Suki’s best trait was her determination. Her worst was her impulsive nature. She wasn’t always stupid, but when she was, it was because she acted without thinking. Everyone knew Roche didn't take humiliation lightly. She was also a contender for Suki’s title of “most determined girl in the detention club.” This was always going to be messy.

Suki had started to let her guard down when Roche nuzzled into her tendril. Something that proved to be a mistake when Roche clamped both of her hands over her dairy aire. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t get out as much as a yelp before Roche plunged her tongue inside her. It wouldn’t have been impossible to pull away. Suki was tall and had tentacles at her disposal, but the impulsive girl was left in a rare state of indecisiveness. She needed to beat Roche to score dinner at her place, but what was the point if she was going to look like a prostitute in the process?

But as elated as Roche was, the spectators could see something was off. Roche’s legs were trembling and she seemed to be having difficulty standing up straight. For what little “exercise” this “fight” demanded of her, it wouldn't have been enough to tucker out the leader of the track team. With a sigh, Suki rolled one of Roche’s sleeves back to her shoulder. One of her tentacles slid inside and wiggled about inside her shirt.

"When I’m transformed, it’s Oros-Chan.”

And then Suki began to line Roche’s arm with kisses. At least the part of her arm that she could reach with Roche grouping her so intensely. It wasn’t long before Roche’s eyelids started to flutter and her head fell into Suki’s cleavage. She had passed out, but she still had a firm grip on Suki’s butt.

With a groan, Suki peeled Roche’s hands off of her and let her sink to the ground. The tentacle up Roche’s sleeve slid out of her windbreaker along with her bra. It still carried her heat. The tendril curled up and flicked it on top of Roche. Suki looked at the fallen code keeper like she was an insect. Her lips were parted just enough to reveal clenched teeth. But as soon as she wiped her mouth off, her smile returned.

"Wow! Who thought Bedshaker could be so passionate? That name is staying!” She wiped herself down where Roche had drooled on her. "I wanted to let her go, but she was a wild animal! A danger to everyone! It was time to bust out the tranquilizers!” She laughed at her own joke before her tendrils picked up Roche. Suki had started to walk when she stopped. "Oh, guess I should let you know.” She turned to look at Nyxia. "I’m uh, I’m not really safe to touch when I’m transformed, heh!” A nervous grin crossed her face. "I mean, a quick hug won’t do anything bad, but the longer someone makes contact with me the more irresistible I become. My kisses are especially potent, as they can sap your strength.” She rubbed the back of her head. "Not that you would, I mean. Just, you know. Weird stuff can happen in a fight.” She looked back ahead. "S-so yea! Let’s- Hngh!” Suki winced when she took her next step. She rubbed her hind quarters while she tried to walk off what Roche did to her. "Good thing I won’t be sitting down!”

---

Being homeless or jobless was taboo in Japanese society. It brought such shame that most would live far out in the woods as to not let people see what had happened to them. Because of this, group homes would be built away from towns or villages, but Hibusa was a remote location when compared to the sea bordering city a few miles away. Or maybe it was just another strange feature that was proof Hibusa Town was cursed.

Sneaking a group of girls into a such a structure was hard, but there was ample seating outside. Four picnic tables rested on a brick slab that was surrounded by trees. The street lamps shined over the exterior walls and made it easy to see. Nobody would be eating in the dark.

Suki had finished tying Roche’s pendant back together and hung it around her neck. That should have been more than enough to bring her back to consciousness. But just in case, Suki tapped the code keeper on the cheek with two of her fingers.

"Wakey wakey!”

Roche wouldn’t have to open her eyes to tell that Suki was no longer transformed. She always smelled like an ashtray that had been dipped in hard alcohol. That would be okay if Suki was interesting to look at, but she wasn’t. Her teeth had been filed into points, her flesh was as pale as bone, and her chest was flat enough that no one would fault someone for comparing her to a cutting board. Before joining the detention club, a lot of kids would call her “piranha” because of how her face looked. But Suki liked being compared to a vicious fish. But kids are dicks, and it was promptly changed to “Fish Face,” which she was not a fan of. There was a world of difference between the ever smiling Oros the Joyful and the occasionally smiling Suki Oyama.

Once she confirmed Roche was awake, she looked to Nyxia. Though she was speaking to everyone. "Okay, so.” She pointed at the end of the table. "There’s an ice chest there. We’ve got pop, beer, and a few drinks in there.” She pointed at another ice chest in front of a different table. "That one has ice cream bars. Use them as dessert or an appetizer. You make the rules now.” She placed a cigarette in her mouth and lit it. "Aaaaand dinner should be ready shortly. Just have fun. I’ll be back in a bit.” Her eyes briefly came to rest on Roche before she started power walking away to finish dinner.

The kitchen was just a door away from the picnic area. It was always under lock and key, but those trusted with running the kitchen were all handed a pair of keys to get inside. Because Suki was never trusted with such things, she had to get a bit more creative. She pulled a wavy piece of wire out of her pocket and raked the pins inside the lock. With just a little pressure on the handle, it popped open. Once Suki was inside, she shut and locked the door behind herself and got to work. She turned on the stove top and started getting everything together.

Suki looked at her shirt. It would have been hard to see in the dark, but she had wedged Roche’s bra under her shirt but inside her waistband.. It didn’t seem appropriate to try and put it back on while she was out cold, and offering it back to her while everyone was around would further humiliate her. She’d have to hand it back to her later when she was alone.

As Nyxia sat atop one of the picnic tables, her feet resting upon the seat and her arms wrapped protectively around The Omega Obliterator, she found that she was still trying to wrap her mind around the chain of events that led her here. That first unexpected invitation from Rei, her recent first outing with the club, her… “interaction” with Earthshaker, and, of course, the “fight” that had allowed this strange girl currently holding court to win the “privilege” of cooking them all dinner. It was all so incredibly surreal, she reflected, so utterly nonsensical. Indeed, with how bizarre everything preceding it had been, The Neon Tempest realized that it should have been obvious that the duel between Roche and this Oros girl would devolve into what she could only describe as an aggressive make-out session. She had been so eager for a real fight, for the chance to potentially watch the club’s rule keeper be humiliated, just as the athletic girl had humiliated Nyxia herself, and while that humiliation had certainly occurred, The Neon Tempest had found it more disgusting than gratifying.

As someone who had never experienced romantic attraction in her life, Nyxia had found the display deeply unsettling. Not only was she unused to witnessing such… passionate expressions of affection, but they caused her to reevaluate Oros’s flirtatious advances towards her. Yes, it was now increasingly obvious that this girl would try to force herself on anyone. She didn’t really care about Nyxia as a person at all, just as yet another potential romantic partner, like she was just a character from one of those creepy dating sims. Of course, there was always the possibility that Oros’s behavior was simply a byproduct of her magic, much as how Nyxia herself received profound feelings of excitement and euphoria from slaughtering Miseria, but even if that was the case, it still left a bad taste in her mouth.

The only person who ever really loved me was Kaito… she thought bitterly, even as she hugged her enormous energy cannon tighter.

Oros, or rather, Suki’s words went unacknowledged, The Neon Tempest making a move towards neither the drinks nor the snacks, but simply watching in silence as her hostess went into the kitchen, her sharp eyes noticing that Suki had actually picked the lock, as opposed to using a key.

What the hell?

The girl was certainly a strange one, no doubt about that. Like many of the others present, Suki had reverted to her mundane form, but why she felt the need to show off its rather unappealing appearance, to say nothing about the fact that she lived in a glorified homeless shelter, was beyond Nyxia. After all, she wasn’t about to let any of these people see her weak and pathetic true self, that was for damn sure…

With all this in mind, The Neon Tempest couldn’t help but wonder, Do I even wanna know what the fuck she’s making in there?

Some passed between Kaeru being able to escape the Depression Club members and her arriving into the mountain surrounding the town where she was supposed to find Homura. She was now sitting down on a rock, surrounded by croacking frogs, looking bored with her head resting onto her fist - just like her evening had begun. Neither the new girl nor any of Shrade's cronies were anywhere to be found, although some of her amphibians friends with kisses markings had a story to tell about that.

Kaeru had a laugh with them, taking in the serenity and calmness of the forest's night air before standing up, stretching, and getting a move on. Her friends dispersing in the surrounding woods.

--------------------------------

Sayuri would later arrive in the arcade herself - certainly not out of coincidence - and accompanied. Surrounded by a few of her friends she ran into while coming here, they entered while talking, laughing and just generally having a good time before Sayuri bid them to wait a moment as she spotted some old friends she just had to get back in touch with. The bright eyed girl then walked up to sad looking untransformed Nonsuch and their possible new friend. Compared to her hammer-wielding counterpart, Sayuri all colors and smiles. Her bright blond hair were complemented by brightly colored ribbons that matched her clothing's accessories. She approached the duo with a genuine happy air about her that was a perfect antithesis to Suna's more gloomy air.

"Heeey!" she immediately took Suna in her arms as if they had known each other forever. Although not having necessarily been close friends in their everyday life, they certainly had much in common considering their extra curricular activities. As did they with Lycoris.

"So sorry we were separated !" she said to Homura, although also appropriate for Nonsuch considering what happened earlier... before her eyes fell onto the machine they were gathered in front of and it suddenly hit Sayuri...

"Am I interrupting something?"

---

Tsubomi watched the display in front of the group with a bored expression. On the one hand, she knew what Oros was like by now, and on the other, Tsubomi had a terrible case of resting apathy-face. Besides, the important battle was still being fought in her mind, but not for long. By the time the bra came out, she was already texting an order for takeout later in the night.

Soon enough the group arrived at their destination, what could charitably be called "Suki's home." Sure, Tsubomi could have had the food delivered here, but to be honest, she wasn't really hungry yet. Which would probably get a better reaction out of her partner than openly eating other food than what she had made. And- oh, there was beer here. Despite being four years below the legal drinking age, she had no interest in it, having had more than enough for a lifetime already. As soon as Suki finished pointing at the drinks, the harsh smell of her cigarette filled the air. Ah, yes, the easiest to attain and worst smelling narcotic there was, tobacco's scent on her clothes would be hard to explain away to Tsubomi's aunt and uncle. Oh well.

Normally, a person might spend the time given to them in such a situation to reflect on life, or to strike up a conversation with someone, especially with the new girl. Unfortunately, Tsubomi's mind was totally empty, almost like she was in a trance, or a meditative state. It was her normal state, not conniving like some other Dark Girls or even like she herself was when transformed, not excitable or depressed, just... empty. Blank. And she wore a fitting expression for this fact as she sat at one of the picnic tables and drank a soda. She would drink a water, but she'd long since sworn off the stuff.

---

Rei wasn’t expecting such a hard change in plans, but here they were, gathered in Suki’s humble abode of a “home”. It didn’t surprise the Detention Club leader; this wasn’t the first time she’d seen Suki’s dwelling. It wasn’t her first time over either. For all her importance in the club and everyone’s willingness to listen to what she said, the others barely acknowledged her presence. Perhaps her word was simply law and that was the end of that, no need to address absolute power. Or maybe they didn’t care. Or maybe they were too wrapped up in their games.

Nyxia’s proclamation certain invoked suspicious activity, culminating between whatever skin-game took place between Roche and Suki. Truthfully, Rei wasn’t paying attention anyway and she wouldn’t fault any of her peers in ignoring her. She spent most of her time and the trek to Suki’s home on her phone. The small screen illuminated her blank face as her one eye read Kiyo’s text message over and over again. Maybe she was searching for something. Or maybe she was bored.

Regardless, she was here now under the dim streetlights that hovered over the picnic tables. It was fitting for Dark Girls like them to converse and have their meals under the cover of night. Despite the cold winds, an aspect that had Rei hike her jacket up further, there was a certain comfort brought with wandering in the dark town. Under the barren trees and away from the nightlife of their small little Hibusa lay a certain iota of peace.

She couldn’t pretend to know how the others felt. She was probably being sentimental.

At being directed to the drinks, Rei wandered over to the first ice chest in her sight. She scanned between the offered beverages, eye resting on the bottles of beer Suki mentioned. She remained still before her hand eventually snatched up a soda, boots carrying her towards a random tree. Just far enough away from the others but close enough to be around if someone needed something.

Suki’s offer effectively released her and Willow of any responsibility in paying for a meal. Rei snapped open her drink top and slowly sipped the burning fluid, wondering if the other girl was being kind or just felt obligated to cook for them. No. It was probably the latter. Dark Magical Girls, after all, were selfish above all else. She lazily scanned the area before noticing Tsubomi, the only other girl whose face could match her own.

“Why don’t you give us some atmosphere,” she told Willow. There wasn’t going to be much entertainment for the night anyway given the group home’s condition. Whether the blonde actually listened or would just tag along with Rei was up to her because the green-haired girl left her tree to saddle up beside Tsubomi.

“You know it’s a party, right?” she said, clinking her soda to Tsubomi’s. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of the new girl. Just cause she doesn’t transform into normal clothes doesn’t mean she’ll bite,” Rei joked, flicking a parting glance at Nyxia. “Wonder what your partner’s making in there. I can’t recall ever eating anything Suki’s cooked.”

She didn’t care if she was just talking to herself.

---

“You… are more sociopathic than I thought,” Mercurial said to Willow after the fellow dark magical girl spoke her piece. “I don’t know about making some noise, though. Aren’t you Rei’s partner? I think she would get jealous if she saw you trying to pick up other girls like this,” she added as Willow leaned into her. Nevertheless, Yayoi made no effort to get out of the way, at least for the time being.

“But, worry not. I guess I can lend you a hand on your most impending doom,” Mercurial said to the girl who was still resting on her shoulder after Rei came and said that Willow would have to shell out half of tonight’s bill. “Just like this,” she said in a playful voice as she used her magic tricks to draw a coin from behind Willow’s ear, in a smooth, well-trained move.

Where that money came from would be anyone’s guess, though. A magician never revealed their tricks, after all.
The decision of where the club members would eat tonight was unexpected. At least it would save Willow from the brunt of a restaurant bill for this many people. But, more than that, it gave Yayoi the perfect excuse to practice her own crafts.

“That’s not a bad idea, we really need some entertainment. Actually, I’ll even throw in something of my own,” Yayoi said after Rei called Willow to act.

After that, the blue-haired magician procured a few boxes, to build an improvised stage. When it was ready she called everyone’s attention speaking as loudly as she possibly could in her normal form. “Attention, ladies, and well… ladies I guess. It’s time for tonight’s entertainment to begin!” she said before producing a party popper from her seemingly bare hands and sending a blast of confetti into the air.

---

"Oh wow. You're a massive dork! How are you a dark magical girl, again?"
Willow spoke to Mercurial, checking both her ears to make sure no more coins hid behind them.

"I'm more than Rei's partner, I'm her devotee. She gives me such wonderful music notes, but I'm feeling some exciting vibes coming from you. Something sinister lurks under your pretty smile, you're going to have to tell me more!"

The transition to Oros's group home was complimented by Willow playing a swelling and sickeningly sweet set of notes off her instrument as the dark girls conversed and socialized. It sounded something like this.

She'd give a nod to Rei in the form of a music note, suddenly releasing her instrument afterward and letting it float up to the ceiling to play it's tunes all by itself. She'd take her gloves off her hands and set them on the side of her stage show.

Glancing around for someone to mess with, spotting Nyxia who currently debated on entering the kitchen or not. Without introducing herself, she'd sit beside the girl who rested on her table and idly poke at her foot to get her attention.

"Are you sure you can trust your lovely hostess? What is she doing in there exactly? Maybe you should go inside and confront her...see what kind of secrets she's holding in her heart."

Willow's goals and motivations in asking these odd questions was just as elusive as the strange smile she held over her face. She'd held up her head in her hands, her eyes flashed with purple coloring from the bright lights above.

"Very strange how kind she is, don't you think? Especially how those two in there look at all the other girls...almost like they're hungry, and not just for the food they're making."

@ShadowSunRisen

Nyxia hadn’t been sitting for very long, before a blonde girl with a violin began playing a tune. The Neon Tempest had to admit that the girl was rather talented, although the piece didn’t really fit the somber mood she found herself in. What am I even doing here? she wondered, even as a blue-haired girl began what appeared to be an impromptu magic show. She didn’t know how to socialize with any of these girls, and, quite frankly, she didn’t particularly want to. As the musical performance continued, Nyxia realized that, like herself, the elegantly attired musician had yet to return to her mundane form, a fact which allowed the girl’s instrument to continue playing in mid-air, even after she had begun wandering over to Nyxia’s table. When the girl sat down, poked her foot, and began her little spiel about trust, The Neon Tempest couldn’t help but sigh.

“I only trust two people,” she informed the girl in an icy tone. “One of them is right here,” she added, gently caressing her enormous weapon. “The other is dead. As for our host’s motivations, it’s painfully obvious she’s just interested in trying to fuck everyone, like we’re characters in some fucking video game. Why the hell would I give even a single shit about someone so needy and pathetic?” she asked, her voice filled with contempt, along with a slight, but still perceptible amount of pain.

For a precious moment, Nyxia had hoped that maybe Oros, Suki, or whatever the hell she chose to call herself might have been different, but no. Like all the others, she merely saw Nyxia as something to be used, rather than as someone to be loved…

Fucking bitch…

While everything was cooking, boiling, or heating up, Suki was making a list of the ingredients she used. Her little yellow notepad was opened to a page titled “InGriEdIanZ” with a lot of neat writing just below it. Even if this was something of a “stay in” dinner, it wasn’t unreasonable to expect Rei and Willow to cover the cost. To this end, they would need to know what was used and how much. Some may wonder why Suki didn’t just look at her recipe to determine this, but that was because it technically didn’t exist. Suki did not prepare meals like a chemist. You’d never catch her peeking into a cookbook or busting out measuring cups. She operated entirely by feeling alone. Some would say she lacked consistency, but Suki believed this gave all of her dishes a unique personality. No two meals were ever the same.

She looked up from her list when she noticed a light turn on in the dining room. In addition to an outdoor seating area, the kitchen had a dining room that bordered one of the counters. Everyone could have come inside, but they were less likely to be noticed if they had their little party outside. Suki fully expected one of her "room mates" to wander into the kitchen and grab something from the fridge. But that wasn't who she saw sitting down across from her.

Suki committed a lot of faces to memory, but Misoka was one of the easier ones to remember. She was the most prestigious girl in Suki’s class, and possibly the school. She always got full marks on her tests, outperformed everyone in her class during sport events, got along with everyone, and was considered one of the most beautiful girls in school. Bringing up Misoka’s name would always lift the mood.

Unless you brought it up with Suki.

She just seemed so fake! Anybody who receives that much admiration is a liar. Her boobs were too big to be real. Her kindness had to be a front. That ‘admiral’ style sailor outfit she wore was pretentious enough to belong to a light girl. But Suki had looked into it and she was definitely normal. But worst of all, she was always happy unless she was looking at Suki. Then she’d look like a deer caught in the headlights. As the case was now while they stared at each other. They would continue to do this until a third party stepped between them; A girl with lavender hair and an oversized t-shirt. Like Misoka, her face was also easy to remember.

"Aria?”

Suki didn’t have many friends, but Aria was a girl she would occasionally talk to. She visited Japan a few times a year and had a monthly instant message convo with Suki. It would be fair to say that Aria’s distance from Suki enabled her to be friends with her.

”Hey Suki. I thought I might find you around here.” She pointed over her shoulder. ”I got talking to Misoka and realized you guys were classmates! Who knew? I talked her into coming here to hand out some goodies to you guys! It wasn't hard though, I guess she does stuff like this a lot. She baked a little too much though. I told her to eat a few, but she’s not buying the whole ‘it’ll go straight to your breasts’ thing.”

Suki folded her arms. "I think those are big enough anyway.”

”Yea, but you and I could use ‘em.” She took a plate filled with confections and placed it in front of Suki. ”Sadly, I’m diabetic. But if you want to get stacked you can eat as much as you like. You are one of the residents here. She practically made these for you.” Aria gave the plate one last nudge before folding her hands behind her back.

Suki’s gaze fell on the baked goods. It was a trove of treats, all with vivid colors. The cupcakes were topped with Icing flowers and real fruit. The jam on the cookies glistened like a frozen lake. Large grains of sugar sparkled like fresh snow. But in the middle of everything was what looked like a small Christmas cake. Not unlike the kind you might get at KFC in December. It was just big enough to share or, if she was having a bad day, she could eat the whole thing herself.

She took a puff from her cigarette. "Those things are loaded with artificial colors. That could give me cancer.”

”Maybe your friends are less concerned with their health?” Aria had stepped around the counter to look outside.

"They have all the soda they could ever drink and an ice chest full of popsicles. I’d rather they get rid of that stuff first.”

Aria was only half listening to Suki. She watched the Detention club go about its business before pulling a camera out of her pocket. ”Speaking of artificial colors…” She snapped a picture.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?” Suki rushed over to Aria, who was all too happy to show her the picture she took.

”I just snapped a picture of that cosplayer. See?” She showed Suki her picture of Nyxia, who was shouting at an off-screen Willow. ”That gun looks really snazzy, and not many girls are willing to dye their skin. That’s not a low effort costume like ‘bunny girl in a leotard’ or ‘character X, but in a bikini.’ No, this actually looks impressive.”

"You’re into costumes?”

”Not exactly.” Aria put away her camera. ”I’m more of a nature photographer, as a hobby of course. But there’s an acquaintance of mine that likes to take pictures of people like that, so I figured why not? Might give us something to talk about. Anyway, don’t wanna interrupt whatever you’re doing here.” She stepped back into the dining room and pointed at the plate full of baked goodness. ”I need to wake up early tomorrow to catch my flight. If you really don’t want to eat anything, just stick ‘em in the fridge. They were just made a few hours ago so they should still be fresh.” Aria nodded at Misoka and the two walked out of sight.

The plate of cookies remained on the counter. The fridge was a relatively short walk from the counter, but there was a garbage can at the other end that had been recently emptied. Suki looked at both options, sighed, and moved the plate into the fridge.

Waking up sprawled across a bench left a sharp ache in Roche’s shoulders, but that was secondary to the taste still lingering in her mouth that had rousing sharply with a wordless snarl twisting her lips. She palmed herself hurriedly, uncaring for her disheveled state and giving only a moment of pausing at feeling uncovered skin where a sports bra would be before resuming her search, till at last finding the snapped cord of her Emblem and deflating with a wave of relief.

Only once it was tied around her neck once more and she returned to her Magical Girl state in a flicker of light did she manage to release the tension gripping her and look around her.

Recognizing Suki’s ‘home’ for what it was left her steaming anew, and even as the group settled in to try and converse Roche could see Nyxia had withdrawn completely back into her shell. Her hands curled into fists within her billowing cloak, but as much as she wanted to try and fix the mess her….incapacitation, had caused, a kernel of shame at her lurid display kept her mouth closed tight.

No, she’d have to talk to Nyxia later. Approaching the door to the kitchen she exerted a not-insignificant amount of willpower to calmly open and close the door behind her. That was the extent of her restraint as she found the wastrel herself shoving an artful bouquet of confections into the fridge.

“Do you have the slightest idea of how much damage you’ve caused tonight? This wasn’t just Nyxia’s first night with us. It was her first night out with other people, period.”

Suki was looking over her “recipe” when Roche let herself inside. She had a pen in her right hand and a cigarette in her left. The only indication she heard Roche was a slight twitch of her head. She peaked over her shoulder at the rule keeper.

"Ah-hah!” Suke rubbed the back of her head before turning to face the newly arrived. "I don’t pretend to be privy to everyone’s secrets. But she seemed like she was enjoying herself up until a bit ago.” She set down her pen and folded her arm across her waist. "She enjoyed my compliment, how I spoke about her beauty, and I even fought on her command, Only so that I could make her dinner.” She peaked at Nyxia through the window. "You could have gone down a bit easier, but that was my fault. You wouldn't have wanted us to have a real fight instead, would you?“

”Yeah, I bet she did enjoy it. Because it was her first time. Suki, this girl is more sheltered and isolated than any Magical Girl I’ve ever encountered. Some of those Light Girls are better adjusted than her, and you just strung her along for a laugh and some casual flirting. Now I look like I was talking out of my ass with her and she’s back to thinking we’re all backstabbing bullies who she shouldn’t care about..”

The Rule Keeper was making an effort. She really did not want to shout, both for the people still sleeping and the group outside the door, but Suki’s cavalier ideas of romance proved as troublesome then as they had when she’d first partnered with the Blood Magical Girl.

”We were so damn close to a good first impression. Why do you keep sabotaging yourself like this Suki? If you just wanted in her pants you just had to grope her yourself.” Roche exhaled heavily, a scowl as firmly etched across her face as the tattoos upon her transformed skin.

It took Suki a moment to respond. She inhaled deeply and let every bit of air leave her lungs. When she refocused on Roche, her brow was furrowed. "That so?” Suki pointed out the window. "That beautiful lavender forest that you were blessed with wished for us to fight. I don’t think she’s nearly as timid as you make her out to be. Grossed out? Maybe. Put off by my powers? Sure. Finds my true self repulsive? That makes two of us. But if she’s put off by a bully, I know someone who fits that description a lot better than me.” She moved her hand onto her hip. "You’re not here to talk, so why are we wasting our time? Get this over with already!” With a flick, the cigarette in Suki’s hand landed in the sink. Her hands were trembling. "Just don’t totally cripple me, okay? I still have to serve dinner. And keep it under my clothes, it’s easier to explain to the teachers that way.”

The Rule Keeper’s eyes narrowed seeing Suki turn defensive, a flimsy effort made to hide the tension in her frame. ”You call it bullying. I call it team building. Considering just about everyone else works great together, I think the outlier here isn’t me.”

With a snort she extends her hand, palm out with her fingers curling expectantly. ”Suki, I’m not going to hit. I never hit you just for the sake of it. I’m disappointed you’ve passed on every opportunity to get out of this hole you live, but I’ve let you stay here. So do me a favor in return and give me my bra back so I can transform back.”

"Whatever.” Without taking an eye off of Roche, Suki reached under her shirt for a small bulge and pulled out the undergarment. "Force of habit.” She tossed the bra to Roche. It was still a little warm from being so close to Suki’s skin. "Is that all, Bedshaker?”

Catching the thrown garment, Roche still wasn’t comfortable transforming back to normal to put it on. Tucking it into her cloak she chose to ignore the warmth still clinging to the garment, but she didn’t turn to leave either. Taking a step towards the counter she set her palms on it, trying to make herself look less inclined towards violence.

”Do you want a hand making the meal? Or at least someone to help carry it out?”

Suki’s gaze remained locked on the doorway where Roche had been standing. She hadn’t moved a muscle. "No.” She said at last. Suki had never accepted Roche’s help in the past, and didn’t seem like she was going to start now. "I’ve got it. Thanks.”

”Okay.” Roche’s eyes closed, feeling more defeated then she had under Oros’ poisonous kiss. Suki yet remained out of reach even if she could so easily reach out and brush her shoulder. Turning away with a soft rustle of fabric she slipped out the door, instantly stiffening to a confidant posture as met the eyes of the gathered group.

”The food will be ready soon. She’s got something special cooking for us.” With a soft smile she moved to Nyxia’s table, content to sit opposite and across from her as she interacted with her fellow Magical Girls.

---

“You know it’s a party, right?”

Tsubomi felt a slight jolt as Rei bumped her soda with her own. By the time the action was processed in her mind, Rei had already said something else.

“-l me you’re scared of the new girl. Just cause she doesn’t transform into normal clothes doesn’t mean she’ll bite.”

Bite? No. Shoot? Possibly. But if Tsubomi were actually scared, she'd... Oh, she realized it was a joke a moment later.

“-at your partner’s making in there. I can’t recall ever eating anything Suki’s cooked.”

To that, Tsubomi took a long few gulps of soda. She was tempted to tell the boss that Suki's cooking was quite possibly more dangerous than the Light Girls they'd seen earlier in the night, but... Then she wouldn't learn anything about her green-haired senior. Then again, would she get in trouble for not warning her? In the moments she had thought about this, Mercurial had set up balloons an-

-BANG-

Tsubomi jolted in her seat. She knew herself well enough to know that she was a bit... slow, physically but more-so mentally, when her guard was down, but getting startled by a party popper was just embarrassing. She cleared her throat and tried to banish the slight blush on her cheeks, speaking a few seconds later. "Speaking of partners... Willy's already got the new girl under control, I think..." She took another swig of soda, only to find that it was the last of the can. She stared at it blankly for about ten seconds before shrugging and setting it aside. "So you think that pink hair goes to our school? Sorry I couldn't catch her. But Oros thinks she knows her name, now..."

She reached back and bent slightly to grab another soda from the cooler. "She goes by... 'licorice,' I think she said? And her apparently her real name is either that or, what was it? Homm-ura, I think." It was about that time that Earthshaker went into the kitchen. Tsubomi's head turned to follow her and stayed looking at her until the door was shut. Her head lazily moved back to look at Nyxia. And after a minute or two, Earthshaker returned outside to sit across from that very girl, saying something about the "food" coming soon.

This would make for an interesting interaction, so maybe she should transform and harvest some of it?
...
Nah.

Honura almost wept for the poor soul trapped within it's glass cage. She imagined how lonely it felt, separated from the outside world where all it can do is helplessly watch with cold, dead eyes. She'd almost felt the same way when she moved all the way to Hibusa, it was a difficult time for the girl but she grew to love the town and all she wanted to do was offer the same ending to the bear. She rose to her feet as shew as about to try again, but-

She twisted on her feet as a voice startled her. What if it was another dark girl? What if someone had chased her down and stalked her until she was at her weakest?

Nope, it wasn't something that'd send Homura into a swirling mass of despair. In-fact, it was just an ordinary looking girl. She quickly adjusted herself and bowed towards the girl in apology, perhaps in greeting too. "Ah! Sorry, it's been a weird day." She states. As she rises, she noticed something familiar about the girl. Her memory took a moment to keep up with her thoughts as she realised that this was none other than one of the girls that fought back against the 'mean' ones.

"Uhmm..." She turns back around for a moment and gingerly places her finger upon the glass, a stark contrast to the fist so comfortably planted against it. Her gaze and finger point straight at that bear still holding that heart tight. She seemed a little embarrassed to point it out, a hint of red creeping upon her face. "That one, it looked lonely."

As it turns out, they still weren't quite alone as another girl made her appearance. Another familiar one that seemed to really like their frogs. She offered a bow and a wave in greeting as she approached and apologised for their separation, though Homura was mostly to blame for that.

"I- Just ran away. You shouldn't say sorry, I left you to fight them." Her eyes trail downwards as the sounds of arcade machines, ticket machines, falling coins and distant voices grew louder in her shame. Alas, everyone seemed to be fine and all conflict had ended for the night but Homura couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for the conflict in the first place, if she just hadn't investigated that vortex of negativity then it could've just been a normal night.

Suna let out a small laugh as Kaeru emerged from the ether too, the two girls embracing each other for a moment before they separated. Friendly faces were nice to see, though she didn't mind any face so long as there was emotion behind it. Her eyes flickered over to the heart-holding teddy bear that the pink-haired girl had pointed out, nodding along.

"Alright." Then, she blinked, and she tilted her head around Kaeru's, looking at someone, something, behind her. "Huh. What's there?"

There was nothing there. But in the time that the others would have checked, Suna pulled back her fist, an electric viciousness flickering into her eyes before she struck the claw machine. The glass shattered, the force of her strike concentrated into a singular point that made such a thin layer almost too easy to break. Shards rained down, the dark-haired girl retracting her fist before the sharp edges could snag against her skin. With her other hand, she reached in, pulled out the one that the new girl pointed out, and nodded.

"There you are. Welcome to Hibusa." It plopped into Homura's hands and simultaneously, the blaring of alarms sounded as well, a confused sound from the worker there. "Now, this is where I run away, but you're free to join me too. Ah, and don't worry. This isn't theft." A wink, a smile that was balancing the line between mischievous and devilish. "The franchise can absorb the cost and the machine's built upon scamming the desperate, so, you know."

Her steps were light and guiltless, wholly unconcerned.

"It's basically justice to strike back! And Kaeru, if you're going to lecture me? Keep up!"

---

Hotaru did not want to let Kiyo go. Her heart had been thundering in her chest. Her limbs felt as though butterflies swarmed through them, leaving behind shivering trails that stole away their strength. Hairs stood on end across her whole body and her breath shook with her body as she tried to calm herself down along with two others. Indeed, just like Kiyo's voice, the soothing hum of her other selves barely penetrated the fog of her emotions, unable to seize control from her in this state. They were worried, they were angry at the light girls along with themselves and they swore never to repeat this mistake as Shatterscape. Well, at least Sylvia did. Ember, as usual, went on to plan for the future.

"I... I'm sorry, Kiyo. I should have teleported back to you after I was done instead of... instead of chasing that stupid frog girl! She... you weren't hurt, were you?" Hotaru's embrace loosened as she lifted her left gauntlet, using one of its sharp fingers to trace a delicate pattern on Kiyo's face. The careful touch would not even irritate her partner's skin despite it's ability to rend apart metal at a glance and surely, the other girl could feel the deep consideration behind each feather-weight movement.

"It is our fault if you were," spoke Sylvia, borrowing Hotaru's lips to convey her feelings, her usual, even voice reduced to an whip-like whisper. She did not take away any part of her friend's body for her own use, but her feelings remained clear in her words. "I am also sorry," Only Ember remained silent, lost in her thoughts.

Kiyo remained perfectly still, only her eyes moving here and there as she checked the goings-on of Hibusa town, still not looking at her partner. "Scrapes and bruises, already healed minutes ago," she replied dismissively. "It was my reckless decision to pursue the new girl so far that brings us here, Sister. If I had died, I would accept nothing less than the lion's share of the blame. It was a golden opportunity—a fresh light girl that doesn't yet fear dark girls..!" she couldn't help but smile for a moment before it all came back. She sighed. "Such a waste. That girl was ripe. Nonsuch on the other hand, is still a sourpuss. I'll have to leave her to her navel-gazing for a while longer." Raising up dark girls... how absurd, she thought, but also... so very curious. She giggled out loud, feeling a kind of childish excitement as she wondered if this secret the two of them shared was even possible.

At any rate, it seemed Evil Eye was unharmed, and still very much her usual, weird self.

Sylvia let out a sigh of relief while Hotaru's hand remained on Kiyo's cheeks for just a few more seconds. Her expression softened as she heard that the mistake did not cost her gravely, a tiny smile adorning her face when Sylvia gave back full control.

"I... we are sorry. Again." Hotaru spoke for all of Shatterscape, for Shuuko. "I thought we could get rid of the frog girl. Everyone agreed." She averted her eyes as she spoke, hand dropping beside herself along with her shoulders while her fingers slid against each other, fidgeting with the subtle noise of metal sliding against metal. In her head, she went over the events of the night - not only did they not kill many Miseria, they failed to do anything with the light girls. What a miserable failure.

"And please live, Kiyo." Still unable to face Evil Eye, she dared not to raise her voice or to make a demand. "Your life isn't worth it. I have twelve. Use mine if you have to." The words were sincere even if Hotaru avoided her partner's gaze; Shatterscape's copies could be destroyed over and over again until no more remained. She would only die if even the last one were destroyed. Therefore, her life was worth less than Kiyo's, or at least such was her logic.

"Enough apologies," Kiyo gently scolded. "I'm your senior, I made the call. It's me who will get an earful from the boss, and rightfully so. I'll hear no more of it." Slowly, she reached out to find Shuuko. Touching her chin, Kiyo turned it towards her, and directed her eyes to where she knew Shuuko's would be. This was the only time their eyes could meet directly—when the focus of Evil Eye's gaze was elsewhere. "If you really want to split hairs, all magical girls are replaceable—what's the saying? There's a sucker born every minute?" She chuckled. "As you like it, then. I'll be more careful. It's not often that two people work so well together," she said, in what was, by Evil Eye's standards, a tender voice.

A moment passed, and Evil Eye sighed. "Looks like everyone else forgot about us, Sister. They're all deciding where to get food. Oros is already digging in," she said as she watched the rather passionate and extremely public display. "It's been a while. Why don't we get something alone, to go? We can prank the other girls while we're at it," she said with a mischievous grin. "We'll get whatever you want. I'll have the driver take us there."

It still stung a little, but the rest of the guilt, Shuuko would have to deal with on her own. Kiyo shut her down rightfully, going as far as to look into the other girl's eyes while her gaze did not pay attention, lest Shuuko be caught in the whirlwind of her magic. This gesture demanded nothing less than Shuuko having to face it with her own eyes, sincerity sparking in her gaze while she sealed away her emotions to deal with them later. Indeed while she sought out the other half of the duo, the rest of the Dark Girls chose to start livening up the atmosphere, especially Oros. Hopefully, their rulekeeper would break them in yet again.

"I really wish you girls weren't involved in this whole mess," spoke Ember as she surfaced, "It's just wrong, isn't it? Just as it's wrong to pull a fast one on someone... but in this case, it might be deserving." Dispelling her transformation, Ember's gauntlets along with her costume vanished into motes of light, leaving her with a few injuries on her mundane form. "But if you're offering... Let's get something simple. It is my turn today." A glint. A hint of a scheme in Ember's eyes that Kiyo likely knew well.

"Could we take a stop by my home? I'd like to enjoy the food without interruptions."

Finally, Evil Eye's gaze returned to the ambulance, but still she looked away from Shuuko. The paramedics had gotten off the floor and were giving treatment to their other patient. She supposed that was fine. Actually, weren't there two of them? She looked around and, sure enough, there he was sprawled out on the floor. He was dead, and also stank of alcohol. Kiyo shrugged, turning her attention to the privacy screen behind Shuuko's bed and tearing it aside. Barking a simple order at the helpless man, he would take a detour from the hospital to go to a drive-through instead.

Within a few minutes, Kiyo and Shuuko were in possession of a bucket of fried chicken to share. "Hold on to this for a bit," she said as she rummaged through medical supplies for some bandages, applying a couple of them to her face. She then hopped into the bed next to Shuuko, taking her phone out for a selfie and flipping the bird. Finally, she sent the picture to the group chat along with some text.



And there they were, sharing a hospital bed, Shuuko holding a bucket of fried chicken while Kiyo flipped off the camera.

"That'll do," she snickered as she showed Shuuko the text. Then, she squinted. "The fuck? When did I send this?" She'd finally noticed the "changed my mind" text Nonsuch had sent. Before she could think about it much, however, there came an urgent noise like an alarm from the driver's cabin, and the ambulance abruptly stopped. "Shit. Let's scram."

Evil Eye practically shoulder-tackled the paramedics and the ambulance door as the two escaped into the night, flying the rest of the way to Shuuko's home. That is, Evil Eye flew while carrying Shuuko. "One of these days that bitch is gonna pay for trashing my bike. So annoying." How she hated flying—but there were no trains left at this time of night, surely. Besides, they were already close.

Suki exhaled as soon as Roche left the kitchen. There was a lot she could have said about how Roche did things, but there was no reason to. The rule keeper was stubborn and resistant to change. She’d have better luck convincing a mountain to move out of the way. If there was a silver lining, it was that Roche had decided not to beat her up.Suki. Not that a little pain would pose an issue. The bigger problem would be if this snowballed into something bigger. It was too early to tell, but it didn’t seem like there would be any long term ramifications for her actions. Not with Roche at least. She was more concerned with how Nyxia may regard her. Even Suki felt that whole exchange was a lot weirder than it had to be.

But that was an issue for future Suki to worry about. Dinner was ready. It was bad enough that Misoka, Aria, and Roche had all walked in on her. She wasn’t going to give a fourth chance to interrupt her. Everything was poured into a single pot and ready to eat.

"Mmmm.” She put her nose over it. "It smells even better than last time.” She grinned from ear to ear.

---

Suki promised that the meal wouldn’t take long to prepare. Whether she kept her word or not was a matter of opinion. Twenty minutes wasn’t a long time to prepare a meal, but it was a long time to wait if you were expecting something on the level of fast food.Regardless, seeing Suki wander out of the kitchen with a pot of food was sure to please the hungriest of the group. The pot was fairly large, and Suki’s small frame looked a little awkward carrying it. She had a stove mit on each hand and an apron that read “kiss the cook.” Roche might note that Suki wasn’t wearing this while she was in the kitchen, so she must have decided to put it on before coming outside. As Suki got closer to the picnic tables, everyone would fill a chill run through their hearts. It wasn’t unlike what most everyone felt when Rei transformed, but even she could feel an unsettling aura rest over everyone. But there were no rival magical girls to be seen.

"Dinnnnah is served!” Once Suki got to the table, she set down the pot and placed bowls and spoons in front of all the seated magical girls. "Thanks for waiting everyone! It’s still hot, but there should be plenty of ice in those chests if you need to cool it off more.” When Suki pulled the lid off of the pot, the Detention club could swear they smelled a powerful miseria in their vicinity. The sort of thing that even their combined might may not be able to destroy. Somehow, even the darkness of night seemed hollow compared to the bleak presence of what was approaching them. It felt as though some eldritch being was looking at them from just beyond the veil of reality. If Aigorost were to appear, Hibusa town wouldn’t be a bad place to start.

This feeling of unease did not relent when Suki picked up a ladle. With glee, she scooped the contents of the pot into everyone’s bowls. The “food” was almost indescribable. It was hard to believe that something like this could even be made without the assistance of magic. The gelatinous food bubbled and moved, more like a living creature than a proper meal. Had Suki created a miseria?

"I use to call this one the ‘Suki Special,’ but that feels kind of generic. This is a working title, but I’m thinking about calling this dish Endless Eclipse.” She looked at Nyxia. "A-anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it. But don't be afraid to tell me your honest opinion!”

A claw seemed to reach out of the pot, or was that just a trick of the light?

Before Willow could continue with her inane banter, Earthshaker emerged from the kitchen to inform them that their meal would be ready soon. The transformed girl then proceeded to take a seat at Nyxia’s table, choosing to sit on the bench across from her. However, since the Neon Tempest was sitting on the table itself and facing the kitchen door, this meant that the club’s rule keeper was now staring at her bare back. “Enjoying the view?” Nyxia sneered, turning her head to face her supposed “partner”. “You better hope Suki doesn’t catch you staring,” she added with a smirk. “Or are the two of you not an item?”

Speaking of Suki, the piranha-toothed girl chose that moment to reveal what her cooking had accomplished, even if Nyxia found herself wishing she hadn’t…

The smell alone made the Neon Tempest want to gag, but that was nothing compared to the sight of it. When the pot’s lid was opened, she was presented with what could have easily been a half-dead Miseria, writhing in its pitiful death throes. Indeed, what filled the pot looked like nothing more than a pile of bubbling, viscus mucus, or perhaps toxic waste. Whatever it was, it was nothing Nyxia wanted to be anywhere close to, let alone put in her mouth… Still, Suki had asked for her honest opinion, and Nyxia was more than happy to provide it.

“W-What the fuck is this shit?!” she snarled as her body visibly recoiled from the “meal”, her visage one of utter disgust. “Somethin’ ya dredged up from the fuckin’ toilet?!”

---

Rei was no stranger to the effects of Tsubomi’s magic. What appeared as external apathy was in fact emotional drawback as per how her magic worked. It was why Rei figured it best to socialize with the equally stunted girl. Or maybe that was just an excuse to herself to get involved with her own club. The point being, she was happy to let the other girl take her time with responses, mind drifted off to other matters anyway. Like where Kiyo and Shuuko were.

The party was nice, always a treat to see Suki try so hard to please her peers, but the entire setup felt half-finished, near empty without the full club in ensemble. Rei flicked her phone open and stared at the last message. Maybe she should say something, ask if they were alright. Was that considered weak. Maybe. Did she want the effort of extending that small kindness? By luck her blank indecision earned her reward.

Her one eye didn’t blink from Kiyo’s message nearly an hour or so later, showcasing both girls and a vulgar gesture coupled with an equally vulgar text to follow. It took a moment before Rei’s lips curled up and a snicker escaped her lips. Not that Tsubomi heard it, the girl jumping beside her. Rei looked up to Yayoi’s show before glancing at Suki’s partner.

“You’d think she’d know to keep the noise down between her props and her announcements," said Rei. “Then again, who cares about noise complaints when we’re Magical Girls. Rules don’t apply to us. Besides, you don’t need to keep your guard up so much now. I’ll protect you heh.” Rei placed her phone to the side, resting her chin on both her hands, fingers interconnected into one fist.

“Mhrn, I’m not so sure. Knowing Willow she’s probably just making things worse for me in the long run but it’s good to see everyone’s looking out for the noobie.” She considered offering Tsubomi what was left of her soda before the other girl grabbed her own. Rei only shrugged to the topic of their new resident problem, this new light girl. “Eh, don’t worry about it. Truth be told, I compromised myself walking around untransformed. Now Pinkie knows what I look like. It works out since there’s really only one high school in Hibusa and it means she’ll be wary of who I am.”

Rei lazily sipped her soda. Homm-ura. Homura. Not a bad name, and easy enough to remember. In fact, there wouldn’t be many new transfer students in Hibusa High in the last few months, least of all any with pink hair. The seeds of fear were planted; hunting her in the school would be like cornering prey. It was just too easy from here on out-

Rei twitched her eye, something wrong in the air. She noticed a slight pivot of change in everyone’s demeanor followed by Suki’s announcement. The food was ready, fresh and piping hot, but looking at the pot made Rei’s stomach curl. And seeing the actual contents almost made the soda’s sugar in her gut dissolve.

“You, hrm, don’t eat much of Suki’s cooking do you,” Rei guessed to Tsubomi, holding back a hiss as Suki served plates of something purple.

She wasn’t about to potentially poison herself on the good graces of the team’s “chef”. As Nyxia blatantly rebuked the soup slop with open disgust, Rei swiftly sent a private text message to her partner. For Willow’s sake, she better pick up the phone.

---

Homura, being the gullible and naïve girl she is, falls for Suna's trick and looks off to try and spot what the other magical girl was talking about. Naturally, she spots nothing but the empty space of disappointment lingering in the air left behind by those scammed by the arcade place. By the time she looked back, Suna had already smashed her fist into the claw machine, the shattering of glass that followed shocked Homura enough that she couldn't even scold the girl for doing something so silly.

She watched in horror as Suna pulled out the teddy she desired so much, half the glass still yet to touch the ground. She raised her hands in shock but instead of covering her face, they mat with the feeling of soft teddy-bear upon her hands. She was quickly snapped out of her stupor by the blaring alarms that came with the practical crime that the other girl had committed.

"What?" Homura asks as she looks down at the walking reminder of an act against God. The teddy bear stares lifelessly back into her eyes, begging for the sweet release from capitalism. The moment the girl looks up, she sees that Suna had already begun her grand escape. "Wait! You can't just do that!" The girl shouts after, stood there while she contemplates her next move. Her contemplation doesn't take long as she looks back and forth between Suna and the arcade machine.

Running after the girl, she was a bright contrast to Suna's completely uncaring attitude. In-fact, she almost cared a little too much. Homura was always about sticking to the rules, she never imagined herself breaking any rules and getting in trouble. When she was reprimanded as a child she'd always cry and that hasn't changed ever since she'd grown up.

"I appreciate the gesture, a lot! I think he's very cute. But that doesn't excuse property damage and vandalism!" Homura shouts after her, trying her hardest to not sound like a complete nerd even while she hugs the stolen toy close to her chest.

"So you only trust two people, one an inanimate object and the other a corpse. How do you expect to fare in a club full of scheming and twisted magical girls such as ourselves? Everyone can use a friend, if only to ensure they don't stab you in the back, Nyxia."

Willow was tempted to continue on, she loved talking and hearing herself; but Nyxia clearly didn't care to hear any further. Willow's interest in remaining also vanished when Suki returned with her abomination that was an insult to all culinary arts to call food.

"Oh dear heavens..." She clutched her nostrils shut and turned away, repulsed by the foul odor.

"I've already eaten you see...um. Oh look, Rei's calling me!" She glanced over at her phone, then realized Rei was already joining them at the table and ruining her escape attempt. All she could manage was an awkward smile while dying inside from the horrid meal. "G=Guess I'll be going to get this call from...uh... Bye~!"

The blonde rounded a corner in a mad dash while still clutching her nose, struggling to see the phone screen as she hastily typed away at the keypad.

I'd sooner eat dead animals off the road than whatever the hell that is. I'm placing the order at Alberto's. I'm getting my usual.

She loved spinach and mushroom pizza.

Sayuri's smile remained even though her eyes shifted to that of a confused person listening to Homura's logic about the recent events. It made sense the girl felt that way, but she had no idea that the Detention Club existed. Sayuri could only imagine the level of confusion she was in. She actually felt bad for the new arrival. Having faced what Sayuri deemed the darkest part of Hibusa town.

"...What?" the girl mumbled before motioning with both hands to stop, agitating them frantically as she answered; "No, no, no you got it all wrong! They started the fight... besides, you helped! You took some of them away, didn't you? You and Suna here--" as Sayuri was saying Suna's name and pointed to her was the exact moment the glass broke. Sayuri's stare went to the glass, then back at Suna with a Why? expression.

Both Sayuri and Homura had a near identical reaction. Sayuri's echoed Homura. "Yeah - you can't do that?!" but to no avail. Their friend was already making her escape. The blond girl turned to some of the friends she came in with, who gave her back an amused look and motioned for her to go.Aww...Damnit!. She then followed suit to Homura, herself chasing Suna.

"You bet your ass I will! Get back here - we spoke about this already!"