"Hold on... wait. The two of you are related?" Talia asked groggily, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked between Midori and me.

I turned to her, nodding. "Yeah, Midori is actually my cousin," I said, still processing the news myself. "I had no idea until she told me while you were passed out."

Talia huffed, giving Midori a look of impressed surprise. "Well, that's certainly a twist," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I thought your family history was crazy enough as it was, Mimi, but this takes it to a whole new level."

Midori just shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "What can I say? The family has always had a flair for the dramatic," she said, her eyes sparkling with humor and a tinge of sadness.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted our moment. "Hey, are you guys done with the sappy family drama?! We've got work to do!"

I saw Izumi standing there, her arms crossed as she glared at us. But there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, and I could tell she was secretly happy to see everyone getting along. Izumi and Dad were loading our van with supplies, and I joined them, eager to get going.

Dad and Izumi had been attacked by Neo-Nazis earlier, and while there was no danger for now, we knew we couldn't stay in one place for too long. We needed to keep moving, to stay ahead of anyone who might come after us.

Thiago and Mei were already in the back of the van, helping to secure the supplies with their little hands. Talia followed me, her movements still a bit unsteady as she gingerly made her way to the vehicle.

Dad had found us a temporary safe house in the city, and we would make our way there as quickly as possible. We all piled into the van, and my dad took the wheel, his calm demeanor a soothing balm for our frayed nerves.

As we drove, the silence was only interrupted by the sound of the engine and the occasional flickering of the streetlights outside. I couldn't help but feel anxious, wondering if we were genuinely safe or if danger lurked around every corner. I glanced over at Midori, who was staring out at the passing scenery with a thoughtful expression on her face. She seemed lost in thought, and I wondered if she was thinking about her family or something else entirely.

I looked around, taking in the sight of the ruined New York City around me. It had been completely evacuated and destroyed by the war twelve years ago, and now it was barely recognizable. Skyscrapers had crumbled, roads were ruins, and rubble filled the streets. So many people had died during the Third Chaos War here that homes and storefronts were literally up for grabs by resettling pioneers like my family.

I stared at an apartment building as we drove past it, wondering what kind of life the people living there had before the war. Were they happy? Did they have families? What were their dreams and aspirations? Did they survive the war, or were they among the casualties?

I was lost in thought when I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Izumi looking up at me with her big brown eyes.

"Are we there yet?" she asked facetiously with a grin, her tiny voice breaking the silence. I smiled at her, ruffling her hair affectionately.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my head, making me wince in pain. I clutched at my temple, trying to shake off the sudden sensation with a soft groan. "Are you okay?" Talia asked from behind me, her voice tinged with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, taking a deep breath to steady myself. But something about the pain felt familiar, like a memory just out of reach.

The pain intermittently flared up as we drove further into the city toward Harlem. I tried to ignore it as best I could, focusing on the road ahead and the safety of my family and the children in the back. But the nagging feeling that something was wrong and that danger was lurking just out of sight wouldn't leave me alone.

A screeching sound caught my attention, and I quickly rolled down my window, squinting into the night. The city was currently sparsely populated, so the noise was alarming. Sure enough, there was a car behind us, headlights blazing as it seemed to be in pursuit. My heart skipped a beat, and my grip on the door handle tightened as fear flooded through me.

But suddenly, out of the darkness, a group of four cars appeared from around a nearby corner.

"Dad! Looks like we have company," I said, pointing at the vehicle behind us. He nodded grimly in response and tapped his foot on the gas pedal.

The car roared to life, and we took off down the empty street, the other vehicle hot on our tail. I glanced over at Mei and saw the fear in her eyes. The two children in the back shouted in terror as the car lurched forward, picking up speed as we weaved through the deserted streets.

Suddenly, a group of cars drifted out of the darkness to cut us off. They were all black, sleek, and menacing.

My father's jaw was set as he steered the car to the left, narrowly avoiding a collision with one of the black cars.

"Hold on tight," he said through gritted teeth.

I braced myself as he hit the gas, and we shot forward, barely missing another car in our escape. The pain in my head flared up again, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the danger at hand.

Gunshots rang out through the night air as the other cars fired at us. The sound was deafening, and I could feel my heart racing in my chest as I ducked in my seat out of instinct, trying to avoid being hit.

"Shit!" Izumi swore, reflexively grabbing onto her locket.

I looked over at my dad, who was focused entirely on the road ahead. He was driving like a madman, swerving and dodging the other cars as if his life depended on it.

Suddenly, a bullet shattered the back window, sending glass flying everywhere. I shielded my face as best I could, the sound of the gunfire sending me into a panic.

But I reached over to Izumi, squeezing her hand tightly as we all huddled together, our hearts pounding in our chests.

"What do we do?!" Izumi cried out, panicking.

"Izumi! Do it! Transform!" I shouted.

Izumi's eyes widened in surprise, but she nodded bravely, closing her eyes to take a deep breath.

"In twilight's embrace, I rise from the depth,

A cry from the beyond, the shepherd of hope and sorrow,

Bound by the promise, the whisper in the void,

I shall protect the innocent when darkness is abound,

With heart unyielding, and resolve unwavering,

I stand as a beacon, a force unwithering,

To defend our community, our family, our love.

I am Yomotsu-Otome, the maiden of the underworld! Transform!"

As Izumi spoke the incantation, a bright light erupted from her pendant, enveloping her in a dazzling glow. The light was so intense that it momentarily blinded me. Still, when it dissipated, I saw that Izumi had transformed into her magical girl form. In her place sat Yomotsu-Otome, a ringed pewter pilgrim long staff in hand.

She wore an outfit in black and purple, with a long flowing cloak and a mask covering the lower half of her face. She was taller, her raven black hair was longer, and her eyes were now bright orange.

She unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and vanished in a flurry of black and purple blossom petals.

Midori quickly reached for a small bag at her feet, pulling it to her lap. But Talia caught her hand, shaking her head.

"Don't do it" Talia said firmly. "Not yet at least."

Midori looked torn but ultimately nodded in agreement. "...You're right," she said, her voice tense.

Meanwhile, Yomotsu-Otome was already in action, her staff glowing with otherworldly energy. She leaped out of the car and onto the roof of one of the black cars, striking it with her staff and sending sparks flying. The driver yelped in surprise, veering off course and crashing into a nearby building.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. My little sister had transformed into a magical girl and was taking on a group of armed men!

As our car continued to dodge the other vehicles, Yomotsu-Otome soared through the air, her staff glowing with magical energy. She fired bolts of purple energy at the pursuing cars, causing them to swerve and crash into each other.

The gunfire continued, but with Yomotsu-Otome's help, we could avoid getting hit. I watched in awe as my little sister fought off our attackers, her determination and bravery shining through even in the face of danger.

The other cars swerved to avoid the wreckage, giving us a momentary respite. My dad took the opportunity to speed off, weaving through the streets with renewed vigor. He was sweating profusely and breathing heavily.

But he didn't slow down. He knew we weren't safe yet. The other cars were sure to regroup and come after us again. I could see the tension in his body, his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light illuminated the night sky. We all looked up to see Yomotsu-Otome soaring through the air, her staff emitting an otherworldly glow. She waved it in a circular motion. A shockwave spread outward from the center, sucking all the remaining cars like a powerful vacuum.

The powerful force was too much for them to handle. They were quickly spun out of control, crashing into each other and crumbling into piles of twisted metal. Yomotsu-Otome landed back on our car's roof with a thud, her staff glowing brightly as she smiled at us with satisfaction.

She gracefully opened the side car door and climbed inside, her cloak billowing behind her. "Wasn't I awesome?" She said with a grin, her orange eyes twinkling with delight. "Sorry, I don't know if the name's grammatically correct or anything. I just thought it sounded cool."

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I couldn't help but laugh in amazement and indulge my sister's approval-seeking. "You were amazing, Izumi! I can't believe you took on all those guys by yourself!"

My dad let out a relieved breath, glancing over at Izumi with a mixture of pride and concern. "You did good, kid," he said, his voice rough with emotion.

The brief moment of distraction was almost fatal.

Another car came roaring into view, barreling towards us at breakneck speed. Its headlights blazed like twin suns, illuminating the street before us.

"Dad, look out!" I shouted.

My father's reflexes were quick but not quick enough. The car slammed into us with a thunderous crash, sending our vehicle spinning out of control.

Izumi was flung across the car, crashing into me as we tumbled around in the back seat. I heard the sound of metal grinding against metal as our car scraped along the pavement, sparks flying in every direction. My head slammed against the window, and I felt a sharp pain in my side as the car's airbags deployed. I groaned in pain, struggling to keep my eyes open.

When we finally came to a stop, I was dazed and confused, my head throbbing painfully. I could hear screaming and shouting around me, but it all seemed distant and muffled.

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts as I looked around. The car was a mangled mess, and I saw that Mei and the kids were injured. Blood dripped down their faces, and I knew that we needed to get them medical attention quickly.

"Dad?!" I gasped, trying to orient myself.

But he didn't respond. His head had hit the steering wheel, and blood was streaming down his face. I reached out to touch him, but my hand was sticky with blood.

"Dad!" I shouted, panic rising in my chest.

But there was no response. My father was unconscious, and I didn't know if he was alive.

Midori and Talia were missing, and I assumed Midori managed to teleport out with her in the chaos of the crash. I could only hope they were safe.

My heart pounding in my chest, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car, ignoring the burning pain in my side. I stumbled over to my father's side, shaking him desperately.

"Dad, wake up!" I shouted, tears streaming down my face.

But he remained unresponsive, his breathing shallow and ragged. Panic gripped me as I realized that he might not make it. Still, it was good to see him breathing at least.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps caught my attention. I turned to see a group of five men approaching our car, their faces obscured by masks. Izumi rushed out immediately to stand between us and the approaching men, her staff at the ready.

"Stay back!" she warned, her voice steely with determination.

The men didn't stop, however. They continued to advance, their guns pointed menacingly at us.

Izumi didn't back down. She stood her ground, her staff glowing with otherworldly energy. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of purple energy at the men.

"Krieg," one of the men commanded. The tallest of the men stepped forward, his body covered in metal and wires. He reached out a hand, and something invisible seemed to ripple through the air as he intercepted Izumi's wave. It vanished in an instant, dissipating into nothingness.

My little sister stumbled back in surprise and shock as Krieg advanced toward us with a menacing sneer on his face. I knew then that we were in trouble.

Izumi moved quickly, striking the man with her staff and sending him stumbling back a step. He rolled with the strike and reached out with his metal hand, grabbing Izumi by the throat.

The others were closing in, raising their guns to aim at us as Izumi kicked at his chest, causing shockwaves to ripple through his body. He grunted in pain but didn't release her. Izumi tried to blast him with her purple energy, but it dissipated every time she tried.

Time seemed to slow down as the men began firing at me and our car, and I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable pain and end.

The men fired off a long string of bullets, and I braced myself for the impact.

An impact that never came.

Midori appeared in a flash of green light, causing me to open my eyes.

The air around us distorted and turned purple, and the men's bullets seemed to freeze in the air. They hovered there for a moment, hanging in the air like a cluster of glowing stars. She swung her katana in a flurry of movement faster than my eyes could follow.

Midori vanished again in a blur and reappeared next to one of the men, her blade slicing through his gun neatly. The weapon fell apart in two, the pieces dissolving into nothingness. The man staggered for balance, and his eyes widened in shock as his gun hand fell off in a spurt of blood.

She vanished again and reappeared by another man, grabbing him by the arm and unbalancing him. Before he could recover, she gripped him by the neck and slammed his head against a hard surface, knocking him unconscious.

I stared at her in stunned silence, shaking my head in awe. I had never seen her be so ruthless before. I always considered her soft and gentle, but she could be terrifying.

Another man went to raise his gun, but Midori disappeared again and reappeared behind him. She grabbed his head against her elbow and twisted it savagely, dropping him in a brutal crack. Then, she jumped on the neck of another man nearby and slammed him brutally on the ground with a scissor-leg takedown.

All of this happened in less than six seconds.

She turned to face me, and I found myself looking at a different face for a moment. Her face was colder, harder. It was like looking at someone I didn't know.

The splitting headache returned with a vengeance, and I leaned on the side of the car, trying to remain upright.

"Midori?" I croaked out as my vision reoriented itself.

She shook herself and looked at me with wide, frightened eyes, her face softening again. Midori turned to face off against Krieg, who was advancing on us slowly with Izumi still in his clutches.

"Bursts of magical speed and strength, but you are still within human constraint. Come then; I love killing you filthy gooks," he said in a deep, mocking voice as he swung his metal arm.

"Is that so?" Midori replied, her voice calm and steady.

He sneered and tightened his grip on Izumi. She struggled against him, her expression contorted in fear as she twisted in pain.

"FUCK YOU! LET GO OF HER!" I shouted, taking three steps forward.

Midori flashed me a warning look, her eyes widening.

"Ikki, no! He'll kill you!" She shouted, turning to face me in panic.

I paused in my tracks, then, and looked at Krieg.

The man tightened his grip on Izumi, his expression smug and confident.

I narrowed my eyes and clenched my fists.

"Fuck you!" I growled, my face twisting into a snarl as I held myself back.

He was clearly magically enhanced, and I had no superpowers to speak of. I didn't stand a chance against him.

"Tch, this would be smooth sailing if we had any of the others with us," Midori muttered as she glared at Krieg.

I looked the man over for a second. He honestly looked like he'd come straight out of a comic book.

"He has metal all over his limbs," I stated bluntly.

Izumi blasted Krieg again to no avail, and he laughed loudly as he gripped her tight into a chokehold.

Midori nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, I noticed that," she said as she took a step towards him.

"Can you cut through that? I mean, I know that you can cut through normal flesh and bones and guns, but can you cut through that metal?" I asked, clenching my fists.

"I'm not sure," she said. "But I'm going to try."

"You're going to try?!" I exclaimed, my face twisting in panic.

"What other choice do we have?" She asked.

"You could transform?" I stated flatly.

She shook her head, "Not a good idea."

Midori turned to face Krieg, and I saw the determination on her face.

Before I could respond and ask her what the hell she meant by that, she disappeared. An instant later, she appeared behind Krieg, her sword held high in the air. Midori swung down, but Krieg raised his arm, blocking the blow.

The blade hit the metal with a resounding clank and skittered off.

"Crap," I muttered.

Still, I was glad she did that. Midori broke his chokehold, allowing Izumi to breathe momentarily.

Midori immediately went on the offensive, rushing him with a flurry of strikes with her sword. Krieg had to twist his body to block each of her blows and Izumi took the opportunity to break free. She rolled away and scurried to stand in front of me.

Krieg didn't pursue her, instead turning to face Midori with a sneer. He quickly blocked each of her sword strikes, grinning as he did so.

"Ikki! I'll cover your back. Check on dad and the kids," Izumi shouted at me.

I nodded and rushed to the car, crouching down and checking the back seat. The kids were okay, but my father was unconscious. His forehead had a nasty cut, and I could see that he was bleeding out through his nose.

I quickly scrambled for a handkerchief, pressing it into the wounds to stop the bleeding. I looked into the rear-view mirror and saw Midori forcing Krieg onto the defensive with her sword. He was fighting back, but she was pushing him back.

"You're just a superhero wannabe, you know that? You're no murderer like me," the cyborg chuckled mockingly.

Midori gritted her teeth and continued her assault, her sword glowing with a green light. Then, she disappeared in a blur and reappeared behind him. She committed to a powerful horizontal swing, but Krieg stepped aside, avoiding her strike.

Midori kicked off from the ground, flying into the air and preparing to come down on Krieg with a powerful strike. Krieg laughed and raised his metal arm at her, but just then, Midori vanished in a blur and reappeared behind him yet again.

"Predictable," Krieg remarked, side-stepping Midori's attack.

Midori kicked off and twisted in midair, slashing at his back. Just then, Izumi blasted Krieg with her magical purple light again. She struck him straight on, but he didn't flinch and threw it back at her.

It struck Izumi hard in her chest, and the magical light engulfed her in a burst of white light. Then, the light faded, and I saw her lying on the ground, moaning in pain.

That brief opening was all Midori needed.

Midori shouted triumphantly as she slipped through an angle, slashing through Krieg's torso.

The metal screeched and fragmented as her blade connected, showering the air with sparks. He yelled in pain and reeled back, only to start laughing as the sword embedded an inch into his body.

Midori tried to pull it out, but no matter what she did in that brief moment, the sword wouldn't budge.

"Nanomachines, you dumb chink," Krieg said with a cruel smirk as he grabbed Midori by the neck and slammed her straight into the ground.

Midori groaned in pain, and I saw a quick flash of anger on her face. She went to stand, but he slammed her into the ground again, and I saw her head hit the pavement, her eyes going blank for a moment.

I clenched my fist as I struggled to get up. I could feel something wet on my back, and I glanced at the rear-view mirror to see the blood dripping down my side.

Fuck. The adrenaline had masked the pain, but now, it was hitting me all at once. I'd probably been injured in the crash and didn't even think about it.

My vision was getting blurry, so I took a moment to steady myself against the car.

"Op..." I heard an echo around me. What was that?

"Midori!" Izumi shouted, struggling to stand up.

Krieg laughed as he pinned Midori face down on the ground, his metal against her back. He easily held her down, his metal arm pressed tight against her neck.

"I do so love killing you filthy gooks," Krieg said, his face twisted in disgust.

"Fuck you," I spat out as I staggered forward.

He turned his robotic head to face me, his eyes focusing on me as he sneered.

"You're welcome to try," he said before reaching into his jacket.

The headache roared back at full force, and I fell to my knees as the world spun and disappeared into a blur.

"Oper..." I heard a ring in my ear.

Then, a broken and tattered image flashed by in my mind's eye.

A dark and dusty street, people walking by, ignoring a homeless woman.

A single man dressed in a suit and tie, walking with a young boy.

A woman, her face covered in burns, cried out to the dark sky as she cradled her dead infant.

I glanced up and faded in momentarily, seeing Krieg reach into his jacket and pull out a handgun.

I could hardly see straight, and my vision blurred in and out. I felt pain all over as if someone was stabbing me with a thousand knives.

An image flashed by — a pair of twin magical girls, green and red.

Then, a dark and twisted world, a ruined city.

A man buried up to his neck in sand, clawing away at the sand as he screamed.

A young girl cried as she watched a burning city without a word.

Image after image flew by me in a blur, and I had no idea what it all meant.

A demon, a monster, wearing the skin of a little girl.

A purple-haired girl, her friend, stabbed in the stomach, slowly bleeding out on the ground.

A teenage boy,. His smug face vanished and was replaced by one of utter despair and suffering.

A young boy was on the ground, his face twisted in anguish while his friends looked on helplessly.

A man, tears streaming down his face as he watched his family burn to death before him.

A young girl, an innocent child with a pure heart, tortured and killed most painfully.

...

"Operator Ikazuchi. Are you in need of assistance?"

A familiar, feminine voice asked with concern.

These images were...

No, that doesn't matter right now.

I slowly lifted my head, looking towards the end of the street, where I hallucinated a woman's silhouette in a brief flash of light.

"Help would definitely be nice," I whispered with my last bit of strength.

Izumi had somehow managed to stand and was charging towards Krieg again as everything moved in slow motion.

The cyborg ignored her, instead turning and pointing his handgun right at my head.

"Sayonara, you fucking chink," he said, grinning and pulling the trigger.

...

"...Acknowledged."