Chapter 35: Chapter 29 – Prepare For Trouble And Make It Double (4)

It's still Friday. . . on Venus:) Technically it's Fri on Venus for the next three months.
Seriously though, this chapter almost doubled in size from what I planned. At least, you're rewarded for waiting with the longest chapter so far.

Without further ado, after sugar comes spice~

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Chapter 29 – Prepare For Trouble And Make It Double (4)

 

Satiating her sadistic desire with Keiko’s embarrassment, Yui felt refreshed. It seems like the old adage was indeed true, teasing a Magical Girl a day, really did keep the stress away.

“Hara-san still hasn't answered if she wants to be a Magical Girl,” Yui nudged further, she wanted to see more of Keiko's cute reactions.

“. . .”

Keiko turned her head away and ignored Yui. But Yui knew how to pierce through Keiko’s sulking.

“I’m sure that Hara-san would easily outshine any Magical Girl with your kindness and honesty.”

“. . .”

“Magical Girl of Kindness~! That has a nice ring to it or maybe Magical Girl of Loveliness~!”

“No way. . . Misaki-san would be much better suited.” Keiko, unable to handle the continuous compliments, cracked.

“Ho~ If I became a Magical Girl, what type of would I be?” Yui asked.

“Definitely the Magical Girl of Beauty,” Keiko nodded.

Upon hearing that, Yui wrapped her hand around Keiko’s waist. As their soft bodies pressed together, she, keeping her voice low and moist, whispered into Keiko's ear, “I see~ Is my appearance the reason you invited me on this date?”

“Eep!” Keiko hiccuped and hurriedly denied Yui’s claim. “No no no, Misaki-san is very kind and witty, though a little playful, and also so patient with me. Ah, not that Misaki isn’t beautiful too.”

“Hmm~ Only a little playful~” Yui repeated, tilting Keiko’s chin up such that their faces were centimetres from each other.

“I—I—I—Mmm!”

Yui sealed their lips together, taking it slowly to savour the subtle taste of Keiko. She kept the kiss innocent to not scare off her little bunny, meaning no tongue action. But Yui could not stop herself from getting a good feel of that delicious ass.

Keiko pushed Yui away in surprise. Yet, Yui was undeterred like a starving wolf that spotted a tasty bunny. She want to see more of Keiko’s various expressions and she spotted exactly the thing needed to accomplish it.

“Thank you, Hara-san, but I think you rate me too highly. I can't selflessly protect everyone like those Magical Girls. Perhaps I have more in common with those Witches,” Yui said, pointing to a picture.

[Encounter between a Witch and Magical Girls, City S, Japan]

Dated a year ago when the Metermi first began signing contracts with Magical Girls. Two Magical Girls battled a Witch. Fire and lightning wove into a deadly tapestry while a horde of demons surrounded them like spectators of a gladiatorial fight. The tall silhouette of one of the combatants seemed strangely familiar.

“No way! Misaki-san is definitely not like them!” Keiko protested vigorously.

“Ho~ How are we different?” Yui asked with a grin.

“They’re. . . They’re. . . They’re evil! They recklessly and irresponsibly endanger everyone around them.”

“Hmm?” Yui was taken aback. Their steamy mood dissipated as her teasing backfired and uncovered something strange. That kind Keiko, who even tried to protect Envy from her clutches, is so hostile to witches. . . Very strange.

“Isn’t evil a little strong?” Yui probed, “How is what they do any different from what humans have been doing throughout history? Much more horrible things have been done by ordinary humans.”

“They’ll naturally look good if Misaki-san compares them to tyrants, anyone would.” Keiko countered though she looked as if she regretted starting this topic in the first place.

“Really? I believe Witches are just selfish. They want to achieve their own goal and don’t mind jeopardising others. But they don’t wantonly spread danger if they could help it. Surely that’s not enough to classify them as evil.” Yui continued.

She was not trying to defend her actions. The moment she experienced the pleasure of toying with a Magical Girl and embarked on the path of a Witch, she had already accepted that her witching activities would bear ill consequences. But there were lines even she would not cross like destroying humanity, she was certain other Witches were similar. Besides, if humanity disappeared, where would she get any new Magical Girls anime?

Keiko released Yui’s hand breaking their prolonged contact that lasted since before entering the gallery. “In the first place, it's unacceptable that their actions bring harm and danger to others. If they can use magic, they should direct it towards helping everyone.”

If the air between them had cooled, it was now frosty.

Did Keiko not realise it? Did she not notice the impossibility of what she just said?

Blood rushed to her head as Yui realised the dire situation. Was she angry? No, she was furious. Not so much as at Keiko, but for Keiko. She needed to fix it now or there would be trouble in the future. Struggling to keep an even tone, she asked, "Would Hara-san consider ‘inaction’ an action?”

“Yes?” Keiko answered, unsure of where this topic was going.

“And would Hara-san consider this magical war a threat that endangers everyone?”

“Yes. That’s why they’re evil, they teamed up with an alien rac—” Keiko continued to defend her stance, but Yui stopped her with a raised hand, this was no longer about good and evil.

"Then, shouldn't everyone be doing their best to stop the war?" Yui reasoned.

"They absolutely should." 

"And yet they don't."

". . ."

"Is that harming others?"

"That's differen—"

"Isn't it? By your definition of 'inaction'," Yui asked knowing that Keiko could not answer. "While not always intentional, everyone's own selfish goals and dreams would bring some form of harm to others, though not as direct as the Witches who bulldoze their way towards their objective. That's the nature of people."

Yui continued, "Most won't spend their entire lifesaving to save someone unless it's a person they care about. While those that do would be sucked dry before being tossed away."

This was exactly what Yui feared would happen to Keiko. Her bunny was a pure naive soul of boundless altruism, she would be wrung dry of her usefulness by TransMagica, by the Government, and by the Public. 

"Much like a Witch, if I were ever in a dangerous situation. I would first ensure those I cherish are safe, then myself. Strangers are a distant priority for me." Yui said grimly.

Out of nowhere, Keiko suddenly grabbed both of Yui’s hands. Desperately begging with tears in the corner of her eyes, “Please don’t say such mean things! Misaki-san is perfect! You're so kind and patient and pretty and amazing and many times better than them! So don't say that you're like a Witch!”

"Hmm?" Yui was confused. Here she was trying to teach Keiko an important lesson, yet, what she latched on to was her being like a Witch. . .

Sparing some mental capacity finally allowed Yui to realise why Keiko was acting so strangely this whole time. It was for such a silly reason that Yui could only laugh. Seriously, her little bunny easily away all her bottled anger. 

Yui asked while chuckling heartily, "Hara-san, were you upset that I compared myself to a Witch?"

"You shouldn't belittle yourself so much," Keiko nodded shyly, earning herself a kiss on the forehead.

“Ok, I won’t talk about this anymore,” Yui promised. How could she not adore her little bunny even more after this?

Even as their benign squabble that devolved into a philosophy lecture finally fizzled out, there remained an unresolved problem.

But now with a clearer head, Yui could accept it remaining unsolved.

Perhaps, Keiko never needed to notice the problem, because if she did, her bright innocence would be gone. Perhaps, that same light in Keiko is present in all Magical Girls. And perhaps, that beautiful yet fragile radiance was what attracted Yui to them in the first place.

As well as what Yui desired to taint. . .

Once more taking Keiko's hand in hers, Yui led them out of the Magical Girl section.

“Did Hara-san actually dislike Witches?” Yui asked. Keiko remained quiet but as they exited, she mumbled so faintly that Yui need her enhanced hearing to catch it and when she did, it brought a smile to her face.

“. . . not all of them.”

---

Back in the main section, Yui asked merrily, “Does this count as our first argument?”

“I was quite happy that Hara-san got angry for my sake~" Yui remarked when Keiko did not reply.

"Are there any other sections that Misaki-san wants to see?" Keiko asked in a high-pitched voice, trying to change the subject. 

Yui dropped the matter and played along. "Not really. What about Hara-san?”

“There are 'Demons in natural habitats', 'Civilian and Military', 'Ap—Oh, I almost forgot about the must-see Black-and-White exhibit. I heard that it's the best but I couldn’t find anything else about it.”

“Sure, let's see the last one before we leave,” Yui said. Keiko was a little disappointed that they could not see all but relented. They had already spent a significant amount of time in the gallery and judging by the empty rooms they passed, it was getting late. A highly recommended exhibit would close out their visit nicely.

Following the signs brought them to the back of the gallery, where it must have been planned for the public to view this exhibit last. The arrow showing 'Memorial' and 'Monochrome' pointed to a right opening. Taking this as their cue, they walked into the dark passage. The passage once more turned right and on the wall before them, announcing itself to all, was a word:

'REMEMBER'

As they got closer, they could see that the word was a mosaic, formed by many smaller images. Each image seemed to be centre around several people. A man held up a fish on his rod, the same man and his family posing for a group shot in the airport, a woman blowing out a birthday cake, a wedding photo of the groom carrying her bride, and many more, all showing their daily lives and special moments.

In smaller font below read: 'Dedicated to the brave men and women who gave their lives for humanity'

“This is the Memorial?” Yui asked soberly. Just because she was a Witch, does not mean that she enjoyed the suffering of others, Magical Girls excluded, though it should only be by her hands alone.

“It should be. . .” Keiko whispered as if there was an unspoken sanctity in this place. "But I never heard of it before."

"Let's see what they have in store." Turning right at the 'REMEMBER', Yui led Keiko further into the dim corridor. Similar to the other sections, photographs were placed along the walls. Yui trod carefully, keeping her footfalls silent and graceful, not wanting to disrespect their valiant sacrifice.

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Apparently, she was not the only one who despised insulting the fallens' work. The gallery thought the same because, to Yui’s complete surprise, the photographs here did not go through the same vetting process as the rest. While there were patches of hope, most carried a depressing sense of bleakness.

[Ghost City Luanda, Angola. Official population: 2.5 million, Current population: 0]

Luxury high-rise residences stood alone in a sea of zinc shacks, while gaunt dogs crowded around the photographer wagging tails in hopes of receiving food, some had collars around their necks. In the background, a wild demon prowled the dirt streets, tipping over a mini-van with its snout, uncaring of the commotion that was happening around it.

[Food Riots in Central Delhi, India]

A densely packed mass of people marched down a road, several were armed with machetes and other weapons. The situation was dire enough that the military mobilised to face the mob instead of the riot police.

[Port of Baltimore repurposed into a refugee camp, USA]

Haphazard makeshift shelters stretched across the flat port. People stayed in the large shipping containers, tossing cloth over the entrance to stave off the elements. There was even a small fishing boat flipped upside down and propped up with salvaged material to house the refugees. The refugees most likely fled their countries and arrived when they heard that there were fewer demons in the area.

Keiko gulped and pressed herself closer to Yui. The amount of misery before her was beyond anything Keiko had ever seen before, her short tenure at Magical Girl never prepared her for this. She had heard rumours and thought she knew, yet only when she was confronted with these pictures did she truly comprehend.

The passage was not too long but they took a disproportionate amount of time to emerge. They had walked through the entire Memorial in silence. Keiko was still in a daze, as for Yui, she had expected to see such images when she arrived, but she derived no joy from them, only a better understanding of the toll of war.

Yui turned to the Memorial hall, there was a curtain blocking her view but it mattered not. She bent her waist and bowed three times, Keiko hurriedly followed suit.

Only after they rose did Yui take stock of her surroundings, they were in a rest area of sorts. There were just a few benches for weary visitors to sit on, and before them, a second curtain demarcating the second sector, the Black-and-White exhibit.

"What's the matter?" Yui asked. Keiko had a dark frown creasing across her brow.

". . ." Keiko did not answer.

Yui guided them to a bench and sat down. "Tell me."

". . ." Still nothing, but Yui did not budge. She kept silent allowing Keiko to open up at her own pace.

Eventually, Keiko mumbled, ". . . Does it matter? Do the things I do matter? Even if I save someone, there are so many others suffering. . ."

Keiko almost let slip her Magical Girl involvement but Yui decided that now was not the time to talk about it. Instead, she squeezed Keiko's hand, it felt colder than usual. "Everyone is fighting in their own way. Hara-san has her way. Some may move mountains while others a grain of sand. But no matter how little it is, if everyone piles their efforts together, we'll surely achieve our goal."

". . ."

"You look like you don't believe me. You should properly finish your viewing before getting disheartened. I have a feeling that the answer is at the end of this corridor." Yui pointed at the curtain to the next section.

Keiko looked at her questioningly.

"Isn't it curious that you must pass through the Memorial to reach the Black-and-White exhibit? I don't know what they have in there, but I'm sure it'll be good. Perhaps, the answer to your question is there too." Yui stood up and offered a hand to Keiko, "Shall we see what they have to offer?"

Keiko took Yui's hand. They pushed aside the thick curtains and entered the Monochrome exhibit.

-

Piercing light blinded them the moment they stepped through. After spending such a long time in the dim gallery, their sight had to adjust. Only when their vision returned to normal were they able to orientate themselves.

They found themselves in a narrow passage while bright lights shone above, amplifying the whiteness of the corridor. The whole corridor was painted white, the only colour difference was along the walls some distance away, Yui could not make it out. And in the middle of the path, sticking out like a sore thumb was a pedestal begging them to check it out.

This was unlike anything the two had seen before or expected. Seeing as they were alone in this strange corridor and with no better option, they approached the pedestal. On it was a quote:

‘The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is the fear of the unknown’ – H.P. Lovecraft

“So weird,” Keiko stated. She had not yet recovered from her dejection, her shoulders still hung heavily.

"Yeah, it's weird," Yui agreed. "We'll have to keep moving to find out why they placed this here."

Going around the pedestal, they walked deeper until the things on the walls became clearer. They were black palm-sized photo frames neatly arranged into three rows at eye level. But there was something strange about them, Yui could not put a finger on why. As they approached, she spotted the reason why and it confused her even more.

Empty.

All of the black photo frames were empty. Only the usual title card below the frame and its black words against the white void provided any sense in this strange corridor.

[Remnants of the French 3^rd Defence Force (41^st day of combat)]

[Chengdu At Night, China]

[Empty Presidential Palace, Brazil]

[Youth branch of the Bersi People's Militia, Indonesia]

Just reading the many unique title cards did not give them any 

“Maybe they took them down, being the last day and all,” Keiko said shakily, clearly not believing in her own explanation.

“No, this should be the Black-and-White exhibit,” Yui replied.

The words they spoke seemed muffled to their ears as if a blanket covered the entire area, even the background music sounded distant.

"But what is their objective? The people who made this." Keiko asked.

'Not what I thought it would do, that's for sure. This won't solve Keiko-chan's insecurities.' Yui groaned.

"I can hazard a guess seeing the missing photos and the quote at the beginning," Yui said. "But let's continue for now. I'm sure they'll explain it in the end."

Yui and Keiko set off down the corridor between the rows of empty frames that stretched on and on.

[Liberated survivors of -CLASSIFIED-]

[Withdrawl from Granada after a 7-month campaign, Spain]

[Defence on the Nile, Egypt]

[. . .

[. .

[.

There were so many empty frames, each having its own title, that they could not process it all. Even though some titles did not sound too unpleasant, the lack of information simply made them jump to the worst conclusions.

By now, Yui was confident that this exact feeling was what the creators intended. Yet despite knowing that, she did not relish the feeling of unease. It seems Keiko shared the same sentiment as she quickened her pace when the exit came into view.

Along the route to the exit, the white sterile corridor gradually gave way to a field of flowers. The floor and ceiling were changed to mimic grass and blue skies. While the photo frames disappeared, replaced by paintings of red flowers.

"What flowers are these?" Yui asked.

"They're poppies," Keiko replied, staring in wonder.

At the exit, just as Yui predicted, there was a proclamation by the creators of the gallery:

We believe that the current censorship around the world regarding the war is detrimental to the future of all.
We understand why the censorship protocol exists.
We know of the worry that if the public knew the truth,
the resulting swell of fear and negative emotions would empower our enemies.
But consider for a moment, the price of ignorance.

Ignorance is like a warm safety blanket.
It embraces and soothes us,
wraps us up in our little world and tells us all is well.
But under that blanket,
we hear a growl and a bush rustle.

Is it a wolf?
Or a bear?

Blinded by the blanket,
our minds begin to wander.
Was that a footstep?
Was it getting closer?
We think we heard a branch snap.
Do we run?
Do we hide?

And as we huddle under the blanket,
paralysed with fear,
hungry jaws open wide to swallow us whole.

We believe that only by facing this challenge head-on would we stand a chance to prevail.

Keiko stood before the declaration in silence. Yui did not know what was running through her head. But when Keiko straightened her back, Yui could tell that something was different.

"Misaki-san was right, there really was an answer here. You helped me remember something I forgot and open my eyes, thank you." Keiko bowed to her.

"You're welcome?" What the hell did this anti-censorship exhibit answer? At least Keiko had the courtesy to clear up Yui's confusion.

"Everyone is fighting in their own way, just like these brave people." Keiko pointed to the proclamation. "No matter how big or small, we all play a part. Even if I can't do much alone, if we work together, we'll win this war!"

"This is why we fight," Keiko added softly. 

From Yui's point of view, Keiko was positively radiant and her determined look was the most beautiful version of Keiko that Yui had the pleasure to lay eyes upon. And as Yui admired her, tendrils of lust crept into her thoughts.

Shine brightly my dear Keiko,
brighter than the moon.
Cast your brilliance for all to see.
And when you break,
by my hand or the world,
I'll be there.
There to savour your despair. . .

 

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I wanted to try some stuff in this chapter, tell me if you think it works.

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