Subaru reviewed the culmination of her handiwork for the past three days. It was against everything she’d ever stood for – and for a change, she loved it. Tamamo no Mae would have raged against such an opportunity to commit mayhem…but Subaru wasn’t the same Tamamo no Mae she’d been when Tsubasa had released her from the philosopher’s stone.
“Tonight’s the night,” she spoke to Tsubasa’s nearly-disembodied spirit.
Are you sure this is going to work? the nearly-ghostly pegasus asked.
“I sincerely hope so,” Subaru answered. “I’m tired of all of this.”
Well, if it doesn’t work, I just want you to know that I….
“Please, not right now. I don’t think I could stand to cry again,” Subaru said.
It’s what makes us human, Subaru-chan, Tsubsa replied.
“Subaru-chan”, the nine-tailed fox mused. That started the waterworks up again. “You realize how funny that sounds – neither of us are human.”
Yes we are. We didn’t start out that way, but we became that way – me because of my parents, you because of your love for Ryuji-kun. In the back of her mind, Subaru could feel the pegasus sigh. I guess I’ll have to give up on him now.
“Don’t say that – I’m going to bring you back. I promise.”
No, I mean—
“We’ll talk about that later, promise. But for now,” she said, looking out the window, “it looks like Kuzu-ne’s finally arrived.”
The Nissan Sylphy Presea cut its way through the traffic on the way to Sanseki Hospital. In the car were two women, neither human, though one appeared to be. As they closed in on the hospital, traffic became less and less, and finally once they drove into the parking garage across the street from it, they hadn’t seen a soul for blocks around.
As they got out of the car, Trixie looked at the sky. As if the setting required a flare for the dramatic, a column of burning red energy emanated from the hospital, reaching into the sky where it created a massive vortex of power. Clouds were drawn to it as if moths to a flame, and in concert with the blood red that seemed to fill the sky, it was an ominous, dark portent.
“So you’re sure only magic users can see the column?” Trixie asked.
Kuzunoha nodded. “Well, just active magic users – pegasi, earth ponies and others who use it passively might sense something’s up, but nothing else save for a sense of foreboding. As for people, well…you saw as well as I did: the area’s devoid of life for whole squares of blocks. Thankfully, that will reduce the chance of innocents getting caught in the crossfire.”
“That’s good to know. Anyway, it’s showtime!” Her horn lit with energy and her casual clothing changed into her performance attire: a button up, long sleeve shimmering silk shirt that looked blue, aqua or purple, depending on how the light hit it; black slacks and black oxfords.
Kuzunoha looked at Trixie. “Going for the David Copperfield look?”
Trixie nickered playfully. “While I can just get around in Equestria with a magician’s hat and cape, management at the Aqua Maré prefers something in human modesty and I’m not one for the hat, tie, tails and fishnet stockings. Besides, David was a big help in getting me started in the circuit and he’s a wonderful gentleman to know. Oh, and you should see his private collection of magic artifacts. I thought they were the real thing, honestly.”
“And now?”
The unicorn shrugged as if that was all that needed to be said. She then looked at her counterpart and said, “Shrine maiden outfit, really?” Sure enough, the nine-tailed fox stood there in the red hakama skirt and white haori top emblematic of the Shinto miko.
Kuzunoha laughed. “Who do you think invented it?”
“Touché.” The two walked away from the car, out of the parking garage and walked across the street, towards the grassy area just before the hospital proper. The two could feel the area was alive with magic, so much used that it was practically shimmering in the air like heatwaves. The environs were also heavily scented with the odor of musk, the telltale sign of tantric magic.
“Someone’s been frisky,” Kuzunoha said with distaste.
Trixie sniffed the air and shrugged. “I can’t say I’m not familiar with this scent, but…the life of a showmare doesn’t allow for a steady coltfriend. Or a boyfriend, either. There was this one guy I really liked, lounge singer by the name of James. But he…well, it’s not important, really, and….”
“Do you usually talk this much when prepping for a fight?”
Trixie grinned. “Poor, poor, Kuzunoha, stuck in the old ways of fighting. Don’t you know the good guys are always supposed to quip?”
The kitsune shrugged. “Call me old-fashioned. Anyway, did you memorize the incantation?”
“I did, but is it really necessary? Unicorn magic is just memory triggered.”
“With human magic, it’s vocal triggered. I was never really able to figure out why, but for the first time at least, it has to be vocalized. Afterwards it’s optional, but it’s not as strong if you don’t. I’m sure there’s a reason for it, but I’ll have to consult one of my colleagues sometime.”
A sly look crossed the unicorn’s face. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me abou—”
“Shh,” Kuzunoha said, raising a finger to her lips. “She knows we’re here.”
Sure enough, standing outside the front of the hospital doors, was their adversary. “Hello, sister. It’s good to see you again.” Tamamo no Mae’s white hair contrasted with Kuzunoha’s red, but both had the same unnatural – for humans, anyway – leaf-green eyes. Also contrasting with Kuzunoha’s white-and-red mikogi was Tama’s own gray-and-plum mikogi. Kuzunoha was slightly taller and better built than her sister, but the younger one had the benefit of the cuteness of relative youth.
“Hello, Tama. I wish I could say it was under better circumstances, but I’ve missed you.”
“Have you?” the younger one asked, an eyebrow arching slightly.
“Little sister, even with everything you’ve done, and with what I’m regretfully about to do…I’ve always loved you. Even at my angriest, Tama, I’ve never not cared about my little sister.”
“You don’t have to do this,” Tamamo no Mae said, standing there, somewhat tense, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. “Just…please leave. I…I don’t want to fight you, Kuzu-ne.”
A sad look crossed Kuzunoha’s face. “I didn’t want to do what I did, you know. I cried for years after the fact, and it took me a long time to forgive myself. I never wanted to be in this position again, little sister.”
“Then just leave and let me—”
“Leave? You can’t seriously think we’re going to let you get away with this,” Trixie growled.
Tamamo no Mae looked at the unicorn and then back at her sister. “A unicorn? Faust must have sent her to aid you, I see,” the dark fox told the light one. A dark look crossed her face as she said, “I remember a time when unicorns were barely capable of magic, little more than mewling children hiding under Faust’s apron strings. Let’s see if your tribe has improved any.”
In an insulting manner, Trixie brought out a kerchief, then dusted her hooves on them. Glancing at the dark kitsune slightly, she said in her haughtiest tones, “Here’s the deal. You let Ueda Tsubasa go now, and I will make this painless. If you don’t…well, your sister and I have become good friends and I would hate to break her heart.” Trixie let go of the kerchief and it suddenly burst into flames as she punctuated her statement with, “And believe me – I will make good on my statement.”
“Sister, please…don’t make me do this,” Tamamo no Mae said as she called a ball of burning red energy to her hand.
“Tama, surrender. You’re out of practice and I’ve had centuries of experience since then,” Kuzunoha said, her hands pulsating with blue fire.
“Kuzu-ne, would you tru—” the dark fox began.
“I’m guessing that’s a no, then.” Trixie’s horn flared, becoming a blazing spike of fuschia. There was a huge rumble behind them and without warning, a sizable chunk of the street ripped off from the ground. Pipes burst and wires snapped as the ground around it buckled as the section of earth floated just behind Trixie like a trained dog.
“So be it, unicorn,” Tamamo no Mae snarled as she pulled back, the ball in her hand growing larger and flaring more as she began to release it. She thrust her hand forward and a blast of ruby force ripped from her hands, headed straight towards the unicorn…
…only to impact against a magenta shield that Trixie had brought to bear. Meanwhile, the azure mage had turned her head slightly and the clump of earth responded, acting like a baseball bat and impacting hard against the dark fox, sending her careening into the building. The mound of earth then followed her like a bullet, intending a second, equally as painful impact.
Trixie started to race in, only to have Kuzu grab her arm. “Don’t kill her,” the light fox reminded her. “We need her alive if we’re going to save Tsubasa.”
Trixie nodded. “I know. I just can’t afford to give her breathing space. If she’s even half of everything you’ve told me and what I’ve read in the legends, I can’t afford to let my guard down for one moment.”
“I understand. Just be careful.”
Trixie gave Kuzunoha a wink. “I’ve sparred with the best. And if I can keep up with Twilight Sparkle, there’s no way anyone else is gonna win.” And with that, Trixie sprinted into the building as Kuzunoha started weaving the first set of spells she’d need to stop her sister for once and for all.
With some effort and use of magic, Subaru tossed aside the massive boulder thrown at her. She wasn’t going to lie, both times it hit her it hurt like hell. Either I’m out of practice…or Faust’s followers have truly learned to master their magic. In those olden days – days she would now do anything to forget – unicorns were, at most, capable of levitation, hornlight spells and other mundane, trivial things. To lift something like this would have taken someone like Faust’s right-hoof assistant, Twilight Aurora. Now there was a mage! The unicorn actually managed to fight off several of hers and her sister’s troops until she drew the dark fox into a direct duel, one she barely escaped with her life, victorious.
But she didn’t deserve what I did to her, Subaru mused, sadly. I could have given her mercy…I didn’t. It was so long ago, but…I hope she’s found peace in the afterlife. I hope they all did.
But none of that was going to take her mind off her current problem, which was handling her two opponents. Kuzu-ne was easy: the two knew each other well and that included fighting styles, strengths and weaknesses. Though her sister had centuries more practice since their last battle, Subaru was sure she would be able to deal with her. But the unknown quantity was the unicorn. She was more powerful than expected, she stood upright which meant the traditional strengths and weaknesses against ponies might not count and…
Wait. She’s a unicorn. If I can neutralize her horn, that should be the end of it for her! But then Subaru remembered: breaking a unicorn’s horn would cripple the poor thing and if she broke it off at the base? It would pretty much kill the victim instantly. She knew from plenty of expertise and a morbid collection of broken horns she’d amassed just prior to their defeat by Faust. So I can’t do that. But how can I stop her? There’s gotta be a—
An explosion of energy hit her square in the back, sending her flying. She screamed in pain, both from the blast and the painful impact against the wall. She’d been thrown upwards high enough as well that gravity immediately took over, slamming her to the ground as well. She forced herself up as her vision temporarily blurred; she hadn’t been hit that hard since her fight with her sister.
She has to be their strongest: an assassin, or maybe Faust’s current lieutenant, Subaru mused. There’s no way a normal unicorn could be that strong. At the levels the mare was punching, it was only going to be a matter of time before Subaru fell. She was going to need a way to neutralize that unicorn without doing permanent damage to her.
A voice shouted from the darkness. “Make this easy on yourself, Tamamo! You’re only going to make it harder in the long run and I’m going to beat you anyway!”
Subaru ducked behind a stanchion, hoping she couldn’t be seen from where she was. “Leave me alone, unicorn! You’re not involved in this!”
“You got me involved when you possessed a young pegasus! All you have to do is release her and we’ll figure out the rest! But if you don’t let Tsubasa go, I’m going to be very cross,” the answer came.
“No can do! I own this body now,” Subaru shouted back – and that was true. In less than an hour, the exorcism spell would activate and Tsubasa would be pushed away from her own body, leaving Subaru there. “And I’m not going to give it up!”
The answer to that was a blast that missed the column she was standing behind by centimeters. At first the dark fox had thought it a precursor shot to taking out the column, but another blast, this one far wider afield, made it clear the first one was a mere warning shot in the vague direction of her voice.
“Last chance! Give up or I’ll make you!” This time was punctuated with a blast that hit the stanchion dead on. The support beam, already weakened from the earlier damage, gave way, and Subaru went flying again, this time through a plate glass window and into the administrative area.
Seeing the damage done from the last blast, Trixie quickly set up a barrier to hold it. At the rate things were going they were likely going to total the hospital, but if that’s what it took to save Tsubasa, that’s what she’d do.
She heard a voice in her head. Trixie, I’ve set the first pattern of spells down. How are things on your end?
She’s not fighting back, the unicorn mage responded. I’m pressing my advantage, but I’m trying to not lay it on too thick.
I don’t think the Uedas would be very happy if we end up hospitalizing their daughter in the attempt to get her back, Kuzunoha noted.
So noted. How much more do you have left?
I’ve started on the second pattern of spells. There’ll be two more after that. Be careful; if she’s on the defensive she’ll start laying traps.
Trixie giggled softly. Traps are my specialty. Come to Vegas sometime and watch my show. With that, Trixie ended the magical call and went back to the task at hand. She had to stop Tamamo no Mae before it was too late.
Hang on, Tsubasa. Help’s on the way.
Subaru barely managed to hide in a corner, ignoring the pain from the glass cuts and the bruises. She upwardly revised her assessment of her opponent: the unicorn was very deadly and it was beginning to look as though the former-dark fox wasn’t going to stand a chance in a direct magic confrontation with her. Plus, she was clearly out of practice.
A sliver of fear began to crawl up her spine. She was going to die. She was going to die, there would be no way to…. And then there was Daisuke. She’d never see him again.
Oh, Daisuke… I wish I could see you again.
She felt something suddenly cover her mouth and she screamed, whatever it was muffling the noise. It took a second for her to realize it was a hand and another to her a voice say, “It’s okay, love. I’m here.” She turned in the direction of the voice and instead felt kiss of lips against her own, a hand caressing her face.
“We’ll face this together, Subaru,” Ryuji told her.
“Daisuke? What are you doing here? I told you not to come, that I was unavailable!” she pled.
“You’re in danger. I had to help.”
She was stunned. How? “No! Get out of here, Daisuke! She’ll hurt you!”
He grinned. “There’s a line in a movie I always wanted to say: ‘Nobody can hurt a man protecting his girl.’ Get out of here. I’ll stall the attacker.”
“No,” she pled. “Don’t get hurt over me. I’m not worth it. I’m…I’m a monster. Don’t you understand?”
“I don’t care! I don’t care who you were, that you were once Tamamo no Mae. To me, you’re Subaru – you’ll always be my Subaru.” He reached out and touched her ears and one of her tails. “This is what makes you who you were. But this,” he said, pointing to her heart, “is what makes you who you are.”
She looked at him and suddenly realized: he wasn’t under thrall. She then remembered a magic lesson she’d once received centuries ago from one of her lovers, Ahasver, the man who was only known to history by his epithet, the Wandering Jew. You can’t force someone to do what he wants to do. You can only force someone against his will. And here was Daisuke, sound of mind and firm in his determination to protect his girl. Which meant he wanted to be here, which meant….
Her heart skipped a beat as he kissed her again. “But…how did you…?”
He smiled. “When we slept, I had the most vivid dreams. I had dreams of you telling me who you were, and of a laughing, smiling foxmaiden in a field of flowers. And I saw us settling down, having a life together. I might not be as old as you, but that doesn’t mean my feelings aren’t true.”
“But I’m a murderer! I killed someone just as we were…!” She buried her face in her hands; how could he ever love her if he knew the truth?
“We’ll get through this somehow, Subaru. I don’t really understand, but…we’ll get through this somehow. But for now, you need to run. I’ll protect you, but you need to run.” He helped her to her feet and led her to the door through which he came in. “Go!” he pled.
She in turn kissed him, then ran. It was hard to keep a smile from her face, despite the urgency of the situation. In her long, long life, Tamamo no Mae had only lovers, playmates, playthings. But now Subaru had a boyfriend.
She turned to see him run towards the unicorn, baseball bat in hand.
A second later, all was red.
The ground burned with blue fire, sigils of arcane power filling the area. As she finished, Kuzunoha felt a tug of sorrow for what she was doing. She looked behind her at the first set of spells she laid down; that set glowed a sky-blue, a comforting sign they’d hold. But they were as blue as the tears that threatened to roll down her face.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this, Kuzunoha mused. Older sisters were supposed to protect their younger ones; younger sisters were supposed to look up to their older ones. Yesterday, Trixie had told the light fox about the world they’d both come from, one that Kuzunoha gave little thought to even two decades past the union of the human world and the kemono one: Most of it she already knew, since in the decades since she’d become friends with Faust, who had done something horrific of which she wouldn’t speak of and for some reason found herself banished from Alter-Earth, little different than the sisters. But there was information that the former alicorn queen hadn’t told Kuzu and she went to look the information up herself; she went to Wikipedia and read the rest: that Faust’s abdication led to the three tribes of ponydom to be split into five nations: Terra, the land of the earth ponies; Pegasopolis, the realm of the pegasi; Unicornia, the kingdom of the unicorns; the Crystal Empire, a land of earth ponies and unicorns who banded together to avoid the wars of their brethren to the south; and Saddle Arabia, a land far to the east of earth ponies and pegasi that even today was semi-independent of the main pony nation. As for the three warring nations, it took an invasion of winter demons known as windigos to get them to trust one another and the rise of an avatar of chaos known as Discord to get the tribes to unite under the banner of Faust’s daughters, Celestia and Luna. Eventually a mad king in the Crystal Empire to the north would cause the end of his empire and its annexation by Celestia’s nation of Equestria; Saddle Arabia, while officially becoming a part of Equestria, remained mostly independent through the rule of its chancellor, a pony hoof-picked by the sun alicorn.
But the thing that should have brought a smile to her face was the fact that Celestia and Luna had a rift between themselves, causing the younger princess to be possessed by a demon and causing the two alicorns to have a bloody civil war that lasted for nearly a century; the war ended only when Celestia turned Faust’s own Elements of Harmony on her sister, causing Luna to be banished to the moon for a millennium and Celestia’s links to the Elements to be severed forever. The irony was delicious and yet…somehow it broke Kuzunoha’s heart. The same thing that had occurred with her occurred to her now-friend’s daughters, and with virtually the same result: the older daughter to be heartbroken, the younger to be imprisoned, nursing a grudge. The story did have a happy ending, though: Luna was saved by the heroic efforts of Celestia’s protégé, Twilight Sparkle.
The light fox could only hope for the same luck, but the chances of that were thin: while Luna fought against the possession placed on her by the Nightmare, Tama had no such compunction or compulsion; her acts were her own. Which meant that unless a miracle occurred, Kuzunoha would have to do the deed and end her sister.
At least I don’t have to be the one to actually do it, she said as she walked into the hospital and started weaving the third set of spells. At least I’m enough of a coward to leave it in the hands of Trixie, who had the courage to step up when needed. Maybe if I’d had that courage to help my sister instead of letting her fall into her nefarious ways…it wouldn’t have come to this.
Stepping forward slowly but carefully, Trixie walked. Every now and then her magic would flare and there would be a small puff of smoke on the ground as traps the dark fox had set were safely defused. There had been far less than had been expected, Trixie noted, so either she hadn’t gotten into the thick of them yet, or—
The answer came as she rocked back, barely avoiding something which whistled in her path. It came forward once more and she blocked it with a magic shield, only to find that the object in question was an aluminum bat, being swung by a teenager, angry as hell. He swung twice more, before she got fed up and held him in a stasis spell.
“What are you doing, kid?” she asked him.
“I won’t let you her near her!” he snarled. “I have to protect her!”
She rolled her eyes. Classic case of enthrallment, especially when tantric magic was involved, Kuzunoha had warned her. Trixie wished she’d known about that in advance, so she could have had time to call Twilight’s former secretary. Lovestruck was now a chemistry teacher at a private school in SoCal, and seeing as her specialty was love potions and nostrums – something that was illegal in Equestria – she could have come up with a legal countermethod to the enthrallment. As it was, that was one area of expertise that the unicorn mage had to admit she was sorely lacking in.
However, there were other ways of disabling an assailant, so that she took: she punched the guy as hard as she could, reinforcing her right forehoof with magic in order to drop him with one blow. She then blasted the baseball bat, watching as it turned into nothing but slagged metal in seconds.
She was so focused on that, that she didn’t see the deep red blast of magic until it was too late. It hit her square in the face, knocking her off her feet and into a set of chairs to her right. She didn’t even have time to get up as two more magic blasts scored her, drawing blood and making her scream in pain. This time, she was able to get to her feet as she saw Tamamo no Mae race towards her at speeds she usually saw from somepony like Rainbow Dash. Trixie threw up a shield to block the blow, but the dark fox’s punch went through the magic shield, shattering it in an instant before the punch connected, knocking the breath out of her.
Trixie staggered back and as she was rushed again, she went on the offensive, blasting a bolt of magical lightning from her horn even as she dashed to her right, readying a second spell. But the demon fox blocked the lightning and redirected it straight at the unicorn mage before she could even get her second spell activated. The lightning blast threw her several meters, bouncing her off the ground and chairs painfully a couple times before she stopped, careening right into a wall.
She tried to scramble to her feet, only to feel something touch her horn. And the moment that happened, she knew she was in trouble as a massive blast of energy – her own – sent a feedback-loop jolt through her body, eliciting her to scream loudly in pain as her magic essentially short-circuited.
Tamamo no Mae conjured a katana into her hands. It had been a simple matter to transmute the air around the unicorn’s horn into Preacher’s Iron, the one substance known to be able to nullify magic. As she’d done it just before the unicorn was able to throw a blast, the mystic energies she was about to unleash were turned back on herself. Judging from the scream and the fact that it had knocked out the unicorn, it was probably going to hurt had it connected with the demon fox.
But now that unicorn was going to pay for hurting Daisuke. Tamamo would rip her apart, spray the walls with vitals, and eat her heart—
No! Don’t do it, Subaru-chan!
She hurt Daisuke! I’m going to make her pay! Tamamo no Mae told the disembodied pegasus.
He’s not dead! Look, he’s breathing! Please, don’t do this! This…this isn’t you!
This is me! I am Tamamo no Mae, the Demon Nine-Tailed Fox, the Murderer of Emperors, Slayer of Millions! I am a monster!
No you’re not, Tsubasa insisted. You’re…you’re my friend. And my friends would never do anything like that.
The word shocked Tamamo no Mae to the core. Why? After everything I’ve done to you? Why?
Because I know your heart. Yes, you’ve done wrong – I saw it, I can’t deny it. But I know you’re a better person than that! I know how much you love Daisuke! And if you do this, you’ll never be able to be with him! You are not Tamamo no Mae anymore – you’re Subaru and Subaru is too sweet a girl to do anything mean!
Tamamo no Mae dropped the sword as Tsubasa’s words echoed in her mind. I have to let go…I have to let go…. Memories bombed her in head as her personality went to war with itself. Slaughter, murder, sex…kissing, cuddling, hugging…orgies, drunkenness and obscenity…loving, smiling and laughing. She was soaked in blood, laughing as she held her enemy’s beating heart in her hand. She was showered in sakura petals, smiling as she held her Daisuke in her arms. She was having sex with anything that moved. She was loving her one true mate. She was casting the darkest, most horrific rituals possible. She was baking the sweetest, most delicious cake possible. All of it made sense. And none of it did.
Subaru! Don’t give up on me! Don’t give up on him! Tsubasa cried.
“I just….” she stopped, unable to say it, unable to make the change that would end her life as she knew it for once and for all. Subaru suddenly screamed madly, completely out of control. She wanted to kill everything. She wanted to love everything. She wanted to murder her lover and bathe in his blood. She wanted to cuddle with him and sleep in his arms. She wanted…
And then the dam broke.
“I just want to be loved.”
A tendril of blue spellfire looped around the dark fox, slamming her to the ground. At the same time, a magic circle of power flared underneath her, locking her into position. A look of shock rose to her face.
Across from Trixie, Kuzunoha came into view. “We don’t have much time,” she said to the pony mage, activating an additional spell to wake the unconscious pony up.
“Ugh, did anyone get the license plate on that kaiju that stepped on me?” she muttered.
“Hold on…let me get that horn lock off you,” Kuzunoha replied, waving her free arm. When the horn sheathe didn’t disappear, she tried again. And again. She then turned to her sister. “What did you do?”
“Spell ciphering,” the dark fox said, folding her arms. “I’m sorry, sister, but I can’t let you do this. I know what you’re trying to do, but I can’t let you do it. You have to trust me.”
“I did!” Kuzunoha shouted, tears welling in her eyes. “All I have ever done is just that and you’ve disproven yourself over and over again. I’m sorry, but I don’t have a choice anymore.” The tears now flowed in full. “You’ve given me no choice, and I’m sorry. But if it makes you feel better, we’ll go together, sister.”
Tamamo no Mae’s eyes widened. “What…are you talking about?”
“I was relying on Trixie to do the deed, but she’s incapacitated by your spell, and it’s not fair to her to do what I should have done. I love you little sister, and I failed you. I should have been the one to watch out for you, to watch out for your Nightmare Moon, which turned out to be your own self.”
“Nightmare…moon? What the hell is a nightmare moon? Have you lost your mind, Kuzu-ne?”
“We’ll die together, little sister. I’ll cast the Sanzugawa no Kanmon on both of us.”
“No….” Tamamo no Mae whispered, looking at her sister. “No, ne-san, no…don’t do it!”
The smile on Kuzunoha’s face was beatific. Walking into the barrier, she had just enough time to envelop her sister in an embrace, whispering, “I love you, little sister. Until the end, I always have.”
“I love you too, ne-san,” Tamamo no Mae said, resting her head on her sister’s chest, leaning into the hug. Subaru realized how much she’d missed her sister, how futile their arguments were, how pointless it had all been. Tsubasa?
Yes?
You were right. And congratulations – you’re the stronger one. In the end, you won.
I didn’t win anything, silly, the disembodied pegasus’ voice replied. In the end, I was just looking out for my friend.
Meanwhile, Kuzunoha looked at Trixie. “Get out of here – you don’t want to get caught in the blast.”
Trixie looked at the light fox as if she were mad. “Are you nuts? Get out of there! I can fix this!”
“You brought me my sister back, Trixie,” Kuzunoha said, tears of joy on her face. “You already did.”
“No, Kuzunoha, get the hell out of there! I can fix this!”
Older leaf-green eyes met younger ones. Kuzunoha kissed her little sister on the forehead, smiling. “Are you ready?”
“Before it’s too late, ne-san,” Tamamo no Mae said, with a soft smile.
And with that, the Holy Nine-Tailed Fox, the Mother of Sorcerers, began to chant:
“闇に惑いし哀れな影よ
人を傷付け貶めて
罪に溺れし業の魂
いっぺん... 死んで見る?”
The world exploded in flames of white.