do my best to become a daughter-in-law you can be proud of." Nakasuko bows.
"Hmmm…" The Lady of Tokyo seems deep in calculation. "Maybe someday. Maybe. If you make it that far, I mean. Though, if you break my daughter's heart, I will not hesitate to kill you."
"Ha! And here I thought you didn't have a sense of humor."
"..."
"You are kidding, right?"
"..."
"Tami Momoe. Amaru Hikome. Amanda Kameko. Isaka Kaymi. Ryukko Saoka. You stand at trial for the crimes of sedition, treason, and desertion. How do you plead?" The ICMG tribunal along with the presiding jury look down at the five magical girls.
"We plead the death penalty." Tami has a calm, peaceful expression on her face.
"..."
"..."
"...Heh."
"HahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Uproarious laughter comes from the jury.
"Your crimes are far more grave than to simply be solved by death. A more fitting punishment will be decided by your replacement."
"My… replacement?"
"ICMG Captain of Ozawa please step forward."
「Nikola Anatolyovna Sokolova - ICMG Captain」
"Dobry den."
Tami's eyebrows knit themselves into a frown. "H-her?"
"As the legendary Calamity Jet, she displays great promise. We have no doubt she will perform her duties excellently. After all…" The judge produces two test tubes sealed with corks from within her gown. Inside swirl two wisps of what look like smoke. "She has all the reason in the world to listen to every single word we say. It's the only way she can see her parents again."
"I see…" Tami glowers with barely contained anger. "And you two, you're fine with this outcome?"
"Wha– who– me?" Klara stops picking at her hair and smiles. "I mean, yeah. Ozawa can burn for all I care. What my sister wants, my sister gets."
「Klara Anatolyovna Volkova - ICMG Lieutenant Captain」
"As for a fitting punishment…" Iko taps the pommel of her sword against her temple. "Very well, I will grant you all your freedom."
Shadow-wreathed I-C's step forward and attach bomb collars to the girls' necks.
"You will sit and watch as Ozawa burns to ash." Iko steps up on top of a raised dais. She takes a deep breath as she raises her voice. "All hands to battle stations! The siege of Ozawa begins now!"
The backside of the room begins to open. Huge hangar doors slide apart, revealing clouds. A ramp that leads out from the airship to the open sky begins to unfold. Far below are the city lights of the sleeping Ozawa. One by one, rows upon rows of I-C's throw themselves out of the airship. One by one, they crashland onto the cityscape, digging craters wherever their feet touch the ground. Heads swivel robotically, scanning the area for their comrades and regrouping with their squads.
But then, the sound of something whizzing by draws their attention. Everyone pauses and lifts their heads up high, creating easy targets for the girls lying in wait.
"NOW!" Swathes of gunfire suddenly erupt from the nearby buildings. Hordes of girls with guns open fire at the I-C's. A few go down, but not nearly enough. The I-C's fire back with bolts of lightning and slash with their blades, cutting down the girls by the dozen. But the girls have succeeded in their function– distracting them.
"Eyes over here!" A red flash working in tandem with a blur of blue begins to cut and stab through the I-C's wholesale. Kasai and Yuki exploit the element of surprise to its absolute limit. The instant they realize their presence, the sisters quickly retreat back into the shadows. Silence reigns for but an instant as the plan moves to phase two. After they've been softened up comes the hammer– a full frontal Kuze clan assault led by Shosuko, Daisuko, and Oka, and the anvil– a three-way flank between the Awano Family, the Blackadder Gang, and the Shirayuki Association.
Shosuko grabs an I-C and wrenches her head from her body. By her side are Daisuko and Oka, grins on their faces as they shred through the dread horde.
Atop a nearby roof stand Kiara and Kirika. Both their heads are turned upwards, staring at the airship.
"Are you sure this will work?" Kirika pinches her chin.
"I have no idea." Kiara holds a coin between her fingers. "Ready?"
"Ready."
Kirika fires two sustained bolts of lightning. Instantly, the coin in Kiara's hand takes off at mach speed, propelled by the impromptu railgun's charge. The instant the coin pierces through the airship's hull, Kiara snaps her fingers, causing it to detonate in a fiery explosion.
"Did… did we do it?"
"We were close, I think." Kiara points at a dot in the sky that seems to be growing larger and larger with every passing second. "I think that's The Lady of Kyoto."
"Here she comes!" There's a sonic boom and the Lady of Kyoto gets exponentially closer. But right before she can fly close enough to get a good look at what shot down the airship, she's flanked by a metal-winged magical girl and a magical girl brimming with tesla– The Lady of Tokyo working in tandem with Elexi. She's faced with a choice, one that calls her bluff. The moment she sees the two, The Lady of Kyoto changes course and begins flying higher into the sky, away from Ozawa. She's not winning this fight.
"Well that went well." Iko mutters as she crashes into the ground. Her knees buckle under her own weight. Their airship is in flames. The Lady of Kyoto is pulling out. The last of the I-C's are being gunned down as they speak. All things considered, her infiltration was pretty successful. All with the slight caveat that she's going to have to
"Indeed it does." Klara says as she lands just a few feet away.
Surrounding the two are Tami Momoe, Isaka Kaymi, Ryukko Saoka, Amanda Kameko, Amaru Hikome, Shosuko Kuze, Daisuko Kuze, Oka Shibusawa, Sumire Shirayuki, Oe Tenma, Emu Awano, Kiara Kuze, Yuki Ryusei, Kasai Ryusei, Kirika Namatame, and some several hundred odd heavily armed teenage girls.
"Let's get those off." With a single swing of her blade, Kasai cuts the bomb collars on the former I-C's into ribbons.
"Many thanks." Tami cracks her neck.
"Well, that went better than expected." Iko smiles as she looks upon her and everyone else's handiwork.
"It was mostly thanks to you." Shosuko holds out a large wad of bills and hands it to Iko.
"Spasiba." She takes the money and stuffs it into the pocket of heer jogging pants. "So, what's next for you all? You managed to fend off the ICMG for now. You just going to declare war on them?"
"Er… Well… That was sort of the plan?"
"You…" Iko almost laughs. "You're all insane, I knew it." She shakes her head. "You know, it's been a while since I've been on a real adventure. You got room for one more on this wild ride?"
"Are you insane?"
"Don't get us wrong." Klara steps into the picture. "We're not doing this out of the goodness of our heart. We're expecting at least double minimum wage."
"Fair enough."
"We can paint our nails and braid each others' hair and stuff." Daisuko throws her arm around Iko's shoulder.
"If it makes you feel better, there'll be good food." Oka wraps her arm around Iko's other shoulder.
Daisuko claps Shosuko on the back for a job well done. "So, what's next for us, big sis?"
"Now…" She smiles and slams her knuckles into her palm. "We get to have some fun."
Fin