Battlefield of the Magical

Chapter 3

 Haruka sat on the ledge of an abandoned office building. Her short black hair whipped around her face making it difficult to see properly. She soon tired of the hair's wildness and pulled it back into a sloppy-looking ponytail. However, the hair tie became loose and fell out.

"Stupid hair tie," muttered Haruka.

She stood up and lifted her necklace out from under her uniform's shirt.

"How do I activate that scythe?" she asked quietly.

"You use me silly!" a voice said in Haruka's mind.

Haruka stared at the black key on the necklace. Had it just spoke?

"Just leap Haruka-chan! Trust me!"

Haruka glanced at the drop to the ground. She was several stories in the air and knew she wouldn't survive. She looked back at the key.

"Why should I jump?" questioned Haruka. "I doubt that would help me figure this out."

"You can only activate your magic when you are excited or in pain. Leaping off a building produces a surge of fear that counts as excitement."

"Seems legit." agreed Haruka.

She turned back to the edge. Fear raced through her. A swift gale of wind knocked her forward she tottered on the perimeter. Then, she fell. Cascading over the border of survival she plunged towards the landscape of her demise. The cold gust shot through her as she plummeted downwards. Her eyes teared up as she realized her mistake. A fuse seemed to explode in her chest as monochrome spirals exploded from her rib cage, engulfing her in a gleaming flash. Haruka's uniform eroded away into a black trench coat. Under her trench coat was a dark purple knee length dress trimmed with black lace. She hit the ground, cracking the cement under her feet.

"Now," the voice said. "Call my name."

"What shall I call you?"

"Whatever seems fit, silly!"

"How about," Haruka thought for a moment. "Nagusameru?"

"Seems good to me Haruka-chan!"

"Nagusameru! Summon my Scythe of Revolution!"

"Okie Dokie!"

A demonic scythe appeared in Haruka's hand. She gripped it tight and felt a surge of energy ripple inside her.

"Where should we go?"

Haruka looked at the scythe. "Take me to where I shall bestow my reaping to criminals."

"Okie Dokie!" said Nagusameru with a happy tone.

Haruka teleported to the outside of an abandoned warehouse. She heard heavy metal music blaring from inside. The thick smell of alcohol lay thick in the air. She swung her scythe with a bashing blow that shattered the thick metal doors.

A group of men and women looked from where they stood in a ring. Most of them were smoking cigarettes that gave rise to a putrid smell. Bottles of beer and whiskey lay scattered around them. Haruka walked toward the group only to see what they had encircled. A beaten dog struggled to stand as four small kittens huddled together. The dog had several cuts from broken bottles and was bleeding. A man with an unshaven face kicked the dog and it collapsed spitting out blood. One of the women threw a bottle at the pile of kittens but the abused mutt lashed out to deflect it. In turn, he was beaten down once more.

"You have disgraced the sacredness of an animal's undying loyalty. Hurting such a creature as it protects a different race of children is unacceptable." screamed out Haruka.

The group turned to Haruka in a drunken haze.

"Who are you sweetheart?" a bloodshot-eyed man asked with a clueless grin.

"Your end you wretched scum!" Haruka screamed as she shot towards them, severing the man's head. The group started to back away despite their drunken haze. Haruka shot through the gathering, her scythe spiraling around her, cutting the congregation of criminals apart. She felt a warm spray of blood against her skin. Did I just...

She froze as she killed the last man, realizing that she had just killed other humans. Other people. Those people had lives. They had families that might not know about their evil deeds.

"Are you okay Haruka-chan?" Nagusameru asked.

"I just killed fellow human beings. I can't believe I-"

"They were criminals. You remember how they hurt that dog which was only protecting those kittens."

Haruka gripped her scythe tighter. "You are right. I must destroy all corruption in this world by eliminating every criminal."

She turned to where the dog struggled to stand. The kittens huddled behind him as he barked at Haruka. He stepped forward, nearly collapsing.

"Fall back Nagusameru."

"Okie Dokie!"

Haruka held out the scythe and it shattered into purple and black fragments that wisped away into the shadows of the warehouse. She walked to where the dog stood, barking fiercely. A kitten jumped in front of the mutt and hissed. Haruka smiled and brushed the dog's messy fur. She was careful not to touch the cuts that one of the kittens licked at. Haruka picked the dog up and held it close. She felt his slow heartbeat.

"Come on little kittens." she said tenderly. "Let's take your guardian to a vet."

The kittens followed Haruka as she walked to the exit. They stayed close, meowing happily as she walked out of the broken doorway. Haruka held out her key and the scene changed to a 24hr veterinary clinic. She walked through the doors as her magical girl attire evaporated into her school uniform. Her long black hair flew away leaving her messy short hair in its place. A nurse sat at the front desk filing some papers as she turned to Haruka with a smile on her face. Her smile fell away as soon as she saw the dog's condition. She leaped over the desk and ran to Haruka.

"What happened?" she asked looking quite worried. "Was it animal abuse?"

"Yes. I found him being beaten to save these kittens." Haruka softly said. "Can you help him?"

"Doctor Suzuki!" yelled the nurse. "I have an abused dog out here! His heartbeat is slowing." she turned to Haruka. "Thank you. Are the kittens okay?"

"Yes. I believe so. I'll take them home."

Doctor Suzuki walked out from a door labeled "Operating Center." The nurse walked to him and they both entered. Haruka sat down on a nearby couch. The four kittens leaped up and gathered on her lap. They laid together as they fell asleep, purring gently. Haruka leaned against the couch's armrest and fell asleep with the kittens.