“What are we trying to accomplish here?” She asked. Instead of her usual clothes, Seina wore a training Gi which chaffed against her skin. “I’m already super powerful, so what are you trying to teach me? This probably won’t help me learn how to use magic.”

Mr. Kiyojiro crossed his arms. “Power is one thing, but you need to learn to channel and harness it. This isn’t about training your muscles, Seina. This is about developing technique. You can’t win every fight with raw strength alone. I’m teaching you to become a more effective fighter.”

They stood inside a long since abandoned gym. After the vampire’s defeat, many buildings remained unclaimed. Inside, they found several hundred exercising machines left to rust. It struck a chord with Seina, leaving her with a sense of melancholy. She sat cross-legged on a training mat with her bodyguard sitting across from her. Her friend Aiko watched from the sidelines, eager to provide Seina with support.

“There are plenty of powerful magical girls out there. They won’t be so untrained like Takako,” Colten said. “There’s more to a magical girl’s arsenal than magic.”

“Sounds scary. I can’t believe evil magical girls exist!” Aiko said. “Aren’t vampires enough?”

No kidding!

“I suppose you’re right. If I can’t use magic, I’ll need to depend on my fighting skills instead.” It still sounded like a great deal of hard work to Seina. She really wanted an easier solution to this, but from her short experience she’d learned reality was rarely nice.

I can’t believe I’m back to hard labor again. Still, if it meant protecting her friends, she’d endure it.

“I’ve created something that might help!” Colten dug into an old duffle bag he’d produced from somewhere and retrieved two pictures. One showed a regular photo of Seina. The other was a picture of a female bodybuilder with enormous rippling muscles with arms and legs the size of tree trunks. A cutout of Seina’s face overlaying the muscular woman.

“This is our goal.” The fairy pointed towards the picture of the bodybuilder. “This should provide some motivation! It’s a goal to work towards!”

“What? No thanks!” Seina said in automatic protest, making a face. She imagined herself with that body in her magical girl dress and shuttered in horror. It wasn’t even remotely cute.

Aiko wore a strained smile. “Yeah, it doesn’t really suit Seina. That’s just weird.”

“Come on, it looks super cool! No one would dare mess with you.” Colten replied, pointing at the muscular Seina for emphasis.

After staring at the bizarre picture of muscular Seina for several moments in bewilderment, Mr. Kiyojiro coughed into his fist. “That won’t be necessary. We’re working more towards dexterity and athleticism. Building up her muscles won’t be necessary.”

Thank you. Someone speaking sense! Aiko seemed just as relieved as Seina, sharing one mind on this subject.

Colten sighed. “Fine, but we’re at least giving you ripped abs! Every warrior must have those at least!”

“... Right. Anyway, let’s get started,” Seina replied, eager to change the subject. “What cool moves are we learning today?”

“Yeah!” Aiko said, nodding with enthusiasm. “She could be like Bruce Li! Have you ever watched his movies, Seina? He is so cool!” She entered a fighting stance and made a punch while screaming a high-pitched yell.

“Great idea!” Seina said, nodding. Ever since she’d gained her freedom, she’d enjoyed watching movies. She wondered if these martial arts movies would teach her cool techniques.

“No, we’re working on simple forms today.” Mr. Kiyojiro replied, and gave a pained sigh as he noticed the look of disappointment on Seina and Aiko’s faces.

“What?!”

“Those fancy moves might sound impressive, but the basics are always the most important. They build the foundation you’ll need later. We will be performing basic katas.” A nasty smile formed on Mr. Kiyojiro’s face. “We’ll be practicing them until you drop.”

“Okay,” Seina replied with little enthusiasm. What was the point of throwing the same punch a hundred times, anyway? It sounded tedious. Already, she hated training.

---

“Why are we here again?” Takako asked for the fifteenth time. “It smells.”

Lilha, with strained patience, gave her reply. “In these sewers lives a vampire of incredible ability. We’ll need his help to defeat Seina.”

“They live in a sewer.” Takako played with a pistol out of boredom, twirling and tossing it from hand to hand in a way that Lilha had to admit was impressive. “What use could they possibly be?”

“Yeah, and didn’t you say the most powerful vampires died at Seina’s hands?” Nier asked.

“Not all of them,” Lilha replied. “Some were wiser and fled.”

When she closed her eyes, Lilha still remembered that horrible, fateful day. The rain trickled against their rippling muscles as they faced their puny, pathetic foe. An entire army of vampires facing a single solitary opponent. Each one had abilities that could devastate entire continents. They stood proud, confident they could defeat some dumb little girl that dared challenge them. Even if she’d defeated their great leader and king, a single solitary person couldn’t defeat their entire army. They’d been horribly, tragically wrong. The slaughter was…

A tear of blood slid down Lilha’s cheek as she recalled that horrible day. In her dreams, she returned to the scene, reliving the carnage. It haunted her again and again. Even if they defeated their most hated foe, would the nightmares ever end?

“Don’t worry,” Lilha said, her voice hard. “Their power will be worth it.”

As they explored further, eyes glinted down at them from the shadows, watching them with hungrily. The slightest sign of weakness and they’d pounce. They were apex predators, eager to tear their victim limb from limb. They recognized their former queen, but ignored her. Instead, focusing their attention on the girl accompanying her. Despite looking like another magical girl, their hunger overrode their caution. Hundreds of lesser vampires emerged from the shadows.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” A vampire said. He dropped from his perched position on the ceiling, landing to block their escape path. “Are we lost, little girl? This place is dangerous. Who knows what might happen to you?” The vampire and his buddies gave cruel, predatory smiles, chuckling to themselves. Takako watched them, unafraid with a bored expression.

Lilha’s eye twitched in irritation. “She’s a magical girl, you idiots. Now step aside. We have business elsewhere.” And I’m your queen, damnit! Show some respect!

The news that their supposed prey was a magical girl gave the vampires pause, whipping the smile from their faces. The vampires gave their buddies nervous sideways glances.

“See Frank, I told you she was a magical girl.” Another vampire said. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“Yeah, isn’t that a fairy with her?” Another added.

“Shut up! She might just be coming from a costume party!” Frank said defensively, though his friends looked doubtful. “You never know! Besides, we’re vampires! We don’t cower from little girls! We’re apex predators! The worst of the worst!”

Frank turned his attention back to Takako. The sewer vampire showed his sharp fangs, giving a predatory smile. “Foolish little girl, you wandered into the wrong neighborhood.”

“Frank, what are you doing?” A vampire said incredulously. “Do you have a death wish?”

“Look, we have her outnumbered!” Frank snapped back. “She can’t fight all of us!”

“No, history proves otherwise! She totally can!” Another vampire replied. “Did you forget the great vampire massacre of Tennoji?!”

Frank stood straighter. “They’re not me. Besides, this is a different magical girl. With my power…”

“Enough,” Takako said and pulled out her black pistol, pressing it against Frank’s chest. Before the vampire could react, the magical girl pulled the trigger. Much to Lilha’s astonishment, instead of blowing a hole into Frank’s chest, he just dissolved into a green mist, vanishing without a trace.

“What did you do?” Lilha asked.

“I just erased him from existence,” Takako replied like she was speaking about the weather.

“What?” Another vampire’s voice cracked in terror.

“What? You can do that?!” Lilha asked in total astonishment.

Takako smirked, her expression smug. “My bullets can do anything. Didn’t I explain that? I can even restore him if I so wished. Not gonna though.”

“Why didn’t you use that against Seina?!” The vampire queen wanted to strangle someone.

“She’s a magical girl.” Takako looked away, pretending to study some spot on the wall. “Her magical defenses are too powerful.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” The more Lilha learned about magical girls, the more she grew to despise them. It only strengthened her resolve to kill them all.

“Anyway, you saw my capabilities,” Takako said, gesturing with her gun towards the frightened vampires at large. “You better answer some questions before I get testy.”

“Anything you say!” A vampire rubbed his hands together, eager to please. Sweat trickled down his undead forehead. “We’re at your service!”

“Where can we find Shinobu?” Takako asked. “Apparently, he lives down here.”

Each of the several hundred vampires pointed towards a left corridor. They stumbled over each other to answer the magical girl’s question first.

“Good. Come.” Without another word, the magical girl walked in that direction.

Lilha took several moments to calm her temper before following. After giving her previous subjects a pained but encouraging smile, Lilha disappeared down the corridor.

“Your so-called subjects didn’t offer you much respect,” Takako said when Lilha caught up.

“Were you really a queen?” Nier asked.

“Yes,” Lilha replied with strained patience. “They just didn’t recognize me in this disguise.” She gestured vaguely at her T-shirt.

It was a lame lie, and Lilha knew it. But what other choice did she have? Back when her husband ruled, he preached survival of the fittest. He encouraged his vampire elite to fight amongst themselves to become stronger. Only the most ruthless and heartless could survive in his court. Fat good that did her now. She slumped, realizing how much of a joke she’d transformed into. What respect did she deserve now as a deposed queen?

And now I’m following around a magical girl like an obedient puppy. She reminded herself they were actually partners, but it rang hollow. The vampire queen gave her brain a swift kick. No, it was the other way around! Lilha was manipulating the magical girl into performing her bidding. In reality, she was the puppet master! Takako was a fool for trusting her! She was the true master!

Yeah, Lilha, keep telling yourself that. Maybe if you repeat it enough, it might become true. The vampire queen’s body sagged as she followed Takako, who hummed to herself without a care in the world, still playing with her pistol.

The sewers seemed endless as they traversed them. They wound in confusing angles, making them hopelessly lost. Lilha hid a smirk as the magical girl tried and failed to make sense of it. No matter what direction they took, it never got them anywhere. The sewer tunnels made less sense by the moment, becoming an endless path of corridors with no escape in sight. Lilha enjoyed seeing Shinobu use his power to make the seemingly unstoppable magical girl appear the fool for once.

Amazing. The way he distorts reality is seamless! We’ve walked along the same corridors for ten minutes, and the fool girl doesn’t even notice! Lilha had confirmed this by dropping a rock with a marking on it, and they’d already passed it at least six times. The vampire queen enjoyed knowing something Takako didn’t, waiting for the magical girl to beg for help.

“Screw it!” Takako pulled out her pistols and spread out her arms in opposite directions.

Seconds later, Lilha yelped in fear and ducked her head as the magical girl spun around in a circle, firing her weapons. Concrete chunks flew in every direction as the bullets punctured through them, filling the corridors with dust. After several rotations, Takako ceased shooting, surveying the damage.

The endless corridors had vanished, revealing a different scene. They were in a Y-shaped intersection with corridors that branched out in different directions. Scattered across the walls were countless bullet holes. Kneeling on the pavement with several bullet wounds was a vampire holding their gut, trying not to bleed out.

“Why?” Shinobu said, his voice hoarse and pained. “I just wanted to be left alone.” He keeled over, and blood pooled under him as his bleeding refused to stop.

“Shinobu!” Lilha’s undead heart raced as he ran to his side. “What have you done?!” Down other corridors, she heard other vampires moaning in pain, caught up as collateral damage. How far had her bullets pierced? The holes she’d left seem to continue on forever.

“What?” Takako said, unmoved. “Was I meant to wander forever? Please.”

“Well, do something! He’ll die! He’s the reason we came down here!” Lilha fought back several choice words.

“True. Otherwise, we came down here for nothing,” Nier said.

“Fine. Healing Shot.” Takako rolled her eyes and shot the dying vampire. Shinobu blinked as his wounds vanished like they’d never existed. He touched his body, unable to believe his injuries had just disappeared.

“Thank you,” Lilha said through clenched teeth. “How are you?”

“What do you want?! Why are you bothering me?!” Shinobu said once his wits returned to him. “I was just minding my own business when you brought that thing into my home!”

Annoyed, the vampire clerk waved a hand and the surrounding tunnel changed. They suddenly found themselves in an enormous old-fashioned reading room, the walls stacked with countless books. Shinobu pulled a chair from a desk which gave a loud creak as he rested heavily on it. Lilha extended a hand in wonder and found her hand touching empty air where the tunnel wall should have existed. Even Takako seemed impressed by this display of power.

Shinobu turned away from them, addressing some papers lying on his desk, rifling through them. “If you would excuse me, I’m very busy. Leave and never return.”

“Some thanks for saving your life.” Takako rolled her eyes.

“You’re the reason I almost died in the first place!” An incensed Shinobu replied, pointing an accusatory finger.

“Now, let’s not fight,” Lilha said, trying to salvage this situation. “We’re here to ask for your help.”

“Why would I do that?” Shinobu asked, deadpan. “You almost killed me.”

The vampire queen opened her mouth, only to close it again moments later, realizing she didn’t have an adequate answer for that. In mere moments, Takako had inadvertently ruined her plan.

No, I can salvage this! I didn’t suffer the utter hell of working at an ice cream stand for nothing!

“I’m glad you asked!” Lilha replied. Her voice sounded much too eager for her ears. “With your help, we can restore the vampires to their former glory!”

Shinobu gave a contemptuous snort. “Why would I want that? Before the darkness’s arrival, I was only a clerk. I’ve never cared about vampires. I just want to be left alone. Besides, I already have everything I could ever want. In a secret compartment, I have the complete collection of every great poet in human history with several hundred books besides that. If your friend hasn’t shot them to pieces too.” Panic filled the clerk’s voice upon coming to this sudden realization.

I’m losing him! “Is there anything else you desire? With our great magical means, we can accomplish anything.” Lilha said, trying to hide her desperation.

“Well, there isn’t,” Shinobu replied. “Unless you bring the dead back, leave my house before you cause any more damage!”

“That’s that, I guess,” Takako said, turning away. “Let’s leave this horrible smelly place.”

“That was a waste of time,” Nier replied, nodding.

“Wait, uh!” Lilha’s mind raced. Unless she added this clerk to their side, there wasn’t any other vampire powerful enough to remotely challenge Seina. She refused to return empty-handed. Then, the perfect answer appeared in her head.

“Actually, I believe we might help each other,” Lilha said. “Bring back the dead, no problem. Nothing my evil magical girl associate can’t accomplish.”

Takako blinked. “Huh?”

“Can you bring someone back from the dead?” Lilha hissed under her breath.

“Uh, maybe?” Takako replied. “I’ve never attempted it before.”

Louder, she addressed the astonished vampire clerk. “You saw how Takako revived you from near death. Bring back the dead? Not an issue!!”

“Really?” While not entirely convinced, Shinobu seemed hopeful. Tears welled in his eyes. “You can bring my Chikao back?”

“Absolutely!”

The vampire clerk remained silent, mulling this unexpected opportunity over.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure I can’t actually,” Takako whispered towards Lilha. “I’m pretty sure it’s impossible.”

Lilha waved a dismissive hand. “It’s fine. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it!”

“I’ll do it!” Tears flowed freely in the clerk’s eyes. “If it means getting my son back, I’ll do anything! Count me in!”

“Right! Glad to have you!” Lilha forced a smile.

Shinobu pulled out a picture of a six-year-old boy from his wallet, stroking it with a hand. “Soon, we’ll be together again, Chikao. Soon.”

“Yes, soon!” Lilha replied. Thankfully, the grieving father hadn’t noticed the forced cheerfulness in her voice.

“You know, sidekick,” Takako said. “I may be one of the evilest beings in the multiverse, but even I think that’s cold.” Her fairy friend nodded his agreement.

“It’s fine! I’m sure it’ll work out!” Lilah replied. “Totally!”

Still, his power has more limitations than I expected. She’d heard stories about how Shinobu could create entire lifelike buildings with his ability. He could summon food so realistic it tasted like the real thing, capable of filling someone’s stomach until it disappeared. But, as Takako had demonstrated, his illusions weren’t unbreakable. It ruined her pain to trap Seina in an inescapable prison and have Takako shoot their mutual enemy to death.Still, she had better and even more imaginative ideas. With Takako’s help, they might stand a chance in killing Seina.

Then I shall feast on her! A nasty smile grew on her face. Vampires grew more powerful when they fed on people. What would happen if a vampire devoured a magical girl? Could she steal Seina’s magic? Then nothing could stop her. She’d enjoy whipping the smug expression off Takako’s face.

Laugh while you can, Takako. After this, a once vampire queen will ascend into godhood!