The Carnelian Sparrow

Chapter 3

The next day, Yui would trudge through the hallways of the school, making her way towards her classroom, in no particular hurry. She hadn’t slept well, and as usual, there had been no sign of her grandfather before she left. The telltale sign that he had a good night the night before.

As usual, she passed by the first years’ room, giving a little grin and a half wave towards Shinju, who awkwardly waved in return. A different voice, higher and softer called out from the crowd near there door. “…Good morning, Yui.”

Yui recognized Hanako’s voice, and gave a sidelong glance towards the other girl. “Mornin’.” She greeted, as polite as she could muster. She didn’t linger, however, and made her way towards her own classroom.

“Whoa. You know her, Hanako?” Shinju perhaps didn’t mean to sound so incredulous about asking that, but was too late to stop herself.

“…I needed to ask questions… about the class president election”, Hanako managed. She was staring at her phone, almost hiding behind it. It was a thinly veiled excuse, but credible enough that Shinju wouldn’t press further.

“Whew. Well, I guess I feel better about that. Felt like I was living in two different worlds for a minute! What with the band and the club and all.”

“…What do you mean by that, Shinju?” Hanako peered up from her phone, perhaps concerned that her lie was exposed.

“Nothing, nothing. Just, well, you didn’t seem like the type to get along, that’s all. Felt a little awkward, being friends with you and Koharu, but also with them. I dunno.”

“…We don’t get along. Not really. She’s… Yui is… loud, brash… The only thing I know for sure, is that she… well, she doesn’t seem the type to be a bully… that’s all.” Hanako had had time to think and rethink while dwelling on her encounter with Yui before. Her stance had softened as she realized that Yui was still giving her advice, as rough as it was. And Hanako couldn’t really afford to shun a potential ally in the world of Magical Girls.

“Whoa, where’d you get an idea like that?” Shinju did her best to mask a mock wounded tone. “Yui’s rough around the edges, sure. But I could’ve told you she wasn’t a bully! Not like that weird loner third year girl. Gives me the creeps…”

“…I suppose I could’ve saved myself some time by asking you, but… I needed to know for myself.”

“Heh, no worries. Hey, ya oughtta come by practice one of these days! Meet the whole band, get out of the house, y'know?” Shinju gave a warm smile, though Hanako simply sighed, unable to return the gesture.

“…Thank you. But… no thanks. I… I don’t really do well with… noise. N-Not that your music is ‘noise’, exactly, but…” Hanako was quick to defend herself, though Shinju only laughed.

“Haha. It’s all good. We’re still figuring it all out. Well, offer’s there on the table, anyway. 'Sides, Alice 'n’ Midori are much calmer than Yui is. She’s just kinda the mouthpiece, I guess. Even if she’s not a singer…”

“…Thank you, Shinju.” A small, meager smile followed. Even if Hanako wanted to accept the invitation, she had other plans. It had been a rough night of recovery from her scuffle with Yui, but she had quickly become accustomed to her newfound powers, and more importantly, her senses. She had practiced in secret, but Hanako had managed to learn how to consciously control her wind powers, though they were still largely driven by her emotional state.

Hanako had sensed the presence of a Witch not too far from the high school. She intended on investigating after school, but she wanted to first gauge Yui’s reaction to a greeting, to see if there was any hostility. Since there was none, Hanako figured that she would be able to hunt in peace, or at the very least, be able to coordinate with Yui if they both got the same idea.

For now, however, Hanako would have to survive the rest of the school day before she could set out on a hunt. There was no guarantee that Yui would be on the same page as Hanako, and cooperate with her on the hunt. These thoughts would linger in Hanako’s mind, even as the bell rung throughout the school.

The bell would ring again, this time signaling the end of the school day. Exchanging a careful look with Alice as the two walked out of their classroom, Yui wore a smug, certain expression. Alice’s was more careful and concerned. No words were exchanged, but the intentions and thoughts behind the looks were clear enough for both of them.

Yui had, at some point, told Alice about the upcoming hunt after school. Naturally, she was feeling confident. Kyubey had left her alone after the expression of discontent about her role as 'mentor’, and could finally hunt for herself, on her own. Alice, in turn, would be showing concern, urging caution and restraint. Yui, of course, would not be listening to this.

After leaving the building, Yui would take a sharp turn away from her usual walking route home. She was traveling at a brisk pace, but not outright running. She had time, she thought, and a head start, but she didn’t want to linger either.

It was rare that Yui would ever be in this part of town. She was getting closer to the University of Mitakihara, a place she tried her best not to think about. Her grades weren’t exactly high enough to get in on merit, and even with her grandfather’s winning streak, there wasn’t anywhere near enough money for her to afford tuition. Yui was never one to think too far into the future, anyway, but seeing the college was enough to bring her back to earth, if only for a moment.

She would pass by a bakery near the dormitories. English letters (“Bake-Bake”) spelled out the name of the establishment, a stark contrast to every other building along the road. Once or twice in her life, Yui had sampled the bread from this place. She wasn’t one to shoplift, of course, but her grandfather’s success was a recent development. Still, the girl who worked nights was kind enough to recognize a child in need.

Yui peered inside. Sure enough, the same woman still worked there. Cute, Yui thought. A passing little thought, before she shook her head and walked away. Her mind often wandered as she traveled around to hunt. It was a surefire way for Yui to clear her head, especially today, given her proximity to both physically to the University, and temporally to her post-school life.

The Itokai Dorms were currently closed off, police tape around one of the buildings in particular. Bits of broken glass could be seen scattered on the ground, and officers were carefully blocking the view to the public as best as they could, though a crowd had still gathered to the scene. This was a recent incident, it seemed.

Yui was unfazed. In her hunts, this was a common sight. After awhile, she didn’t even register the victims, and instead, took the telltale sign of a Witch’s Kiss as a sign she was on the right track. On the news broadcasts, the reports would be the same. Rising suicide rates in Mitakihara, in this district or that. Various reasons would be cited, such as economic troubles, or failure in the workplace, even slipping grades. But to a seasoned Magical Girl like Yui, the cause was clear.

Witch’s Kiss. This was primarily how Witches killed their victims. People who wandered to close to a Witch’s barrier would become affected, leading them to act with amplified emotions. Eventually, the victim would either lash out and attack others around them, or take their own lives. In some cases, the victim would be lead to the labyrinth, where a Witch would act more directly.

Yui’s mark would be close by. She skirted around the edge of the gathering crowd of concerned citizens, neighbors, and reporters. Yui dipped into a nearby alleyway and felt the shift in reality before reaching the dead end. Once there, she slipped carefully into the Witch’s barrier.

All Yui could see before her after she transformed was an endless desert. Nothing on the horizon except the endless, practically unbroken blanket of sand. A rookie would get lost here easily, Yui thought, walking in a seemingly random direction. The perfect hunt for Yui.

Yui figured that this girl must have been tough. College age, or at least outwardly showing as such, and a seasoned fighter. But no matter who it was, fate would always catch up. Such was the life of a Magical Girl. Another inevitability of the future that Yui would avoid thinking about as much as possible. Besides, keeping herself in the moment helped her fight more effectively.

Even without a visual sign, Yui had a way of tracking a Witch like this. In a labyrinth, sight is often the first sense to be betrayed and led astray. Smell was a dead sense nine times out of ten, and taste was completely useless. Hearing was more useful, as Witches usually gave themselves away when Yui got closer to the center of the labyrinths in which they resided. Touch, of course, was the most important, since Yui’s fighting style kept her up close. Even that, however, was sometimes unimportant, depending on the Witch.

It was Yui’s sixth sense, one she couldn’t put into words, that led her through the mazes. Ever since Yui made her wish, she had a way of intuitively, even subconsciously feeling where a soul was. If she focused hard enough, she could even tell who it belonged to, and on one or two occasions, what its source was feeling.

Yui stopped just shy of the center of the labyrinth. A sandstorm was blowing in, robbing Yui of her sight, though it wasn’t this that stopped her. “…Two souls? Someone beat me here, then? Damn. They must’ve been close. Maybe friends? Probably not just mere neighbors, that’s too much of a coincidence—”

Her eyes widened— something Yui instantly regretted and corrected— as she got a closer 'feel’. “No way… but how the hell did you get here before me?”

Hanako thought she heard a voice, a familiar one, for a brief moment. It was enough to distract her as the giant sand shark leapt up at her. Not enough of a distraction for Hanako, however, spinning just out of its dive, bringing her rapier along its side.

Before Hanako could reorient herself, she felt a hard smack along her back, sending her reeling from the safety of her personal cyclone. Hanako landed hard on the sand, rolling to a stop before rising to her knees. She coughed a bit; the sandstorm was making it hard to see, and even harder to control her wind.

She could feel it. The sand rumbled beneath her, and she knew that the Witch was preparing another attack. Yet she couldn’t bring herself completely to a stand, especially with the ground as unstable as it was with the intensifying shaking. Hanako braced herself as best she could, awaiting the impact. Her plan of escape wasn’t a great one, but having attacked the Witch, she knew it was more delicate than it appeared.

The impact Hanako expected never came. Two sharp yells, one human, one inhuman, followed by a heavy thud took its place, followed by the shifting sand as the Witch retreated. “…Yui?!”

“I thought about askin’ permission this time. Y'know, let you have the glory? But you weren’t gettin’ up, so…”

Hanako didn’t have the energy to argue. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but she was grateful for the help this time.

“But man, how the hell’d you get ahead of me? I wasn’t exactly on a sightseeing tour, or whatever…” Yui stood in front of Hanako, offering her hand. Hanako took it, staggering to her feet.

Hanako noted Yui’s surprised face when she began to hover a few centimeters off the ground, the wind around her swirling to keep her afloat. “I can answer anything you want… once we’re done here.”

Yui nodded, her expression returning to normal, and she looked around, golden staff ready in her right hand. “Okay… I think I get how this one works. Kinda glad to not be fightin’ her alone. Just listen up, and this’ll go real easy—”

Hanako didn’t wait for Yui to finish. Right as the sand in front of her broke, she lunged forward, much faster than normal and still hovering over the sand. Rapier extended, she aimed a quick thrust at the side of the head of the emergent sand shark. Enough force to pierce its body, yet not enough to deter its course, Hanako was once again thrown to the side.

“God damn it!” Hanako couldn’t see the attack from where she landed, facedown on the ground, but she sprung up as she heard the crackle of lightning and another, even more pained shriek from the Witch. “You impatient little kid!”

Hanako hovered again, shaking her head to regain her senses. “Impatient? It was attacking…! Th… There’s no time for discussing strategy on the battlefield, Yui!”

Yui didn’t attack this time, simply shaking her head. “God… you don’t know the first goddamn thing about a fight, do you, kid? Strategy is everything. Rush in blind like that, and you’re gonna get your stupid ass killed one day! This is your second hunt, and you still don’t know how to think on your feet?”

“…I was doing just fine before you arrived, Yui.”

“Oh I bet! 'Boutta become fish food, yeah. You had everything under control!”

“What are you… even doing here, anyway, Yui? You retrieved the spoils from last night’s hunt, did you not? I would assume you would not… need to hunt so soon.”

For once, Yui didn’t have a comeback. She seemed to think for a moment before lowering her voice. “Okay, let’s step back a bit. First thing’s first, let’s take care of that—”

The air around the pair shimmered and shifted, eventually returning to normal. The two girls were standing right beside one another (although Hanako was still hovering just off the ground) in the alleyway behind the Itokai Dorms, and Yui’s face began to turn a little pale.

“Son of a bitch, she got away?! Damn it!” Yui punched the brick wall beside them, causing Hanako to flinch. “Now look what you went and did! While we were standin’ here arguing over it, the goddamn Witch got away!”

It was Hanako’s turn to go silent. Yui was completely right. Hanako’s narrow-minded goal of showing Yui up in a hunt caused the prey to escape. She was silent, and eventually, Yui would calm down again.

“Okay then. Back towards the school. We’re huntin’ together this time.”

“Th… The school? The Witch is… attacking Mitakihara High School?!”

Yui dropped her form and started walking, much more quickly this time. “Double time, Hanako! We’re doin’ this together. I’m makin’ goddamn sure we don’t mess this up again.”

The more Yui had said on the trip back to their school, the more Hanako seemed to go pale. The more Yui explained, the more hurried Hanako’s steps became. Before long, both girls were running. Then sprinting.

Despite the panic and hurry, Yui had managed to keep Hanako calm. As they ran, Yui would explain strategies. Somehow, she felt at home in the environment of battle, and she felt a strange affinity and newfound respect for Hanako, at least enough to help her out. The irony of her protests to Kyubey were not lost on her.

“Koharu… Koharu stayed behind! Sh-She… she knows how to stay on campus… without staff being aware. Nothing can stop her when… when she gets the urge to finish something.”

Yui knew all about Koharu’s condition thanks to her close friendship to her older sister, Midori. It was this tie that caused Yui to hurry right alongside Hanako. Yui and Koharu had only briefly met over the last few months, and while they didn’t ever really interact directly, Yui felt a sense of protection over the girl. Not as strong as her desire to protect Alice, but in a different, big-sisterly sort of way.

The sun was beginning to set behind them as the stared at the facade of the main building. It was likely that Koharu was still inside the Newspaper Club room, as Hanako had said. Yui could sense the Witch’s presence inside as well. There was no mistaking it; Yui’s sixth sense told her that this was the very same Witch that she and Hanako had just been fighting and tracking.

There were no signs of activity from the building. Staff must have all left for the day, Yui thought. Walking in would be easy, and with some silent direction and hand movements, the two did just that. Looking around, Yui watched as Hanako raced up the stairs, making for the clubroom. Yui expected this, of course. The plan, as discussed, was for Hanako to look for Koharu and evacuate her before coming back to fight. Yui, meanwhile, would hunt for the Witch, using her sixth sense to navigate the desert-like barrier.

Yui was right in her assumption. Koharu’s soul was indeed where Hanako thought, up in the club room. Unfortunately, Yui could feel the presence of the Witch in the vicinity. With a sigh, Yui would race up, not too far behind Hanako.

Hanako’s wind helped carry her more swiftly up the stairs. She didn’t notice in her panic, but she felt as if she were flying. Eventually, she would throw open the club room. Koharu was sitting at a table, staring out the window towards the sky. She didn’t seem to be staring at anything in particular. Even though this wasn’t unheard of for Koharu, Hanako couldn’t shake her feeling of dread.

“…Koharu?” No response, and Koharu stayed still. Hanako took a few steps in, her left hand outstretched. “…Koharu, are… are you okay…?” Again, there was no reply. “Koharu, answer me!” This time, Koharu turned around, a completely vacant look in her empty eyes, and a strange mark shone on her neck. “N… No… damn it, no!”

The wind around Hanako flared outward, her cyclone surrounding both herself and Koharu, papers scattered around the clubroom. “I… I’ll… I’ll save you, Koharu. I… I have to! There… there has to be some way to reverse this!”

“There is.” Yui’s voice called out from the hallway, right outside the door. “We kill this Witch, an’ Koharu will go right back to normal. You have my word, Hanako.” Hanako was silent, even as Yui emerged in the doorway. “Think you can take the Witch?”

Hanako remained silent, eyes locked on Koharu. “…I… I need to keep her safe.”

“And in your condition, that’s not likely to happen. I’ll keep Koharu safe. I’m better for that right now. You’re better suited for this Witch than I am. Lightning doesn’t do much to sand, and I can only punch so hard.”

Wheeling around, wide-eyed staring at Yui, Hanako struggled for a moment to find her words. “A… Are you serious?! I… I cannot leave my best friend in… in your hands! Besides… as you are so keen to point out… I am not versed in battle like you are.”

“Exactly why you should take this one. You ain’t gonna improve if I keep stealin’ your kills. Besides, your wind powers can get the job done easy enough. I’d take all day. We don’t have all day.” Hanako’s silence gave Yui a chance to continue. “Midori’s one of my best friends. I’ve known her for years. Do you honestly think I’d let Koharu take so much as a scratch? Midori would kill me.”

This time, Hanako didn’t have an answer. She gave Yui a slow nod, seeing the resolved look on her face, before racing out of the club room. Sensing the Witch nearby, she made her way down one hallway and another, eventually coming upon the third years’ classroom.

Pushing open the door, she found herself back in the labyrinth of empty, unending sand, just as she had before. It was perhaps pure luck that Hanako had been able to navigate this barrier the first time. This time, however, Hanako noticed a trail. The sand was no longer even in one direction in particular. Hanako would follow this trail deep into the endless wasteland.

Sure enough, the wounded sand shark was sitting by an oasis, the true center of this Witch’s barrier. It was lying still, sand pouring out of a gash along the side of its head. It was still wounded, and hadn’t yet noticed Hanako.

Feeling a surge of emotion, both at the Witch’s attack against Koharu and her school, her conversation with Yui, and the adrenaline from rushing back to school in the first place, Hanako’s personal cyclone began to flare out around her, more intense than usual. She hovered forward, but despite being completely silent and cautious, the shark spun around, shrieking an inhuman shriek as it faced Hanako.

“…Fine. Have it your way, you wicked beast.” Hanako let out a scream of her own, her cyclone expanding outward. The wind picked up stray sand, forming a miniature sandstorm. As she darted forward, the shark let out a pained cry as it was pulled into the swirling sand.

Hanako didn’t hesitate, and as she focused, the shark was launched up into the vortex of wind and sand. Holding her hand out, an ivory rapier appeared, swirling around the edge of the cyclone and flying upward. Then another, and another, until Hanako’s attack became a maelstrom of sand and swords, each funneling upward into the Witch’s body.

Stray sand would rain down, pained noises drowned out by the raging wind around Hanako. She outwardly appeared calm, but the crazed look in her eyes told the truth of what was going on inside her head and heart.

Less than a minute of this assault, and the last of the sand shark would crumble down onto the desert floor in pieces, its shrieking long since faded. Hanako was panting, falling to her knees as the sandstorm subsided. Soon after, the barrier would dissipate along with it. Hanako was sitting in the hallway outside her seniors’ classroom, she hugged around her waist, only glancing at the black, egg-shaped gem in front of her.

The sound of glass breaking and two loud, familiar voices arguing shook Hanako from her fatigued stupor. Jumping back to her feet, she picked up the Grief Seed and raced towards the direction the sound had come from. She was panicked and hurried, once again fearing for Koharu’s safety.

As she stood in the doorway of the clubroom, the first thing she saw was the shattered window looking out over the track field. Glass was lying scattered all across the room, but most of the damage was on the outside. The second thing she saw was a trembling, frantic Koharu, wrestling her way out of Yui’s grasp. “Let me go! L-Let me go, damn it!”

Yui obliged, somewhat surprised at the sudden, coherent statement coming from Koharu. She had also at some point dropped her Magical Girl form, and upon seeing this, Hanako dropped her own transformation. With a knowing look in Yui’s eyes, Hanako nodded behind Koharu’s back, then spoke. “Ko… Koharu? Are you okay?”

Turning to face her, Koharu began to visibly look relieved. Blood was trickling down from a gash in her forehead, but she otherwise looked unharmed. “Hanako? What are you doing here? And her? What is this brute doing here? What’s going on?!”

Yui didn’t react at the insult. “Your sister was worried when you didn’t show up after school, so she asked me to stop by. Ran into Hanako at the bakery near the University, she got worried and insisted on comin’ along.”

Hanako suppressed the feeling of awe at how fast Yui covered their tracks. Did she do this often in her own home, Hanako wondered? “A… Are you okay? Koharu? You… you’re bleeding… and the window…”

Koharu, wiggling free from Yui’s grasp, turned to face the broken window. “I… I stayed behind to finish this week’s paper. I think I fell asleep at the desk. I don’t remember anything. Not the window breaking, or how I got this cut.”

Yui, once again, had a quick reply. “Might’ve been a rock through the window. I see this kinda sh… stuff all the time back in my neighborhood.” Hanako said nothing, simply watching Yui’s calm demeanor and quick, short replies.

Koharu nodded slowly, thinking about this for a moment. “…I have seen a strange person lurking around the track lately. Suspicious. But why my club room?”

Hanako finally found her words. “…We… We should get you home. You’re injured… and your sister is worried about you. That cut looks pretty bad…”

“…Fine. Let’s get out of here.” Koharu gathered her scattered belongings, stuffing them into her bag in a hurry, along with a curious object that had fallen out of Hanako’s pocket. She didn’t say anything to Hanako about it as she did so. “Let’s go home.”