Hotaru watched Miaka slowly. She was speaking in blabbles instead of any sort of connected sentences. If it weren't for Miaka's unemotional face, Hotaru would have felt some pity for the older teen.
Then she started to speak about Yuri. Miaka said something about protecting her and keeping her safe. Hotaru's instincts started to kick in. Was this broken bird, a magical girl? No, Hotaru told herself. She would have sensed her powers or something else at least.
When Miaka said that she'd kill her if she failed to protect Yuri that very concept made Hotaru's blood boil. She had made a personal promise that she would never allow one of her friends to die in battle again, she meant it. Sure, she might not have known Yuri well yet but they were forced to be partners. Hotaru felt her flame powers starting to kick in. Miaka then shoved her out of the way, further pissing the young woman off. Luckily, Miaka went towards Yuri.
"Yeah, yeah." Hotaru said under her breath. She then began to shuffle away as quickly as possible.
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Yuko stood over the body of Goldenrod. She poked with a long stick that looked like a candy cane at what remained of the bloodied mess that remained of the magical girl. Yuko then lowered the stick towards the corpse's left hand. Around the wrist was a purple band. She raised an eyebrow, this wasn't the first time that she had seen the aftermath of the Witch's work.
"Another one of her own? This marks the fifth one on the Purple to have been killed by the Witch." Yuko said. "Oh well! That dumb witch leaves the bands behind, I collect them and I'm one step closer to becoming a continual level~ All's fair in love and war!"
"Though first things, first! Time to destroy the evidence. Few people like a scavenger but it's supppppppppppper easy to live this way and not always to come under attack." She thought to herself.
With a flash of a grin and her long ponytail fluttering in the wind, she used her candy cane staff to blast the corpse away with a bright pink ray. "Sorry gal, I know you'd probably prefer a proper burial but a gal's got to work, you know? Your bloodied mess would just attract the wrong crowd anyway! Teheheheh."
She then looked up to see what she thought was a boy staring at her with vile disgust. She raised both of her hands in concern, causing her to drop her magical staff. Yuko was going to reach for it but Hotaru was already standing on it, knowing that the staff was her weapon. Without it, she was useless.
"Eh???" Yuko squealed. "You didn't see anything, alright! I-I am just a cosplayer. Ayep! Could I have my staff back, pretty please. I know! Since you're a rather cute boy, how about I give you a kiss! All boys like being kissed by cute girls. Tehehehe."
Hotaru had come back through the same alleyway she and the others had just an hour beforehand, but decided to take the shorter way. She had no idea what the Witch had even been here before Yuko started to talk to herself aloud. This was something that she had always done. Hotaru then rubbed her temples.
"Yuko-chan, you are still a big old idiot. I'm a girl, not a boy." Hotaru said.
"Ohhhh...Um, I don't really like girls that much but I can still kiss you, if you are into that sort of stuff. How'd you know my name? I mean..." Yuko said.
"I always knew that you were a horrible person, Yuko-chan. This just takes the fuckin' cake. Not even allowing a fellow magical girl a chance for a proper burial. You know what? I'm glad I found you. I'm pissed. You'll make for a good punchin' bag." Hotaru said with a sadistic smile.
"Eheheheh?" Yuko's eyes widened in shock. "I'm the Magical Girl, Azalea! W-Who is this Yuko?"
"Cut the cutesy magical girl look. You and I both know it's just a cover." Hotaru said. "Besides, I am a rather informal type."
"H-How do you know me? I've never seen you before." Yuko said.
She then raised her hand in the air. Hotaru then muttered, "Honoo."
With that she changed back into her magical girl form. The punk look made her contrast greatly with Yuko's Lolita sailor form. Giving Yuko a dry look, Hotaru then pulled her MP3 player and quickly flicked through the music and found the song she thought would work the best for this occasion. She then placed her headphones onto her head.
"I'm insulted that you don't remember me. I guess it doesn't matter. I don't look like anyone you've ever met before. I suppose that's fine. Let's get this party started." Hotaru said while a selection from
Beethoven 9 began to play.
Focusing all of her kenetic energy into her fists, Hotaru charged at Yuko. The girl never was good at close quarters combat, much to Hotaru's pleasure. When her fist met Yuko's face, her old teammate was sent flying back into the wall of a building. She hit it with a force that was strong enough to send her flying through it. It was enough to hurt Yuko a lot but not enough to kill her. Veteran magical girls could survive a beat down. Yuko would be out for a while at least.
Hotaru then placed both of her hands in her pockets and walked away from the scene.
"That wasn't as fun as I'd hope it'd be. Oh well. At least I feel a little better now." Hotaru thought.