Tenebrae in Ironia

by RileyWhyy

Summary:

What if Utena’s mom had a sister long dead in a magical incident? And what if the sisters body was never found and suddenly familiar objects show up?

Notes:

Jackpot
(How do I insert dante)

Chapter 1: The Prologue

Long ago, before Enormeeta, before all the sadistic and lustful chaos, two inseparable twin sisters stood as shining beacons of hope.

They were approached by a mysterious mascot, who offered them a sacred duty and an extraordinary power — to protect the city as magical girls, champions of justice and purity. From that moment, their names were etched within history.

Together, they fought tirelessly to defend the innocent. They foiled robberies, stopped muggings, and battled monstrous villains lurking in the shadows. Citizens admired them, and their legacy became one of the greatest among magical girls.

But fate had other plans.

Demons overran the city, forcing magical girls from all corners to unite. The twins stood at the forefront, their courage unwavering.

The battle was fierce, and hope burned bright — until a massive explosion shattered the battlefield.

One sister was gravely wounded, her strength failing as she struggled to raise her weapon. The chaos separated them, and she dug around the rubble, trying to locate her sister, only to find the light of a damaged magical transformation diamond buried deep within the dirt.

No sword. No sister.

She had vanished.

And so

She had cast aside her role ever since the incident, and the disappearance of her sister became a mystery whispered through the years, studied and speculated by magical girls and investigators.

But the truth behind that fateful day remained hidden, waiting to resurface.

There was no coming home from this.

Chapter 2: Chapter 1: Splitting Tracks

Notes:

WHO MAY CRY?!!!!???????

So like, do we need more power?

Give me your motivation.

Utena had arrived home from school exhausted. She had spent the rest of the day taking care of the plants at school and working on her assignments. It had been a long, tiring day.

“Welcome home, sweetie!” Utena’s mother, Tamako Hiiragi, greeted her warmly. She had just finished making dinner and smiled as she looked at her daughter. “How was school today?”

“O-oh it was uhm… It was ok, I guess.” Utena replied nervously. Her voice was a little shaky. It almost felt like she was hiding something. But Tamako didn’t press her. As long as her daughter seemed alright, that was enough for her. “You better be catching up on your homework sweetheart!” 

“I am.” Utena replied before heading to her room.

Recently, there was something that bothered Tamako. Utena had been rather distant lately. More than before. It was strange. But then again, most teenagers acted like that when they started going through puberty. Tamako let out a quiet sigh.

‘She really reminds me of myself back when I was younger,’ Tamako thought.

That thought brought with it something heavier. A memory. One from long ago. Tamako’s chest felt tight. The memory stung and she teared up without meaning to, but quickly wiped her eyes. She had to stay focused. The past couldn’t take over her present. Not now.

The world was changing again. Magical girls still existed, but now new villain groups like Enormeeta were showing up more often. They weren’t like the old ones where they just committed some dorky crimes. These new enemies were stronger. And darker. Tamako could feel it looming over.

She could only hope the new generation of magical girls was ready for them…

“Utena! Just a reminder, but dinner is waiting for you if you want some!” Tamako called out, trying to sound cheerful. She really did care for her daughter. But something about Utena lately felt off. It hurt, even just a little, to feel like she was being pushed away. But Tamako knew she couldn’t force her way into Utena’s personal space. She had to be patient.

She walked upstairs, stopping in front of Utena’s room. She knocked gently.

“Utena? If there’s anything on your mind that’s troubling you… I’m always here to help. You can talk to me if you need to.”

Tamako stood there for a moment, waiting, but no answer came. Quietly, she turned and went back downstairs. She sat on the couch in front of the TV. The channel was still set to a show she liked. But something tugged at her, and she picked up the remote to change the channel to the news.

What she saw next made her heart nearly stop.

“Breaking news: Villainous organization, Enormeeta advances their attacks on Japan. Magical girls are barely able to hold their own against these new villains as recent magical girls are now gravely injured or worse.”

Footage rolled across the screen. A member of the villainous group was tearing apart a town, taking out the magical girls within moments.

“I can only wish the best for cities nearby, because they don’t intend to stop there,” the newscaster said.

Tamako paused the TV.

She sat in silence. Her thoughts were loud, racing. Her heart pounded. Fear. Confusion. Anger.

These villains were now taking things too far. Sending young girls to the hospital and going a step further in killing them. She couldn’t sit in the house doing nothing! But she had no choice.

 That night, Tamako lay in bed. She couldn’t sleep. Her hand held something tightly yet carefully. It glowed faintly, a dark blue hue. Her fingers closed around it as she stared at the ceiling.

So much had come back. So many things she had buried deep inside were now uncovered. This was the last piece of it.

She had always known more than most about magical girls than her daughter. About villains. About demons. She had grown up with it all her life

For twenty-seven years…

…

The next morning, Tamako woke up early. She moved slowly through the kitchen, making breakfast for herself and for Utena. Her daughter had school and she had work. 

She left a note on the table and locked the door behind her.

As always, she walked to the train station. It had become her habit. Early mornings were calm. The streets were quiet. She liked the routine.

But her thoughts wouldn’t stop.

She kept thinking about the news. Enormeeta had done the unthinkable.

It brought horrible flashbacks to Tamako.

She reached the station, got her ticket, and slid it into the check-in. A hole punched through it marked her entry. She boarded the train and stood by the door, holding onto the handles.

She always rode the train early so it wouldn’t be crowded. Maybe twenty-five people. Sometimes more. But it felt peaceful. Quiet.

Still, her thoughts drifted back to Utena. Her grades had been slipping. If it got worse… maybe she’d need to cut her allowance or place her in supplemental exams…

——————

Later through the day.

Utena sat at lunch, deep in thought. A lot has happened recently.

She had been blackmailed by Venalita. Now, she was part of this villain group called Enormeeta and flying through the sky as Magia Baiser, fighting the same girls she looked up to as some sex freak.

It wasn’t the worst thing that had ever happened to her… but it didn’t really feel like the best.

Sure, she got to fight her favorite magical girl group as a villain because think about it, magical girls can’t be magical girls without a villain to fight!

But that’s when Utena’s mind lingered to her more… peculiar fights…

Spanking, bondage, and sexual assault!? It was purely weird and freaky! 

Her friend, Araga Kiwi —  an even more freakier girl known as Leopard  — sat next to her, eating lunch while on her phone.

“Something on your mind, Utenaaa?” Kiwi asked.

“O-oh, i-it’s nothing.” Utena stammered. Her thoughts had wandered again.

Just then, her phone buzzed.

It was the devil itself, Venalita.

The devil: Utena, hurry up and transform, Tres Magia are out and about.

The devil: You don’t want to miss this chance, do you?

Utena: Ok…

This is the part Utena really disliked…

 

…

 

Utena — now Magia Baiser — flew through the air. Her wings flapped steadily, gliding her through the sky. Beside her, flew Leopard and Nero Alice.

Even after flying so many times, it still didn’t feel real. The wings on her back felt like they belonged in a dream.

As they neared their destination, they began to descend. Tres Magia were waiting.

Words were exchanged and poses were struck, the fight was about to begin.

“Tres Magia, we meet again!” Baiser said with flair, descending slowly.

“Baiser! This time, we will not prevail over your obscene and perverse acts!” Magenta declared, readying her wand. Azul and Sulfur joined her.

Baiser smirked, raising her riding crop with a snap. “My, my… Since when did magical girls become such liars?” She struck a dramatic pose. Too dramatic. Even her teammates looked a little embarrassed and cringed at the sight.

Azul couldn’t even look at her straight. Her face flushed. But this wasn’t the time for contemplating sexuality.

The battle began.

Leopard summoned a derringer in her hand. Several other guns floated beside her. She opened fire, raining bullets onto Sulfur  as she blocked the incoming lead with glowing shields.

The fight was fast and fierce. Blue and purple light flashed as Azul and Baiser clashed along with gunfire and bullets ringing out as Sulfur and Leopard exchanged attacks. While Alice and Magenta were having tea time.

None of them noticed that something was wrong.

A support beam under the train tracks…

was breaking.

 

———————————————

 

At this time, Tamako, was on her way home from work, riding the train.

During this time, magical girls would probably be out patrolling, fighting demons, or members of Enormeeta.

Enormeeta… the name made Tamako’s thoughts run back to the news. The thought of the evil organization haunted her. And it refused to leave her head.

Magical girls brought hope and justice to anywhere they were. It felt wrong to know that there is a force out there that’s strong enough to overpower them. It didn’t help that now they had Magia Baiser running rampant over here because ever since she arrived, Tres Magia has been having more of a bad time than ever, with some of their fights even ending in questionable ways.

If things didn’t get any better they would be in for the worse. 

Tres Magia wouldn’t be prepared for what would come next in the future and because of that, another incident could happen.

It would end up like the Magical War…

Suddenly, the train jerked and came to an abrupt stop causing Tamako to stumble.

Explosions and gunfire rang out.

Everything shook, blurring the surroundings and disorientating everyone.

Tamako looked out the window. Outside — a battle with Tres Magia and Enormeeta right here, near the train tracks. Why couldn’t they fight away from here!? Before she could react–

CRACK!

A ricocheted bullet hit the window, shattering the glass and scraping her cheek.

Everyone panicked, they budged through the masses to find an escape, only making the crowds situation worse.

This was bad.

The train was still on the bridge.

It wasn’t safe at all, not with all these people on here.

Tamako pushed through the crowd. People were screaming. Panicking.

She had to get to the conductor’s car.

It took time. But she made it.

And what she saw made her heart drop.

The tracks ahead were falling apart.

They had to move. Now.

“Reverse the train!”

Notes:

erm. Feel free to support me on X if you want!
Be warned. I may explode if you do.

Chapter 3: Mysteries

Notes:

WOWWIEEEE 207 HITS!? IM ECSTATIC

Thank you guys for reading this. This means a lot? No, a ton! Idk actually. BUT IM HAPPY

The support under the train tracks was on the verge of collapsing. The metal groaned and cracked beneath them, a chilling warning that staying put was no longer an option. Every second they waited was a risk too great to take. They had to move. Now.

 “Conductor! Reverse the train. NOW!” Tamako shouted, her voice tight with panic. Her heart hammered against her chest, every muscle tense as she struggled to keep calm for the sake of the others around her. 

But the conductor’s reply hit her like a punch: “We can’t! The train is already tipping over the edge! I’m unable to reverse the train!” His face was pale, and fear was evident in his eyes.

Tamako’s breath caught in her throat. He was right — they needed to get everyone off before the rails gave way, but moving the train was impossible without risking a worse disaster.

Her grip tightened on her bag as a cold sweat rolled down her forehead. The moment's weight pressed down on her, but she forced herself to breathe, to think clearly. 

She pushed forward, running back down the train cars, her steps echoing in the narrow corridor. She grabbed a young woman by the shoulders to steady her trembling frame. “Hey, listen to me,” Tamako said, her voice firm but gentle. “We need everyone to head to the back of the train, open all the emergency exits, and get off safely. Can you help spread the word?”

The girl nodded, eyes wide but determined, and hurried off to relay the instructions.

Tamako stayed close, watching as the passengers began to move. Slowly at first, then gaining momentum. People exchanged hurried whispers, some clutching bags and phones, others helping the elderly and children. Emergency exit doors creaked open one by one, letting fresh air in and offering a path to safety.

It would take a while for the train to fully become empty, but it would be worth the wait if it meant the people were safe. Suddenly, the train began to fall forward slowly. The tracks ahead were crumbling slowly, and if the train fell forward while people were still trying to escape, then it would be catastrophic.

Tamako had to speed up the process of escorting everyone out, but she couldn’t let everyone panic further and cause the train to lose balance. 

She had to do something…

 

---

 

The battle around the crumbling rails raged on. Tres Magia and Magia Baiser’s group clashed in a whirlwind of color and power, but amid the fight, they all noticed a new crisis unfolding below.

However, for some reason, Baiser was the most terrified.

The train's support had given way, threatening disaster. Without hesitation, Sulfur summoned a shimmering shield wrapped protectively around the train like a fragile bubble. 

Leoparde used the moment to strike again, opening fire with rapid shots aimed straight at Sulfur.

The golden-haired heroine’s muscles tensed as she planted her feet firmly against the towering metal columns. Her heart raced, adrenaline surging through her veins. Each bullet she deflected sent jolts of shock through her body, but she held her ground.

Still, Leoparde’s relentless barrage was wearing her down. The pressure mounted, and Sulfur felt the sting of fatigue creeping in.

Elsewhere in the fight, Azul was fighting against Magia Baiser’s schiavos, making her way towards the villain. Magenta was now locked in combat with Nero Alice, careful not to harm the child despite the threat she posed, while Alice’s eerie cat doll struck with unsettling precision. Enormeeta and the Tres Magia were at a standstill, and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

As Sulfur struggled, she sensed something strange—the crushing weight of the train began to lighten, and the massive engine started moving backwards.

No one had touched the controls, and everyone was at the rear trying to escape.

The train moved as if pulled by either a machine or a fellow magical girl, retreating slowly from danger.

A chill ran down Sulfur’s spine. She scanned the battlefield and saw her teammates below, locked in combat with the villains. Relief surged through her, but the question nagged at her mind— who else was guiding the train to safety?

Before she could ponder more, Leoparde fired again.

There was no time for doubts — Sulfur had to fight.

She released her grip on the cold metal support as she trusted whatever was guiding the train backwards. Concentrating, she summoned her gauntlets, their surfaces glinting in the light. 

It was time to take this stuck-up cat down to where she belonged.

Charging forward, every muscle coiled like a spring, Sulfur closed the distance between herself and Leoparde. The air crackled with tension as the ground trembled beneath her feet, the battle far from over.

 

---

 

With the fight finally over and the civilians safe, Magia Baiser and her gang disappeared through a murky portal, leaving Tres Magia victorious but weary.

Azul sat on the ground, a knot twisting in her chest, unsure how to process everything — especially her own feelings that had surfaced during the fight with Baiser. Unsurprising honestly.

“Hey,” Sulfur broke the silence, her voice suddenly cutting through the tension. “Did any of you help pull the train back?”

Magenta frowned, puzzled. “No, I don’t think so. Why? By the looks of it, it seemed like you had everything in control.”

They were the only magical girls that patrol and protect this area, so the question seemed strange.

Sulfur hesitated, then shrugged it off. “It’s nothing…”

But curiosity and unease tugged at her, driving her to investigate further. She slipped quietly behind the train, moving cautiously along the metal surface.

At first, nothing seemed out of place. Then she spotted it— deep, pressed handprints in the metal, like someone had dug in with incredible strength.

And there was magic, lingering faintly in the air.

The size of the prints startled her — too big for any teenager. They looked like adult hands.

Her heart quickened. What mystery was this?

 

---

 

Back at Nacht Base, Baiser’s group had returned battered and exhausted. Baiser had scrapes and cuts from Azul’s blade, Leopard was beaten up by Sulfur, and Alice… was about to fall asleep.

Suddenly, Baiser threw her riding crop at the ground, and a loud grunt came from her.

“LEOPARD!!!!!!” Baiser yelled, her voice clear with anger. She was enraged.

Leopard flinched, and Alice woke up. She didn’t expect Baiser to lash out and suddenly direct her anger towards her. It was unusual and scary.

“Why… Why the hell would you continue to attack!??!?” Baiser grabbed Leopard by the shoulders with deadly force. 

“L-look! I made a mistake!” Kiwi was terrified. Sure, she had taken some of Baiser's lewd punishments before, but because she was like this, who knows what kind of punishment awaits?

“A MISTAKE?!?!” Baiser was furious

“There were people on that train! You’re lucky Sulfur was able to bring it back to safety before it fell because if ANYONE died today, it would be on you.”

Baiser dropped the transformation, leaving her in her civilian form, Utena Hiiragi. 

Utena had rules, and one of those rules included never bringing civilians into the fire. 

“I’m incredibly disappointed today. We risked so many lives for no reason. MY MOM COULD HAVE BEEN ON THAT TRAIN!” Utena was at tears. She couldn’t control her emotions any longer. 

She was right though. During this time, her mom takes the train from work to go back home,

Before the rest of the members could say anything, Utena had opened a portal to her house, leaving the rest of the members in shame.

 

---

 

Back at home, Utena came in late, exhaustion weighing on her every step after the earlier chaos.

“Hi, Utena!” her mom greeted, voice tired but warm as she sat on the couch, an ice pack pressed to her shoulder and a bandage was placed on her cheek.

“Mom!” Utena ran over to her mom, talking too fast for anyone to understand and hugged her tightly. She was terrified and worried the entire time for her mother because she knew she took that train home. “ Are you ok?! I heard what happened on the train today! Please! Please just tell me you weren’t on there!!!” Utena asked every question that referred to her mom’s health and safety.

Tamako forced a smile. “Yes sweetie I was, but I’m alright… I’m so, so sorry I worried you so much. Don’t worry, honey, I’m here and I’m safe.” She placed a hand on her daughter's back and began rubbing it to calm her down. She realized how much worry she caused for her daughter and started crying with her daughter.

Tamako was angry and sad about what happened on her way back home. Why couldn’t the fight happen somewhere more secluded instead of right in the city? What would happen to her daughter if she had gotten injured or worse on that train…

“I’m glad Magia Sulfur was there to push the train back up! Without her, who would’ve known what would happen!” Tamako tried to joke off the incident to her daughter, but Utena had only squeezed harder.

“...”

Tamako brought her daughter down onto the couch with her and sat beside her.

“Let’s stay like this for a bit longer, hun. Dinner can wait for today.”

She tucked the grade report back into her pocket as she embraced her daughter further, as the two of them were now a crying mess. 

Notes:

Sorry if this chapter was short even with the long wait… ;P

Stand ready for my arrival worms.
And hers

Chapter 4: Exercise Hell

Notes:

Just single mom’s being single moms 😏

This chapter was a bit longer than usual. Weird.
But also my motivation was failing each moment. So don’t blame me for lame ending please!!!!!

After the moment Utena and her mom shared—making sure both of them were safe and sound—Utena walked back up to her room, feeling a wave of relief settle over her. Her footsteps were quiet, her hand brushing the railing as she climbed. She paused at the top, glancing back briefly toward the living room before continuing to her room. It was comforting, knowing her mom was safe.

Meanwhile, back in the dimly lit living room, Tamako sat stiffly on the couch, eyes glued to the glowing screen. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap as the news droned on, tension visible in her posture.

“In recent events, train tracks have been broken, leaving passengers in disarray and panic after the fight with the villainous group Enormeeta. Thankfully, Tres Magia was able to prevent further harm and save every civilian on the train. Now onto the latest news. Famous legend and missing magical girl Lu—”

With a soft click, the TV went dark. The silence that followed was heavy.

She sat there for a moment longer, staring at the blank screen, her reflection faintly visible in it. Eventually, she rose to her feet, her limbs heavy, and made her way down the hallway.

She entered her bedroom and lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts scattered.

Everything that had happened today—it was too much.

Too sudden.

It caused so much drama, not just for her… but for her daughter as well.

Tamako exhaled slowly, closing her eyes.

More than anything, she wanted to ensure her daughter was okay. Truly okay—not just physically, but emotionally.

If she were stronger than she is now, her daughter wouldn’t have to worry so much. Wouldn’t have to carry that fear in her eyes.

It pained Tamako to see Utena like that.

So, if she was going to prevent her daughter from crying again… she would have to become stronger.

For Utena’s sake.

‘I guess… it’s been a while since I used these joints,’ Tamako thought, flexing her fingers absentmindedly. Let’s loosen them up a bit.

At least work would be called off for a while because of the train incident. A small mercy.

 

---

 

The sun was just peeking over the rooftops when Tamako stood by the front door, lacing up her shoes.

“Utena! I’m leaving to get some groceries,” she called out, voice calm. “Be sure to finish your homework before goofing around, ok?”

She waited a beat, listening for any reply, then stepped outside into the cool morning air.

The neighborhood was still quiet. Just a few birds chirping and the faint rustle of leaves. The world always felt gentler in the early hours.

Tamako made her way toward downtown at a light jog, her purse bouncing slightly in her grip.

It wasn’t a far distance. But even so, by the time she neared the grocery store, she found herself short of breath.

Her pace slowed.

I really am out of shape, she thought, trying to steady her breathing. I used to jog miles without blinking...

“I guess time hasn’t been nice on you, hasn’t it, Tamako?” a familiar voice rang out ahead.

She looked up, blinking in surprise.

It was Meri Morino—her boss, and one of her oldest work friends.

“Jeez, it has not!” Tamako laughed weakly. “I have to ask—how do you stay so youthful?”

Meri smirked, her arms casually crossed. “It’s probably just my genes. Anyway, wanna talk while we shop?”

“Sure, why not,” Tamako replied, smiling softly.

The two of them entered the grocery store side by side, each grabbing a basket.

They wandered through the aisles at a leisurely pace, occasionally stopping to inspect items. Tamako reached for sugar, food packets, and sauces. Meri did the same, tossing in a few of her usual ingredients.

“You know,” Meri said, breaking the silence, “it’s been a while since we got to talk like this.”

“It has…” Tamako murmured. She glanced at her friend. “Ever since the incident, we kinda just… stopped. You know?”

The words hung in the air.

Memories came flooding back. The Magical War, the first years, the chaos and aftermath. Everything had been out of shape for so long—but they remembered it all.

Clearly.

“Things have been getting worse, though, Meri,” Tamako said quietly, eyes on a bottle of sauce in her hand. “Enormeeta’s been more aggressive lately. They even went as far as…”

She trailed off. The words wouldn’t come. Her throat felt tight.

“Killing them. I know.” Meri’s voice was soft, but steady. She looked away as she said it, visibly pained.

They didn’t speak after that.

Not a word.

The silence followed them through the store as they continued shopping. It was uncomfortable. Like a weight neither of them could shake.

Eventually, they stepped out of the store, grocery bags in hand. The morning sun had risen higher, casting longer shadows.

“Tamako…” Meri said, not even looking at her.

Tamako glanced over. Meri’s tone was different now.

“Someone is going to have to do something soon. And you know that.”

Tamako’s hands tightened around the plastic handles of the bags, the corners biting into her palms.

Of course, she knew.

She just didn’t want to admit that she was thinking the same thing.

“I know, Meri. But… now isn’t the time.”

Meri stopped walking.

“Don’t give me that crap.”

“Wha—heh?!”

Tamako stared in confusion as Meri’s attitude changed.

Suddenly, Meri stepped in, cupping both of Tamako’s cheeks, bringing their faces close. Her grip was gentle, but her gaze was fierce.

“Listen, Tamako,” she said firmly. “You were one of the strongest and most cheerful people I knew. And I refuse to let you deny yourself like this again.”

Tamako’s face turned bright red, caught completely off guard. Her heartbeat quickened. She hadn’t expected this from her friends—especially not from Meri.

Not from someone who had stood by her all those years ago when she was down at her lowest point.

But maybe… maybe it was time.

Maybe the world needed her again.

And deep down, she already knew it.

“Heh… look at us being young again.” Tamako chuckled and smiled at Meri, who suddenly realized what she was doing and let go of her friend’s face. 

“Ugh… is that wacky personality coming back to you? You’re unbelievable sometimes, Tamako,” Meri giggled, picked her grocery bags back up, and turned away from Tamako.

The two of them walked together, talking about recent and previous events as they waltzed through town. 

 

…

 

“Say, what do you think about hanging out with me today? I can leave my daughter with your daughter if possible and we can hangout,” Meri smiled at Tamako.

“Oh yeah that sounds like a plan! Also, how’s Korisu doing? Last time I saw her, she was just a cute, silly little pea!” Tamako remembered her friend’s daughter and couldn’t help but think about how cute she was back then.

“Korisu has been so much more expressive lately! She has recently been talking to your daughter, and she has been progressing ever since!” Meri sounded proud and happy to know Tamako’s daughter has been treating her daughter well.

“That’s good to know…” Tamako smiled at Meri as she continued to yap about her daughter.

 

 

---

 

 

Later during the week.

“Utena! Ms. Morino is going to leave Korisu over here today. Be sure to keep her safe and lock the doors before you leave with her,” Tamako announced to her daughter. She and Meri were planning to hang out later at the park.

“A-alright Mom!” Utena sounded almost… excited? Tamako felt proud that her daughter was opening up at least a little.

Tamako felt slightly giddy about getting the chance to hang out with her dearest friend after so long. She barely got the chance to relax at least a little ever since she started working.

However, one thing that confused her was the last thing Meri said:

“Be sure to bring clothes fit for working out. You’re going to need it later.”

She didn’t know what she meant, probably because it was hot outside, right?

Little did Tamako know, Meri was planning something far worse. 

 

…

 

Meri stood with her arms crossed, one hip cocked to the side, wearing a smug grin that didn’t bode well for Tamako. The tank top she wore clung to her frame, revealing a toned build that seemed practically carved by time and discipline. Her shorts left little to the imagination, especially when she shifted her stance to stretch out her calves.

Tamako, by contrast, stood a bit awkwardly in her light gray sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, her hair tied back hastily into a messy ponytail. She was already sweating—and they hadn’t even started yet.

Meri raised an eyebrow. “You sure you’re ready for this, grandma?”

“I’m only forty-three,” Tamako replied dryly. “And you’re, what, a year younger?”

“Only a few months. Fitness, though…” Meri stepped closer, giving Tamako’s stomach a playful squeeze. “...is clearly a lifestyle.”

Tamako yelped and swatted her friend’s hand away, blushing. “Okay, okay, I get it! I’ve gotten… soft.”

“That’s putting it gently,” Meri teased, chuckling as she handed Tamako a water bottle. “Let’s warm up before you throw your back out trying to chase me.”

They began with stretches—slow, deliberate movements that made Tamako groan with each extension.

“Ow. I didn’t even know I had muscles there,” Tamako muttered as she bent forward, her fingers barely grazing her toes.

“You do. They’re just under a few extra layers of cozy,” Meri said with a smirk, effortlessly touching the ground with her palms. “Breathe into it. Loosen those joints.”

Tamako followed her lead as best as she could, occasionally huffing and puffing through the motions. Her body protested every bend, but it was also… oddly satisfying. Like a fog was lifting, one stretch at a time.

“Alright,” Meri clapped once. “Let’s jog a lap around the park to get the blood flowing.”

Tamako groaned. “Just a lap?”

“For now.”

They started at a light pace. Birds chirped in the trees, and morning joggers passed them by with easy strides. Tamako’s breath came shallow and uneven almost immediately.

Meri glanced over her shoulder. “You okay back there, slugger?”

“Just… saving my energy,” Tamako panted.

“For what? Retirement?” Meri laughed and slowed down a bit, falling in step beside her. “Come on, one foot in front of the other. That’s all it is.”

Tamako focused on her feet hitting the pavement. Her arms swung at her sides, and sweat dripped down her temple. By the halfway mark of the lap, her legs were already beginning to ache.

They paused at a bench under a shady tree.

Tamako flopped onto it with a groan. “I’m dying.”

“You’re barely winded,” Meri said, hands on her hips. “Okay, maybe just a little.”

Tamako gulped down water. “How are you not gasping for air?”

“Because I’ve been doing this three times a week for the past ten years,” Meri said, stretching out her arms. “Consistency, Tamako.”

Tamako gave her a side-eye. “You’re relentless.”

“I’m your friend. Big difference,” Meri said with a wink. “Now, get up. Time for resistance training.”

“Isn’t resistance training supposed to be optional?”

“Not today.”

The next half hour was a flurry of exercises. Meri guided her through lunges, squats, push-ups (modified, thankfully), and light arm movements with resistance bands she seemingly pulled out of nowhere.

Tamako struggled through every rep. Her body burned. Her joints cracked. Her muscles trembled.

At one point, she collapsed onto the grass, arms outstretched. “I’m melting.”

Meri sat down beside her, grinning. “Not bad for someone who’s been on the couch for twenty years.”

Tamako gave her a tired glare. “I used to be a lot better, you know.”

“You still can. You’re just a little rustier now.” Meri’s voice was gentle now, encouraging. “But that fire’s still there. I saw it when you caught up to me.”

Tamako blinked up at the sky. The clouds drifted lazily overhead. Her chest rose and fell with every deep breath. And for the first time in a long while, she felt alive. Not just awake—but present.

She looked over at Meri and smiled, sweaty bangs sticking to her forehead. “Thanks… for dragging me out here.”

Meri flopped down beside her, arms behind her head. “Anytime. Next time, though, we’re adding sit-ups.”

Tamako groaned.

“No escape,” Meri added. “I’m going to whip you back into shape.”

Tamako was quiet for a moment, then softly said, “Yeah… I know.”

They lay there together for a few more minutes, watching the clouds and laughing at the soreness setting in. It was a far cry from their youth—but something about it felt just as meaningful.

Even if Tamako's legs felt like jelly and her arms refused to move for the rest of the day, her spirit… was starting to stir again.

 

…

 

After the exercise session, Tamako was left unable to move her without cramps happening every second. 

The only reasonable thing Meri thought of to get Tamako up was probably the most unreasonable thing out here…

Meri stood up and bent down to Tamako’s level, scooping her up with her hands and carrying her around.

“Wha- Hey!! Put me down!” Tamako thought this was purely insane, especially in public like this.

Meri didn’t listen to the embarrassed cries of the woman in her arms, she picked up their stuff and went to Tamako’s house, which was closer.

 

 

---

 

 

Utena was at home watching over Korisu along with Kiwi, whom she called over to assist in babysitting while the moms were out and about, despite some events that had happened.

They were currently playing games Kiwi had brought on the TV while waiting for them to return home. It wasn’t that bad to have some company once in a while. 

Though It still felt awkward to be around each other after the incident and Utena’s sudden outburst.

Suddenly, a knock was heard from the front door, it must be the mom’s. Utena walked up to the door and unlocked it with little knowledge of what was awaiting her on the other side.

Her mom—was being carried by her aunt.

“I kept telling you I had a key already!!”  Tamako flailed her arm around at Meri with playful hits as she used her other hand to hide her face from Utena. The poor woman was squealing from embarrassment with each passing second of Meri holding her.

“My bad, Tamako! It was out of instinct, I really didn’t mean to knock!” Meri laughed at Tamako’s flustered state, and continued to carry the woman all the way upstairs and laid her onto bed to rest.

Meri walked downstairs. “Thanks for taking care of my daughter for me, Utena! And sorry for the strange sight. I can’t help that your mother is so cute!” 

Mrs. Morino called out to her daughter to take her home and the two of them left the Hiiragi household, leaving Utena still questioning the events of right now.

“You think the two of them are going to fuck?” Kiwi abruptly asks out of nowhere.

“KIWI!!” Utena’s face suddenly became red as her hand karate chopped the top of Kiwi’s head.

Guess the two weren’t so far after all. Both for Utena and her mom’s ‘friends’.

 

---

 

The next three weeks would continue as usual with the first one starting with Meri having to carry Tamako back home then the next two weeks having Tamako walk back without help. 

Construction was delayed another month because of certain concerns with old tracks being combined with new tracks, this would give more time for Tamako to get back on track to her prime…

Notes:

My brain itches for more… POWER

Chapter 5: The Calm Before the Storm

Notes:

THE STORM!!!!?????? AS IN… nah. Not yet.

Ive been trying to work on this for a while.
Sorry for not posting in a while

The bells above the automatic sliding doors gave a faint chime as someone entered the store, the sound delicate—almost melodic. It echoed briefly through the otherwise quiet convenience shop, mingling with the hum of fluorescent lighting and the soft, rhythmic clatter of a fan that had long since lost its balance. Dust drifted lazily in the slanted sunlight that streamed through the wide glass windows, illuminating rows of generic snack foods and bottled drinks in an almost sterile glow.

At the front counter, a young woman in a rumpled store uniform barely glanced up from her phone. Michiko—Tanaka Michiko, according to the name tag pinned half-heartedly to her chest—didn’t bother hiding her disinterest. 

Her dark brown bangs hung just over her tired eyes, and she blinked slowly at the screen as her thumb lazily scrolled past endless images and headlines she couldn’t bring herself to care about.

Her station was spotless, more from routine than pride. The register blinked its ready prompt. A couple of convenience store bento boxes sat untouched in the display next to the gum and plastic-wrapped manju. The air carried a faint chemical scent of lemon floor cleaner, masking the mildew she could still smell underneath it all.

 Another long day…

She straightened her back just slightly, but her shoulders slumped again almost immediately. Her uniform vest was one size too big, and she hadn’t bothered to fix the slightly loose collar. Her fingers twitched around the phone as her stomach growled again—barely 11 a.m., and all she had eaten today were two instant cup noodles. The cheap kind. The only kind she could afford at the moment.

‘One day… one day I can just marry someone and get myself out of this hell hole.’ She thought to herself.

A faint beeping noise from the door sensors drew her eyes up again. A customer. She didn’t recognize them—not that she recognized anyone anymore. People came and went, blurry faces in a life that never changed. But this one stood out. The woman looked... put-together. Maybe in her early twenties, maybe still a college student. 

Her hair was a rich purple, tied back in a short high ponytail, and her sweater was neatly tucked into her red hakama. A few groceries were gathered in her arms—nothing too fancy. Enough for some lunch, maybe snacks for the day.

Michiko offered a small, automatic smile. Not because she wanted to. Because it was necessary.

The customer stepped forward and began placing her items one by one on the counter. The soft clunk of packaged goods on plastic echoed more loudly than it should have. It was the only real sound in the entire store.

Michiko scanned each item with a dull beep.

“Will that be all, ma’am?” she asked, her tone perfectly flat.

The woman nodded politely, placing her purchases into a reusable tote with practiced efficiency. Her fingers moved quickly, neatly. Michiko's eyes flicked to the customer’s hands for a moment—clean, graceful, unbitten nails.

And then the customer’s gaze lifted, meeting hers, and she smiled.

“Thank you, Miss… Tanaka! Thank you, Miss Tanaka.”

There was a quiet warmth in the way she said it—not forced, not robotic. It lingered for a moment.

Michiko blinked, surprised. She nodded out of reflex. “Thank you, ma’am. Have a good day.”

The woman exited just as quietly as she had entered, the door’s chime ringing again. The moment passed.
 Gone.
 The store felt quieter than before.

Michiko stared blankly at the now-empty entrance, the air stirred only faintly by the automatic doors slowly shutting.
 That was… weird.
 Not unpleasant, but weird.
 A real person. Someone who made eye contact. Said her name. For a second, she wasn’t just a register behind a counter—she was seen.

What the hell was that about? I didn’t even get her name… a shame really. She was kind of cute.

She leaned forward and rested her chin against her palm, propping herself against the counter. Her other hand still held her phone, but she wasn’t looking at it anymore.

It took a moment for the dull ache in her lower back to catch up to her. She shifted again. The stool she usually sat on had a metal leg that wobbled, and she hadn’t bothered to request a replacement. No one would listen anyway.

This is it, huh?
 This is all my life amounts to now.

The thought was bitter. But not new. It came often, usually in the early hours of her shift or at the tail end of her night walks, when the city was quiet and she didn’t feel like an invisible afterthought.

She hadn’t seen her classmates in over two years. Most of them had gone on to real jobs, real lives. Some were married already. Others had moved away. Some she had unfollowed because their success made her chest feel like it was collapsing. She hadn’t even told her parents she’d dropped out. She couldn’t bear the thought of hearing that tone in their voices again.

There were days when she genuinely forgot what she had wanted to do with her life. Not because she was lost. But because she had given up on remembering.

She rubbed her temple and sighed quietly.

Maybe I should check in on the others…

Her thumb tapped the chat app lazily.

She paused—and sighed again.

The door at the rear of the store creaked open, and her boss stepped out, stretching her arms behind her back with a yawn. She was only slightly older than Michiko, though far more put-together, with her long chestnut hair tied back neatly in a ponytail. Her store uniform looked tailored and pressed. Somehow, she made minimum-wage management look effortless.

She glanced at Michiko with mild concern. “Something the matter, kid?”

Michiko didn’t even turn to face her. “Stop calling me kid. I’m only a few years younger than you.”

The older woman laughed softly. “Fourteen years.”

Michiko glanced down at her half-dead phone screen.

“I feel like I’m rotting here.”

There was a pause.

Her boss leaned her elbows against the counter beside her, nodding slowly.
 “Yeah. This job kinda has that effect on people.”

Michiko gave her a sideways look. “Not exactly reassuring.”

“Not trying to be. But look, why don’t you just take the rest of the day off? You’ve been standing here like a ghost for three hours. Go home. Eat something that isn’t boiling water and preservatives.”

Michiko hesitated.
 “…You sure?”

“Yeah. Consider it the least I can do since you’re clearly mentally out of it today.”

A beat passed.
 “…Thanks,” Michiko said at last.

She walked into the break room, pulled off her apron, and tossed it over the metal rack by the door with a bit more force than she intended. It clanged lightly as it hit the floor.

The automatic doors opened again as she stepped out into the sunlit street, squinting slightly. It was cold.

The city moved on around her—cars passing, people talking, laughing, living.

She stuck her hands in her pockets and started walking.

Her footsteps were quiet, but her thoughts were loud.

 

 

---

 

 

Over with Utena, a sudden shiver crept up her spine.

She blinked, instinctively rubbing her arm as she sat cross-legged on the floor beside Korisu and Kiwi. The late autumn wind hadn’t made it inside the building, and yet something invisible wrapped cold fingers around the back of her neck.

Goosebumps rose beneath her sleeves.

She looked around. Nothing. Just Kiwi grumbling under her breath and Korisu squinting down at the plastic parts scattered across the table. The two of them were trying to assemble some kind of bootleg magical girl action figure Kiwi had found online, muttering curses every few seconds as pieces refused to click together.

Her mom was out again.

With Miss Morino.

Utena frowned faintly. They’d been seeing each other more often lately. Lunch meetings. Evening walks. Long phone calls where her mother’s tone softened into something unfamiliar. She wasn’t exactly against it. But… it felt strange. New. Like a part of her life was shifting behind her back.

And then—

“Hey girls!”

Utena flinched before she even turned.

The sing-song voice crashed through the calm like a brick through glass.

Venalita had appeared out of nowhere again, hovering just a little too close, her unnatural cheeriness filling the room like artificial perfume. The three girls collectively tensed.

“Time to transform! Meeting’s starting at Nacht Base. Chop chop!”

Venalita’s tone was cheerful, but Utena’s eyes narrowed. There was something off in her pitch. It was too chipper. Too smooth. Like it was trying to hide something.

She didn’t trust it.

Still, she didn’t argue. They all felt it—that quiet signal beneath the surface that told them to stop asking questions and prepare. Something was brewing.

Utena exchanged a glance with Korisu and Kiwi. The three of them rose to their feet without another word.

Each girl raised her transformation star.

“Trans—Magia,” they chanted in sync, Korisu’s voice barely above a whisper.

Light exploded from their bodies, wrapping around them in spiraling threads of energy. Their normal clothes disintegrated into streaks of color and brilliance. Their magical forms emerged in their place—each one familiar now, like second skin.

Utena became Magia Baiser, standing tall with her riding crop gripped tightly in her hand. Kiwi emerged as Leopard, all grit and fury, checking her ammo. Korisu, now Nero Alice, blinked slowly as porcelain shimmer settled across her skin.

Venalita opened a swirling portal before them.

“Let’s not keep the old ladies waiting~” she teased, fluttering to the side.

They stepped through.

The moment their feet touched the other side, everything changed.

The light dimmed. The air turned thick. Oppressive. Nacht Base always felt like walking into someone else’s nightmare—concrete platforms floating in a void, chunks of broken stone suspended in the sky like forgotten thoughts.

The atmosphere closed in on them like a fist. Utena held her breath, not because she needed to—but because her instincts told her to.

No sound. No movement.

Just the haunting silence of a lair waiting for its prey.

“Where are you looking?”

The voice slammed into them like thunder.

The three girls turned their heads upward.

Above them, perched atop floating slabs of concrete, were four figures—each one poised like a living statue. The scene looked almost staged. Surreal.

Utena squinted up.

One woman sat lazily in a throne, her kimono pristine white beneath a draped navy military coat, a half-finished glass of wine in one hand. That had to be Lord Enorme.

Beside her stood a towering woman in a skimpy, mock-nun outfit, her arms folded and smile sharp as broken glass. Sister Gigant.

On a separate block, two younger figures: one dressed in a sailor’s uniform, twirling a microphone (Loco Musica), the other cloaked in teal like a silent assassin (Leberblume), leaning forward just slightly, analyzing them like prey.

The air vibrated with power and judgment.

Venalita gestured with a lazy flourish. “Senior members of Enormeeta, meet our rising stars: Magia Baiser, Leopard, and Nero Alice.”

The names echoed hollowly.

“You’re joking,” Lord Enorme said flatly. “These are the new recruits? This is who replaced us while we were gone?”

She tilted her head with theatrical disbelief.

“I was expecting someone... competent.”

Kiwi’s eyes twitched. “What the hell is that supposed to mean!?”

“Silence, no star,” Lord Enorme snapped, not even looking at her.

The insult hit harder than a spell. Kiwi froze, her jaw tightening, fists trembling.

Baiser’s stomach turned. That phrase again. No star.

She didn’t know what it meant, but she didn’t like it.

Venalita cleared her throat, trying to smooth over the tension. “The senior members have just returned from purging a few magical girls from outside our region. Very efficient. Very clean. As you can see, they're quite… motivated.”

“Yes,” Enorme drawled. “And while we were away doing actual work, this organization was left in the hands of a horny brat, a military wannabe, and a living doll.”

Twitch. ‘Ehhh?’

Utena's eye twitched. She gritted her teeth.

Leopard took a step forward. “You wanna say that again, you shriveled harpy?”

Lord Enorme’s expression didn’t change. “You’re not worth the breath.”

The next words were aimed directly at Baiser. “Tell me, girl. Do you want real power? You have potential. Waste it here and you’ll rot with these two. Join us. Help us dominate. End this little magical girl resistance. Be more than their rival. Be their executioner.”

The words clanged in Utena’s head like a rusty bell. She stared up, blankly.

She could be stronger. Strong enough to fight the Tres Magia head-on. But… kill them?

Kill magical girls?

Twitch. ‘EEEEEHHHH???’

Utena stepped forward.

“No thanks,” she said calmly. “I’m not into that kind of crap.”

For a moment, silence.

Lord Enorme blinked.

“I don’t think I heard you correctly—”

“I said no. You’re creepy. Your pitch sucks. Go find someone else.”

Leopard grinned, slinging her arm around Baiser’s shoulders. “Yeah, hard pass. We like things messy and chaotic. This 'order through genocide' routine? Not our style.”

Even Nero Alice, silent as ever, gave a slight nod. Her doll’s eyes glittered with agreement.

Lord Enorme’s wine glass cracked in her hand.

She stood slowly. “Then I see we need a reminder of who holds the true power here.”

She raised one hand—and snapped her fingers.

“Sister Gigant. Handle it.”

A blur. A boom.

Sister Gigant leapt from her perch and slammed onto the floor like a meteor, stone fracturing beneath her boots.

The ground trembled. Dust clouded the air.

Utena’s instincts screamed. She held her crop tighter. Leopard loaded her guns. Alice didn’t move—but her doll shifted behind her like a shadow preparing to bite.

Sister Gigant advanced slowly, like she was walking to church.

Then, without warning—she lunged.

Baiser barely had time to shout—“Move!”—before the woman was upon them.

Leopard dove left. Baiser ducked and rolled backward. Nero Alice didn’t flinch. Instead, she extended her arm, and a flash of porcelain-white energy spiraled from her hand, pulling a doll from her sleeve like a magician producing a blade. The doll’s glass eyes gleamed crimson as it multiplied mid-air, transforming into a massive toyhouse that dropped down—trapping Gigant inside with Leopard and Baiser.

This was almost too easy for Baiser and Leopard. This strategy would be the best way of dealing with one of the members, especially if they were caught off guard. And since Baiser was able to modify the bombs by hitting some with her riding crop, this would give them an extra punch for more damage. 

But something was wrong. This felt too good to be a true victory and way too easy; there must be a catch to this. Once Leopard thought they had got Sister Gigant off guard, the smoke cleared to show that not only had they done barely any damage, but the nun had also grown in size, expanding the doll house to its limits and breaking it apart easily. 

This shocked Baiser and Leopard even more. To find none of their attacks had even scratched the woman was both surprising and terrifying. They didn’t realize they were dealing with this much power.

Suddenly, the nun grabbed Baiser, crushing her with her hand and applying more pressure with each passing second. 

Pain screamed through Baiser’s body. Her bones ground against one another, joints compressing with each passing second. Her breath hitched. Her limbs spasmed. The pressure was unbearable.

Suddenly, a barrage of bombs and bullets struck the nun’s face, blinding her and loosening her grip on Baiser completely.

Using this chance, Baiser had swiped the air with her riding crop and released a slash of dark energy at the huge nun, making multiple small cuts across the nun and damaging her little by little. 

Sister Gigant was now being pushed back by these two girls, but she didn’t want this to be the very thing weakening her. So before Baiser could fully escape her grip, she tightened her hand again, and chucked Baiser against the wall, sending her flying through multiple layers of blocks. 

Leopard witnessed this all happen, “You BITCH!!!” she shouted, firing bullets and grenades at the large woman until she fell backward and continued to do this just to buy time for her friends to escape. 

Baiser was severely injured—multiple fractures and lacerations covered her body, limiting her movement. She was losing blood quickly, which wasn’t the only problem. They needed to return to somewhere where she could heal safely and take refuge; any other place could alert the Tres Magia.

They needed a portal to somewhere safe, and Baiser knew a place no one would catch them at this time. It was their best chance of escape.

She raised her arm and channeled her mana outward. The air in front of Alice and Baiser began to swirl, shifting to a purple hue. The portal took form, though the exit beyond remained unclear.

Slowly, Alice helped Baiser limp toward the murky portal as Leopard fended off Sister Gigant.

Baiser wanted to call out to Leopard, but her voice refused to come. At that moment, Alice manipulated her doll and moved it toward Leopard, grabbing her forcefully and pulling her into the portal.

The three stumbled through the portal and fell into the room it led to.

But Sister Gigant wasn’t about to let them escape so easily. She grabbed a block of Nacht Base concrete and hurled it at them.

Before the rubble could reach the portal, Baiser shut it just in time. As it closed, the portal sliced off a fist-sized pellet that struck her head, knocking her out cold and plunging her world into darkness.

 

 

---

 

 

Like every night before and now, Tamako was preparing dinner for herself and her daughter.

The knife clicked against the cutting board in slow, deliberate chops, slicing through green onions with practiced ease. The scent of fresh vegetables mixed with miso filled the air, faintly warmed by the quiet hum of the stovetop burner behind her. Slanted golden light from the kitchen window bathed the counter in a soft glow, tracing every crease in her apron and every tiny motion of her hands.

She was calm. Focused.

At least, until the edge of the blade slipped too close to her fingertip.

“Ah—” she hissed quietly.

A thin line of crimson beaded at the side of her finger. She sighed, shaking her head at her own carelessness. “You’re getting sloppy, Tamako,” she muttered, rinsing the cut under the faucet. “Can’t afford to let your mind wander.”

She wrapped the wound in a paper towel and glanced at the clock—6:49 p.m.

Still no sign of Utena. She hadn’t heard the door open and hadn’t heard the soft thud of socks across the wooden floor. No clattering of school bags or boots left at the genkan.

Strange.

Tamako wiped her hands clean and turned down the stove. “Utena?” she called out absently, already stepping out of the kitchen. No answer.

She tilted her head. Not worried yet—but concerned.

She made her way toward the stairs when a low, heavy thud echoed from upstairs. A weighty, unfamiliar sound. Not like a book falling. Not like a drawer being shut.

Her heart skipped once.

And then again.

“…Utena?”

No answer.

Tamako’s hand hovered near the wall, reaching for something—anything—and instinctively closed around the knife she’d left on the counter.

She should have set it down. Should have assumed it was nothing. But something deep in her gut told her otherwise.

Without thinking, she also grabbed her purse. Inside wasn’t just her wallet. It was something much older—much more dangerous. A relic from a life she had buried.

Tamako moved up the stairs slowly, her hand white-knuckled around the kitchen knife. Her pulse had started to thrum in her ears, not from fear—but from anticipation.

It had been twenty-seven years since she last felt this. The thrill. That cold, static charge in the air. That tension in her muscles. Her instincts weren’t wrong.

Her body was ready for a fight.

Each step creaked under her weight as she reached the top. Her eyes narrowed, fixed on the closed door to Utena’s room. The hallway light buzzed softly overhead. The quiet was suffocating.

She stopped at the door. Her grip tightened. Her breath was steady—but her heart was not.

Was it a burglar? A stalker? A magical girl gone rogue?

All those seemed ridiculous, but she didn't care. If anything had hurt her daughter, she would end them.

She flung the door open in one swift motion, stepping in with the knife raised defensively—expecting a fight.

But what she found made her freeze.

The weapon clattered to the floor.

Her entire body locked up.

“…No.”

Her daughter—Utena—lay sprawled on the floor, barely conscious. Her body was covered in deep bruises, cuts, and raw scrapes. Her skin was pale, and a slow, steady trail of blood leaked from her scalp, soaking into the carpet beneath her.

She wasn’t alone.

Two other girls knelt beside her.

Both held blonde hair, but one wore a military-like outfit with just the jacket and hat, and the other… a porcelain-like girl with emotionless eyes that wore a long blue dress overlaid with a white apron and two large ribbons, one on her head and one around her waist. Leopard and Nero Alice. The infamous lackeys of Magia Baiser…

Did they do this? Did they come here to finish her off?

Tamako’s head spun with too many questions, but only one instinct survived.

Protect your child.

She stepped forward without hesitation, her hand diving into her purse. Gone was the kitchen knife. In its place, her fingers found etched stone.

The object glowed faintly.

Her expression darkened with purpose.

She wasn’t Tamako Hiiragi anymore.

She was something far older.

Something the world had long forgotten.

Her voice was a whisper.

“Trans–Magia.”

The air around her exploded in light. Shadows warped and recoiled. Leopard and Alice shielded their eyes.

Notes:

Next chapter will come very soon. Just until then, steel your soul for a second chance but you will never become a man

Chapter 6: Echoes Of Ebony

Notes:

Jackpot

Light reflected everywhere in the room, blinding Leopard and Alice.

The woman’s normal civilian clothes quickly disappeared into the light, and in their place, new clothes made from magic were woven around her body. 

When the light faded, what stood before them was not a magical girl with bright colors and her usual frilly skirt and knee-high boots. No, it was something way different.

A deep purple leather coat, rich in tone and trimmed with gold at the seams, swept down to just above her ankles, the fabric shifting with a subtle weight as though charged with power. Beneath it, sleek black biker pants clung to her legs, tucked into rugged boots etched with a faded grayish-purple cowboy design around the ankles.

Her stomach was exposed beneath a cropped black long-sleeved shirt, the sleeves rolled up just past her elbows along the folded cuffs of her coat. Around her waist sat a thick belt, fastened with a silver emblem carved into the visage of a snarling demonic skull, its hollow eyes glinting like cursed gemstones. Another thing that caught the mysterious girl’s eyes was the pin in her hair—a triple golden S. What could it mean?

Finally, above everything else, her eyes. They held a bright amber glow, but beneath that—was something else…

Fury

Her eyes held nothing but fury and rage, like a dragon whose sleep had been disturbed. It was a mistake to come here.

Tamako rose in one slow, terrifying motion. Her shadow stretched long across the floor in the evening light. Her purse dropped open behind her and she reached for the sword on her back.

“You have five seconds to explain,” Tamako said, her voice dangerously low. “Five. Before I assume you’re responsible.”

Leopard’s mouth opened. “Wait, we—”

But Tamako interrupted, her tone shifting from cold restraint to pure venom.

“You know what? Fuck that.”

Her blade slid free with a quiet, clean hiss of metal.

“How about I just kill you right here and now— ” she pointed the tip at Leopard’s chest, “— and then go after the rest of your group once I’m done treating my daughter?”

Leopard froze.

Once again, her mouth didn’t move fast enough.

Leopard raised her arms, panicked. “I swear to god we didn’t hurt her! We didn’t even mean to be here!”

Tamako advanced a step. Leopard’s foot bumped into the side of Utena’s dresser. She had nowhere left to go.

“She was fine when I left with my friend,” Tamako hissed. “And now she’s like this—with you standing over her?”

Leopard’s voice cracked “She saved us! She brought us here through the portal! We didn’t know where we were going!”

Tamako paused.

Just slightly.

Her sword hovered, a breath away from Leopard’s throat.

“She… brought you here?”

“Yes! Yes! She collapsed right after we got through—she got hit with a piece of debris when we got out. Look, I swear, we didn’t hurt her! She just… she just saved our asses.”

Tamako’s gaze narrowed. Her sword didn’t move.

“She helped us… and now she’s like this. I didn’t know she even had a place like this to go. Honest.”

Silence.

For a long moment, Tamako said nothing. Her eyes flicked once to her daughter, still lying there—breathing shallowly, a streak of blood down her cheek. Her skin paler than usual.

Tamako’s jaw tightened.

Without another word, she turned away from Leopard. The sword lowered, but only just. She knelt beside Utena and placed a glowing hand over her chest. A soft but bright light surrounded Utena, and slowly but surely, her wounds closed.

“Ribs cracked. Blood loss moderate…”

Her voice was a whisper now, but the anger hadn’t left. It had simply turned inward. Sharpened. Ready to strike again if needed.

She gently brushed Utena’s bangs aside and cupped her cheek.

“You’re alright. Mama’s here. You’re gonna be okay…”

Behind her, Leopard slowly slumped against the wall and sat down, breath unsteady.

“…Okay,” she muttered under her breath. “Yeah. No. Definitely not pissing her off again.”

Alice didn’t say a word. She didn’t need to.

Tamako didn’t even acknowledge them anymore.

All that mattered now was Utena.

And the fact that this peaceful, normal life she had worked so hard to build—

Had just been shattered.

The aura beneath Utena’s body pulsed slowly with violet light, stabilizing her condition. Tamako’s movements were steady, precise—decades of experience guiding her hand. She never took her eyes off her daughter.

But she wasn’t done.

Not even close.

Without turning around, Tamako spoke again, her voice low and iron.

“Why was she involved in this?”

Leopard, still seated against the wall, looked up nervously. “I—I told you, she helped us—”

“That’s not what I asked.”

The room felt heavier.

“I asked why she was involved, why she’s fighting. Who you’re running from. What she was trying to protect you from.”

Leopard swallowed and rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s complicated…”

“Then simplify it.”

There was no room to argue. No space for lies. Tamako’s gaze could pierce steel.

Leopard took a slow breath, her voice shaky. “We got ambushed. We didn’t know anyone was at Nacht Base. We were just supposed to scope things out, maybe talk… but they attacked us. One of them nearly killed Baiser—I mean—”

She cut herself off.

Too late.

Tamako’s eyes narrowed.

“You were just about to say a name. ‘Baiser.’ Is that what you were going to call her?” she asked, voice edged with suspicion.

“No! I mean—ugh, shit.” Leopard smacked her forehead, then winced. “I didn’t mean to say that. I meant… look, she’s not part of this. She helped us, but she’s not one of us. We were desperate, okay?”

Tamako stepped forward slowly, her boots hitting the floor with ominous weight.

She stared Leopard down.

Leopard swallowed hard. 

“She’s entirely involved in this. Living the life of a villain, fighting the same magical girls she loved, sloppily getting citizens involved in this, and leading you bunch.” 

She gripped her sword even tighter.

“Do me a favor, and drop the transformations. Now”

Leopard blinked. “What?”

“If you’re not hiding anything, then you won’t mind doing this one thing for me.” Tamako’s voice didn’t waver. “You. And your friend.”

She glanced briefly at Alice, who remained silent and motionless, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

“And since this is coming from me, Utena’s — Baiser’s mother, that means that any order that comes from me is absolute. Got it?”

Leopard’s breath hitched. She exchanged a quick glance with Alice, who remained as still and unreadable as ever.

“Alright,” Leopard finally whispered, voice shaky but resolute. “You want to see? Fine.”

Her hand reached for the transformation star pinned at her side. The gem pulsed faintly with residual magic.

“Trans-Magia,” she murmured.

A shimmering cascade of light and energy burst forth, unraveling her magical outfit like threads of stardust blowing away on a breeze.

Where once stood a well known, cocky villain, was now a normal teenager. Her hair tied in low space buns. 

Tamako’s sharp gaze softened. This was no hardened villain. This was just a kid.

“Araga Kiwi,” Tamako breathed—recognition flickering through her shock.

Then she turned to Alice.

“Trans-Magia.”

Soft light swirled around her, dissolving the elaborate dark gothic costume into wisps of smoke and petals. When the light dimmed, there stood a petite girl dressed simply yet distinctly: a sailor-themed dress paired with a matching hat perched neatly on her blonde hair. A thin string necktie rested against the dress’s collar, and a leather belt cinched her waist. On her feet were two small buckle shoes, completing the delicate ensemble.

Her bright red eyes, intense and quietly observing, met Tamako’s without hesitation. She did not speak, but the steady, unblinking gaze said everything.

Tamako’s breath caught in her throat.

“Korisu?”

The word slipped from her lips, almost involuntarily.

Korisu—Meri Morino’s daughter.

Her friend’s daughter was standing in front of her. And Tamako had almost raised her sword against her.

She bent down towards the child’s level and placed her hands on her shoulders.

“Korisu… what are you doing among all of this chaos? Why are you fighting along villainy?” 

Tamako’s blade was fully down on the ground now, the crushing weight of what she almost did settling heavily on her shoulders.

She knelt beside Utena again, placing her hand gently on her daughter’s forehead.

“I was going to kill you,” Tamako admitted quietly, barely above a whisper.

Kiwi’s voice cracked. “We didn’t want any of this.”

Korisu said nothing. She only looked at Tamako with a quiet steadiness—almost like a plea for understanding.

Tamako swallowed hard.

The room fell into heavy silence.

Korisu’s red eyes never wavered from Tamako’s face, watching her with an intensity that spoke volumes—words unspoken, trust cautiously offered.

Leopard, still seated against the wall, wiped at her trembling hands, clearly overwhelmed.

Tamako’s gaze drifted back to Utena. Her daughter’s breathing was shallow but steady, the violet glow beneath her chest pulsing softly.

For a long moment, Tamako said nothing.

She simply held her daughter’s hand, feeling the fragile warmth beneath her fingers.

Then, slowly, her amber eyes lifted—filled with a fierce determination.

“I don’t know who did this to you,” Tamako said quietly, voice low but firm. “But I promise… I will find them.”

She looked directly at Korisu and Leopard.

“And when I do, they will answer to me.”

Her hand tightened on Utena’s, grounding herself in the moment, in the bond she still fiercely protected.

The tension in the room didn’t dissipate, but something shifted—like the first flicker of light before dawn.

Korisu’s eyes softened just a fraction.

Leopard gave a small, grateful nod.

Tamako’s heart ached with a mixture of guilt, resolve, and a deep, stubborn hope.

She would protect her daughter.

And she would protect her daughter’s friends—even if it meant stepping back into a world she thought she’d left behind.

 

---

The living room was quiet, save for the hum of the refrigerator and the occasional clink of silverware.

Tamako sat on the couch, her civilian clothes back on, the transformation long faded. Her posture was firm, but her eyes were soft, watching the slow rise and fall of Utena’s chest as her daughter lay across her lap. Utena was wrapped in fresh bandages, her body no longer trembling in pain. Her breathing had steadied. Her fractured ribs had healed enough to allow her to rest without wincing. Tamako gently ran her fingers through her daughter’s bangs, brushing them aside again and again as if to remind herself—she’s still here.

Across from them, seated at the dining table, Korisu and Kiwi quietly ate the dinner Tamako had prepared earlier that night—before everything spiraled out of control. The plates were still warm from being reheated, and the cozy aroma of miso, grilled fish, and pickled vegetables lingered in the air. The homey smell clashed almost violently with the memory of blood, magic, and shouting from earlier.

Kiwi, chewing slower than usual, glanced up at Tamako.

“So… you were really a magical girl, huh?” she asked, trying to sound casual but failing to hide her curiosity.

Tamako didn’t answer right away. She simply looked down at her daughter and adjusted the blanket around her a little more tightly. Then finally, she nodded.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “A long time ago.”

Kiwi leaned forward, elbow on the table, chopsticks frozen in her hand. “Like… how long ago are we talking?”

Tamako gave her a tired smile. “Let’s just say it was back when smartphones still had buttons.”

Kiwi blinked. “Damn.”

Tamako chuckled, the sound faint. “I was sixteen when it happened. The same age as Utena.”

At that, Korisu tilted her head slightly. Her red eyes, quiet and unreadable, stayed locked on Tamako.

Tamako’s voice grew steadier as she spoke, smoothing Utena’s hair with long, gentle strokes.

“Her name was V. A silly little creature, always cloaked in dark colors but had a personality that contrasted with it. She approached me right after school one day, said I’d been chosen. I almost ignored her. Thought I was losing it. But then… he said my full name, my mother’s, my grandmother’s, and my great-grandmother’s.”

She paused, staring past them now.

“They were all magical girls. Every generation of my family had one. I was the sixth. A generational magical girl. And because of that... I was stronger. I didn’t just carry their legacy—I carried their power. Multiplied. Refined.”

Kiwi whistled low. “So you were, like, an ultra-magical girl?”

“I was known as Magia Ebony,” Tamako said, a trace of pride returning to her tone. “People said I was the strongest magical girl of my time.”

Korisu blinked slowly but didn’t speak.

Tamako looked down again at Utena, her expression darkening.

“I fought for years. Became someone the others looked up to. But then the war came.”

“War?” Kiwi echoed.

Tamako nodded. “A very long time ago, demons started pouring into our world. Not the weak ones you see Tres Magia fighting—real ones. Cruel. Tactical. We weren’t prepared for their numbers or their power.”

Her voice dropped to a near whisper and she sighed.

“I was on the front lines leading the fights. I made sure we lost no one.”

She paused again. Her hand stopped moving through Utena’s hair.

“Until the day we did.”

A longer silence fell over the room. Even Kiwi didn’t try to fill it.

“There was an explosion,” Tamako said softly. “I got injured. Another magical girl died. I never found her body, all that was there was a cracked transformation diamond.”

Her fingers trembled for a moment before steadying again.

“After that… the war ended, and I quit. I disappeared. I promised myself I’d never let the magical world touch my family again.”

Kiwi set her chopsticks down, a little more quietly than necessary. “But… Utena…”

“I know,” Tamako said bitterly. “I tried to keep her out of it. I thought if I kept my distance—if I let the world move on—maybe the curse would skip her. But she’s my daughter. She inherited my power… and then some.”

Her amber eyes flicked to Kiwi now, intense but not unkind.

“She’s going to be stronger than I ever was. Because she’s the seventh generation. Her magic isn’t just going to be powerful—it’s gonna be overwhelming. Too much for someone her age to bear.”

She exhaled slowly, as if forcing herself to stay calm.

“And now… instead of fighting as a magical girl, she’s caught in all this. A villain. I don’t know how. I don’t know why. But I won’t let it stay that way.”

Kiwi leaned back slightly, expression unreadable.

Korisu simply stared, her gaze lingering on Tamako’s hands and the way they curled protectively around Utena’s head.

“I should’ve seen it,” Tamako murmured, more to herself than anyone else. “The signs. The stress. The silence. She didn’t just stumble into this. She’s been forced into this for a long time, and I didn’t see it.”

Neither of the girls responded for what felt like an eternity, until Kiwi spoke up.

“You know, Utena tries her best to keep civilians out of our feuds with Tres Magia. She isn’t too into the villainous side like you think, inside she still holds a bit of you.”

Tamako looked down again, brushing a strand of Utena’s hair from her face. The girl murmured faintly in her sleep but didn’t wake.

“That’s my girl…”

 Tamako smiled and looked up at Kiwi and Korisu again.

“I don’t care how far this rabbit hole goes,” Tamako said quietly, her voice sharpening again with resolve. “I’m going to find the people who dragged her into this mess. And when I do…”

She glanced back up.

“I’ll make damn sure they regret it.”

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward this time.

It was respect.

Fear.

And something else neither Kiwi nor Korisu could name.

Outside, the cicadas sang their night chorus. The living room light glowed softly.

Tamako didn’t move.

She simply held her daughter close.

“After this, I want you to promise that you never tell Utena this.”

Tamako’s voice was calm, but there was a weight behind it—like a stone gently set on the table that could still crush something fragile beneath it.

Kiwi blinked, confused. “Huh? Why not? I mean, she’s part of this now. She deserves to know—”

“No.” Tamako’s tone snapped, not sharp—but final. “She doesn’t need to know about all this. If she does, she might start to learn the true nature of her power and what she could do with it. She is way too strong to know all this.”

Her eyes drifted back down to Utena, whose breathing remained steady, unaware of the storm brewing over her head.

“She already has so much on her shoulders,” Tamako whispered. “Too much. If she knew everything… it’d only break her down more. And I won’t let that happen.”

Kiwi opened her mouth like she was about to argue—but then stopped. The look in Tamako’s eyes silenced anything she might’ve said.

“…Alright,” Kiwi muttered, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “I won’t say anything.”

Tamako gave a slow nod.

Korisu, silent as ever, simply stared—expression unreadable. But then, with a faint tilt of her head, she nodded once as well.

Tamako took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment.

“I know I can’t undo what’s already happened,” she murmured. “But I can still protect her. And if this… Enormeeta, or whatever it is, keeps trying to pull her deeper into that world...”

She opened her eyes again.

“I’ll tear it down. Piece by piece.”

 

---

Upstairs, the wind rustled gently through a cracked-open window. Moonlight spilled across Utena’s pillow.

She stirred faintly, eyes twitching beneath her lids.

Fragments of pain and battle swirled in her dreams. Voices. Screams. That blinding light. Her mother’s voice—angry, furious… but safe.

She didn’t wake yet.

But her fingers curled slightly into the blanket.

Her mother’s presence was still nearby.

And somehow, despite everything—

She felt safe.

Notes:

Thanks Mahiro for helping read over this chapter!!!

Chapter 7: Blunders of Youngins

Summary:

This summer was really good even a devil may cry 〒▽〒

It was late at night, a few days after the events that left Utena, Magia Baiser, wounded. The moon hung high and dim behind a veil of clouds, casting pale light over the silent city of Sendai. Wind coursed gently through the rooftops, and perched on one of them was a lone figure—a silhouette draped in a long, purple coat trimmed with gold that fluttered with each gust. She scanned the city from her elevated perch, sharp eyes peering through the darkness.

Tonight, it wasn’t Tres Magia patrolling the streets.

It was Magia Ebony.

Tamako had left her daughter at home to rest and heal, quietly slipping out to clear her head—or at least that’s what she told herself. Truthfully, she couldn’t relax. There was a persistent ache in her chest, a warning that something else was coming. And with her daughter sidelined, the city felt vulnerable. If Enormeeta really was behind the assault on Utena, then Tamako had no doubt they’d strike again soon.

She had to be vigilant. Because if she caught even a whiff of those Enormeeta bastards skulking around the city again…

She clenched her fist, fingers tightening near the hilt of the blade strapped to her back.

She wouldn’t hesitate. Not this time. If it came down to it, she’d decapitate someone on sight.

But for now, it wasn’t about revenge. It was about protecting the city she once swore to guard.

Then, just as she was shifting to another rooftop, a burst of color interrupted the darkness.

Tres Magia had arrived.

Magia Magenta, Azul and Sulfur.

The trio floated in the air, their bright, sparkling designs clashing so loudly with the dark surroundings that it made Ebony wince. It was too cheerful. Too gaudy and too loud.

She never did understand why her daughter liked them so much.

Before she could speak, the three girls launched into one of their routine speeches. Full of fiery declarations and sparkling justice-talk, it was enough to make Ebony physically cringe.

Were they seriously monologuing?

She brought a hand to her face with a sigh, finally realizing what must’ve happened. She had been so lost in thought earlier—so consumed by her anger toward Enormeeta—that her bloodlust must’ve leaked out into the atmosphere.

They had sensed it and mistaken her for a villain.

Great.

Still facepalming, Ebony tried to explain herself. “You’ve got the wrong idea. I’m on your side. I’m a hero too.”

But the girls didn’t believe her. How could they? She looked like something out of an underground rock concert—dark coat, menacing aura, and a massive black sword strapped to her back. That wasn’t the image of a magical girl to them.

They’d never seen one like her before.

Because her era came long before theirs.

Ebony sighed again. She wasn’t going to be able to talk her way out of this, not tonight.

And when the girls raised their wands and shifted into combat stances, she knew it was on.

But she didn’t draw her sword.

Not yet.

Instead, Ebony reached for something a little less fatal.

She slid her hand behind her coat and pulled out two custom handguns—sleek M1911s, each with their own unique color and engraving. One was crimson red with a golden trim, its grip black and polished, with the kanji 「赤」(Aka) etched into the slide. The other was a cobalt blue with the same gold trim, marked 「青」(Ao).

With a graceful twirl, she aimed them forward, standing tall at the edge of the roof, both guns steady in her hands.

Magia Sulfur narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Can’t fight on our level?” she taunted, hovering in the air above.

Ebony smirked.

“Nah,” she said, “I just don’t think you’re on mine.”

In an instant, she jumped—legs propelling her high into the sky, her coat billowing behind her like wings. She didn’t need magical flight to meet them at their height.

Midair, she fired.

Quick, controlled bursts from both guns. Non-lethal rubber rounds with lowered firepower—but precise enough to hit if they didn’t react fast.

The girls darted aside, evading the shots with practiced grace. Sulfur threw up a shimmering barrier to shield Azul and Magenta as the rounds pinged harmlessly against the magical wall.

Ebony touched down on a new rooftop across the street, landing with barely a sound.

The three girls regrouped, annoyed now. Azul and Magenta drew their weapons, the fight escalating rapidly.

This wasn’t going well.

They were in the middle of a populated area, and gunfire—magical or not—was still gunfire. The sound alone could draw attention, not to mention the risk of collateral damage if things got out of hand.

Ebony frowned. She had no intention of putting civilians at risk. She needed to move this fight somewhere else.

A more isolated location.

Fortunately, she knew exactly where to go.

Without another word, Ebony crouched low at the edge of the rooftop and leaned backwards.

Then she launched herself, a powerful burst of energy exploding beneath her feet. She soared through the air like a missile, wind rushing past her, her coat flapping wildly behind her like a cape.

Tres Magia scrambled to react, clearly not expecting her to make such a sudden move.

“They really are reckless,” she muttered to herself mid-flight, glancing back to see the trio trailing behind her.

As she descended, she spotted her destination—the quiet shrine nestled among trees: the shrine grounds.

She landed effortlessly near the front of the tori gate, her boots scraping against the stone path as she stopped and transferred the force steadily. She exhaled through her nose and took a slow walk up the steps, soaking in the silence. Tres Magia was still a ways behind. She had time.

Tamako smirked.

If they wanted to play games… she’d play along.

She sat down casually on the stone stairs, one leg resting over the other, her coat settling neatly around her. Her guns were back at her sides, but her gaze remained sharp.

Tonight, she wasn’t the hunter.

She was the test.

Let’s see how far these girls had come.

The shrine courtyard lay still for a breath, the air heavy with magic and tension.

Ebony stood from the stone steps, twirling her red M1911 lazily in her hand. The kanji Aka gleamed under the moonlight as she watched Tres Magia land before her.

Sulfur cracked her knuckles as she stepped forward. “You really think you can take all three of us with just that toy?”

“No,” Ebony said coolly, flicking her coat behind her as she holstered the gun momentarily. “I think I can take all three of you with both arms tied behind my back. But let’s not get cocky.”

“Tch. Big mouth,” Sulfur muttered, sparks of magical energy forming around her hands as gauntlets snapped into place along her arms. “Let’s shut her up.”

The weapon caught Ebony off guard, she had expected that Sulfur had only used some kind of shields as defense, but it seemed that she was a brawler. Similar to a friend she knew.

Magenta took a battle stance with her spear, the weapon spinning once in her hand with a metallic whirl. “Careful. She’s provoking us.”

Azul said nothing, but her ice sword was already drawn, its blade glimmering with a layer of frost. Her breath misted in the night air.

Then, they charged.

Magenta came first, thrusting her spear with precise, disciplined strikes. Ebony swayed to the side and deflected the shaft with the barrel of her handgun, then fired a non-lethal rubber round at Magenta’s legs. The spear-user twisted her body mid-lunge, the shot grazing her calf, leaving a red mark.

Azul followed immediately, swinging her icy blade in a crescent arc. Ebony ducked the blow and pivoted behind her, attempting to shoot again—but Azul kicked backward, forcing Ebony to hop away.

From the right, Sulfur slammed into the ground with a burst of magical energy. The force clashed with Ebony’s body, but she rolled with the blow, landing on one knee as her coat flared out behind her.

“You call those punches?” Ebony taunted, brushing herself off as she skidded across the stone blocks.

“Wanna find out how much harder they can get?” Sulfur snarled, dashing again, gauntlets glowing.

Ebony fired once—then twice—rubber bullets ricocheting off the gauntlets Sulfur had summoned around her arms. She was charging blindly now, and Ebony smirked, stepping sideways to let her pass, then swept her leg around to trip her.

Sulfur tumbled forward but caught herself with a backflip, landing next to Magenta and Azul.

“She’s toying with us,” Azul said quietly, frost collecting at the corners of her blade.

Magenta spun her spear and nodded. “Then we stop playing.”

The three advanced again, tighter formation this time. Magenta kept her spear defensive. Azul pressed close. Sulfur reinforced both of them with floating barrier plates that shimmered like glass shields.

Ebony narrowed her eyes. They were learning.

But still… not enough.

She holstered her gun for a moment, watching their patterns. Her fingers hovered near her coat’s inner lining—where her sword slept in its sheath—but she didn’t draw it.

Instead, she said coolly, “You’re fighting like scared little girls. What happens when Enormeeta sends someone who doesn’t hold back?”

“Then we’ll stop them!” Azul shouted, charging forth with her sword and swinging at Ebony.

Ebony sidestepped it with ease, then flipped over a thrust from Magenta. She landed atop the shrine’s stone lantern and aimed her gun again, this time at their feet.

Pop! Pop! Two precise shots forced Azul and Magenta to break formation.

Ebony lowered her weapon, standing tall.

“Try again,” she said. “Or walk away.”

The three stared up at her, winded, but not ready to give in.

And Ebony… still hadn’t drawn her blade.

Azul tightened her grip on her sword. She could feel the chill in her blood rising—not fear, but something deeper. Frustration. This woman was powerful, fast, and confident… and she wasn’t even taking them seriously.

“Enough playing around!” Azul said coldly.

Without waiting, she charged forward again, frost trailing from her boots. Her sword flashed as she swung a horizontal arc meant to catch Ebony off guard—but Ebony parried the blow with the barrel of her handgun, then shoved Azul back with a heavy palm to the chest.

Magenta moved in to cover Azul’s retreat, lunging low with her spear in a sweeping arc. Ebony sidestepped again, but this time Magenta didn’t overextend—she shifted her stance and stabbed upward.

The strike almost hit.

Ebony had to bend back unnaturally to avoid the tip grazing her chin. Her coat fluttered, and her smirk faded slightly.

“That’s more like it,” she murmured.

Sulfur leapt above, gauntlets glowing bright gold as she came down with a crushing punch aimed at Ebony’s head. Ebony raised her arm to block—her coat sleeve shimmered faintly, absorbing the brunt—but it still forced her down to one knee.

“She’s vulnerable!” Sulfur shouted.

Azul and Magenta followed up, Magenta jabbing her spear toward Ebony’s midsection while Azul swung down in a diagonal slash.

Ebony kicked upward, catching Magenta’s spear mid-shaft and twisting it off-line, then grabbed Azul’s wrist mid-swing and redirected her downward force into the ground. The pavement cracked beneath the impact.

The three girls panted, regrouping as Ebony stood back up. A thin trail of blood ran down her cheek where the edge  of Azul’s sword had finally grazed her.

She wiped it with the back of her glove and stared at the smear of red with a distant, amused expression

Azul’s grip tightened on her ice-forged sword. Her eyes flared as she pointed the blade forward.

“What’s the point of carrying a sword like that if you aren’t going to use it?!” she shouted.

Ebony’s gaze shifted from the blood on her glove to Azul. For a long moment, she said nothing.

Then—almost with a bored sigh—she reached back over her shoulder.

With one hand, she lazily pulled the sword from its sheath, the sound of metal scraping against the stones echoing faintly in the clearing. The blade gleamed under the moonlight, long and black as obsidian, its edge shimmering faintly with a violet aura.

She held it at her side, relaxed, the point trailing gently toward the ground.

“You want to see it?” she asked calmly, lifting the blade just enough to reflect the light into Azul’s eyes.

“Fine. But don’t say I didn’t give you a chance to walk away.”

A cold gust of wind blew between them.

Sulfur instinctively conjured a partial barrier in front of the group. Magenta spun her spear into a combat stance. Azul raised her sword.

Ebony tilted her head and began walking forward—slow, deliberate, each step echoing with controlled force.

The pressure around her had changed.

The air tensed as the three girls launched forward.

Azul led the charge, her ice blade glinting with magic as she slashed down at Ebony with sharp precision.

Clang!

Ebony lifted her sword with a single hand and effortlessly deflected the strike to the side. She didn’t even flinch.

Azul growled and slashed again, faster this time—then again and again. Each swing was met with the same casual, one-handed parry, as if Ebony were merely brushing away a fly.

Clack! Clang! Clack!

Magenta spun in from the side, spear extending with a wide arc meant to sweep Ebony off her feet.

But Ebony stepped back with a smooth pivot, the butt of her sword deflecting the spear’s shaft. She didn’t even raise her blade fully—just let it guide the momentum away like she’d done this a thousand times.

Azuls’s voice rang out, “Sulfur, left—Magenta, right!” She leapt in herself, aiming a series of rapid slashes.

Ebony blocked each with a fluid flick of her sword—still never attacking—only dancing between them with such ease it looked choreographed.

She wasn’t even winded.

Azul, out of breath, stepped back and shouted, “Why aren’t you fighting back?!”

Ebony looked at her, calm and almost bored.

“Why should I?”

Then she tilted her head, eyes flicking toward Azul’s stance.

“Your balance is too forward. You’re swinging like you’re hoping something sticks. And you—” she nodded at Magenta, “—stop twirling that spear unless you’re actually going to use the momentum for something.”

Magenta scowled.

“You’re mocking us—!”

Clang!

A surprise thrust from Azul was batted away with a loud spark, Ebony still holding her blade in one hand.

“No,” Ebony said coolly. “I’m educating you.”

She stepped back again, lowering her sword—but only slightly. Still no counterattacks. Just sharp, technical grace.

Each of the girls had bruises, nicks, and scratches from either falling on the pavement or getting hit with rubber bullets. As for Ebony? Still barely scratched, save for the blood already on her cheek from Azul.

She wasn’t here to win.

She was teaching.

But just how long could she keep holding back?

But just as Azul prepared to shift her stance for a more aggressive move, a sharp metallic snap echoed through the shrine grounds.

Without warning, a long, silver chain shot from the darkness of the shrine building, wrapping tightly around Ebony’s body, binding her hands and feet. Her eyes widened as the chain yanked her clean off her feet, sending her crashing into the stone tiles with a grunt.

She crashed onto the stone path with a grunt. “The hell—?!”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” barked a cold, commanding voice.

From the shadows of the shrine’s main building stepped a woman dressed in ceremonial miko robes, her long blue hair pinned neatly back, glowing faintly in the moonlight. In one hand, a ring that linked three nunchackus — still crackling with energy.

Ebony blinked, looking up at the woman from her spot on the ground. Then she smiled.

“Oh hey, Icy~. Still using chains, huh? Kinky as ever.”

Icy, also formerly known as Magia Cerbus, looked entirely unimpressed. “Keep talking and I’ll wrap this around your mouth too.”

“You promise?” Ebony smirked.

Cerbus narrowed her eyes. “Try me.”

Tres Magia stood frozen, stunned. None more so than Azul, who could barely form a word.

“…Mom?!” she blurted.

Notes:

Did you catch the Dmc 4 reference? (。・ω・。)

Chapter 8: To Hell and Back

Notes:

Sorry about being offline for a while. I have lots of work to do now.

The girls stood frozen in shock as Azul suddenly shouted, “Mom!”

Both Sulfur and Magenta snapped their heads toward her, wide-eyed.

“…Mom?” Sulfur echoed, disbelief in her voice.
 “Wait—did you just say Mom?!” Magenta added, her jaw dropping.

But Cerbus didn’t even flinch at the slip, her eyes still locked onto Ebony like a hawk. “You’re blowing up half my barrier wards, waking every damn resident in a five-mile radius, and throwing bullets around like confetti. These are sacred grounds, not a theme park, Ebony.”

“You always were such a stickler, Icy.” Ebony grinned even as she struggled against the chain. “I wasn’t aiming at the shrine. Plus, I was attacked first! These brats just wouldn’t let down!” Ebony argued.

Cerbus marched over and yanked the chain tighter, dragging Ebony forward a foot.

“Maybe if you didn’t dress like you always did, they wouldn’t attack on sight.”

“Again, compliment taken,” Ebony winced, winking up at her with a bit of humor in her tone.

Cerbus scoffed and turned to the trio.

“Stand down, all of you. This is… ugh, Magia Ebony.”

Tres Magia stared. “She’s a magical girl?!” Magenta exclaimed.

Cerbus pointed at Ebony,  “Ebony was a PREVIOUSLY retired magical girl like me.”

She glared daggers at Ebony on the word ‘previously,’ her voice rising like a teacher catching a student sneaking candy in class.

“Aww, you missed me, Icy~.”

“Like a cavity,” Seiko snapped.

Azul looked between the two, completely baffled.

“…So why are you so familiar with her?” she finally asked.

Cerbus kept her expression neutral. “That’s between me and this emo disaster.”

Ebony gave the girls a casual salute despite being chained. “Don’t worry, kids. I’m not here to corrupt the youth or anything. This was a simple… misunderstanding.”

Azul’s brows furrowed. She stepped forward, grip tightening on her sword but not raising it.

“That still doesn’t explain why you showed up in the middle of the night dressed like that, waving around a gun and not saying who you were.”

Ebony raised both hands. “Tried to say who I was. Multiple times, actually. But you three were way too eager to jump in and start swinging.”

Sulfur crossed her arms. “Can you blame us? Your aura’s creepy as hell, your outfit’s villain-tier, and you’ve got that whole smug ‘final boss’ energy going on. Plus, we don’t even know anyone by that name.”

Ebony gave a flat shrug.

“Fair. Still… maybe next time, wait until I actually shoot someone before trying to chop my head off?”

Azul scowled.

“You were firing at us.”

Ebony gave her a sideways glance.

“I was missing on purpose.” She rolled her shoulder casually. “I don’t just shoot people randomly.” 

Despite the tension, the mood had defused. Magia Sulfur lowered her guard, glancing at Magia Magenta and Azul. Azul’s face was still filled with confusion and disbelief.

“…So now what?” Magenta asked warily.

Cerbus sighed, releasing the chain with a small flick of her wrist. The links vanished into sparkles of light.

“Now, Ebony and I are going to have a long chat. Somewhere not full of confused teenagers.”

Ebony rubbed her wrists, shaking off the lingering tension as she stood fully upright. A playful sparkle danced in her eyes as she said, “As long as it comes with tea, Icy.” 

Cerbus shot her a mock glare, her brows knitting together. “It’ll come with a slap if you keep calling me that,” she grumbled, though the corners of her lips twitched in a restrained smile.

A teasing grin spread across Ebony’s face. “You still make my favorite blend, though, right?”

Cerbus let out a sharp exhale. “Get inside, before I change my mind.” 

With a playful glance back at the trio lingering behind her, she called out, “Well, it’s been lovely playing with you kids. Adios!” Her voice was light and carefree, carrying an unmistakable warmth as she turned to rejoin Cerbus, the door beckoning with the promise of comforting tea and familiar company.

As the two seasoned magical girls vanished into the depths of the shrine’s inner sanctum, a sense of awe hung in the air, leaving Tres Magia rooted in place—her mind racing to comprehend the extraordinary scene she had just witnessed. The vibrant colors of the shrine’s ornate decorations seemed to blur around her as she processed the gravity of the moment. Finally, breaking the silence that enveloped them, Sulfur muttered in disbelief, “Okay… did you just call Magia Cerbus, mom?” Her voice trembled slightly, a mixture of shock and confusion weaving through her words.

 

—----------------------------

 

The aroma of fresh tea drifted gently through the small room as the steam from two ceramic cups curled into the air, soft and ghostlike. Tatami mats creaked slightly beneath shifting weight. Tamako Hiiragi and Seiko Minakami sat across from one another in silence, the only sounds being the quiet hum of cicadas and the occasional breeze brushing through the old wooden slats of the walls.

Their eyes met.

“It’s been a long time,” Tamako said at last, her voice low, calm—yet carrying the weight of all the years between them. “How have you been holding up all these years?” Seiko placed down her cup, “Very shitty, thanks to you.” 

“Well that’s a bit harsh ain’t it? It’s been years since we last met and you greet me with chains? I’m quite hurt y’know?” Tamako replied with hints of sarcasm and humor. The last thing she expected from her old friend was being tied up and treated like a stranger who had intruded onto private property. 

“Harsh?” Seiko’s eyes narrowed, fury twisting her face. “I believe it was quite justified, considering you were supposed to be either dead, missing—or dead.” She said the word twice with venom, but Tamako brushed it aside, trying to lighten the tension.

“Can you blame me? I could’ve used the break when considering we fought those things off for days without end.” Tamako continued. “And even so, you can’t just treat your old friend like she’s some stranger y’know? It’s very rude, here I thought we were having some happy reunion and talk it out like frie-” 

“Shut the fuck up!!!” Seiko shouted, her voice slicing through the air and drowning out Tamako's words. Her eyes blazed with fury as she continued, “You just walked away without a word! After all of us were left to grapple with our grief, you turned your back on us, thinking only of yourself and leaving us completely stranded in the dust!!!”

Seiko could remember it well.

That day, Tamako hadn’t simply vanished.

She had sat there in silence, motionless, her sister nowhere to be found. Her wide eyes stared endlessly at the ground, unblinking, as blood streamed down her face in thin rivulets. Not a word left her lips. Not a cry, not a gasp—just that vacant, broken stare.

But it wasn’t the silence Tamako gave that broke Seiko.
It was the cries of her friend that followed.

The screams that clawed their way out of her friends throat as she saw her friend holding onto the greaves left behind, bloodied and heavy. She remembered watching her friends white hair stained, sitting in that pool of blood long after the world around her had gone dark. The once-fierce, steadfast girl had been reduced to tears, begging to a sky that never answered.

She had never forgotten it.

That image haunted her nights—the way Tamako’s trembling hands never once reached up to wipe the blood away, the way her lips stayed parted like she might speak but no sound ever came. The ground beneath her was stained with more than dirt that day, and though Seiko wanted to move, to reach her, she herself had been frozen.

And then, days later, Tamako disappeared without a trace.

That was the memory burned deepest.

But it wasn’t the only one.

In the weeks that followed, Seiko had sat in class, the morning bell tolling like a funeral hymn. Two empty seats remained at the row in front of her —Tamako’s and her sister’s. Every morning she caught herself glancing at them, hoping against hope they’d walk in late, laughing and bickering as they always had.
 But the chairs stayed empty. Day after day.
 The silence around those desks became suffocating, their absence more present than anyone else in the room.

And once…

Once she’d seen her best friend.

It had been at this shrine on the hill, the one their group used to run off to when they were younger. Seiko had gone there in desperation, fists raw from training, praying until her voice cracked. And then, through the soft haze of incense smoke, she saw her—
 A girl with white hair, kneeling before the shrine. Her shoulders trembled as if she were crying, dressed all in black as though she were mourning.

Seiko remembered the way her breath caught, the way her heart hammered. She called out to the girl and rushed forward, but by the time she reached the offering box, the girl was gone.

The incense still burned, faint and sweet. The air still held the echo of someone’s prayers. But she had stood there alone.

When Seiko looked outside, her fists trembled, but her voice only rose higher, stronger, harsher. “And now you show up like nothing happened?! Like you weren’t gone for twenty-seven years?! I should beat the shit out of you right now! You have no right—absolutely no right—to come to me like this, after I spent twenty-seven years grieving you!!!”

Tamako fell silent. She had never seen Seiko like this before. The warmth she once knew had hardened into jagged edges.

“Do you have anything—anything at all—to say for yourself? Other than a pathetic ‘sorry’?” Seiko’s voice cracked, her lips trembling as tears finally broke loose. “I spent years… worrying for you…”

Tamako’s chest ached. She had prepared herself for anger, for resentment—but not for this. Not for the hurt in Seiko’s eyes. “…Seiko, listen, I—”

“I don’t want to hear it! Not from you!” Seiko snapped, shaking her head violently. “Just get out of my house! You worthless excuse for a—”

Tamako moved before she thought, surging forward and pulling Seiko into a sudden embrace. Seiko’s fists pounded weakly against her at first, but Tamako held firm, her own body trembling.

“I was terrified,” Tamako admitted, clutching her tighter. “Of what happened… of what would happen. Of the panic it would bring—not just to the city, but to you girls. So I ran. I ran from the truth, from everything we lost.”

Seiko’s breath hitched. “…What do you mean, Tamako—”

“I left because I couldn’t face it anymore,” Tamako cut in, her voice quivering. “I abandoned everything. I thought if I severed myself from that world, if I started over, my daughter would be safe.”

Seiko went rigid. She pulled back suddenly, eyes burning into Tamako’s. “You have a daughter?” The word was spat with sharp suspicion. “Don’t tell me you built a normal family while we were left picking up the pieces of the chaos you helped create.”

Tamako hesitated, then met her gaze. “It’s not like that. I never married. I never even dated anyone… not after you two.”

Seiko’s breath caught, the fire in her eyes flickering with something else. “…Then how?”

Tamako’s voice was small, but steady. “I couldn’t cope. I thought you were gone, forever. The silence swallowed me. So when I was twenty-seven, I went through artificial insemination. I had a child… by myself.”

Seiko’s rage faltered for the first time, her voice cracking. “…You lost them. So you tried to build something to fill the hole.”

Tamako’s eyes shimmered with guilt. “I built it because I didn’t know how else to go on. I lost my sister… my dad. Everything. Running away felt like the only way to survive.”

Seiko’s trembling hands reached out, brushing against Tamako’s arm. “…I thought, if I ever saw you again, I’d slap you. But… after everything—I’m glad you’re here.”

Seiko embraced Tamako once more, as did Tamako. Until suddenly Seiko grabbed Tamako by the chin, lifting it up a little and her tone shifted to something more commanding. “But if you pull shit like that again, I swear I will find you and be sure to tie you up more thoroughly.” 

Tamako blushed by her sudden actions and obliged to her demands. “Yes ma’am”

Seiko leaned in and gave Tamako a peck on the lips. “Good girl”

“But wait a minute. You also have a kid. What did you do?” Tamako paused and questioned Seiko.

Seiko froze for a moment. “Well, uh… I didn’t do it the way you did…”

Tamako gasped dramatically, her breath catching in her throat as she wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Are you serious?” she exclaimed, incredulity lacing her voice. “After all that talk about me having a child, you’re out here with some random schmuck I don’t even recognize! Jeez, after all those times we’ve made out and fu-” 

“Okay, you can stop right there.” Seiko cut in quickly, face burning. “Listen, I divorced him anyway since he was nothing but scum.”

Tamako leaned back, crossing her arms with an exaggerated pout. “Ohhh, so while I was busy being a tragic recluse mom, you were out there playing house with some two-bit loser? That’s rich, Seiko. Real rich.”

“Don’t start with me.” Seiko narrowed her eyes. “I don’t need your sarcasm right now.”

“Oh, but I have to.” Tamako smirked, leaning forward, her voice dripping with mock drama. “Because you lectured me like some righteous priestess for daring to have a child—when you were the one rolling in the futon with Mister ‘Totally Not Scum.’”

“Oh, and I must add a touch of insult to the injury," Tamako declared, a mischievous glint in her eye as she expertly wagged her finger. "After all those years you've annoyed me for absolutely no reason, this is my one chance to get my sweet revenge.”

Seiko’s pulse quickened, though she tried not to show it. “Y-You’re insufferable. Twenty-seven years pass, and you’re still the same pain in my ass!”

Tamako chuckled, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. “And yet, here you are—still letting me sit in your house, drink your tea, and kiss you. Doesn’t sound like you hate me that much.”

Seiko clicked her tongue, glaring, but her grip on Tamako’s chin didn’t loosen. “…Maybe I just forgot how annoying you were. Give it a day or two, and I’ll remember why I should’ve left you tied up in the first place.”

Tamako smirked. “Mhm. Sure. And yet, I distinctly recall you calling me your ‘good girl’ not two minutes ago.”

Seiko’s composure cracked again, and she shoved Tamako lightly in the shoulder. “Shut up!”

Tamako laughed, the sound warm, genuine—the kind Seiko hadn’t heard in decades. For a moment, the years between them seemed to melt away.

“…Still,” Tamako said more softly, her smile tinged with sadness. “I never imagined we’d both end up mothers.”

Seiko blinked, surprised by the shift in tone. “…Yeah. Life has a funny way of pushing us down paths we never expected.”

Tamako tilted her head, eyes glimmering with mischief again. “Except your path had a schmuck in it. Mine was strictly do-it-yourself.”

Seiko groaned. “You’re impossible.”

“Admit it, though,” Tamako teased, grinning wide. “You missed me.”

Seiko hesitated, her eyes locking with Tamako’s—anger, grief, and longing all tangled in the silence. Finally, she exhaled, her voice quiet. “…Every damn day.”

Tamako’s smirk softened into something more vulnerable, more real. “…Me too.”

Seiko’s face burned red, but she didn’t pull away. Her hand still cupped Tamako’s chin, firm but trembling slightly. 

Seiko’s breath trembled, her lips brushed against Tamako’s, a ghost of a kiss, unfinished. Tamako’s hand rose, gently covering Seiko’s. “You still love me.”

The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the cicadas outside. Seiko didn’t deny it. She couldn’t. 

When their lips finally met, it wasn’t playful, nor fleeting. It was desperate, aching, two souls reuniting after decades of silence. Tamako melted into it, her hands trembling as they went behind Seiko’s head, while Seiko pulled her closer with the fierceness of someone terrified to lose her again. She kissed her for what felt like eternity, inserting her tongue into Tamako’s and exploring her mouth with each passing second. 

As their lips parted, Seiko pushed Tamako to the wall, pinning her down.

She leaned down to Tamako’s ear and bit the tip. “Are you ready to play again, pup?”

Seiko’s hand lingered underneath Tamako’s shirt and rested on one of her breasts, grasping the mounds on her chest and firmly squeezing. Tamako’s breath hitched and her back arched as she moaned. With Seiko’s hot breath against her neck, her hand on her chest, and the intimate atmosphere of the room, it was all she could ever ask for.

But even with this heartfelt and happy reunion, daybreak would still be lingering at the horizon, causing Tamako to gently pull away from Seiko. “I should probably get home before my daughter wakes up.” 

Seiko gently withdrew her hands from Tamako’s chest and waist, and a palpable tension filled the air as they both averted their gazes, feeling an unmistakable awkwardness between them. “U-uh, yeah, you’re right…” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. The unspoken desire hung heavily, leaving both of them feeling incomplete and yearning for resolution. Yet they understood that this was not the right moment to bridge the distance that had grown between them.

Tamako looked at Seiko, “So, are you available for a visit sometime later today?” 

“Uh, yeah! What time are you available?” 

“Depending”

“Sounds good to me! See you whenever!” Tamako picked up her transformation diamond and headed for the door, the morning light falling through the opening. 

“Trans-Magia!” 

The brilliance of her transformation shimmered like a fleeting star, illuminating the scene for just a moment before she stepped onto the weathered stone pathway. “Later!” she called, her voice a melodic echo that hung in the air. With a graceful leap, she soared towards the city, her silhouette framed against the twilight sky. Seiko stood rooted to the spot, a sense of longing swelling within her, yearning for her presence to linger just a bit longer.

“God, I already miss her touch…”

Notes:

Stay tuned

Notes:

We’re burning chaos in the wind

Wait till I pick up the motivation to post more. I get scared fast hehe…
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