At What Cost? ( A Kirby Madoka Mágica AU)

I'm Such a Fool

The distorted screams of the witch rang weakly through the labyrinth as Francisca brought her ice sword down on its dissolving form over and over until every particle was gone and the hollow ring of metal against brick reverberated in Flamberge's ears. 

She took a careful half-step forward, then ran, practically floated, to her side and rested a hand on her wrist as she tried to bring it up once more. She barely applied force beyond the weight of her arm, but it was more than enough to stop the jerky cycle of motion.

"It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it... There's no way I can lose now." Francisca said with a chuckle. 

Then she turned to face Flamberge, an unhinged look on her face. "And this way, you can never hope to beat me." The rattling scrape of his sword dragging along the ground felt as if it were grinding against her skull as she staggered towards the grief seed and crouched to collect it in trembling hands. 

Flamberge eyed her warily as she stood up and tossed it over to her "You can have it. That's what you were after, right?" She caught it in one hand and scoffed.

"What's this for?"

"It's a gift," Francisca said with a smirk. Her eyes had lost their sparkling, and she winced for a second, probably reconnecting this her body's remnants of pain. 

"Hey-"

"I don't want to owe you anything. This make us even, okay?, come on Taranza, let's go home." Taranza shakily walked over to Francisca, glancing back at Flamberge. 

Francisca took a step forward, but her stance was unbalanced and she fell forward in exhaustion, her transformation dropping. Taranza instinctively caught her friend, pulling her in close with a panicked desperation.

"Sorry..." he heard Francisca mumble into Taranza's shoulder. "I'm just a little tired."

"Don't push yourself," Taranza responded, just loud enough for Flamberge to hear. "I've got you."

Flamberge's  fist tightened around the grief seed as she watched them walk away, the majority of Francisca's weight falling on Taranza with every step.

That idiot...

---

She and Taranza had walked at least a mile from the site of the labyrinth before Francisca noticed the chill setting into her skin and the progression of dusk over their heads. 

If she tuned out the sound of her own stuttered breathing, she could almost pretend this was a normal day. Like he'd just roughed up some bullies trying to take Taranza's lunch money, and now they were headed home. Maybe she was bruised and battered, but she'd done something good for once, and at least he's going to be okay.

But instead of a black eye and skinned knees, she just felt the deep ache of fatigue through every inch of her body. Actually, it was less integrated through her body, and instead, the feeling just rattled around in the hollow shell that held her inside. The realization made her lose track of her footing, and she stumbled for a moment, right into Taranza's waiting arms.

"Hey, Francisca?" Taranza asked quietly. "Can we... sit down for a moment?"

"Are you getting tired?" Francisca asked. Taranza shook his head.

"I think you need to pace yourself. You nearly fainted earlier and you... you really don't look so good." Not wanting Taranza to worry, Francisca nodded and they veered off course to a small bench and sat down. It should have been a relief... but Francisca still felt exhausted.

"You shouldn't fight like that, Francis," Taranza said after a minute. "Even if it blocked out all the pain...like you said...it genuinely scared me."

Francisca's mind rushed as it pulled up the hazy memory. The sword coming down on the witch, over and over...