Hinami Hikaru POV:

Who is that demon? If I remember correctly, its name started with a Ve. *sigh* Lately, all that's been on my mind is unwinding the mystery around my brother and that darkness. What does [Magical Girl Aki] have to do with it too...well, they definitely won't tell me anything, if I mapped their expressions right. To this end, I need to become stronger. If I can harness the same powers, I can enter their system...

Whenever I try to remember through the vagueness, 'magic,' I can only produce minimal results. Soon, I would faint, and I hypothesize due to some type of deficiency (of what though?). My current complexion is bordering on health, which my caring brother notices and lightly reminds me to take care of. You're the reason Onii-chan! But one day, after releasing the black mass of shined mana horizontally, just when I was pulling into drowse...

[Restoration]

An uncanny vigor engulfed my body, like the moments after being awake for a few minutes. Confused, I stretched lightly and looked around. Not long after, negating my processing, an all too familiar feeling poured like oil into my mindscape.

Darkness. Pure evil. Pain. Vengeance.

Oozing like some harmony, my expression went from blank to fear. It's the same feeling as when being possessed, the same feeling as when 'he' was here. There is no voice, but all the same, I'm being chained to the bottom of a dense ocean from which I can't escape. My throat tightens as my legs strain together.

I don't want this. I don't want this. Let me out, please sa--no.

I am me, I have changed after being saved. I won't break under this suffering, for my resolve to learn the truth is greater. My resolve to protect is greater. Some looming tragedy like you won't ever take that from me! Mustering up the drive, like grabbing control of the steering wheel, my vision returned fully from the filters.

Though the journey to overcoming the demon's ghost was arduous, I managed to reach back...and in front of me,

A wall was torn by some supernatural power.

---

"W-What was that!?"

I whisper shocked. I was doing my routine, 'magic practice,' and then I suddenly plunged into the abyss of weeks ago. The demon didn't come back...this is different. The tolerable ringing in my head still resembles pitch horridness. Was I able to free myself? My body is somehow looser and energized too. And finally, most importantly, what the heck did I just do to the wall? Me? Destroyed it with some strange energy that I could barely use? What's going on. The sensations in my features are heightened, most likely having something to do with this 'revival.' I need to think...

I stroll over to the broken wall, the hole wasn't deep and the sides looked withered. I reach out to feel the texture...

"How will I explain this...maybe I can put a poster over it."

The hole was certainly wide but not impossible to cover up. While fiddling with the edges and racing thoughts through thick and thin, I felt as if I pressed a switch. Like solving a lock unintentionally, the power goes...

[Restoration]

The wall looks to reverse its time and reconstruct the blast debris. Piece by piece, everything fits neatly back into place by some restorative power. The power to restore things to their previous state.

"T-This..."

Is this the reason...? Did I restore the sensation of when I was possessed and used magic? Restore my body condition to a healthier one? How...

How did I obtain this ability? What are the conditions? I mull it over and the hours go by. 

Since I was just restoring the sensation, that means the demon isn't alive...could my ability even bring back the dead? No, I shouldn't bring them back even if I could. Anyways, despite my calm calculations and theories, panic ensnares the majority of my brain space. Soon,

"!?"

My body stiffens almost instantly. The drowsiness assaults me again as well. 

"..."

Unable to keep up, time keeps flowing. The broken wall begins to crumble and revert to the broken state. As my eyes droop,

"...so it's timed..."

I blackout while contemplating.

---

It's been a bit of time since I miraculously obtained this ability, the reason still unknown. I don't know any [Focals] so [Magical Girl] is out of the question. So, as I thought, it has to do with my brother and his group. Anyways, I've run experiments, created theories, and thought:

- [Restoration] lasts for only an hour and then reverts
- It can't bring back the dead
- Works for anything I can recognize as an 'object'

These are the basics, an easy-to-use superpower. It has limits, but considering the effectiveness including how I can access the demon's powers is undeniably broken. Oh yes, and by using [Restoration] and fighting the disgusting mental assaults, I can obtain quite the battle prowess. Manipulating the foreign energy into dark beams and shots, summoning creatures, minor mind tweaks (like languages). The cost is having a one-hour time limit though.

I've been quite immersed in these abilities as of late, it's all for the goal. What if another demon comes? Will I be able to fight it off? Thinking these things while walking back from middle school,

"Guuurrr..."

A low rumble tickled my ears. Looking up and shifting my sky-like eyes, I find myself in the midst of a monster's range. [Curse]. (Note: She doesn't have a phone so no alerts) How did I not notice up until now, am I that spacey? Worriedly, I take a stance, can I run? I go to set down my backp--

"GAAAA--"

I'm interrupted in motion with a raged charge by the pulsing gruesome creature. Don't be scared now, I have ways. Readying my courage and straightened posture,

[Restoration]

Darkne--

I'm cutting off the unnecessary. In this life-or-death battle, such darkness, such hindrance is only a nuisance, strength it is...a bit idiotic. The energy inside me brims to a peak and its quality silkens like fine obsidian. Remembering the instinct of release and the imagery I've peeked at in moments of perseverance,

[Summon]

I will.

---

Sayumi POV:

As the snake gored into the [Curse], we watched, stunned. Finally ending it, dust sizzled away in the radius and a [Core] sadly sank to the ground. Kaede unmanifested her blades and let out a breath of relief. She first said to Tsuzu,

"If there was a [Magical Girl] already here, it wasn't needed for three more to come!"

"..."

The [Focals] were silently calculating with oddly confused expressions, must be my imagination.

"Well, gladly, no one got hurt."

Yumi sensibly said. We approached the young girl, she looks a few years younger than me. It makes sense since her uniform is a middle school one.

"Hey there, you're pretty young for a [Magical Girl]. It's nice to see reliable aces at your age. What's your name?"

"E-Eh!? Hinami Hikaru..."

She responds really frazzled and confused.

"Oh, Hina-chan? Do you recognize me? Well, obviously...you'd have to recognize the [Iron Empress of Blades Kaede]!"

Her expression widened even greater.

"O-oh yes! I've seen you on TV before...and um, that [Magical Girl] stuff..."

"Hm?"

"Actuall--"

*ground shakes*

*ground shakes*

"An earthquake?"

The conversation with Hinami was cut short. There was no prior alarm or signs, what is going on?

"What's wrong Sawa-chan?"

"This doesn't feel quite like an earthquake, and there's sound coming from one point..."

"So,"

"So, this is probably a consequence of heavy impacts...undoubtedly strong strengths."

"That doesn't sound very good, let's check it out. It's already affecting the area, it's our duty."

"Alright."

"Hina-chan can come with us if you want."

"E-EH!?"

"Then, let's go."

Off to the strange noises and forces. 

---

Arriving at the scene from which many are fleeing, were four girls...Kaede Takeda, Yumi Sawada, Sayumi Yoshida, and Hinami Hikaru. Like [Rising Stars] in the chaos, they burn bright to shun it away. Anyways, they reach the shallow parking lot of a moderately tall office building and enter...

"?"

Then, they saw it. There stood two magnificent people. On the left was a young-looking girl with long ashen hair, dull eyes, and a colorful military academy uniform unrecognizable in this world. Her demeanor was indifferent yet intensely serious. The other on the right wore plain (modern) business casual, whose sharpness edged the tip of madness. His own dark stalky hair accentuated his two different colored eyes--black, and amber. His manner was mischievous and overpowering, further alienated by his even younger appearance. One was smiling, the other was not.

A bad premonition screamed in Kaede's head, and she pulled the girls behind a pillar to listen in before revealing themselves.