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“Kiddo? You listening?”
Tanpopo jumps with a start, stray ends of vibrant blonde hair falling to cover her eyes from the sight that sat before her; Shade, sitting comfortably on the edge of her school desk and unseen by those around her, a taunting smirk resting upon his curved lips. She, however, did not have the pleasure of being hidden from sight as he did- a fact she was regrettably made aware of while her classmates watched her with a mixture of confusion and amusement at the disruption.
“C’mon, Tanpopo, I keep telling you to pay attention.” Shade teases, his voice overlapping that of the teacher’s weary sigh and exclamation of, “You may be a Magical Girl, Ms. Ohanami, but this information is important, so please try and focus, okay?”
With cheeks flushed from embarrassment and her lips jutted out in a small pout she slumps in her seat, nodding along to the teacher’s request as he gives her a small smile and turns back towards the chalkboard. The second it’s clear no one is watching, she turns to face her invisible friend and sends him the coldest glance she could manage. It, of course, has no effect.
“You look like you sucked a nasty lemon, Tanpopo!” He cackles, sharp teeth bared as he laughs at her expense. “Oh hush, Shade.” She whispers, gaze flickering around the room to ensure no one saw her talking to thin air. The last thing she needed was mental instability allegations, especially since Ms. Peony had briefed her on the importance of public image.
She found it funny, though, since it was coming from a girl who had, on several occasions, audibly cursed Shade out in public. She has to hold back a giggle at the image of the other Magical Girl yelling in a cinema full of people as Shade successfully teased her to the girl’s breaking point. Though, it never does take long before Ms. Peony grows frustrated with Shade; all it took was a well-aimed insult or taunt and the girl was expelling a whole bunch of insults right back.
With a small smile she turned her attention back to the chalkboard, yet ignored Shade and his clearly bored expression before the ticking hand of a clock caught her eye and notified her of the remaining half an hour until the end of class. She had just opened her mouth to discreetly ask why Shade even bothered staying by her side during school hours when she knew he could have gone to watch a movie or two, but was interrupted by a chill creeping up her spine, the hairs on her arms standing on end beneath the uniform.
Snapping her gaze to the fiend perched on her desk, searching for any sign he’d felt the same sensation, she’s instead met with the sight of Shade gazing directly at the ceiling as if something had caught his attention, his previously smiling lips now set in a grim line, shadowed eyes downcast in a thoughtful frown. Sensing her gaze, he turns and says, “I’ll be back, stay out of danger,” before his figure parts into tendrils of dark matter, the shadows that make him the Shadow Fiend disappearing and leaving Tanpopo alone, the weight of his absence and lack of commentary a strange feeling.
Attempting to focus on the information her teacher had deemed important, she inhales a deep breath and pushes the worry from her mind, but it leaves behind questions of Where did Shade go? What did he sense? What am I missing?
No matter how hard she strived to push them aside, they never quite left; much like the feeling of something amiss. Maybe it was the recent blossoming of her Magical Girl energy, or maybe it was the thought that Shade was out there doing something without her to back him up if needed, but she found she couldn’t sit still any longer whilst knowing Shade was doing something completely alone. Raising her hand to swiftly excuse herself to the bathroom, she exited the classroom before glancing down the corridor to her left and right, only to be met with empty hallways and a heavy silence.
“Not exactly strange, since it’s the middle of class, but usually there's at least one other person around,” she murmurs to herself, peering down each corridor before deciding to explore down the one to her left, where she knew stairs waited a few corridors away. Shade was looking at the ceiling, so perhaps he knew the source of… whatever it is lies on the floor above? I’d better hurry!
The rhythmic clack of her shoes on tile fills the silence of the halls around her, the lack of a physical presence despite the unsettling sensation only furthering her paranoia and curiosity. “So eerie…” She whispers, before shaking her head- and those thoughts -away once she realised if Shade were here, he’d be laughing at her uneasiness and calling her a scaredy cat. She huffs, squaring her shoulders with an artificial confidence before continuing down the corridor, passing classroom after classroom and gazing into each one along the way, only to be met with the sight of focused students and teachers alike each time.
Maybe it was just a fluke?
As if the universe itself was eager to disprove her thought, a scream cuts through the silence with the same influence as a butcher knife wading through butter, the sound jarring yet persuading as Tanpopo immediately jumps into action, pushing her legs into a sprint before rounding the corner and sliding slightly from the momentum. The familiar sight of yellow light surrounds and illuminates her figure; the transformation from regular schoolgirl to Magical Girl Dandelion a welcome change as her signature parasol materialises, falling into the palm of her hand with a blinding burst of light she’d quickly grown comfortable with.
However, she only focuses on the change momentarily, her attention quickly drawn towards the girl lying with her back against the floor a few feet away, an expression of what Tanpopo could only describe as pure terror cloaking her features. There was a bite mark resting on the bare skin between her jaw and uniform collar, thankfully not appearing to be deep enough to scar but still leaving small droplets of blood to stain her blouse. Her eyes were wide and petrified as she stared at the figure who stood before her, their feet resting just beyond the girl’s own. Well, if you could even call them feet, since instead of toes there sat dark, honed talons, resting barely an inch away from the girl.
The man’s head perked up at the sound of Tanpopo sliding around the corner, the motion pulling another petrified scream from the girl she belatedly recognised to be a student in the classroom just two doors down from her own, her usually kind eyes now filled with horror as two twin rivers of tears fell down her pale complexion.
“My, my, what’s this? A Magical Girl? Hm, how strange. Disrupting my meal, and disrupting the peace. Irritating. So, so irritating." The man tutted, his voice displeased as if Tanpopo were the one in the wrong. A single tap of a claw against tile echoes through the hall, and with it came the realisation that this figure was, undoubtedly, a fiend.
The being takes a step rearward, its talons clacking loudly while it moves closer yet keeps its face fixed firmly forwards, the knobs of its spine visible through his clothes. She barely thinks twice before the parasol in her hand moves, its point now aimed at the back of the fiend’s chest as her eyes rove over its form and risks glancing to the girl on the floor.
Tanpopo offers a smile and nods towards the end of the corridor, signalling for the girl to take her leave, which she thankfully wastes no time in doing. She quickly flips onto her hands and knees, pushing her body forward and away from the creature that watches her depart with a curious hum, the girl’s crawl quickly altering into an adrenaline fuelled run before she disappears from sight.
Tanpopo was aware she was now the only remaining presence within reaching distance of the fiend; had come to terms with that fact once she realised that if she distracted him, everyone else would be safe and have a chance to flee. The relief she experienced while knowing as such was enough for a breath of relief to pass her lips despite the immediate danger she had inflicted upon herself.
The fiend twitched at the sound, his waist-length onyx-coloured hair reflecting the artificial light of the hallway’s glow they both stood beneath. Her parasol was still raised, poised and withholding a warning for compliance, but in truth her attention was focused solely on wondering whether the fiend had even a shred of its original humanity left, her gaze attempting to dissect the figure to his core as she searched for proof of something that meant the man she faced now had even an ounce of its human personality. She sought for something withered and fading that, once found, she could grasp and allow to flourish in her palm. She wanted to help, just like she had for her grandfather and a handful of others that she’d saved during her short time as a Magical Girl.
But, from the way the creature’s body turned just enough for crimson-coated lips to be identified, the tip of a blackened tongue peeking out of their mouth and lips slowly bared in a wicked smile of pure mania, it wouldn’t be easy.
“Little yellow girl, playing dress up. You are new, aren’t you? I can smell it; your fear. It’s so, so enticing, like a flower freshly picked from a garden bed of wilted remains, a single blessing amongst a crowd of the tasteless. Oh, it’s been too long since I’ve tasted the blood of a Magical Girl. The blood of someone with magic in their veins tastes eons better than one without it; the purity and goodness that sings through your bloodstream is a delicacy not many experience. You’ll help me with my hunger, however, won’t you? Magical Girls are meant to save, after all, and I am absolutely famished.”
She opens her mouth, prepared to cut down the idea of anyone tasting her blood, only to falter once the slim figure turns, the loose clothing draped over his shoulders shifting from the movement. White cloth accentuates hair and eyes dark as night and just as dangerous, paired with a malicious grin composed of teeth as sharp as blades. His pale skin, scarred with an array of healed lacerations, contrasted with the red of his slick lips, the inky appearance of the iris something she would even deem beautiful if it were not for the sudden realisation that the crimson coating his mouth was blood, likely remains of his last meal, and that the fiend intended for Tanpopo to be his latest.
She shudders, yet cannot draw her gaze away, even when her eyes catch the reflection of light across the gem embedded into the figure's chest, the stone visible through a sheer and tattered shawl with bandages hanging off their shoulders and limbs, their waist and lower body hidden beneath what looked to be fabric made from a spotted hospital gown, opaque yet unable to hide the sharp claws that now tapped rhythmically against the tiled floor, the rhythm quickly increasing in pace. Their other appendages were similar in appearance, fingertips replaced with long, dark nails each double the length of Tanpopo’s index finger, a feature that has the breath stuttering in her chest.
The similarities between the fiend and Tanpopo’s friend, Shade, does not go unnoticed. The realisation startles her, along with the acknowledgement that if this creature was even remotely familiar to Shade, it hadn’t been human for at least a few years. Its soul had been corrupted, but unlike Shade, it sought blood and violence instead of fighting to protect against it.
“What’s the matter, little flower? Don’t like what you see? Do I disgust you?” The creature cackles, their dark eyes callous behind the porcelain mask they wore, one that expanded across the length of their forehead- albeit hidden behind black bangs -and ending upon the tip of his nose. Tanpopo focuses on steadying her breathing, something Ms. Peony urged her to do so whenever she felt as if her fear would take control, before she lifted her parasol, its tip rising until it was aimed at the creature's taunting expression.
“My, my, so unhappy. Where’s the smile all Magical Girls are supposed to wear, hm? Ah, it does not matter. My appearance makes you unhappy, correct? I must admit, I do share your feelings. The scars are most hideous, but it’s the story behind them that I loathe the most. Perhaps it would be better for both of us if I changed it.” His eyes twist with manic intent, before Tanpopo realises that it wasn’t his face twisting, it was the mask. It was slowly melting as if the decoration were made of candle wax, the cream-coloured matter dripping to cover every inch of the man’s cheeks in hardening porcelain, morphing to not only hide his eyes and cheeks but the entirety of his face.
“What-” She wasn’t given the chance to speak before another voice interrupted, familiar yet sending a jolt of pure, unadulterated fear through her body and mind, her limbs beginning to tremble at the realisation that although the new voice was recognisable, but it shouldn’t have been.
The person it belonged to was dead, after all.
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” The figure laughed, but she was too distracted to truly comprehend the words. All she could hear was her mother’s voice, one she could so clearly remember as kind and loving, yet now held nothing but contempt and left her heart throbbing painfully within her chest. “N-no,” She stumbled backwards, the sounds of her mother’s cruel laughter falling from the figure's now-plain lips and echoing from every direction, the fiend’s face now directly mirroring that of the last memory Tanpopo had of her mother before she passed.
Waist length black hair had shortened to blonde strands resting just below the woman’s chest in a golden plait, tattered clothing changing to a pretty dress cinched around the waist and caked with drying blood. Her and Tanpopo’s father’s blood.
Previously dark eyes had lightened to a soft auburn, yet despite the warm colour they held nothing but ill intent. Tanpopo could only gape, her eyes wide and startled, as the woman she had loved so dearly took a step forwards, the flash of a memory crossing her vision so sudden that she had to fight the urge to hurl. Her mother and father standing before her, listening to a young Tanpopo excitedly prattle on about her day before blood spews from wounds that appear in a second, her fathers body splitting in two and her mother’s severed head falling from her shoulders, palms extending as if she were aiming to reach for Tanpopo, who was now coated in the blood of her parents-
“Now, now, little flower, no need to shy away. I’m no longer sickening, am I?” Her mother coos, and even when a part of her mind wails, screams that this woman is not her mother, is not a person at all, Tanpopo is still a human at her core, despite the magic that courses through her veins, and the sight of someone she held close to her heart now standing in front of her, arms open and inviting, had her heart surging forwards along with her feet.
One step.
Two steps.
“M-mom?” She calls, her voice pitiful and weak yet holding an ounce of hope, of belief that her mother is alive and not just a mask another figure wears. “Come here, kiddo. Haven’t you missed me?” Her mother calls, and Tanpopo resists the urge to run forward, to leap into warm arms that could cradle her close, the possibility of feeling a gentle kiss pressed against her temple a tempting thought, before Tanpopo suddenly stills, her foot remaining outstretched from the approach before it’s pulled back to rest on solid ground once more.
Kiddo?
Only… only Shade called her kiddo, and she only knew Shade because he…
He saved Tanpopo. He saved Tanpopo from the man who killed her parents. He destroyed the man who had killed her father, and killed her mother. The woman that was now standing with open arms, ready to embrace her at a moment's notice with a warm smile sat plastered on lips that now reminded her of something fabricated, the corners of her mouth curved too high and her teeth too long.
It’s not her.
The sudden realisation sends her tumbling backwards, her gait unsteady as a hand comes to rest upon her chest, feeling the breath within her lungs and the sensation of something real, because whatever was standing in front of her, whatever was wearing her mother’s face…
It wasn’t the woman she’d once known.
It… it wasn’t real.
“You-you aren’t her.” She gasps, the severity of the situation at hand hitting her as hard as the image of her mother had after all these years with nothing but a fading memory to remember her by. “She’s gone, and-and always will be. You wear her face, but you aren’t her.”
Tanpopo’s voice was unsteady as she spoke, her tone wavering as the lingering belief the woman in front of her was authentic disappeared entirely. It was only then that she noticed the warmth slipping down her cheeks, her hand automatically lifting to wipe away the tears that had gathered and began to cascade down her face.
“Not many break free so easily as you have. Am I not perfect enough? Is the image inaccurate? What have I done wrong? Tell me.” Her mother- no, the fiend sounded almost distraught at the idea of their illusion being defective, though it was hard to pay attention to entirely seeing as the creature still wore the face of her mother. Now, however, she knew it was only a reflection of the truth, simply a mask that Tanpopo didn’t recognise any longer. “I-”
The fiend cuts her off with an accusatory wail, expletives falling from darkening lips as they took a step closer, the face of her mother splitting and changing to reveal hints of the creatures’ true form; dark eyes, a mouth so twisted it was clear it could not be human, and those pink and white scars that seemed to almost glow.
“You disgust me. You, and every other human-” they spit the word as if it were poison, “-taint this earth with your presence, and destroy everything good and innocent. I used to be perfect. I used to be good.” Clawed hands raise to cup their face, the tips of their talons digging into flesh and drawing small beads of blood. “You are filth, and I will rid this world of the plague that is humanity. Die!”
Their voice trails off into a snarl, and she watches as the illusion of her mother fades entirely. In its place stands the fiend’s true form once more, their eyes filled with a hunger and hatred so intense that the second Tanpopo recognises it for what it is, notices the pain in his eyes, she runs.
Not away, however, like a normal, sane individual would.
Instead she runs forwards, her shaking hands lifting the previously forgotten parasol in her grasp until it clicked open with a whoosh, aimed straight towards the fiend’s chest who only smiles in reply before their shape twisted again, their slender frame lurching to the side as she spun on her heel, adrenaline pumping through her body as she prepared to help, only to turn and be met with the sight of her open parasol now aimed at her father.
The man who used to read her bedtime stories until she fell asleep against his chest, heart full of warmth and love. The man who taught her how to bake, who would cover her in flour and laugh along until her mother took one look at the two of them before giggling and joining the fun. The man who had given everything for Tanpopo, and died because of it.
“S-stop!” She shouted, her voice thick with anguish and unable to think of this figure as anything but her father as he laughed, a heartless noise she wished to never hear again. He lunged, taking advantage of her momentary lapse in judgment, his body twisting until he was gripping her arm in his hand, the familiar ring that represented his love for Tanpopo’s mother resting right there, right on his ring finger, the one currently pressed against her wrist with such immense pressure that a trail of blood drips from where his nails are held against her skin and cutting into flesh.
“Stop what, little flower? Do you not recognise who I am now that my skin no longer burdens the marks your kind inflicted upon me?” The single hint of artificial hurt in the voice she remembered only through memories has her faltering, her eyes wide and unable to break free from her father’s grasp. “L-let go, Dad.” She pleads, the fracture in her voice remaining unnoticed as her vision blurs with what she subconsciously knew to be tears. A sob wrenched itself from her upper body, her breath heaving as she lurched backwards, but her heart ached so intensely it was as if her chest cavity itself had collapsed. Why was her father doing this? What did she do wrong?
The sound of laughter pulled her from her thoughts as she continued to fight against him, his grip tightening with every movement and leaving her with the realisation that his grip was going to bruise.
“Nowhere to run, Magical Girl. I will take my time slicing you open, watching your skin as it splits beneath my hand, and then I’ll leave you to rot until your petals wilt. You belong to me now.” Her father’s face appeared within her vision, his lips twisted cruelly and not at all how she remembered the man that used to always bear a loving grin.
The sight was so shocking that, with her attention focused solely on the mirage of a man she knew deep down was manufactured yet couldn't bring herself to believe, the now-clawed hand creeping closer towards the major artery in her neck went unnoticed.
Yet, before it could slice through skin and end her very existence, a cold hand wrapped around her waist, tendrils of shadow solidifying into arms as she was pulled away from the creature that now growled in frustration, similar to that of a beast whose prey had been stolen by another.
“I think you’ll find,” another voice hummed, but this one didn’t fill her with confusion or horror; it filled her with warmth, with memories of sharp toothed smiles and dark eyes watching her with barely-hidden care, “that the only one who will rot is you if you so much lay another finger on her.” The words are delivered with a tone so cold it momentarily left the image of her father frozen, and drew Tanpopo’s attention from the man in front of her to the one now holding her.
As she turns to face the fiend she’d known since she was a child, she almost slumps with relief as a smile blossoms across her features at the familiar, comforting gaze she’s placed under. “Shade.”
Her lip trembles slightly, her parasol slipping from her hand as a tendril of pure shadow reaches out and catches it with ease, the ones around her waist and shoulders carefully holding her in place with a grip so reassuring she could almost imagine it was Shade’s hands instead of his tendrils of darkness.
“Hey, there, Tanpopo. Did you not hear me when I told you not to get in any danger, or just chose not to listen?”
She only smiles weakly, earning a smirk in reply before an agitated snarl cuts through the air, drawing their attention back towards where her father- the fiend -stood a few steps away, body shaking and with one hand still dripping with Tanpopo’s blood. His upper lip trembled and curled into a scowl, eyes bright with pure, unmasked hatred as he gazed at the duo. “You-“ the creature snarls once more, their words as cold as ice as they take a step forward, only to come to a halt once a familiar tendril of dark matter slinks forward, much too fast for anyone besides Shade to register.
In the blink of an eye one of his shadows had wrapped itself around the fiend’s neck, but all she could now see was her father’s face turning purple from suffocation, his body lifted off the ground and denied air while his eyes turned from murderous to pleading. The man gasped, the sclera of his eye reddening from the pressure being applied, and she watched as blackened, crimson fingertips clawed at his neck where Shade continued to deny him air.
But, despite his attempts, his fingers merely pass through shadow, unable to harm and yet still held in a firm, unyielding grip. “L-let me g-“ the creature coughs, the sound pitifully weak and pained, before its pleading eyes widened impossibly further as if struck with a sudden idea.
Their gaze, previously panicked and beseeched, now turned determined as their attention diverted from Tanpopo and Shade alike to only the latter, the fiend standing beside her cocking his head with a curious grin as if he dared their opponent to make a move.
He did.
Neither she nor Shade had any time to jump forwards before a small, sinister grin found its way upon the fiend’s lips and their form began to change, a crack echoing throughout the corridor as a split appeared on the centre of her father’s face, his features falling away to reveal shoulder length blonde hair and golden eyes to match.
It was… herself?
She now stared at a copy of her own reflection, the likeliness so startling it was as if she faced a mirror, watching in real time as the fiend’s knowing smirk slipped away, only to be replaced with a mouth now open in silent pleas and wide eyes begging for freedom.
Shade dropped the figure as if it burned.
“Tanpopo? I-“ Shade’s breath stutters from where he stands beside her, the gem on his exposed chest catching the light from above as his torso heaves, his eyes wide and panicked. He twitches forwards, arms outstretched and seemingly ready to intervene, before Tanpopo slips from the weakened fireman-carry of Shade’s shadows and moves to stand between both fiends.
“Turn back. Now.”
She didn’t recognise her own voice, but she knew it was, without a doubt, from her own lips. Her tone was a warning in itself, her eyes wide and staring down the fiend that dared steal her face in order to manipulate her friend, her hero.
The boy who’d saved her once and chose to continue doing so despite no obligation.
It was now, as she realised what the fiend was attempting to achieve, that she remembered something Ms. Peony had off-handedly said within the first week of their meeting, her tone clipped yet curious.
“You care for him, don’t you? I can see it, how you worry for him to such an extent that even though he’s merely a shadow of his original human self, you would jump in harm's way if it meant he weren’t at risk. You not only allowed yourself to befriend a fiend, but to grow attached.”
At the time, she had offered nothing more than a smile and a comment about how Shade was her hero. She knew she had always wanted to help him; heck, the reason she was a Magical Girl at all was so she and Shade could fight fiends together, so she could be strong and provide support in case it was needed.
Now, however, it went much deeper than simply a surface level desire to protect. If it came to it, she would give everything she could for the Shadow Fiend, for her Shade, even if it meant Tanpopo’s own demise.
That is why, as she watched Shade’s eyes flood with confusion and hurt at the sight of her copy writhing in his hold and begging for mercy, she knew that Ms. Peony had been right without a doubt.
She had become attached, but she didn’t regret it a single bit.
“How odd.” Her copy cooed suddenly, breaking her from her thoughts as golden eyes flickered between Tanpopo and Shade, alight with satisfaction and not unlike someone stumbling across a deeply protected secret, “a Magical Girl is not only friends with a fiend, but has become said creature's companion. Well, well, I've never seen this before. Intriguing, so, so intriguing.” Tanpopo wrenches her parasol from Shade’s weak grasp, and aims it directly at her copy’s chest, lowering the frilly weapon until it was pointed to where she knew a gem rested beneath the mask of her own reflection.
“So quick to turn to violence.” Her copy laughs, though it holds no amusement. If anything, their tone was as cold as the icy ocean; the words laced with unhidden repulse. Their eyes passed over her as if it were gazing straight into her soul, golden eyes taking every one of her features before turning to Shade and doing the same to him as a smile graces the creature's lips. “Utterly astounding. A Magical Girl and a fiend; born enemies turned close friends despite the odds. Colour me surprised; the very idea that a Magical Girl would even consider the idea of befriending a fiend is odd, but to grow so close? It’s almost… unfair.”
Her confusion must have been more apparent than she’d thought, if the narrowing of golden eyes and a harsh glare aimed her way was any indication. “Why do you appear confused? Is the unjust situation at hand not obvious? How is it that your… friend, a fiend, can live and exist beside a human, and yet most others cannot? I cannot? What makes me so undeserving?”
“Well, that dirty tactic you got there sure isn’t helping your case.”
Both versions of herself turned to face the person who’d spoken, and upon inspection Tanpopo was surprised to find that Shade had not only broken free from the fiend’s illusion, but appeared to be both insulted and bothered, each being emotions he so rarely showed. “How- how did you break free? How did you both do so? What disgusting magic is this?” The copy growls, though they’re unable to hide the hint of desperation that leaked into their voice, their eyes wide and almost panicked.
“No magic was needed since you were so eager to monologue the entire time. Maybe next time try shutting your trap, eh?” Shade grins, tone lighthearted despite the calculating glint in his eye.
The fiend was not pleased.
“How dare you? You will not silence me! My voice will be heard, and you will abide by my wishes! I am the one in control, I won’t be manipulated by others any longer, no matter the pain I must endure!” Their voice rose a few octaves higher, but Tanpopo was focused solely on their words rather than the volume at which they'd been spoken. Won’t be manipulated by others… no matter the pain he must endure?
Suddenly, the pieces of the puzzle she had been missing finally began to shift into place.
“Don’t like what you see? Do I disgust you?”
“My appearance makes you unhappy, correct? I must admit, I do share your feelings. The scars are most hideous, but it’s the story behind them that I loathe the most. Perhaps it would be better for both of us if I changed it.”
“I’m no longer sickening, am I?”
“Am I not perfect enough? Is the image inaccurate? What have I done wrong?”
“I used to be perfect. I used to be good.”
“Do you not recognise who I am now that my skin no longer burdens the marks your kind inflicted upon me?”
The moment the true meaning and weight behind their words began to sink in, she felt a newfound determination light up within her veins, body and mind alike raking over the new knowledge. Their hatred, their utter revulsion against people, had not appeared one day and ceased to fade.
He had been conditioned by fear.
Tanpopo abruptly took a step closer, her feet moving before her mind truly processed it.
“Kiddo, what-”
She spared Shade a single glance as she took another step forwards, and prayed he would understand.
Thankfully, even though he opened his mouth as if he were ready to argue, he seemed to pause once he noticed the devising glint in her eye and the way the corners of her mouth ticked up into a reassuring smile. With a heavy sigh bearing the weight of compliance he nodded, lips flattening into a thin line and a sure sign of disapproval as she closed the distance between herself and her copy, the fiend that bore a striking resemblance to herself frowning in confusion as she made no move to run or flee or hurt.
He didn’t understand she had no intention to harm. The idea itself was a foreign one.
“You’ve been hurt by others, haven’t you? They’ve forced you to become something you never wanted to be, and left you to suffer because no one could bother to reach out a hand.”
This time, her voice was steady.
The fiend turned its harsh gaze and levelled it directly upon her, channelling years worth of spite and pure hostility as her reflection bared its teeth, but she no longer saw it as her.
Instead, she saw a creature who had been wronged, a person who had had no one to comfort them when it was needed, no one to say they were there to help. Now, as she continued to approach, the teeth bared in gesture that should have been a warning, should have been a sign that they were far more superior to those around them, only reminded her of a cornered animal, forced to bare its maw in an attempt to protect itself from those wishing it damage.
“You know nothing. You know nothing of what I have experienced, know nothing of the true atrocities humans commit without a second thought, and know nothing about me.”
“You’re right.” She agreed, taking one final step forwards until she stood inches away from the illusion of someone who appeared to be her, yet was far from it. “I know nothing of who you are, or what your story is, but-” She extended her hand forwards, palm up and paired with a bright smile directed at a wide-eyed, astonished expression, “-I would be more than happy to listen if you’d only let me hear it.”
For a single second, no one moved nor spoke. The silence that filled the hallway the trio occupied was almost deafening, and as Tanpopo watched the fiend eye her outstretched hand warily, saw the disbelief in their eyes, she knew she would do anything to help this fiend, even if said creature was reluctant to believe it.
All fiends had, after all, once been human, and so long as their core had not fused with their heart, had not turned them into something that did not even appear to be mortal, there was still a chance for them to be human once more.
“Do you- do you think of me as a fool? No one would dare offer a helping hand to a fiend such as myself, nor would a Magical Girl, no less. You must be deranged to believe I need to be saved!” The fiend snarls, their voice laden with certainty and yet their eyes withholding a sliver of expectation.
“Eh, Tanpopo here has always had a loose screw or two, so don’t take it to heart.” Shade grinned, and despite the clear taunt, she only grinned back at him before turning to face the other, the clarity of their illusion slowly fading as golden eyes began to darken and hair began to lengthen. “While part of being a Magical Girl means hunting fiends, our main reason for being is to save whoever is in need no matter if they are human, animal, or in this case, a fiend. Everyone deserves to live a life well-lived, one without harm and grief, and that includes you.
It’s all up to you to decide if you choose to trust me or not, but please believe me when I say I want to help you, no matter what. You don’t scare or disgust me, and you should never have been led to believe as such. You are worthy of living, and you are good, no matter what anyone else may say, so please allow me to help you in whatever way I can. Let me offer my hand and have you accept it without the expectation of a mark being left on your skin as a consequence.”
“I-” The fiend faltered, and she watched with a hopeful expression as they seemed to weigh their options, their face exuding an array of emotions before their expression suddenly hardened and they took a step backwards.
“You expect me to believe the word of a Magical Girl over what I already know? What stops you from thrusting your silly parasol in my back the second I decide to trust you and turn it? I’ve had people offer the same thing you propose before, and it never ended well.”
With every word they spoke, the mirage of their reflection began to split; small cracks appeared along her copy’s arms and legs before they spread, reminding Tanpopo briefly of spiderwebs before the cracks reached the fiend’s neck and all of the pieces fell away at once, porcelain shattering until, for the third time, she was faced with the fiend’s true appearance.
This time, however, she didn’t notice the cold glare she was placed under or the monstrous claws that rested upon his fingers and toes. Instead, all she saw were the scars that marked their skin, the pink and white tissue that covered every surface of bare flesh a story to be heard, a tale of survival and suffering that she wished to help him heal from. Not all wounds were physical, after all, and even if a fiend was considered to be a demon or a devil, they had all once shared one thing in common.
Their humanity.
However, it could be taken easily if someone with the wrong intentions wished to do so.
But if anything was clear to Tanpopo in that moment, as her eyes met ones burdened by years of grief and suffering, it was that this fiend in particular, despite its inhuman appearance, still had a shred of their humanity left.
That was all she needed.
“You don’t have to trust me or like me, but if you’d let me, I can prove I just want to help as best I can. Don’t you want to be human once more? Don’t you want to be surrounded by people who could care for you, who would protect you? The world is filled with bad people, yes, but it’s also filled with good. I just want to he-”
“NO!”
The fiend’s voice cracks like lightning within a storm, the sound reverberating around her as the hallway shook from the sheer force of their voice. “Stop- stop telling me what to do! I don’t need your help, Magical Girl.” His sentence trails off into a snarl, and so quickly she barely has time to process it, his clawed hand is leaning back and swinging straight towards her, his claw an inch from her face before his hand stills entirely, much too close for comfort.
She jumps back immediately, though is unsurprised to find that one of Shade’s shadows had entangled itself around his arm to keep him in place while he thrashed, eyes wild with panic.
“This isn’t a slice-of-life flick where everything is right in the world, Tanpopo. He isn’t going to accept the help easily, which means we gotta do this the hard way.” Shade calls out from where he stands a few steps behind, his hand lifted lazily while he controlled the shadow now curling around the fiend’s upper arm and spreading to restrain the rest of his struggling body.
Tanpopo nods in acknowledgement, although it hurt to see how quickly the fiend had gone from considering to flat-out refusal, their sense of worth and ability to trust others thoroughly tainted.
“Stop this- stop! Let me go! You can not control me, I will not bend to your will!” The creature screams, the sound so vehement she’d have worried the students and teachers would emerge into the hallway to see what the commotion was about if she hadn’t spied the swirls of shadow resting around each classroom door handle, preventing anyone from being harmed if Shade were to lose his grip.
The fiend continued to scream and wail, grief and pain taking control of their rationality. Before long, even the ability to control their own form began to crack just as their masks had, their appearance flickering not unlike a faulty screen.
Their body had somewhat lessened its thrashing; instead their limbs twitched as if they were unsure how to move, and soon she was able to catch glimpses of different people through each change of identity the fiend experienced.
The first she was able to truly grasp was an image of a blonde haired man with blue rimmed glasses; his eyes cold and gaze flickering from left and right, the body beneath the lab coat the man wore shifting until pure, white fabric darkened with splotches of blood.
Just as quickly, the man had changed into the figure of woman, her features similar to that of the fiend’s true form; long, flowing hair the colour of ink, her eyes a lighter colour than the fiend’s but sharing the same shape, and a freckle resting just above her brow placed an inch to the left of the one Tanpopo glimpsed through the cracks between the fiend’s porcelain mask.
She suspected that each image and person that flickered and appeared within view must have been someone the fiend had come into contact with often during his human years, but what concerned her most was not only the increasing pace of the identity changes fuelled by panic and hysteria, but the sheer amount of people that wore lab coats.
It wasn’t painting a pretty picture, that’s for sure.
“He’s going to drive himself mad,” Shade supplied from where he watched, his hand still raised and his voice steady even as his eyes betrayed the concern held within.
“Mad- Mad? Did I do poorly again? I’ll comply, I swear!” The fiend’s voice cracked with each word, the speed at which they were morphing now beginning to take its toll on their body and mind alike while their flickering lips opened around fractured sentences,”-looked at, never seen. Weapon, yet my heart beats- not fast enough, no, never enough. I’m trying. Trying, for what? Nothing, nothing- wanting to change, who am I now? Severed parts of a whole, never the truth, never me. Who am I really?”
She had to do it now, or it would be too late.
“You’ll be alright, I’ll make sure of it. You bear the burden of several identities, yet never accept your own, even if it hurts you. Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are, of your true self, and I’m sorry you’ve experienced the things you have. Please, believe me when I say that I’ll help you.”
She inhaled a deep breath before she lifted her parasol and opened it with a whoosh, its circular shape coming to point directly at the fiend’s.
For a moment, as the tip pressed against the gem within the fiend’s chest, it wasn’t the creature’s form or reflections of their history she saw. It was the image of a small boy, terrified and unable to call for help as his control was stolen, his life decided for him.
Glimpses of unfamiliar memories now danced across her vision, each one more horrifying than the last as she bore witness to the fiend’s past.
The first memory she experienced was through the eyes of the young boy she’d glimpsed as he stared at himself in a small, cracked mirror; his reflection so distorted that it bore no resemblance to a person at all. The only features that were distinguishable was black hair, onyx eyes, and glimpses of pale, scarred skin beneath bandages. She felt tears fall down her cheeks, or rather the boy’s cheeks, as two trembling hands were raised, his frame thin despite the heavy bandaging.
The next scene was of a bright room, fluorescent white light so sharp and radiant it felt as if her skull were being split in two, though she could not look away. Her head was strapped down to an operating table, and she was forced to watch as a surgeon approached, clad in hospital garments and with a simple mask cloaking the lower half of their face, but the inquisitive glint in their eye was just as terrifying.
She caught a handful of fragmented conversations as each memory passed, though each one left her sick to her stomach.
“Subject twenty three is ready for experiment nine, prepare the lab for the procedure-”
“You’ll be cured soon, Yurushi-kun, do not fret. The pain will all be worth it in the end, I promise-”
“-becoming too aware, his body must be acclimating to the dosages-”
"Fiends must have a reason for being, we need to be the first to uncover why-”
“You did well, child, you’ve made me so very proud-”
“-s a success! Yurushi-kun has been transformed into a fie-”
“-silence, Yurushi-kun. You have no reason to weep; you are a weapon.”
Weapon?
Monster?
“Just a kid.” Tanpopo lamented softly as an arc of dazzling light encased them both in a warm embrace, her heart tugging at the things this fiend- no, this boy had experienced simply for the so called ‘greater good’ of society. Even now, as the light began to fade and the figure began to shorten, his hands and feet no longer clawed and with no sign he’d once been a fiend, she couldn’t restrain the tears that sprung to her eyes while she held the child close, his body growing stiff from the embrace before he leaned closer and two tiny, trembling hands clenched the fabric of her dress.
His wails pierced the air, no longer eerie and inhuman but now childlike and exhausted, and through every shudder and cry she held him close, Shade standing by her side as the two exchanged glances.
She was unsure for how long she held the boy, comforting and assuring him that he was finally safe, but she did know that sometime during the embrace Shade had led the two outside and away from the school building just minutes before the bell rang. Instead, she’d found herself meeting with Ms. Peony and Mayuyama Kujaku- the commander of Butterfly -just a few streets away and, after a few assurances that the boy would be looked after, the two had separated but not before the boy gave her one last hug and whispered the words,
“Thank you for seeing my worth before even I could, and for showing me kindness when no one else bothered. For the first time in a long, long time, I am certain of something; that you are, without a doubt, one of the good ones.”
She gave him the brightest smile she could manage even as he turned, watching as the boy was escorted away under the promise of proper protection, before turning on her heel and making her way home. However, unlike most of the other times she’d made the journey, she remained silent even as Shade- who was also uncharacteristically quiet -floated beside her.
It was only once the door to her room closed behind her and she was made aware that her grandfather was yet to return home that she allowed the tears to fall in their entirety, her cheeks red and her eyes sore as she wept. She wept for her parents and their memory, for Shokuzai Yurushi, the boy who deserved the chance to be a child and yet never had the chance, and she wept for those around the world who believed there was no one out there waiting for them to accept the hand offered to them.
Through it all she wept, and through it all, Shade never once left her side.