Force of Magic
By Ewen "Blackbird" Cluney
Chapter 4
The three of them waited patiently in front of the receptionist's
desk. She was a slender, stylish woman who had regarded them with
disinterest but made the necessary phone calls anyway. Haruko was
wearing a simple blue dress and had Piyo hiding in her backpack.
Yasuko similarly had Rob tucked away, while Yasuko, clad in her
pink overalls, clutched Ellie -- who did a surprisingly good
impression of a plush toy -- in her arms.
By the time the receptionist informed them that someone would
be down to show them around, their feet had started to hurt from
standing there. Their tour guide turned out to be a pale, slender
salaryman, clothed in slacks and a white dress shirt, complete
with a tie with the company logo. He looked haggard, if not
exhausted, with dark circles around his eyes and a posture that
hinted at a threat of imminent collapse. When he spoke, though,
he became incongruously animated, speaking quickly and smiling
all the while. He introduced himself as "Mr. Tanaka," and added,
"Let's get started without delay, shall we?"
Despite manufacturing arcade games, the plant was pretty
dull. Ignoring an occasional yawn from Yoko, Mr. Tanaka described
each part of the manufacturing process as though it were twice as
exciting as the last. Haruko thought it wise not to ask about the
gleaming black crystals on the circuit boards.
"And this," Mr. Tanaka was saying, "is where the body of the
UFO catcher machine is painted in one of the festive colors
chosen by our designers."
Haruko forced herself to wake up. Yasuko was gone, she
realized, having slipped off when no one was looking. Below the
catwalk the aluminum boxes that would become the shells of the
machines were sprayed with vivid red, blue, or yellow paint by
machines. Beyond them were great tanks of paint with warning
signs about flammability, and beyond those, gas mains. If they
were to do damage, this was the place. Haruko carefully set her
backpack down and tapped Yoko on the shoulder. "Now."
Haruko grasped her locket. "Sweet Rose Power Activate!"
By the time she finished, Pretty Cherry stood by her side,
wand in hand. Her outfit was a red and pink sailor fuku with a
shortened skirt Her hair was still in pigtails, but was turned
pink, held in place by hair ties with sparkling gems. She looked
older too, though she fell short of the 16-year-old look of most
of Chrysalia's magical girls.
Confronted by a pair of magical girls, Mr. Tanaka jumped back
in surprised. "Well, that certainly wasn't what I was expe--" He
stopped short, trembling. His eyes rolled back in his head, and
there was an explosion of ruddy light, accompanied by a feeble
attempt at a scream. Where he had stood there was now a woman
with short violet hair and crimson eyes, clothed in a red
jumpsuit. There was a stomach-wrenching bloody smear under her
feet, and her gaze was pure malice, locked on Candy Rose.
"You again." she snarled. "The one who took out Fortuna, the
Queen of Hearts, and Bloodblade. I should kill you where you
stand."
The sound of an explosion could be heard in the distance, and
the catwalk shook beneath their feet.
"I see you've brought some friends along. No matter." With a
snap of her fingers, she summoned dozens of lesser youma. They
were twisted parodies of security guards, gray-skinned things
with electrified batonss fused into their arms. "I suppose you
should know the name of the one who will bring about your demise.
I am Scarlett."
Candy Rose took a deep breath. This was it, the first real
test. There were the two of them against a Dark One and thirty or
so youma.Not good odds. She could fight, run, or die.
She aimed her wand at the canisters of paint. Four-color
warning diamonds hinted at the danger that could be unleashed,
and Scarlett's eyes widened when she realized what was happening.
Rose didn't hesistate. "Rock Candy Shower!"
Scarlett tried to scream something over the deafening roar,
but no one heard. A wave of hot air washed over them, and Cherry
lost her footing. A horrible, chemical-laden smell filled the
air, making Rose's eyes water and her throat gasp for air. She
steadied herself, ready to attack, when a plume of black smoke
silently exploded in front of her.
Shining Midnight, a sixteen-year-old Yasuko in a striking
black and violet outfit emerged from the quickly clearing ebony
haze, aiming a wand with a wicked crystal crescent on the end at
Scarlett. "Moonlight Crescent Blade Barrage!" A swarm of
crescent-shaped white energy blasts raked across the Dark One's
flesh, making deep cuts that stained the red jumpsuit with green
blood.
A cry for help drew Rose's attention to Pretty Cherry, who
was being backed into a corner by the remaining security youma,
who brandished their crackling electric prods. Candy Rose hurled
a Pretty Candy Beam, obliterating two if the youma, and making an
opening for Cherry to escape.
Ellie poked her head out from where she must've been hiding.
"Hurry! Help Shining Midnight!"
Candy Rose spun aroundm and found it was worse than she
would've imagined. Midnight lay unconscious, reverting back into
her true form. Cursing under her breath, Scarlett prepared a
seething crimson energy blast for a deathblow.
A flash of pink light from behind was followed by Cherry
falling in beside Rose. "Hold it right there!" demanded Cherry.
"Leave her alone!"
Scarlett halted, letting the energy ball hover before her
outstretched hand. "How do you intend to stop me?" she asked
mockingly, "With you 'power of love'?"
Cherry nodded. "Love is the greatest power in the whole
world!"
The Dark One shook her head. Disdain and disappointment
showed in her voice. "You know so little of the hate and fear
that truly rule this and all worlds, but you will learn. Just
before you die."
Trembling, Pretty Cherry raised her wand. The time for words
was over. "PRETTY! BLOSSOM! ACTIV--!"
Cherry stopped short, pitched forward, and landed face-first
on the cold metal of the catwalk. When Candy Rose realized why,
she heard a scream, which came from her own throat.
Pretty Cherry had been shot.
Blood began to pool around her. The bullet had gone clean
through her chest, back to front, but had missed her heart at
least.
Rose found herself frozen in place, unable to will her body
to move. She trembled, and tears rolled down her cheeks. Not a
gun, she thought. Anything but a gun. Please. Anything. No. Her
breath came in ragged gasps, sobs, and she was only dimly aware
of what went on around her.
A man walked past her. It was the hunter from before. Dean
Kanzaki. He held a pistol with a tube on the barrel -- a
silencer. He glanced back at her and grinned for a moment.
Scarlett smiled, letting the energy ball fade. "Thanks,
though--"
She froze when she found the pistol pointed at her head. Now
it was her turn to be afraid.
"What?!"
"There must be something about the Dark Kingdoms that makes
people stupid." he muttered. "No one likes having your kind
meddle in their bussiness any more than they do the magical
girls. I don't usually do youma hunting, but today I woke up and
said, 'what the hell.'" And with that, he pulled the trigger.
Rose dropped to her knees and desperately shielded her eyes.
Would she be next? Fear. No. Not me. Anything. Please. I just
want to go home. Please.
"No, you're not on the list."
When she dared to look again, he had holstered the gun. She
wanted to say something, but her throat felt like it was tied up
in a knot.
"Hardly worth the effort anyway." he added, pulling out a
cigarette before looking around and thinking the bettere of it.
"Your friends on the other hand..."
Rose gasped. Yoko was badly hurt and Cherry was bleeding to
death. "Y-you leave them alone!" she cried, half-screaming half-
pleading. "They never d-did anything to you!"
"True." he replied. "If it was personal they'd be dead and
buried by now. But why don't you ask Shining Midnight about what
happened is Osaka last year?"
"I don't..."
He pulled out his machine pistol and leveled it at Yoko's
unmoving form. His expression was dispassionate, considering if
it was worth the trouble. "Her attack spell got out of control."
He paused and lowered his sunglasses to reveal steely brown eyes.
"The 'civilian' casualties were in the hundreds."
Rose gasped, looking at Yoko. She was still breathing at
least, but... how could she be responsible for that? How? "I--I
don't care!" she sobbed. "Leave us alone!"
Kanzaki frowned and hesistated, then put away his gun,
shrugging. "I prefer a more exciting hunt anyway. Next time." He
began to walk away at a leisurely pace. "Oh, and miss crybaby?
Get 'em to a hospital. I'm gonna' be the one to do them in."
Rose shook her head. "No." she whispered. "No way."
Haruko sat in the soft off-white chair in the darkened hospital
room. The air had the plastic, antiseptic smell of hospitals, and
Yoko and Yasuko each lay in bed, heavily bandaged. The sounds of
the emergency room still echoed in her ears, the doctors shouting
orders to the nurses, working furiously to save the two girls.
Yasuko's injuries were mostly superficial, but Yoko's
condition had required an immediate blood transfusion and
extensive surgery. After the frenzied activity, the desperate
struggle for life to win out over death, all was silent now.
There were many people in the hospital, but they slept now, and
it felt so empty and lonely.
Haruko buried her head in her arms and wept. She'd failed as
a leader. Failed as a magical girl. Failed. She'd never be a good
leader. She was sure of it.
Her quiet sobs echoed through the dark room, and Piyo and
Rob, sitting under the chair, exchanged worried glances, and
risked looking at Ellie. She lay on the cold tile floor, her paws
trying to cover her eyes and ears, to shut out the sad state of
affairs.
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Ewen "Blackbird" Cluney blk_bird@yahoo.com
Blackbird's Domain http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/6127/
Knight Kevlar of the Immortal Frog Silver Knight of Mihoshi
"Be nice to me; I might just develop
psychokinetic powers and destroy Tokyo!"
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