"Walking down this street... doesn't it feel a bit too deserted?" Kyoko Sakura mused, glancing at the line of storefronts closing their doors earlier than usual.
She stopped at a fruit stand she frequented, habitual as always. "Hey, Uncle. I'll take a bag of apples."
"Oh, it's you!" the shopkeeper replied warmly, already beginning to weigh the fruits. He had become familiar with this young newcomer—a bit withdrawn, always munching on an apple, and frequently seen wandering the shopping district.
"Is something going on?" Kyoko asked, a sprig of foxtail grass between her teeth, as she handed over the local currency she'd received from Sola.
"Have you not been following the news? Or the warnings from the Church?" the uncle asked, leaning in. "A young foreign woman was killed recently. They say the murderer is still at large, possibly hiding somewhere in Fuyuki."
"The Church issued a statement saying the suspect is dangerous. They've advised everyone to stay indoors after dark and avoid sparsely populated areas. That's why everyone is closing up early. No one wants to run into trouble."
He handed her the bag of apples with a concerned look. "You should be careful too, little girl. Don't stay out too late."
"Got it. Thanks, Uncle."
Crunch! Kyoko was already devouring one before she had even left the stand. She nodded her thanks and continued down the street.
"A world without Witches..." she murmured, watched the simple, peaceful scene of parents leading their children home. An inexplicable pang of envy shot through her.
In her world, the existence of Witches meant ordinary people lived under constant, invisible threat. Magical Girls were created to combat that threat, but Kyoko had eventually learned the horrific truth: Magical Girls were the embryonic forms of the very Witches they hunted. The more they used their magic, the faster their Souls darkened, until they eventually 'fell.'
She had witnessed this transformation firsthand with Sayaka Miki. Her friend—her rival—had turned into the very thing they were sworn to destroy. And now, Kyoko was faced with the devastating possibility of having to eliminate her.
But Kyoko couldn't accept that. She wanted to save Sayaka. Even if Kyubey, that cold contractor, insisted there was no way to reverse the process, Kyoko refused to give up.
"I will save you..." she whispered, clutching her Soul Gem tightly. If the legendary Dragon Balls were as powerful as the stories claimed, then surely they could restore Sayaka from her Witch form. That was why she had answered the summons to this war.
However, this war was proving to be far more difficult than she had anticipated. The 'Heroes' summoned here were monsters of a different caliber, far more formidable than any Witch she had ever faced. "Yeah... nothing in this life is ever simple."
She thought back to the powerful figures she'd glimpsed recently and felt a mounting headache. She had definitely underestimated this 'Dragon Ball War.'
"Well, one step at a time," she said, echoing Jonouchi's optimism. "Sooner or later, we'll find a way."
...
"Lancer is wandering the shopping district alone?" Tokiomi Tohsaka asked, reviewing the intelligence from his familiars. Finding a Servant who wasn't actively hiding was trivial, but Lancer's behavior was baffling. Why would a Servant who had lost her Master be strolling nonchalantly through a public area?
Normally, a Servant in her position would be desperately searching for a new contract to avoid disappearing. "Does she possess the skill for Independent Action?"
"Even if she did, Teacher, that doesn't explain why she's casually eating apples and taking a walk," Kirei Kotomine reminded him. No matter how resilient her spirit, this level of leisure in the face of annihilation was suspicious.
"We haven't found Caster yet, but Lancer is right there for the taking," Tokiomi mused. "While caution is warranted, this is undoubtedly a golden opportunity."
He looked at the Kotomines. Starting the plan now meant uncovering the identity of Berserker's Master sooner. "Assassin, the time has come. Act now."
Kirei relayed the instruction to Kenshin. Though he remained silent, Kirei couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Lancer's relaxed attitude felt like a trap. He hoped their plan to frame her wouldn't backfire.
...
Whoosh! Kenshin moved like a ghost, blurring through alleys and across rooftops. Modern architecture offered even more cover than the buildings of his own era. He spotted his target within moments.
Hah! He burst from the shadows of an empty street, drawing his Divine Sword in a single, fluid motion.
Kyoko Sakura reacted instantly. Her casual clothes vanished, replaced by her combat attire, and her long spear materialized in her hand just as the first strike arrived. She dropped her bag of apples without a second thought.
Clang! Sword and spear collided, a shower of sparks illuminating the narrow street as red and black afterimages danced in the dark.
"You bastard!" Kyoko hissed.
Kenshin's eyes widened slightly. His blade was stopped centimeters from her throat, held back not just by her spear but by a chain of magical energy she had manifested mid-clash.
"Sneaky coward! Go to hell!" Kyoko didn't hold back. A burst of magical energy repelled Kenshin, and she immediately lunged forward with a series of ferocious stabs.
Clack! Kenshin parried the thrusts with his Divine Sword, but Kyoko's weapon was unlike anything he'd fought. Click! Click!! The head of the spear segmented and changed shape, snaking toward him at an impossible angle.
Rip! Kenshin threw himself backward, but the spearhead caught his left shoulder, tearing through his clothes and leaving a shallow, stinging wound. A fraction of a second slower, and he would have been impaled. He stared at the deforming weapon, his expression grave. "A spear that can... change its form?"