Night Birds

The sun set on Kageoka, and Higan Academy's gates were wide open, allowing its students to filter out after another demanding day of class. Ahead of the cliques and outcasts, a trio of school girls walked shoulder to shoulder, although two of them did not carry any bags or wore the uniform.

"And for math class, we were taught polynomial expansion, but Kawaguchi-sensei said he won't cover it too much during the exam," assured the gyaru who walked by the right, the only one who showed up to class today. Madoka had always been diligent in her studies, and with her recent addition to the student council, she saw no reason to change her behavior now.

"... interesting. I thought he'd be at quadratic functions already," commented the thinner girl walking left. Belladonna studied at her own time with digital versions of the textbooks. In the subjects that interested her, she was far ahead of the curriculum.

"... bleh... math..." despaired the walking dress code violation between them, her shoulders slumping. Unlike her fellow truant, Momofuku had almost zero time in her life for self-study. She scrape by most exams if she dedicated a few hours to hitting the books, but her priorities were simply twisted. She cared far more about the present of her neighborhood and Kageoka than her own future prospects. Thus, she shamelessly skipped class and shamefully relied on her more bookish friends to point out what she missed.

"... do you have any subject you like, Boss?" Belladonna asked, and the sukeban almost aimed a glare at her. But the question came from genuine curiosity instead of sarcasm.

"Biology," she grunted, then added, "... English is cool, too."

"Don't forget P.E. class! You always crush that!"

"Meh, that one doesn't really count—"

Momofuku cut herself off, feet stopping dead on their tracks, arms barring her friends from turning the corner.

"Hold up."

Madoka blinked, confused, but fell silent at her leader's tone. Belladonna tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly.

"... yes. Yes," they heard a voice coming from their intended route, likely on a call. "The car's waiting. Yes. Once we've got her, head straight to the estate."

At their leader's beckoning hand, the girls glanced a peek around the corner. Next to a sleek black car, a row of men stood in the middle of the sidewalk with rigid postures, their black suits catching the glow of a streetlamp.

One of them turned in the trio's general direction, and they retreated without being spotted.

Momofuku scowled, cracking her knuckles. "Guess I'm doing this now."

It would not be her first time beating up busybodies sent by Madoka's overbearing family.

"... do you have to?" the gyaru moaned, a pout twisting her lips. The constant surveillance was irksome, but she didn't want any harm coming to her bodyguards. They were doing exactly what they were hired to. "Can't we just tip-toe past them? Pretty please?"

Belladonna counted four seconds before the sukeban gave in to the puppy-dog eyes. Close to her best record, really.

"... fine."

The two turned to their resident stealth specialist, who crouched slightly before taking a massive leap.

"Alternative route," she said flatly from atop Higan's wall gate. "Follow me."

Momofuku nodded, jumping and climbing next to her, and the two helped Madoka up. They walked past the bodyguards from inside the school, then climbed out on the other side of the street. By the time their silhouettes were visible in the distance, they were already running toward freedom. Belladonna led the trio, ducking into a tight alleyway to prevent the car from chasing them, then expertly navigating through Kageoka's streets while staying out of sight.

Finally, they left the center of the city and breached Fujiwara Ward from an old entrance meant for construction workers. Without a forbidden permit, their pursues had no choice but to be left in the dust. Once they were out of eyesight and ear-sight, the trio allowed themselves a moment to catch their breath, hearts hammering in sync.

"... extraction complete," Belladonna sighed, pressing a hand to her chest to control her breathing.

"Whew..." Madoka let out a shaky laugh, knees trembling as she leaned against a wall. Then, she aimed a beaming smile at the mastermind behind the escape.

"... thanks, Dawn-chan! You're a lifesaver."

"Hmph... could've been there half an hour earlier if you let me beat them up..."

"Aw Momo, don't be like that. You're my lifesaver too, 'kay? No need to get pouty."

"I'm not pouty!" she lied as easily as she breathed, scoffing in the next moment. "Whatever, let's not lose any more time..."

The two girls followed the sukeban to their destination, Belladonna failing to hide her smile while Madoka didn't even try.

Soon, they reached a two-story building at the corner of a block. Paint peeled from the walls in long strips, rust clung to the railings of the outside staircases, and nearby laundry lines sagged with faded shirts and threadbare futons.

"Shit... Granny's back already," the sukeban hissed, noticing light peeking from the window blinds in her apartment.

"So?" Madoka asked, twirling a strand of hair. "Your granny loves me!"

"She always gives me manjuu when I come over," Belladonna said, staring at the window.

Momofuku groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Yeah, yeah, she's a saint, but that's exactly the problem! Look at me!" she tugged at her blouse, still smeared with her own blood from that battle at the hospital. "If I waltz in like this, we won't have any time to study with her lecturing me all night!"

The gang leader shivered at her own imagination, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek. "She might even put me on a curfew again...!"

"Ohh, gotcha. So what's the plan?" Madoka draped an arm over her friends' shoulders, bringing them to a huddle. "Maybe... me and Dawn-chan can knock at the door to 'visit' you! We'll distract her with our sparkly charm while you sneak inside and change."

"Very risky," Belladonna decided. "The floorboards in Boss' room are too noisy. I also don't have any sparkly charm."

"You help, then," Momofuku said. "Use your ninja steps to fetch my clothes, and walk in with me after I'm done."

The urban ninja blinked, then nodded once. "Feasible."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Moments later, the operation was set.

Madoka strode inside the building, heels clicking with an easy rhythm. Stopping before the familiar door, she knocked twice.

Meanwhile, outside the building, Momofuku and Belladonna moved in tandem up the fire escape. The sukeban scaled the railing to avoid the rattling steps, but her friend had no such worries, showing off her silent steps.

They reached the window to Momofuku's room. The space was barely enough for her closet, a futon, and a nighstand with one broke drawer, stacked with manga and faded, second-hand textbooks. Various sports tools sat by the corner, a baseball and bat, a basketball, a skipping rope...

Belladonna's slender fingers quickly worked the window's latch.
With a soft click, they entered one after the other, muffling any sound by landing on the pillow above
the futon.

At that very moment, the door slid open across the living room.

"Ah, Madoka-chan! My, what a surprise!"

Momoyo Chikata stood there, smiling warmly. She was a short, round-shouldered woman in a faded floral yukata, greying hair pulled into a neat bun. The wrinkles at her cheeks deepened as she beamed, voice thick with affection.

"Grandmomo! You look sooo cute today! Are you doing something with your skin?" Madoka squealed happily, bowing her head as she slipped off her shoes.

"Oh, you," Momoyo chuckled heartily. "An old lady like me can't keep up with that kind of routine. Now, where is my wayward granddaughter? Shouldn't she be leaving school with you?"

"She skipped today!"

"She did, hmm..." the elder's smile dampened a bit at that before she gathered herself and waved the guest in. "Well, your visit is still very timely. I was just in the middle of brewing some tea! Come in and have some, you must be tired after class."

Inside, the small apartment bore the marks of a modest life. The kitchen and living room shared the same cramped area. By the center, a table scarred with decades of use. By the walls, mismatched cups and bowls were stacked neatly on open cabinets, and a faded couch sagged as Madoka left her bag on it.

Behind her, Belladonna padded silently to the closet. The wood was warped with age, one of the sliding doors sticking as she pulled it open. Clothes sagged from bent wire hangers, colors faded from years of washing. Most of the articles had been mended again and again, while casual shirts and skirts were worn thin, hems frayed.

"Which do you want?" she whispered to an incredulous Momofuku.

"Anything's fine! Just hurry up...!"

Belladonna nodded solemnly, reaching into the closet and pulling out a peachy-pink sweater with ribbons at the sleeves, paired with a lacy skirt tucked beneath.

Momofuku froze, her eyes widening in horror. "Oi, oi, not that."

"... you said anything," her friend reminded, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"I didn't mean that anything!" Momofuku hissed, waving her hands in agitation. "I meant normal anything! If Granny sees me in that she'll know for sure something's up!"

In the kitchen, Momoyo fussed over Madoka like a family member, placing two cups of steaming green tea on the table and sliding a small plate of senbei across to her guest.

"Don't be shy, eat! Tell me, how is Higan treating you? Are you studying hard? Making friends?"

Madoka took the cup with both hands. "Well, you know me! Being friends with everyone is one of my gyaru powers! And the classes there are suuuper tough, but I guess I'm hanging in there~"

After sipping her tea, she reached for a tret, eyes darting toward bedroom's closed door. What was taking them so long?

"... what is a normal anything?" Belladonna asked.

"Something you could see me wearing."

"I could see you wearing this—"

The hell she could. "T-shirt and jeans, dammit...!" Momofuku finally snapped.

Belladonna sifted silently through the closet until her pale fingers found them. An old, faded t-shirt and a pair of jeans whose frays came not from design, but the march of time. She drew them out, holding them up for approval. Momofuku nodded, already tugging off her blouse when the clothes landed by her bedside. She murmured a small thanks as Belladonna slipped back toward the window, leaving the room.

Back in the kitchen, Madoka was all sunshine and chatter, hands animated as she spoke while Momoyo sat across from her, a fashion magazine laid out between them.

"Traditional materials are all the rage right now! There were bamboo fabric pants in last year's Autumn collection, and a bunch of new lineups with washi fibers came out last month."

Momoyo's smile deepened as she leaned forward to inspect the pages, weathered fingers brushing the slick paper. She put money on the table by sewing and knitting, selling clothes and artisanal accessories at affordable prices to people in forbidden zones. She had even been the one to modify Momofuku's school uniform as a birthday gift.

"Ara... I think I could replicate some of these designs."

If Momoyo was the designer, then Madoka was her informant on the latest trends.

"You should! They'll be all over the place during summer, I'm telling you!"

With a groan of wood, the front door slid open.

"Yo. I'm home," Momofuku announced, stepping inside in a white t-shirt and jeans, her bokken sheathed inside the latter's belt loops. Belladonna followed closely behind.

Madoka waved at both of them. "Momo! Dawn-chan! What took you so long?"

"Welcome, you two," Momoyo greeted, rising to greet them. Her eyes narrowed the moment she registered her granddaughter's lack of uniform up close. "So Madoka-chan was right... where were you if not at school, child?"

Momofuku stuffed her hands in her pockets. "Fujiwara Senki stuff. But I called these two over so we can study what I missed. No harm, no foul, yeah?"

Momoyo sighed, pressing her palm against her forehead. "You're missing the point, Momo. You should be making friends during your first year, not..." she shook her head. "We'll talk about this later, when there are no guests. Now, go take a bath."

"Eh?"

"A Bath." the grandmother poked her cheek. "You reek of sweat. Whatever nonsense you were up to, it won't stink up my tatami."

"But I just—"

"Change into something clean, too," Momoyo shooed her toward the bathroom.

"These are...! Fine..." Momofuku grumbled before stomping off, ears burning red, glaring at the gyaru hiding her laughter behind her hand.

With her granddaughter out of the room, Momoyo turned her fussing energy on the second visit, clasping the quiet girl’s hands warmly.

"Now, aren't you just the sweetest thing, coming all the way here to help Momo... did you have dinner yet? You're so thin! I'll bring you some manjuu."

Belladonna shifted slightly under the assault, her voice small. "I... thank you, Chikata-san. You are very kind."

And so, even if Momofuku had to change clothes again, the operation was a success.

Later that evening, the three girls found themselves crammed together in Momofuku's bedroom. The futon was shoved against the wall to cushion their backs, making space for the feast before them, a chipped plate of cheap rice crackers.

Momofuku, freshly changed after her bath, wore a faded black t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, and a pair of loose grey sweatpants. Sandwiched between her two friends, she leaned forward with her legs crossed, staring at an open math textbook.

Madoka leaned in from her right side, her glittery nails occasionally tapping at key sections.

"... and then multiply the terms," Belladonna whispered from the left, pale finger tracing a formula on another page.

"Yeah, yeah, got it," the sukeban replied, her brow furrowed in concentration as she wrote. Adding the final line on her calculation, she leaned back with a sharp grin. "Ha! Nailed it—"

Without warning, Belladonna gently pressed a treat against her lips, and Momofuku bit down in sheer confusion. "The hell're you doin'?" she mumbled around the rice cracker, crumbs falling on her shirt.

"Positive reinforcement."

"Do I look like a dog to you?!"

Madoka broke into peals of laughter, which she hid in her friend's shoulder. "No, no, you're more like a grumpy cat!"

"... Apologies," Belladona said, bowing her head. "It's a classic classroom technique. I did not have any star stickers to place in the textbook."

"... whatever," her student muttered indignantly while chewing. "I'm starting the next problem."

As she began to scribble again, Madoka's phone burst to life with a high-pitched jingle.

"Ah—hold up, hold up!" she said, snatching it up and answering in her singsong voice. "Moshi moshi~? Madoka here. Oh, hey Mom! Ugh... yes, I'm safe. Pinky promise. I'm at Momo's house... yes, I'll be back for dinner, don't worry! Tell grandpa not to worry, either!"

She ended the call with a huff, her gyaru sparkle dimming for a moment before she regained it with an exaggerated pout. "... sorry girls. I only got like, one hour left. If I don't bounce soon, my grandparents might call the police and make a scene here."

Momofuku nodded, stretching her arms behind her head. "One hour, got it. I'll walk you home when it's time. The city ain't safe at this hour."

"ORA!"

Right on cue, a battle cry echoed from above, followed by the wet splatter of something inhuman. Outside, Kageoka had already shifted. Once the sun dipped past the horizon, the air thickened with gloom, shadows seemingly stretching further and swallowing the artificial lights. It wasn't as warped as regular [Bleeding Zones], but it wouldn't stop the denizens of the other world from trying to cause mischief, so Momofuku had [Simply Red] keeping guard on the rooftop.

"Thanks, Momo!" Madoka agreed easily enough, scooting closer and rejoining their study session.

In the silence that followed, Momofuku noticed Belladonna's gaze fixed on her, eyes unreadable.

"I'll stop by your place too," she said bluntly, and the girl blinked in confusion.

"I... did not say anything. But okay."

Seeing an opening, Madoka wasted no time pouncing. "But who's gonna walk you home after you escort us, huh?"

"Tch. [Simply Red] can fly me back in a blink. I'll be fine."

The gyaru grinned, sharp as a cat. "But Dawn-chan can zoom just as fast in her [Idolon] form, right? So do you really need to be there with her?"

"That's different! She's got lower uptime with that power, so—"

"Awww, you're so cute when you're overprotective~!" Madoka interrupted, patting Momofuku's hair, ignoring the furious blush and half-hearted attempts to fend her off. After the protests died, the merciful gyaru released her friend, allowing her to work through another sheet of problems. For a while, the only sounds inside the bedroom were the scratch of pencil on paper, and an occasional correction from one of the two tutors.

Finally, Momofuku tossed her pencil, leaning back with a sigh. "Hahh... my brain's fried. I'm taking a breather."

Madoka lit up instantly. "Game time! C'mon, let's play something fun~" She pulled a tiny pack of playing cards from her glittery purse and shuffled them with practiced flair. "I'll totally smoke both of ya in Old Maid."

"Old Maid?!" the sukeban barked a laugh. "Come on, that's kid stuff. We should play something with guts. Like Poker!"

"Momo, have you even played Poker before?"

"I know the rules."

"You mean you saw it once in one of your crime dramas," teased the childhood friend.

"What?! No!" Momofuku said, crossing her arms defensively.

"Ah, so it was D'Arby's Collection..." Madoka decided with a wistful nod, glancing at the manga volumes on her nightstand.

"T-That ain't it either!" she barked before turning sharply and pinning Belladonna with a glare that demanded a tiebreaker.

The shy girl froze, eyes darting between their expectant stares. "... Old Maid."

"Yay~!" cheered the victor.

"Dawn, you traitor! After all we've been through together?!"

Belladonna flinched, guilt flickering across her face. "Sorry... poker requires chips. I did not intend to hurt you or..." she mumbled while fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, eyes flicking down.

Momofuku blinked at her, then clapped her shoulder firmly, drawing her friend's gaze back to her eyes.

"Damn, relax, I'm joking. I can survive a round of Old Maid... wait a sec." she jabbed a finger at Madoka. "You got [Kukurihime], don'tcha? Whip up some origami chips for us!"

Madoka pursed her lips, her head tilting slightly. After a brief inner conversation, she looked back at them with a sly smile. "Kuki-chan says she'll do it, but only if she gets to play a round."

"Fine by me. But don't complain when I finesse that fossil out of your chips."

Madoka clapped, and light surrounded her form, shimmering, folding and refolding until she was gone. The woman in her place wore the white and crimson of a shrine maiden, a golden kitsune mask tilted atop her head. Long silver hair spilled from behind her, reaching the floor, and even the other girls due to the little space between them.

"Alright, girls," the incarnated maiden began, spreading her hands and showering the floor with delicate origami animals. "Cranes for ones, foxes for fives, turtles for tens, and tigers for fifties. Try not to crease them, ne?"

Momofuku nodded thoughtlessly, distracted by finding a way to get the [Idolon]'s ridiculously long hair off her face.

"Do we have to post an ante?" Belladona asked, stacking her chips into neat, symmetrical pyramids.

"I'm not sure. Do we?" [Kukurihime] wondered, turning to their resident poker enthusiast while flicking cards through the air with crisp precision.

"Nah," the sukeban replied, having settled for laying the lustrous silver locks all on her lap. "Just the bring-in."

With everyone in position, the shrine maiden dealer unfolded the flop.

8♦. J♠. 3♥.

Belladonna’s face gave nothing away as she pushed a crane forward. Everyone called the small bet.

Then, the turn.

10♣.

"..." Belladonna folded, laying her cards face down.

The next player, Momofuku, frowned slightly as she offered four cranes.

Finally, the river.

5♥.

Once again, the sukeban offered four cranes.

[Kukurihime]'s smile was serene, unreadable. Sleeves flowing like water, she placed three fox chips in the pot.

Momofuku's eye twitched. She glanced between the communal cards, her own hand—Q♥, 8♣—and that infuriatingly gentle smile. With a huff, she matched the raise.

"Fufufu... bold as always," her opponent chuckled before the showdown.

They flipped their cards. A pair of eights, outmatched by a pair of jacks.

"Tch," the loser grumbled, eyes widening once she noticed Belladonna's cards returning to the deck. She had two pairs, threes and fives. "Oi, Dawn! You coulda wiped the floor with her! Why'd you fold early?"

"Statistically, banking on the river was unsound. Chances of improvement... around twelve percent."

"Twelve is plenty! If you're not betting on that, what are you even doing at the table?!"

[Kukurihime] leaned in, her voice playful and warm. "Now, now, don't be mad you youngsters lost to this old fox. I'll give Madoka free reign next so you two can have a chance, alright?"

"You!" The taunt was enough to draw Momofuku's heat away from their shy friend. "Don't you dare run away after winning once! I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face!"

"Fufufu... we'll see..."

Amidst [Kukurihime]'s laughter and Momofuku's overly competitive banter, Belladona took the role of dealer.

The flop came down. K♥, 9♠, 6♠.

This time, Momofuku had to bring in, and she immediately placed a turtle on the pot.

Belladonna hesitated only for a moment before matching, and [Kukurihime] did the same.

The turn was revealed. K♣.

"...!" Belladona glanced at her hand. Two kings, with another two on the communal. As Momofuku threw a fox, she offered a tiger, raising the stakes tenfold in a rare show of firmness.

"That's what I'm talking about! You're playing it like you mean it now!"

[Kukurihime]'s smile thinned slightly, but she matched together with the sukeban.

At last, Momofuku laid down the river. 10♠.

Then, without hesitation, she shoved all her chips toward the center. "All in."

"..."

"..."

The room tensed. [Kukurihime] twirled a crane chip between her fingers, her expression serene yet calculation. Finally, she sighed, folding her hand.

That left only Belladonna. She gripped her knees, staring at the cards.

The only hand that could beat her four kings... was a straight flush. Momofuku could have it. Her hand could consist of the seven and eight of spades. It was statistically improbable, but with her leader's cocky grin aimed at her, the slim possibility gnawed at her.

"Well? Call or fold? We don't have all night, y'know? Madoka's gotta leave soon."

Belladonna's pulse quickened. Was Momo bluffing? Or did she really hold the straight flush? Perhaps she old held a normal flush, and assumed her hand was something weaker like a set of kings?

"Come on! Call or fold?!"

"..." Belladonna folded to the invisible pressure upon her. Her opponent flipped her cards.

2♣. 5♠. Absolute garbage.

"Ah..."

"In your face, Hime!" Momofuku cackled, pulling the pile of chips and puffing her chest. Her victorious gaze turned to her other friend. "See? It's not about math! It's about guts!"

"... right," Belladona whispered, hugging her knees. "But... what would you have done if I matched your guts?"

"I'd die with honor!" Momofuku claimed.

"May this girl never set foot in a real gambling den..." [Kukurihime] prayed with closed eyes, head bowed solemnly.

"I'd crush it at a real table too! Now stop being a sore loser and give Madoka the wheels, I'm tired of kicking your butt."

"Ara? But the score is only one to one. Don't you want to settle it on a best of three? Madoka agrees with me."

"Hmph. Deal."

"Don't forget me..." the third member of their table said, wanting to be included in the competition. She preferred her games with a little less RNG, but she was starting to get into it now. The deck shifted onto her hands in a careful shuffle. She dealt with a simple determination, one to meet Momofuku all the way this round.

9♦, J♦, 4♣.

[Kukurihime] leaned forward with and tossed two fox chips.

Belladona glanced at her hand. A pair of fours. Normally, she'd fold and wait for a better initial spread, but Momofuku called the bet, so she would too.

She revealed the turn.

4♥.

[Kukurihime] added a turtle and a few cranes into the pot, once again matched by the sukeban. Confident in her trips, the third member followed suit.

The river flipped.

A♦.

Belladonna's hand had grown into a full house: three fours, two aces.

Kukurime put forth all her remaining turtles.

Momofuku raised it with the tiger she obtained from the shrine maiden last round.

The two stared silently at the last competitor.

"... call."

One by one, they revealed their hands.

Kukurihime placed her cards down. Only a flush.

Momofuku threw hers down next. Three of a kind jacks.

Finally, Belladona laid her hand.

"...I win." her words were barely above a whisper, but her eyes sparkled with the thrill of victory.

"What kinda celebration is that? C'mon, brag a little!"

The shy girl pumped a fist. "Yes. I beat your asses."

He friend sputtered in laughter at that, throwing an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer and and playfully muss up her hair. "That's more like it!"

[Kukurihime] flopped back dramatically, her sleeves spilling around her. "Oh, what tragedy! I wanted to settle my score with Momo-chan, but our hubris blinded us to our third opponent..."

Momofuku grinned at her. "You wish! A win for Dawn's gutsiness is a moral victory for me as her boss! Besides, I still have more chips than you, so there."

The shrine maiden pouted, wagging a disapproving fingers. "Maa... you two shouldn't gang up against your elders. [Idolons] can be gutsy, too."

THUD.

"Ora?"

As if summoned by her complaint, [Simply Red]'s horned head poked from the window. Her eyes gleamed as she noticed everyone playing without her.

"Don't even think about—"

Momofuku's warning died as the oni vaulted inside with an eager squeal, creaking the wooden floor under her weight. "Oi, oi, oi!" her user yelled, arms flailing about. "Can't you see you're not fitting inside?!"

[Simply Red] ignored her, plopping cross-legged into the circle, her massive thighs brushing everyone else's. She gestured at the deck with childlike impatience.

Madoka giggled, taking over her [Idolon]. "It's fine, Momo. She can stay as long as the floor holds."

"... should I summon [Dawn]?" Belladona pondered, tilting her head and bumping into the oni's bicep. "I think she wants to join too."

"Do you three want to kill me by suffocation?!" the only human in that arrangement groaned.

In the end, she survived sharing the room with three [Idolons]. She was a tough girl like that.