Puella Magi Megami Tensei

[TremendousMilk3]

The first thing that worries you is that he doesn't freak out at being pulled into the Labyrinth. That means either he's unflappable, or he's seen this before.

Both ideas make you a little nervous.

The Labyrinth seems to be a burrough of some kind. Maybe it's a Barrier full of moles...?

Oh, it looks like he's gonna bump into a group of bug-looking Familiars! That answers that question! He better hide, because--

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, God.

He just...

...With his bare hands...?

And he...?!

"What the fuck...?!" You mutter as this behemoth of a human stomps another Familiar flat.

It's like they're made of paper the way he rips through them, like it's not even an effort. Who the hell is this guy?!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You hear Mama calling out for you from your hiding place. She's scared.

You've never heard Mama get scared before. She usually just hurts you to "get it out of her system".

Then, you hear screams. That's Mama's voice, too. Mama screams at you a lot, and even more when she hurts you. But this is different. She's pleading not to die.

Then, she stops. All of the noises stop.

Then, there's some wet, squishy sounds, and something that sounds like paper tearing. You don't dare to look out of your hiding spot.

Then--!!!

One of the monsters flies past your hiding spot, crashing into a wall! The monsters make their clicking noise, like they did when they chased Mama and Mama tripped you to try and get away.

One bit your leg, and it still really hurts...

One of the big mean bugs falls right in front of your hiding spot. It locks eyes with you for just a second, before--

SMASH!

A big boot smushes it!

It's quiet for a little longer, with you dreading whoever smushed the bug is gonna smush you too...

The boot guy walks off.

...

...

...You poke your head out--!!!!

"Waah!!" You flail around as the boot guy picks you up by the collar of your shirt, "Don't smush Yuma! Yuma's not a bug!!"

The boot guy looks at your hurt leg, then back down the cave. He looks a little...

...Angry, but not at you? That's weird, Mama said you make everyone angry.

He sets you back on the ground, and...?

He rips a piece of his shirt off. Then, he ties it where the bug bit you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why is there a kid here?

How did a kid survive in this shithole of a Labyrinth?

Where did he find her?

What the fuck is going on?

You only lost him for a minute at most! When did he magic up a kid?!

Whose kid is that, anyhow?!

You step in something wet. When you look down, you find your answer.

These must be...

...Oh.

This...

...This is your fault.

You let the Witch feed. You let it kill this girl's mom. You let this happen, all because you wanted more uses out of a Grief Seed.

Dad was right about y--?

"Gh--!!" You stumble back as soon as you register the fact that the man is standing right in front of you. If he can slaughter Familiars like that, what can this guy do to you?!

The man steps closer, that random kid in his arms, and...

...Hands her off to you.

You stare at him.

He stares back.

As silently as he appeared, he spins on his heel and runs deeper into the Labyrinth.

...Welp, you guess you're holding on to this kid for a while.

 

[TremendousMilk3]

A son of Sparda fears nothing.

A son of Sparda is not intimidated by any foe.

And yet, the Sailor Guardians' newest addition...

...Makes you hesitant to antagonize them as you have been doing.

She is called Sailor Jupiter, and although you've not met her properly, you've seen her throw a Youma without even transforming.

Which is impressive for a human to do, and you can respect that a little bit.

That was then.

This is now.

Now, you're sitting in your home, still picking at your birthday bouquet (as you've taken to calling it in your head). You know the Sailor Guardians are going to bring that new recruit over to introduce you, seeing as you're their ally--

No. You fight alone.

Those fights where you supported Sailor Moon were... Training. That's it, you meant to have them defeat the Youmas so they get accustomed to fighting on their own. Of course, how brilliant of you.

There's a knock on your door.

"Vergil!!" Sailor Moon shouts as she pounds your door, "Open up!!"

You almost don't. Almost.

You steel yourself for their new ally's irritating personality, and open the--

"This is Vergil!" Moon cheerfully pulls you out of your home, "He's that cool swordsman that I was telling you about!"

You pull your arm free, and...

...Why is Jupiter looking at you like that?

"Amazing..." Jupiter mutters, "...He's so much like the boy who broke my heart...!"

"...Excuse you?" You hazard, not wanting this conversation go on any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Huh?" Jupiter tilts her head, "Did you say something?"

"You'll be seeing him around!" Moon unintentionally stops you before you begin, "But, uh, he likes his privacy, so he keeps to himself."

"Oh, alright." Jupiter holds her hand out to you, "So, uh, I'm Sailor Jupiter! Pleasure to meet you!"

You reluctantly take her hand. "...I'm still debating that." She has a firm grip as you shake her hand.

"Oh, and, um, before you go back inside!" Mercury stops you as you let go you Jupiter's hand, "These new Youma we're fighting... They're corrupted people. Zoisite is using some kind of crystal to turn them into Youma, but Sailor Moon can reverse it! So, please, don't destroy any Youma for the time being!"

You blink. "I promise nothing." You say as you return to your abode, "But I'll see what I can do."

 

[TremendousMilk3]

"So, you're a hedgehog?" You ask, looking down at your new acquaintance Sonic.

"Yep." Sonic replies, hands behind his head, "Just said that."

"Sorry, I was just confirming." You shake your head, "It's a lot to take in, is all."

"I get it, trust me!" Sonic smirks up at you, "Imagine my shock when I woke up and saw a city! I mean, South Island isn't exactly industrialized!"

"So, I suppose you don't know how you got here?" You ask. You'd like to think you aren't too oblivious.

"Not a clue, but I've got a good hunch." Sonic scowls a little, "And, honestly, it's a fifty-fifty chance. Either the storms above South Island were caused by some "all-powerful" monster that wanted the Chaos Emeralds for some nefarious purposes, or..." Sonic sighs, "...It's Eggman. Again."

"That's the one who built the robots you were telling me about, right?" You try to remember your previous conversation, "With the bushy mustache?"

"Bingo. You catch on pretty quick!" Sonic takes a step ahead, "Alright, I've pretty much given you my life story, so I think some explanations are overdue."

You nearly freeze, "Ah, right! I suppose I should tell you a little bit about Mitakihara and... Witches."

"Hey, as long as they keep their broomsticks close to the ground, I think I'll be a-okay." Sonic turns around, walking backwards to talk to you. He accentuates his point by making an "ok" with his left hand.

You sigh, pulling a Grief Seed out of your hat, "If only it were so simple."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[[ERROR]]

[[ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE DETECTED]]

[[REQUESTING MAINTENANCE...]]

[[REQUEST FAILED: NO RETURN PING FROM EGGMAN NETWORK]]

[[DIAGNOSTIC CHECK...]]

[[ASSESSMENT: MOSTLY COSMETIC, DISREGARD DAMAGES]]

[[OCULAR SYSTEMS ONLINE.]]

You are in a dumpster.

[[COURSE OF ACTION: REMOVE UNIT FROM TRASH]]

You get up, letting the waste matter fall off of you.

[[MISSION: ACCOMPLISHED]]

[[AUDIO SENSORS RECALIBRATED]]

"Aah!!" You register a voice. Childlike, possibly female, "No, Mama!!" There is fear in her desperate plea.

[[IRRELEVANT, RETURNING TO PATROL]]

You begin to exit the alley.

"You little shit!!" There is a second female voice, older, possibly belonging to "Mama", "You thought you could hide this from me?!"

[[IRRELEVANT, RETURNING TO PATROL]]

There is a yelp from the younger entity, as well as glass shattering.

"Yuma's sorry! Yuma's sorry! She pro--!!" Physical strike detected, likely by hand.

"Oh, I bet you are!!" The older woman growls, "Sorry that you got caught!"

[[IRRELEVANT, RETURNING TO PATROL]]

You walk past the home, focused on your current objective.

"Do you have any idea how much that's worth?!" The woman points to--

[[RELEVANT. ENGAGING.]]

The engine in your back flares to life instantly as you crash through the wall. The older woman, covered in alcohol and trace amounts of blood, looks you dead in the eye.

The child, whom you can only assume is her daughter, lays still at your feet. You pick her up by the back of her neck, and show the woman her offspring.

She looks confused.

[[INITIATE: PERSUASION PROTOCOL]]

You point to the Chaos Emerald in her hand, and express your desire of it with your hand.

The older woman scoffs, "Hell no! You can kill the little shit for all I care! This diamond is mine!"

You comprehend.

[[DISREGARD HOSTAGE, ENGAGE.]]

You drop the child off to the side, shoot forward, and deliver a devastating blow to the woman's sternum. Predictably, it shatters. As she hits the wall, you grab her arm and break it. The Emerald clatters to the floor as her daughter winces from the fall.

[[MAIN OBJECTIVE COMPLETE. COMBAT TIME: 0.48 SEC.]]

Aside from the damage you inflicted, she has suffered cranial damage from her impact with the wall, along with spinal damage. She will be dead within two to three hours, less so if the bone shrapnel has torn any vital organs.

Good.​

You take the Chaos Emerald, content to vacate the pre--

The child grabs your leg on your way out. "P... Please... Don't leave... Yuma...!" She begs.

She failed to be used as a hostage once.

But then again, that woman was not Sonic.

You grab the child by the back of the neck again.

[[ATTEMPTING TO PING EGGMAN NETWORK...]]

[[RETURN PING: LOCATION LOCKED.]]

[[UNIT METAL SONIC RETURNING TO THE DOCTOR]]

 

[TremendousMilk3]

Madoka. Silly, silly Madoka. The goddess of hope itself, the law of cycles in physical form. Did you betray her? Did you steal her, keep her, and use her power to reshape reality into a perfect world?

Perhaps. But it was all for her. And now, she's your--

You sense the man before you see him.

"Fufufu..." You find yourself chuckling as you look into the darkness all around you, "And who might you be, interloper? You are certainly no Magical Girl, nor are you--?"

"Homura Akemi..." The man interrupts, "...That's your name, right?"

He knows you? "How is it you know my name? I don't believe we've ever met, stranger."

"We haven't," The man agrees, finally stepping into view, "But I know who you are."

"Oh?" You don't bother to hide your disbelief.

"I know the pain that stings your heart." The man in white steps closer, "From losing everything you worked so hard to gain and keep. The agony that comes from living the same days over and over, begging the world to let you do something different..." He sighs, moving an ivory glove to his face, "...But the result refuses to change."

You silently scorn this intruder as he speaks.

"I know what led you down the path of a usurper." He stops, staring up at you with a fierce determination you've not felt since... "You can bend this world to your every whim, undo all of your mistakes, correct every injustice made against you...!" The man shakes his head, "...But through that, you lose the ability to live your own life. You just exist without anything or anyone."

"Do you think you know everything about me?" You ask, gritting your teeth as you sit upon your throne.

The man shakes his head, "Not everything, no. But..." His gaze returns to you, "...I know enough to speak from experience. I had that power, too. The power to "fix" things."

"What?" You lean forward.

"I tried to force the world to be a better place." He takes a breath, "I tried to fix everything. But it only ended up opening old wounds. I only brought heartache, like you."

"I did nothing of the--!"

"Is Madoka Kaname happy?" He loudly argues back, "Is she really, truly happy in that gilded cage? Or are you just forcing her to be happy?"

"You know nothing of what I--!!"

"I do!" The man shouts suddenly, managing to give you pause, "I know because I did the exact same thing! And you know what?" He takes a few breaths in an attempt to steady himself, "...I was wrong."

"Who do you think you are...?" You growl, your rage only growing, "...You come into my plane, disregard my choices, ignore my suffering--?"

"I'm not invalidating your life!" The man interrupts for what you should probably make the last time, "But what you're doing here is stealing everyone else's choices!"

"Why should that matter?!" You shout back.

"You made this entire world just for Madoka, right?!" A white glove points to the universe before you, "What about your other friends? Kyoko Sakura, Sayaka Miki, Mami Tomoe--?"

"What about them?!"

"Do they not get to live their own lives?!" His glasses sparkle in the odd light of your being, "What about the other people?! Are their lives not important enough to be lived?"

"Shut up about other people!!" You slam your fist into the armrest of your throne, "Who do you think you are to waltz in here and tell me how to use my power?!"

"That's the thing, Homura." The man retorts, "It isn't your power, is it? It's Madoka's."

"She would only destroy herself with it!" You argue, mere moments from leaping out of your throne to wring his neck out.

"And so you'd take everybody's free will? Their choice? Their lives?!"

You stand up, immediately drawing your bow and firing at the man. When the smoke clears--

He stands firm, completely untouched by your magic.

"Who...?" The question barely escapes your lips as a blue glow begins to surround the strange man before you.

The man breathes in, closing his eyes. "My name is Takuto Maruki." He says calmly, "And I won't sit back and watch someone else walk the path I did."

 

[TremendousMilk3]

"Madoka Kaname." Homura stops just in front of the large glass wall, "Are you--?"

"Buildin' a sentry!" The Engineer announces, placing down a large toolbox.

"...Do you value your--"

A loud clank echoes through the hall as the Engineer slams his wrench into the assembling machine. Surprisingly, this causes the sentry gun to assemble itself faster.

"Do you like the--?!"

"Teleporter, goin' up." The Engineer drops a second toolbox, which rapidly begins to unbox itself into a teleporter. Oh, and he's still smacking it with his wrench.

"Do you care about--!!"

In a flash of light, another mercenary appears.

"Engineer is credit to team!" The Heavy shouts as he steps off of the teleporter.

"Erectin' a Dispenser!" The Engineer, eager to get back to work, places a third toolbox onto the ground.

"Danke, my hardhatted ally!" The Medic appears after the teleporter readies itself. He then proceeds to give the Engineer some overheal, filling the area with not only the whirring of machines, but also the hum of a Medigun.

"Do you value what you have?!" Homura tries to shout above the noise, "Your fr--!!"

"CONGA!" The Demoman roars out as he appears from the teleporter, already busting a move.

"Alrighty, then!" The Engineer joins in with his own dance.

The Pyro appears and says... Something. It might have even been important.

"Incoming!" The Scout rushes past everyone before doubling back and beginning to dance.

"Never change who you are, Madoka!!" Homura just skips to the point, growing even more fed up by the minute.

"Plant yourself next to the cart or I will plant you next to that cart!" When did the Soldier get here? I don't remember writing his arrival...

"This'll be a piece of piss!" Oh, and the Sniper is here, too. Super. I think all we're missing is the--

[SPY >BACKSTAB!> TREMENDOUSMILK3]
[Spy is DOMINATING TremendousMilk3!]

Scheduled vote count started by TremendousMilk3 on Mar 12, 2025 at 10:29 PM, finished with 13 posts and 9 votes.

• ---

  4 people have voted

  [X] Freeze like a deer in the headlights
  -[X] Do not freak out. DO NOT freak out
  --[X] Completely fail to notice that you are visibly reacting while Dad tells the story

  • JAGwin
  • Solarstream
  • Isiri Pudireach
  • DragonOfAtlantis

  4 people have voted

  [X] Quick act unconspicuous!
  -[X] Oh! Right! That thing you had to do! You should probably go do that!
  --[X] Make up an excuse and leave. You know that Dad knows how to read you.

  • Herofox
  • Catgc
  • XylemAmethystone
  • Makihuda

  1 people have voted

  [X] Quick act unconspicuous!

  • guisniperman

 

[TremendousMilk3]

Madoka: Absolutely. She was so relieved when she got to go back, though.

Sayaka: She was inconsolable for a few days.

Hitomi: Did not cry, but instead simply enjoyed the story.

Mami: Hugged Kyoko for a while afterwards. To this day, they both refuse to talk about it.

Kyoko: Waited until she was alone, then cried.

Yuma: Absolutely bawled her eyes out.

Homura: Almost, but repressed it when Madoka walked by.

Nagisa: Played it to see if Yuma was overreacting. She was not.

Kyosuke: Thought it was stupid to not have permanent consequences in the story. Unrelated, but he also thinks good storytelling is making all of the characters miserable by the end.

Hiroko: Cried with Manami.

Manami: Streamed the game, cried with Hiroko while she desperately tried to stay in character.

Hiro: Cried. A lot.

Tadano Hitonari: Didn't cry, but consoled Hiro.

Kazuya: Played through the entire game in one sitting without speaking, didn't react to anything.

Cerberus: Cried while watching Kazuya play.

Raido: "...I don't play video games."

Takeshi: All of his tears were spent long ago. But he totally would've.

Ryoko: Absolutely would have cried.

Officer Minato Omaya: "Huh? No, I don't play any games. I spend my time reading mostly.

The Chief: "I'm not playing a game for "evidence", Yumi."

Dante: "Eh. Not the most heartbreaking thing I've been a part of."

Vergil: "...No."

Shoji: Lie down. Try not to cry. Cry a lot.

Kohaku: "Yumi, you...! Just come here! I need to...! Uaaaaaaah...!"

Yuki: Played it off until he was alone, then let a solitary tear escape his eye.

Gabriel: Found it difficult to believe that humans could write such a heart wrenching story.

Louis: "I did not cry."

Scheduled vote count started by TremendousMilk3 on Mar 20, 2025 at 11:30 PM, finished with 10 posts and 4 votes.

• ---

  4 people have voted

  [X] "We're just gonna take a look around. Hopefully before anything happens."
  -[X] "I really hope this is a misunderstanding, like with that Idol Agency guy."

  • Herofox
  • Catgc
  • DragonOfAtlantis
  • Solarstream

 

[TremendousMilk3]

You're one of the last ones to show up, which surprises everyone. That doesn't mean you're late, but you've been left the worst seat.

The floor.

"Thanks, guys!" You smile sarcastically, flopping down onto the carpet.

"Hey, you should've been here earlier!" Kyoko jabs from the couch, "I was here first, so I got first picks!"

"But you live here, Kyoko!" Sayaka, nestled between Madoka and Kyoko, defends you, "Plus, I bet Yumi was beating up some demons before this!"

You grin, "Atta girl!"

"Kyoko, are you already halfway through your popcorn?" Madoka asks.

"Mind your own business." Kyoko moves her popcorn away from the prying eyes of Madoka.

Homura sits on a chair from the dining table, quietly waiting for Mami to return with the movie. She doesn't say anything, but you can tell she wants to.

"Sooooo," Kirika kicks her legs like Yuma does, "What kind of movie do you think Tomoe is gonna come out with?"

"Rotworld." Oriko says casually, "The original, not the cash-grab "remake" from 2010."

"...Wow, wanna tell us the ending too?" Kyoko sneers.

"Well, the--?"

"Don't." You calmly tell Oriko.

"Understood." Oriko nods, glancing over at the door. "Ah, your friends are here, Yumi."

One second after she said that, Shoji and Kohaku enter. Shoji offers a quick wave before finding a nice spot, while Kohaku sits right next to you.

And just after them, Yuki walks in.

"...I thought you said you didn't like movies." Shoji says.

"Oh, I don't." Yuki replies casually, "I can barely sit still enough for a twenty minute episode. I just came for the snacks, and the option to MST3K."

"M... Mystical Space Typhoon?" Sayaka asks, clearly confused.

"Mystery Science Theater 3000!" Yuki exclaims, "You have that here, I checked!"

"Just because we have it doesn't mean anyone watched it." Homura says, "Now take your seat, you're blocking my view."

Yuki flops down away from everyone.

"So, um, besides Mami, who are we missing?" Kohaku asks, looking over everyone.

"The janitor!" Sayaka says, "...Uh, I mean, Kazuya."

"He's the IT guy." Madoka looks disappointed in her friend.

"Uh, yeah! That!"

...

...

"Blueberry, you need to get your head checked." Kyoko states.

After a while, in come Kazuya and Cerberus. Cerberus picks a spot and lays down, and Kazuya rests his head on Cerberus's belly.

"...What?" Kazuya asks everyone staring (and squeeing) at him, "I used to sleep like this a lot back in Tokyo."

"I have been promoted to pillow yet again." Cerberus seems content.

And finally, Mami steps out of her room, DVD in hand. "Okay, I hope you're ready for scares, everyone!"

"Can't be worse than Witches!" Kyoko shrugs, "Bring it on!"

"Bloodshed! Guts! Chunks of bodies!" Kirika chants.

"Perfect!" Mami smiles, putting the DVD into the player, "I'm gonna finish up on the snacks, make yourselves comfortable while the previews play!"

Scheduled vote count started by TremendousMilk3 on Mar 29, 2025 at 12:11 AM, finished with 11 posts and 5 votes.

• ---

  3 people have voted

  [X] "Might I know about them, or at least watch the proceedings? One of my duties is to place my life on the line to protect the lives of humans that are ignorant of demons."

  • Isiri Pudireach
  • Catgc
  • DragonOfAtlantis

  2 people have voted

  [X] Time to send Gotou to do some scouting

  • guisniperman
  • Ninjaben

 

[TremendousMilk3]

You share many traits with Father. Ranging from the physical, such as your hair or your chin, to the psychological, the behavioral, and most importantly the mystical. Some of these you deign even say your brother shares.

Right now, you're feeling what you are absolutely sure Father and Dante would feel in your situation.

Boredom.

Utter, absolute, unequivocal boredom.

You used to be annoyed by Jadeite's consistent and sustained Youma attacks, but now...

...Now you kinda miss them. The Sailor Guardians haven't been around either.

Not that you really care, but their energy lifted your spirits brought an air of entertainment, like a court jester.

...Oh, you've read this one before. You sigh, setting the book aside as you lean forward to get a bag of cheese flavored crackers out from the Birthday Bouquet...

...But stop before your hand touches the bag. You need new reading material before anything. You cannot allow your mind to dull. You have to keep learning about Father. You need more--

...You need some fresh air.

After stowing the books you're going to return in the same place you keep the Yamato when you aren't using it, you begin to walk down to the library. It's a nice day, one that Mother would would call "a perfect day to play outside". You trust her judgement.

You were always more academically inclined than your little brother, so only rarely did Mother have to tell him to go outside. Heck, he didn't even like reading until Mother brought home that comic book about that caped man who could lift a car above his head...?

Is that...?

Indeed it is. The Sailor Guardians, along with that guy in the suit, are standing off as some woman holding a crystal points it menacingly at some other woman. She raises her hands--

"Awaken, Rikoukeidar!" The man shouts as some sort of gemstone is pulled out of the woman in front of him.

That gives you pause. Is that a Dark General? How the hell does he look that feminine from this angle? It's unnatural, unbelievable!

You snap back to the present. There'll be a time for taunting, just not now. The crystal, a color of the sea reflected in its shine, is in the middle of floating into this man's hand. Why does he even want some...

...Do you even care? If he wants it, you want it too.

You grin, already playing out this rather petty act in your head. You wait for the gemstone to travel, closer and closer to the man's hand, until--

You appear, snatching the gemstone just before it reaches his hand. The air is silent as you blink backwards, avoiding a surprised slash of a crystalline sword.

"Who dares steal from me?!" The general shouts out, not seeing where you backpedalled to.

The Sailor Guardians spot you almost instantly afterwards, as does their compatriot.

You're holding the gemstone up to the sun, mockingly inspecting it. "Very beautiful, refracts light stunningly... And look at that." You allow a grin to grace your lips, "Not even a scratch on it."

"Theif!!" The general points accusingly, "That Crystal was mine!!"

"Now, it's not." You put the gem in your coat, "Such is life." You bow, and just before whatever magic he was using is even out of his hand, you disappear.

 

[TremendousMilk3]

You hear feet clatter onto your front porch before you can begin eating the last muffin in your birthday bouquet. You sigh, setting the muffin back down and walking over to the front door. "Honestly..." You grumble as you open the door...

...But instead of of finding a Sailor Guardian or two, you find someone else.

The masked figure leaps backwards, putting distance between himself and you. One of his hands is behind his cape, while the other is put up defensively. "So you do live here." The suited man says.

"I was wondering when we would formally meet." You respond, hand gripping the Yamato, "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"Call me Tuxedo Mask." He speaks quickly, "You have something I need."

"A better name, perhaps?" You jab, "I could think of twenty."

"The Rainbow Crystal." Tuxedo Mask clarifies, showing no interest in playing games, "I need it."

"So did that general." You try to probe for any usable information, "And I'm guessing the Sailor Guardians want them as well."

"So you know its value?" Tuxedo Mask asks as he takes a step to the left.

"I know it's valuable, and coveted." You don't reveal your ignorance to whatever this crystal represents, "Why do you want it?"

"Because...!" Tuxedo Mask smiles slightly, "...You don't know just what you're holding, do you?"

"I know enough." You drum your fingers on the Yamato, "Enough to know this isn't the only one, and enough to know it is safe in my possession."

Tuxedo Mask huffs, "...Then I suppose letting you keep it safe while the rest are found is my only option." He lowers his guard, "You're certainly no general of the Dark Kingdom, so placing a bit of trust in you isn't a horrible idea."

"The Sailor Guardians seem to agree." You lax your grip on the Yamato a little, "So, I must ask again. Why do you want these gemstones?"

"If you must know..." Tuxedo Mask reluctantly explains, "...Gathering all seven will restore my memory."

"How many of them are in play?"

"Five. One is with the Sailor Guardians, one is with me..." As Tuxedo Mask trails off, his face hardens, "...And two are in the possession of the Dark Kingdom."

"So what use would they have in getting all of the crystals if it only meant you would regain your memories?" You ask, "They have another purpose, don't they?"

Tuxedo Mask nods, "When all seven Rainbow Crystals are brought together, the Silver Crystal will reveal itself."

"And what does that mean?"

"...I do not know." He looks reluctant to admit that, "But I must be going. Keep that crystal safe until we meet again." With his final piece said, he leaps off into the night.

...Surprisingly, he wasn't as pompous as you'd originally thought. But that makes him less predictable. You aren't sure if that's a good thing.

 

[TremendousMilk3]

"Damnit!!" It cries out in Shoji's voice as well as its own, "Even in this state, even after I struck you down, you still find new strength?!" It's kneeling down, obviously injured despite its pompous nature, "You... You could have been so much more than this! If you had dedicated your life to Me and My law, you could have heralded peace to the world!"

The Magatsuhi all around you swirls in and out with your breathing.

"Instead, you let yourself be tempted by the false power of--!!"

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD)

"Gaaaaaaaaah!!" It screams out as blades of Magatsuhi pierce its body, "Yuki Konishi, you bastard!! You are the one human I regret letting be born! You stole the power that was Mine by My law--!!"

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD)

"Eeerrraaaaaaaarrgh!!" It cries out in agony as more blades impale it from every angle, "Listen to Me! If you take My life, you will be killing the last remnants of your family, your precious friends!! By your hand, you shall condemn them to oblivion! You--!!"

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD)

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!" It wails, hoping to find sympathy or mercy from you. It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD)

"Rraaaaaaaaaaaagh!!" It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD)

"Yuuuukiiiiaaaaaaagh...!" It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"Hurk..." It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"..." It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"..." It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"..." It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"..." It finds nothing but hate.

(YUKI ATTACKS: MORTAL JIHAD (BLOODLETTING))

"..." It finds nothing.

You slam your sword into the ground.

Nothing happens.

You try again, only to get the same result.

You've expended everything.

But you did it. The thing wearing Shoji is dead.

And so is the entire world.

You got your revenge for all of the lives it took, but it didn't bring them back. It didn't bring you peace.

But you don't regret killing that thing.

Even as you collapse to the ground, your sword clattering beside you, you don't regret what you did. You didn't save anyone.

...But you avenged them.

Yeah, you can die for that. One more time, at least.

Before you try to close your eyes to escape this ashen hellscape, you see a strange glow descend from above.

You force yourself to stand, grabbing your sword as quickly as you can muster. Eventually, you even manage to fully stand up.

"Are you the one they call Yuki Konishi?" The glow asks before revealing its true form--

Something is wearing Kaname's face just like the thing wore Shoji's.

You'll put them both to rest now.