Chrono X Angel, Book 7: Trial By Fire

Chapter 7

When Usoko finally regained consciousness, several hours later and in a bed, she looked up an unfamiliar ceiling and sighed. She was back in the GARDNA medical wing again. As she let her breath out, a sharp pain shot through her left side and she nearly yelped. Then it started flowing back to her: the fight, if you could even call it that. It was more like a one-sided slaughter fest, and she was the main course. She looked down at her arm, now broken in two places. At least they were able to save this one, as the bones had not been reduced to powder like her other arm had been.

Kanata...

How had Kanata come back? How was she so strong now?? How did she become a magical girl too???
A million questions ran through Usoko's head as she lie in that bed. There was something about that power that seemed so... familiar to her, but Usoko could not quite place it. She wanted to ask her mother, but doubted even she would know the answer.
If Kanata had wanted revenge against Usoko for... something, well she had certainly gotten it. But that other Magical Girl, the Promethian... the last time Usoko had seen her, she was a mindless killing machine. In Nonami's recount of it's past capture, it had also expressed minimal higher brain functions, but now? Now it not only could talk, and was apparently capable of reason, but was also a Magical Girl like Kanata? Were there more? Was there a team, like hers, out there comprised of more Dark Magical Girls? Usoko did not know, could not know, but what she did know was that she had been beaten. Badly. Kanata had only let her live because she had apparently been under specific orders not to kill the Pinkette. The next time they met, Usoko could not count on being so lucky. She needed to get stronger. Somehow.
Power would be easy to come by, give her current precarious state. Hell, if she had let herself use Chronomancy she could have aged Kanata into an old woman in no time flat. It had taken a lot of restraint not to use that corrupting power during the fight. Raw power alone was not going to help her. The only thing she could think that might would be...

"Usoko, thank god you're awake," called Hyoka as she set down her rubix cube, Usoko just now realizing she had been sat next to her this whole time, "The doctors said your injuries were serious but not... life threatening, but still!! I'm glad you're okay..."

"Me too Hyoyo," smiled Usoko weakly, "how are you hanging in there? You alright?"

Hyoka smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Oh I'm okay now," giggled Hyoka, "I was a little worked up at first but I... calmed down. Your sister helped me with that. Told me cause you're a Tachibana, that you're super tough."

Hyoka's gaze turned down to her feet, and her tone went a bit more serious.
"Usoko I... I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. If I had been then maybe... maybe you wouldn't have gotten as badly hurt!! Or hurt at all!!"

"Hyoka. Dear. Look at me," said Usoko calmly, holding her gaze on her frosty friend, "I'm not upset. We were all spread out, looking for Nonami. Even if you had been there instead of Midori, we still would have been separated by that Promethian girl. Don't be so hard on yourself, okay Hyoyo?"

"O-okay," sniffled Hyoka, forcing a small smile.

There was the sound of the door handle jiggling, and Usoko's gaze shot over to it like a wild gazelle. For a moment she expected to see Kanata come waltzing through the door, ready to finish the job. Instead she saw Nonami, looking both incredibly relieved and incredibly sheepish, and also looking like she had just taken a dip in the ocean.

"Usoko, I... I heard you were all looking for me when this happened... I'm so sorry."

Usoko did her best not to roll her eyes, having just gone through the same dog and pony show with Hyoka.

"Aunt Maria it's fine," she smiled softly, "It's not your fault, I promise."

Nonami reluctantly nodded in understanding before turning to Hyoka.