Chapter Text
One spring evening, Baiser finds herself and Enormeeta facing off against Tres Magia in what has become a shining example of their new normal.
Venalita is dead.
Vatz is gone.
But looking out at the forces of Enormeeta and Tres Magia arrayed against each other, all Baiser can see are confident smiles and bright eyes. The loss of their traitorous mascots didn't dim the spirits of the girls for long, and after an adventure that saw each of them getting closer to each other both physically and emotionally, Baiser can only give a pleased sigh as she turns back to her own beloved foe: Magia Azul.
Baiser never could have predicted that some day she'd befriend the real girls inside those magical girl outfits, but here they are. They've helped each other, fought side-by-side, and still meet to stand against each other as the evil Enormeeta and the noble Tres Magia, each side dedicated to defeating the other.
In a good way.
With not a small amount of playing with each other.
"It's so lovely to meet you all on the field of battle again," Baiser teases, resplendent in her La Verita form. She runs her tongue along the star atop her staff, gazing coyly at Azul. "Shall we?"
"Magia Baiser," Azul starts, her La Verita robes fluttering, "I had not thought you would attack on such a day. I may have to defeat you much more quickly than you'd prefer."
Baiser laughs. "Oh my! Such confidence! Might you think you have some better place to be than in my grasp?"
Azul's lips tremble for a moment; truly, such a sign of weakness is nearly unimaginable to see on that cold, elegant face of hers. But Azul mouths something then, a hand up to the side of her cheek, her eyes scanning the rest of Panda Park, lingering on the civilians watching.
Baiser watches Azul's lips carefully, and as she reads her beloved's lips, a dawning dread fills the horizon of her mind.
'Math test!'
Baiser's lips twitch, but Azul gives her a warm smile and mouths a few more words, giving Baiser another chance to study those lovely lips.
'Study party?'
Baiser's—or perhaps, Utena's—heart feels filled with blossoming warmth and she gives a subtle nod, one that's returned with a nod right back from Azul.
"So be it, Azul," Baiser purrs. "Then I suppose we'll have to make this a short tryst. But don't for a moment think I won't make it memorable for you..." With this, Baiser grins as the dark energy within her flares out, the pains of her prior regrets used as kindling to spark again the new fire she'd found deep within herself.
The sky darkens as clouds overtake it, letting only meager slices of the dying sunlight through. Shadows stretch into obscene and impossible shapes, taunting everyone around them with the silhouettes of lewd acts playing out across the ground. Though Baiser feels herself growing taller and the weight of the horns growing from her skull, and though she feels her mighty wings sprout and stretch out to either side as her tail slinks down into existence behind her, the greatest sensation she feels is the ambient desire in the air: from Azul, from herself, from every girl on every side and even from many of the civilian onlookers.
Her grin widens as her claws grow, each long black nail capable of melting into an intense aphrodisiac. Her wings beat once and she lifts herself higher into the air, her dark magic suffocating the last vestiges of light that filter in through the ominous clouds above.
"Magia Azul," Baiser says in a sultry whisper that snakes itself throughout the darkened city like a winter wind, bringing shudders and gasps to all that hear it. "I can sense your desire, my dear..."
The sound of chains is Baiser's first hint that her foe has also dipped into her new form, and Baiser narrowly dodges a sudden storm of the heavy, black metal links that serve as Azul's primary weapons and only article of clothing while thus transformed.
For the briefest moment, Baiser thinks back on the first time Azul—or anyone, for that matter—entered the Lo Scherzo form, her heart tormented by Baiser's selfish treatment and ignorance to her feelings.
It wasn't much different for Leopard, truth be told, and that thought sends a sting through Baiser's chest, but she shakes it away. Now is not the time to linger on regrets, especially not regrets that have already been lovingly worked through.
As if in answer, Baiser hears the huge mechanical sounds of Leopard's Lo Scherzo form—which, at the moment, appears to be in its standard mech configuration—and as Baiser turns and her nightsight lets her see through the blackness she's drenched the city in, Baiser must stifle a slight whine at the rather unsportsmanlike conduct her second-in-command is engaging in under cover of darkness.
Namely, Leopard appears to be snatching up the other members of Enormeeta and Tres Magia and shoving them into her cockpit's opening. Unfortunately, it would appear that Magenta's La Verita state—her true La Verita form, that of a storybook princess, earned after Fallen Medic's loving sacrifice—has a dress that is largely incompatible with the cockpit, and Magenta's legs are wiggling around as her dress stuffs up the hole.
Baiser wonders vaguely why Leopard doesn't simply open her highly-customizable mech up, but she doesn't have much time to wonder before the storm of chains surrounds her and snags her wings.
"Baiser," Azul says, her voice low and deadly. "You'd enshroud the city in darkness, only to wind up distracting yourself? Are you truly Enormeeta's Supreme Leader?"
Baiser, however, only smirks, letting the chains wrap around her. "Oh Azul...you act as if I wouldn't want to be caught in your loving embrace. After all..." Baiser focuses her mind on Azul's desire, then takes hold of the nearest chains. Baiser chuckles, letting herself be dragged closer down to where Azul waits, going on smugly, "I'm not a fan of long-distance relationships."
Azul pauses in reeling in her prey but it's far too late, and Baiser lets her claws melt onto the chains, drenching them in her dire, sensual venom, and with a burst of magic Baiser keeps her claws going, letting the fluid gush down onto Azul in a torrent.
Down in the nest of chains, Baiser sees only tiny glimpses of Azul's form, but as the black venom drips into that guarded, defensive ball of chains Azul has formed around herself, Baiser starts seeing more and more of that luscious body as Azul starts writhing in desire, no-doubt trying desperately to hold herself back from giving in.
But while Azul's La Verita form was based on her resolute defiance against the thought of ever giving in, her Lo Scherzo form was birthed from the desire to give in fully, to feel that passion as strongly as possible.
Baiser senses the desire in Azul spike to an unimaginable level, and Baiser herself is nearly overcome by letting her mind touch that sensation. With heat spreading through her body, Baiser keeps her focus and lets the chains—which have started to move erratically—yank her closer, until her feet hit the ground.
Baiser moves in, wondering how precisely she'll deliver the decisive blow in this little match, when she suddenly realizes her mistake.
Ah...Azul...
Azul hadn't been merely writhing within her ball of chains.
Instead, Azul had been letting the chains run all across her body, squeezing her, slapping her, even choking her at times, building up her desire and pain until it reached a huge crescendo.
You've truly gotten stronger...my greatest foe.
But it isn't until the chains vanish, replaced with the swirling, fluttering robes of Azul's La Verita state, that Baiser realizes just how far ahead her foe has gotten.
With the slightest of smiles, seen in the darkness only by virtue of Baiser's devilish vision, Azul releases all the magic she gathered into herself with her Lo Scherzo form's brutal self-love.
Baiser's only regret, as she's sent flying—turned into a star, as she loves to call it—is that she didn't have the time to gush over how spectacular that technique was.
But there will time for that later. After all...
They have a study date planned.
Azul feels pride swelling up in her as Baiser goes flying and the darkness enshrouding the city gives way to the light of the setting sun. She turns and heads to the others, though it seems that their foes are intent on retreating now that Baiser's been taken out. Sulfur and Magenta are dropped out of Leopard's mech as it disassembles itself but they both reorient themselves quickly and the three meet up just in time to watch as the mech reassembles itself into a giant jet and carries Leopard, Loco Musica, and Leberblume away, speeding off in the direction Baiser got hit in.
As the people cheer below and the girls wave to the crowd, Sulfur turns an appreciative glance to Azul. "Mixing Lo Scherzo and La Verita, huh? Not bad."
Azul blushes, trying to tame the smile that spreads across her lips at hearing this praise. "Ah, yes. I had thought that though they're opposites in many ways, they might compliment each other when facing an enemy like Baiser, who seems to keep finding ways around my strengths."
"I just can't believe my dress got so stuck," Magenta says with a pout. "I guess the magical fabric of my La Verita dress is a little less flexible than the usual stuff we wear."
"Y'know," Sulfur starts, raising an eyebrow at Magenta, "It probably didn't help that you were filling the mech with squirrels and deer and shit."
"I thought they'd help me out!" Magenta whines. "I didn't think that all they'd want to do is sing and dance..."
Azul chuckles. "That must have been quite a sight. Oh, I told Baiser that we'd meet up later to study for the math test tomorrow, but I didn't think to ask if you two were free."
Sulfur smirks, giving Azul a knowing look. "Didn't think, huh? Little distracted, maybe?"
Magenta giggles. "It's so nice to see you two like that. It feels like the old days again. Even Leopard-chan was trying to keep us all from interrupting you two. She had a bag of popcorn and the two of you up on a big screen! Erm...before I trampled her with an elk, that is..."
Azul full-on giggles now, covering her blushing face with her hands. She's becoming more used to allowing herself to indulge in less-refined expressions, but it still makes her a tiny bit embarrassed when she lets loose.
The realization that 'letting loose' in this instance means something as mundane as 'giggling' is rather jarring, but a sudden sound in the sky draws all three girls' attention, and Azul feels a cold chill work through her ice-attuned form.
On a massive projected screen in the sky—the kind that both Tres Magia and Enormeeta have used to issue challenges to each other—is a chibi version of Vatz.
While Vatz is long gone back to their home planet, the simple fact of the matter—as explained to the girls by their new manager, Magia Cyan—is that most common folk don't know about Vatz and Venalita, and probably wouldn't take it too well if they learned that the mascots of both sides were aliens trying to explore how humans could be weaponized.
That, and there's still quite a bit of Vatz merchandise that still needs to be sold.
Thus, Tres Magia has found itself in the awkward position of their public symbol still being the entity that had tried to kill them all.
"Huh," Sulfur starts, narrowing her eyes. "Wonder what Cyan's got for us."
The chibi Vatz waves at the crowds. "Hello everyone! Vatz here! Though I'm sorry to say, I don't exactly bring happy news."
Azul raises an eyebrow. "I have the strangest sense of dejavu."
"No way," Magenta says with a bright smile and a hand on Azul's shoulder. "There's no way Cyan-chan would ever try to shoot us all into the sun!"
"Actually," Sulfur mumbles, "Between Vatz and Cyan, I don't remember which one tried to kill us more often."
The chibi Vatz shrinks to a small corner of the screen while the screen fills with a nightmare.
"What...the...?" Sulfur grimaces.
"Oh...oh no," Magenta says softly, holding her hands up to her mouth.
Only Azul shows no outward sign of emotion at the horrific sights on the screen, though within she's a churning mess of feelings.
On the screen are bodies, piles of them, broken and beaten, bloodied and mutilated. Some still move weakly, while others lie far, far too still.
In the corner of the screen, the chibi Vatz still smiles. "Don't worry, this is old footage! But what many of you might not know is that almost every magical girl in the world was hunted down by an evil villain known as Lord Enorme. Ironically, Lord Enorme was ousted in an internal power struggle within her evil organization. She was not, however, truly defeated."
"Wait," Sulfur says in a strained voice, drawing Azul's attention. "This...she can't be...can she? Is Cyan actually gonna...?"
Magenta sighs, looking troubled. "Poor Cyan-chan...she's still hurting deep down, isn't she? Deep down...she still wants to make that girl hurt, too."
The screen shifts, now showing an image of the Shio-chans.
Azul reaches out with her telepathy immediately.
She doesn't know what Cyan is planning, but she's already seen her new friend hurt herself enough in her quest for vengeance against Lord Enorme.
"Cyan, what are you doing? Please...take a moment to reconsider. I'm sure that we can find some way for you to—"
Cyan speaks back in telepathy, interrupting her.
"I'm sorry, Azul...Magenta...Sulfur. I've tried. Over and over, I've tried to forgive. But I realized something the other day..."
Tres Magia's focus is on their telepathic conversation, but what's happening on the screen is all-too obvious.
First, Vatz explains that the three aren't what they appear.
Then, with a flourish, the digital ghost of Vatz up on that huge screen unmasks Imitatio, revealing the woman beneath: Tanaka Michiko. And to salt the wound, her name is shown on the screen.
Her home address is, too.
"You just...! Cyan-chan, please! Why are you doing this?" It's Magenta's voice this time, but both Azul and Sulfur look as if they'd have said the exact same thing.
Vatz, up on the screen, then reveals the true identities of the other Shio-chans: Momomori Momo and Tada Randa. And against the backdrop of these girls' lives being ruined, Vatz continues in a bright, cutesy voice, "These three criminals will be made to pay for their crimes! Speaking of which, here is Assistant Commissioner Ikeda Yumi with a special message for Tres Magia!"
A severe looking policewoman appears on the screen, holding a paper up that she proceeds to read from. "Tres Magia. By the order of the National Police Agency and the International Criminal Police Organization, you are hereby directed to take the following three individuals into custody: Tanaka Michiko, also known as Imitatio, also known as Lord Enorme; Tada Randa, also known as Berserga, also known as Magia Blanc; and Momomori Momo, also known as Pantano Pesca. Your service is appreciated." With that the feed cuts to a graphic of Vatz waving goodbye to everyone, smiling their empty smile amidst the bright colors of Tres Magia.
Cyan's voice fills the shocked silence within their minds.
"You see, girls...I realized that it wasn't just me who was hurt. So many were wounded. So many...worse. I know it's inconvenient. I know it might be difficult, to stand against someone who you thought of as a friend. But I ask you...as a magical girl, and as your friend...please. Do what you've always set out to do: fight evil. Arrest the murderer and those who harbor her."
The three are quiet for a time. A terrible, hollow feeling seems to have filled Azul's chest. Sure, she never quite got as close to the Shio-chans as she has to the others, but they were well on their way to becoming friends, even long before Vatz's plans were uncovered.
But it's Sulfur who speaks the secret fear that's paralyzed them.
"That easy, huh? Our identities, our whole lives...the whole world could know from just a few seconds on a big ol' screen in the fucking sky. All it'd take is for someone to have a bad fucking day and that's it. Fucking gone."
"It won't happen," Azul says softly. She clears her throat and turns to Sulfur, going on more strongly. "Baiser and her side wouldn't. We wouldn't to them. And I have a feeling the Shio-chans wouldn't do that to us, though now they'd have a reason to. I think, if anything...she probably won't be too terribly surprised at this."
Magenta sighs, holding her magical staff in both hands, sadness plain across her face. "So much pain...I really don't think there's any way they can talk this out, but...it sure would be nice."
"Guess she's right in a way," Sulfur mutters. "Even if Cyan could forgive her...there are plenty of people Lord Enorme hurt who might not. Or who...can't. Ever."
"She might come quietly," Azul says, looking out across the sky at the last few moments of sunlight before the brightness of the world starts fading into the blackness of light. As they set out, though, Azul wonders if catching Michiko and her friends will be the toughest part of this bitter endeavor.
Or if, perhaps, only worse things will follow.