"Why the hell is there a monster rampaging through a town?!?" Kana yelped in surprise. "Did one of Alice's summons get loose?!?"

{No wait. Even if one did it wouldn't attack people! Probably...} (Kana)

"Where are Eris and the others? We need to let them know!" Naomi exclaimed, visibly nervous as she imagined what was happening to the people living where the worm monster attacked.

"I've already reached out to everyone I can. Eris and Ayame are in Tokyo right now with Mixu and Excel at some kind of conference. Problem is, that even if they get moving right this second, it's going to take at least an hour to get here." Kaori replied as she shook her head. None of them could move that fast, and while they were far faster than normal Humans it would still take time to go that far.

"Who else can go then? Don't we have that big Amazon lady? She seems pretty strong!" Kana asked, growing increasingly worried that nobody would be able to step in.

"I have no idea where she's at. She and Tsuchimi went off somewhere this morning and I can't get them to pick up their phones." Kaori replied. Sagara was a powerful Monk and would easily squash such a weak creature, though the same could be said about most Returnees.

“Can't we just get Mizumi or Shinlua to handle it then?” Naomi figured that either would be more than powerful enough to handle such a creature since one was a powerful Water Spirit and the other was a former Adventurer.

“I have no way of contacting either of them, and I can't go to Omara without the portal or Mizumi to open it so...” Kaori said with a bit of nervousness in her voice. “We didn't really plan for something like this...”

{We need to fix that once Akagi gets back!} (Kaori)

"Fuck it! Just call Onee-chan and get her to send someone back here!" Kana exploded in frustration. "And I'll blow up Hishya's phone until she gets her ass back from the U.S.!"

{What a fucking time to be training in the mountains, you stupid Dragon!} (Kana)

"Is there really nobody here to handle the worm?" Mika asked, surprised that everyone was unavailable. "How with all the OP characters around here is nobody around? That seems impossible."

"Its really just bad timing." Kaori shrugged. "There were a few Ninja and others who could fight here a bit ago, but they got called back to do some work at the base. Normally we've got at least a handful of people here at any given time for situations like this. Basically this is a perfect storm of bad timing.” She groaned. “I've been trying to get through to Akagi already but she's apparently in an important meeting or something. Nima said she'd get back to me as soon as possible, but I fear it's going to be too late. Even if someone drops everything and comes back its not going to be quick enough to prevent more people from dying."

{Akagi is going to be PISSED if they don't interrupt her meeting to deal with this! Its not like they can't get a hold of her either since the magic radios easily connect that deep underground. Ugh! That stupid Catwoman! Why did she call everyone back like that! I told her to keep a few of the Ninja here as guards!} (Kaori)

"What about Superbia and Munechika?" Naomi asked about the Oni who were close by. "She's guarding the gate, so why not just tell her to go deal with it?"

"Superbia can't leave her post, that was Akagi's direct order." Kaori replied. "If word gets out that Superbia left to destroy a worm then Akagi will probably send her to the happy farm for disobeying her orders, even over something like this." Superbia's presence at the estate was intended to be the last line of defense. The entire reason she was stationed near the gate was to ensure nothing happened to it. At the same time, even if it would only be for a short while her absence could allow someone to infiltrate and destroy it, an outcome that was far worse than a town being killed by a worm and thus would not be allowed, even under these circumstances. "Munechika would be perfect for this but she can't go that far away from Superbia, so that's out as an option too."

{Even those Misfits aren't around! Shiru is overseas with Alveron doing some stupid thing together and I can't find Avahn or Ara anywhere! Those two are probably napping together somewhere warm, and Daikael has gone AWOL! AGAIN!} (Kaori)

"Then I'll go!" (Mika x Kana)

"Are you serious?!?" Naomi squeaked in surprise as her two friends declared their intention to fight. "That's an actual monster you know! Kana is one thing, but Mika, I know you've got Magical Girl power but have you actually done real battle yet?"

"It doesn't matter!" Mika said as she changed into her Magical Girl outfit with a single flick of her hand. "A Magical Girl doesn't just sit around and watch as people die! I have this power and I'm going to use it! That was the whole reason I wanted to become a Magical Girl!"

"For once, I agree with Mika." Kana said as she summoned Himari. "You good with killing a worm?" She asked the sword girl.

"I mean, I don't want to touch said worm but it's kinda necessary..." Himari sighed as she imagined the goo she'd have to clean off later. "So yeah..."

"You two..." Naomi paused as her eyes went wide. She knew her friends were serious and found herself feeling a bit sad as there was little she could do to help with how weak she currently was.

{I wish I could help...} (Naomi)

"Mika, can you carry me?" Kana asked her, to which Mika replied with a nod.

"Easy, and it shouldn't slow me down much. Kaori this is by Yoshiminedera Temple, isn't it?" Mika asked about the location.

"Yes, but will you really be able to make it quick enough?" Kaori asked, unsure if the two of them would reach the attack site in time since it was on the other side of Kyoto.

"Mika's flying speed should get us there in under ten minutes if she goes full throttle." Kana said as she quickly ran the numbers in her mind. "Faster if I boost you on takeoff."

"B-Boost?" Mika asked, nervous since she had no clue what Kana meant. "What kind of boost?"

_____________________________________________________________________________

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Mika screamed at the top of her lungs as Kana carried her Princess style in her arms, running at incredible speed out of the estate and up the slope of a nearby mountain. "TOOOOOOOO! FAAAAAAAAST!"

*ZOOM*

"Listen, I'm gonna kick us off the top and you're going to take over from there, Mika!" Kana said, ignoring Mika's screaming as they quickly reached the top of the mountain. "You ready?"

"NO!" Mika squeaked as she gripped Kana tightly.

"Well, you'd better be!" Kana yelled as she put as much power as she could handle into her legs and leaped off the edge of a cliff, the sheer force of her leap throwing the two of them nearly a mile into the sky and propelling them forward at incredible speeds.

*WOOSH*

"I'M NOT READY FOR ANY OF THIS!!!!!!!!!!" Mika screamed as they launched through the air, only barely maintaining enough composure to activate her flight magic to put them on a gliding path toward their destination. "Kana! We're having words when we get back!"

{YOU DON'T JUST PUT SOMEONE IN YOUR ARMS AND JUMP OF A MOUNTAIN! AND SINCE WHEN CAN YOU JUMP THAT HIGH?!?}

(Mika)

"Yeah, yeah. Yell at me after we stop the worm!" Kana laughed as the two rocketed through the air at speeds faster than what Mika could do on her own. Kana's initial bump wouldn't last for long, but she figured it would enable a quicker acceleration and save precious moments since the longer they took the more people would die. However, while it was an effective method of saving time it had the 'unintended' side effect of scaring the living daylights out of Mika due to the incredible speed at which Kana ran.

"And another thing, since when can you run like a certain blue hedgehog?!?" Mika grumbled as she was cradled in Kana's arms, something she found embarrassing. "And why are you carrying me like this?!? Its embracing!"

"The answer to the first question is that I've been training a lot lately. The answer to the second is that I figured it would be the easiest way to get you moving." Kana laughed as Mika blew a raspberry. “What? Don't you want to be carried like this? Aren't I your knight in shining armor?” She chuckled.

“Shut up!” Mika growled. “And wouldn't it be faster if you just ran with me in your arms?!? Why do we need to fly anyway?!? You can go faster than me!”

"If it was over open ground, you'd be right. But with all of Kansai's hills and mountains combined with the entire City between here and there, it would be slower to do this on foot.” Kana explained.

{Not to mention if I start hopping on rooftops at max speed I might damage the buildings... I'm... I'm not normal anymore... Am I...} (Kana)

“Whatever...” Mika sighed as they continued through the air before eventually arriving at the scene of the attack. From the air, they could see the small mountain village was in tatters with most of its buildings damaged or outright destroyed. It was a scene straight out of a war zone, and the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on the girls as they desperately searched for the worm.

"Where is it?!?" Mika said as she wiggled in Kana's arms in an attempt to get a better look. "How can a stupid worm be so hard to find?!?"

"Quit squirming!" Kana barked in her ear. "If you drop me that's only going to make things worse so stop wiggling around like a certain Cat when she wants snuggles!" She sighed as she looked around, barely catching the sight of a large creature smashing though a building and devouring a fleeing woman in a single gulp. "There!”

"Hang tight!" Mika said as the two flew toward the creature, catching the horrifying sight of it lifting up its massive head to swallow the woman whole. It was easily the size of a three story building and over forty feet from head to tail. The creature was like nothing they'd ever seen before, and the razor-sharp teeth that filled its mouth gave both girls pause as they landed on a roof to face off with it.

"Alright... Alright... We can... T-Totally do this..." Mika said, breathing heavily. It was clear that despite all her bravado, she was scared. Something only natural when you took into account that she was little more than an eighteen-year-old girl who also happened to have what amounted to superpowers and had seen little combat outside of sparring matches.

{I can do this! I can do this!} (Mika)

"Mika, go help anyone you can find." Kana said as she stepped in front of her and summoned Himari. "Leave the worm to me." She could tell that Mika wasn't actually doing well, and was worried that she'd be a liability in the coming battle.

"Y-You're going to fight it alone?!?" Mika yelped. "I can't let you-" She paused as Kana turned to look at her, the Demon Princess' eyes saying more than any words could.

{I... I really am useless... Aren't I...} (Mika)

"I'm sorry, Kana..." Mika apologized as she backed away and started searching the village for anyone still alive.

{There's nothing to be sorry about, Mika.}

(Kana)

"You good?" Himari asked Kana how she felt. "This is the first time you've fought a proper monster. Want me to come out and handle it myself? I should be able to if you're not feeling well.”

"No!" Kana yelled as she tightened her grip on Himari's handle, her eye changing color as she allowed her magic power to swell. "I have to do this myself, Himari. It won't mean anything if I let you handle it."

"Alright, alright. Calm down there Ms. Edgelord. Just remember that we're a team so you're not doing this alone anyway." Himari chuckled.

"Thanks..." Kana smiled briefly before turning to the worm which moved so as to 'face' her. "Alright, it's just a little worm... Just a three-story tall purple worm with Great White shark-level teeth. Nothing to be afraid of... Nope..."

{I'm different than when I fought Hito... I've learned from Hishya and Onee-chan... I can do this... I can do this...} (Kana)

"Let's go!" Kana yelled as she leaped from the roof toward another nearby building, running along the wall at high speed as she approached the worm. Internally, Kana was absolutely terrified, but she did her best not to let it show. She had confidence that Mika could handle the worm if push came to shove, but the Demon Princess wanted to prove to herself that all her training hadn't been for naught. She'd spent the better part of a year training with the various members of the Dumetor Clan, her sister, and even her girlfriend and now she wanted to see if she had what it took to stand at their side.

{I won't just sit around and be protected! I'll show them I can fight just like they can!} (Kana)

Running along the houses Kana dodged the massive, yet slow, tail slams of the worm as it tried to stop her. Leaping from building to building as she circled the creature Kana took note of its movement and determined that while it was physically imposing it was also slow and uncoordinated. She figured that the creature was likely unintelligent and could do little more than act on instinct and hunger as it thrashed about.

"Alright, are you ready? Let's see what we can do!" Kana yelled as she held out her hand, sending several blasts of fire toward the worm which exploded on impact and caused the creature to recoil in pain. "Good, now let's-" Her words were interrupted as the worm dove toward her, slamming face-first into the building and barely missing her as she leaped out of the way and onto the asphalt below, barly dodging some of the falling debris.

"That was a close one!" Himari commented. "I take it that fire is not its friend?" She asked as the creature hissed and roard.

"I'd say so." Kana said as she leaped backward to avoid the creature's tail as it withdrew from the collapsed building. "Its a good thing that I've got a flame attribute sword." She chuckled as the worm turned to face her, its gaping maw dripping with saliva and blood as the teeth within rotated like a drill head.

{Great... I'm going to be having nightmares about that for a week...} (Kana)

"You still good with worm extermination duty?" Kana asked the sword as she gripped her tightly.

"Yes mam!" Himari replied, her salute visible through her words.

"Then let's take it down!" Kana yelled as she ran forward, leaping over the worm's tail, barely managing to spin her body over it like a poll vaulter attempting to beat their record. "There!" She yelled as she spun Himari and dove the blade into the worm's flesh, causing the creature to hiss as she dug in and used the blade as a hook to hold on.

*STAB*

"Hang on tight! Here comes the hard part!" Himari yelled as the creature thrashed about as it tried to shake Kana off as it smashed through nearby buildings. Though, despite its best efforts Kana managed to hang on and right herself, taking up a standing position at the back of its tail.

"Now then, let's split it open!" Kana roared as she channeled flame into her sword, causing the wound to burst with flame as she ran up the length of the creature, creating a massive flaming gash behind her as she zipped up its body and reached its head. "You know, I never really liked worms!" She yelled as she kicked off its head, causing a bit of damage from the sheer power she put in her legs, before landing in front of the worm. "NOW BURN!" Kana screamed as she swung her still flaming blade into the air before bringing it down and sending a powerful blast toward the creature before surrounding it in an incredibly volatile vortex of flame.

*WOOSH*

Surrounded by fire, the worm hissed and writhed in pain, attempting to put out the fire as it thrashed about with its tail, but to no avail. Magical fire required magic to extinguish, and after a few moments, the colossal monster fell to the ground and stopped moving as its body burned to ash, leaving nothing behind save for some burnt remains and a dusting of black particles.

"W-We did it..." Kana said before taking a deep breath. "Its... It's dead..." She paused as he put her hand to her chest, feeling the rapid beat of her heart which seemed like it was moments from leaping out of her chest.

{I... I killed it...} (Kana)

"Nice! You did it, Kana! That was awesome!" Himari said, praising her.

"Yeah..." Kana said as she fell backward to the ground, the shock of the moment finally hitting her and making her legs give out. Though rather than start crying or freaking out she found herself unable to stop smiling from ear to ear, a smile which eventually gave way to a giggle and then finally full-blown laughter.