The streets of Tokyo stood empty, an eerie silence hanging over the once-bustling metropolis. The only sounds were the moans of the undead as they shuffled aimlessly between abandoned vehicles. Shambling forms cast long shadows in the setting sun. 

Takashi Matsuda ran down the sidewalk, his polished Oxfords pounding against the pavement. His suit jacket flapped behind him, soaked through with sweat. He paused for just a moment, keeling over to catch his breath. Looking back over his shoulder, his eyes grew wide at the sight of the zombies rounding the corner. 

“No, no, no,” he whimpered, forcing his aching legs back into motion. He must make it home. He must get back to his family.

Matsuda recalled waking up that morning and kissing his wife goodbye before heading off to work. He promised his daughter, Mana, he would take her for ice cream after school. That mundane morning seemed so long ago now. 

Before noon, screams echoed through the office. Confused employees crammed into the hallway to investigate the commotion. The elevator doors slid open, revealing a nightmarish scene. Three bloody zombies shuffled out, their vacant eyes zeroing in on the crowd. Chaos erupted as the nightmarish creatures attacked.

Matsuda escaped, but he would forever sear the horrors he witnessed into his mind: his coworker Kato’s neck gnawed open, warm blood spraying across memos and paperwork as he fell onto his desk; his supervisor, Fukui desperately clawing at a stairwell door as fingernails dug into his calves, hungry growls closing in; the sickening crunch of bone as the zombies feasted on the still-writhing bodies.

He ran and ran, evading the unrelenting undead at every turn. He just needed to get back home, to see his family one last time. But as he turned the corner, his hopes sank. A seething horde blocked his path, with rotted arms outstretched hungrily. Matsuda trembled, paralyzed by fear. This was it.

As the mob shuffled toward him, a blast of icy wind suddenly swept down the street. The zombies froze, solid, grotesque expressions captured mid-moan. Three shadowy figures came down from above, their faces hidden by a glowing light. With effortless grace, they spun through the air, delivering powerful kicks and blows that shattered the frozen creatures.

Matsuda watched in shock as the last zombie crumbled to the ground. One rescuer stepped toward him, features coming into focus. She appeared to be a teenage girl with long, flowing blue hair, clad in a sleek blue and white outfit. A gentle smile crossed her face as she extended a gloved hand.

“Everything will be alright now,” she said, her voice kind but confident. “We won’t let them hurt you.”

Matsuda sank to his knees, tears of gratitude streaming down his cheeks. He took the girl’s hand, her grip warm and reassuring. “Thank you,” he choked out. “Thank you so much. But...who are you?”

The girl smiled wider. “I’m Matsui, a magical girl! My friends and I were given powers to save this city.” She gestured to the two figures behind her. One had fiery red pigtails, flames licking up her sleeves. The other, a black girl with a yellow afro, wore a yellow and white uniform traced with lightning bolts. Both posed heroically.

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Matsuda blinked in confusion. Magical girls? Here?

He thought they were only anime characters; heroines invented in fiction to inspire little girls to become heroes.

Before he could process this information, another chilling moan echoed from around the corner. 

“We need to move, now!” said Matsui urgently, helping Matsuda to his feet. The businessman nodded, questions filling his mind as they raced down the street. 

The girls led him through a maze of alleyways before arriving at an apartment building. Producing a key, they ushered Matsuda through the front door and into a small, neatly kept unit on the third floor. 

“Make yourself at home,” said Matsui. “We should be safe here for now.”

Matsuda collapsed gratefully onto the sofa. “Thank you. You saved my life back there. But I don’t understand...how is any of this possible?”

The fire-magical girl flopped down beside him. “It’s a long story, dude. Those freaky zombies started popping up, turning people left and right. The city tried to contain it, but...” She shook her head.

“When all seemed lost, Dorki came to us,” added the lightning girl, perching cross-legged on the armchair. “He gave us these powers so we could have a fighting chance against the hordes.”

“Who’s Dorki?” asked Matsuda.

“That would be me!” A small, cat-like creature with long rabbit-like ears, and pink and white fur strolled into the room. It stared up at Matsuda with unblinking red eyes. “I come from another dimension plagued by supernatural threats. When I detected the zombie outbreak here, I selected these three girls to become magical warriors.”  

Matsuda gaped at the strange creature. He had witnessed so much madness today that he hardly found the talking cat surprising anymore. “I see. And you two are called?”

“I’m Reira!” said the fire girl, flashing a grin. 

“My name’s Jayla,” added the lightning girl with a small wave.

Matsuda smiled at the odd assortment of magical girls and creatures before him. “Nice to meet you all. I’m Takashi Matsuda. Thank you again for saving me earlier.”

“No problem!” said Jayla cheerfully. “We’re just trying to help as many people as we can. Things have gotten bleak out there.”

Matsuda nodded grimly. “It’s sheer chaos. The zombies seem to grow in numbers every hour. Is there any hope of stopping them?”

Matsui met his gaze. “We’re working on it. Our mentor warned us this outbreak seemed different somehow. More dangerous.” Her face grew serious. “But we cannot lose hope. We must keep fighting, for the sake of the city and those we care about.”

The quiet determination in the young girl’s voice moved Matsuda. These brave, bizarre youths risked their lives for the sake of others. He owed them, and this city, whatever help he could provide. 

“Please, can you bring me to my family,” he said. “I need to know if they are alive!"

Matsui smiled, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. “Sure, but don't worry. Keeping your hope will help you survive this nightmare."

Outside, the sun sank below the horizon, the sky bleeding red. Moans echoed up from the streets below. Matsuda met Matsui’s steadfast gaze, resolved to rise within him. Perhaps these girls might be the only hope the city has left.