Perilous Women

by Albert Oon

  *Lily hugs her sister with tears flowing from her eyes*

  Lily – Don’t be sorry, Maggie…

  *Maggie hugs her sister back as they cry, and their bond strengthens. Siri looks over the two from a distance with a smile. She then senses a presence approaches and turns around with her sword in her hand to see, Maylene, the mother of the sisters. Siri is surprised, but fixes her expression to a serious one and slowly circles Maylene, who is calm and has a smile on her face*

  Maylene – Hello, Siri. You don’t need to worry about me attack you and my daughters. I’ll do that tomorrow.

  *Siri attacks Maylene with her broadsword, kimono, and hair blade all at once so Maylene can’t avoid her attack, but they are all deflected. Siri staggers and before she knows it, Maylene has her knife-like fingers to her throat. Siri is stunned by her ex-student while Maylene’s smile grows*

  Maylene – I was always your best student. I was even better than you.

  Siri-senpai – Please, Maylene. You broke free from that sinister power before. You can do it again. I can help you.

  Maylene – Heh. I don’t need your help with anything. The Maylene you knew is dead and buried. If you aren’t ready by tomorrow, then everything in this city will be mine.

  *Maylene calmly walks away because she knows Siri won’t attack her again. Siri then falls to her knees before looking back at the sisters, which restores some hope in her. The sisters sleep soundly tonight. Siri stops by to get that feeling of hope again and finds Maylene in their room to Siri’s shock. The possessed mother is stroking the hair of her daughters, who seem to be at peace. Siri has her weapons at the ready while being extremely cautious while entering the room. Maylene keeps petting her daughters until she’s satisfied then walks out of the room. Siri follows Maylene until she stops at a photo of her husband. She grabs the photo and touches her husband’s face for a few seconds before putting the photo back*

  Siri-senpai – …Maylene?

  Maylene – I’m going to stay here tonight if you don’t mind.

  Siri-senpai – Why?

  Maylene – So you three don’t need to worry about finding me or fighting through a legion of spirits before you get to me. I thought I’d make things easier for you.

  Siri-senpai – Well, you still have part of your gracious side it seems.

  Maylene – I’ll be staying in my old room. You don’t need to worry about me killing any of you in your sleep.

  *Siri follows Maylene to her room until her old student lays in bed. She watches her until she falls asleep before closing the door behind her and keeping watch until she herself falls asleep. When she wakes up, Siri sees that she’s been put in bed. She leaps up as soon as she notices the sound of burning and runs to the kitchen to see Maylene making breakfast. Four plates are set out and it seems like she’s making pancakes*

  Maylene – Remember when we used to make these on big days or on celebrations, Siri?

  *Siri stays silent as she observes Maylene cooking*

  Maylene – I didn’t put anything poisonous in the food if that’s what you’re wondering. I don’t even really know why I’m doing this if I’m honest with you.

  Siri – Maylene…Please, snap out of it! You can break this curse on you. I know you can!

  Maylene – Sorry to disappoint you, “senpai”, but that’s not going to happen.

  *Maggie and Lily are up and dressed. They groggily walk towards the kitchen*

  Maggie – What’s all the commotion?

  *The sisters are stunned when they see their mother making breakfast in the kitchen. She’s just finished making the pancakes and puts it on the plates with strawberries and blueberries*

  Maggie & Lily – M-mother?

  *Maylene smiles*

  Maylene – That’s right. I’m so glad to finally hear you two say that.

  Maggie – Siri-senpai?

  Siri-senpai – I don’t know what’s happening either.

  Maylene – Eat your breakfast so you can be ready for the fight today.

  Maggie – Mom?

  *Maggie reaches out for her mother, but she points her knife fingers at her in return. Lily draws her weapons and Siri takes out her sword while Maggie stands still upset that her mother seemed so normal at first, but quickly proved that she wasn’t*

  Maylene – Sit down, honey.

  *The four women sit down and quietly eat breakfast. Maylene eats peacefully while the other three are on edge*

  Maylene – So do you girls have any boyfriends yet?

  Lily – No. We’ve been training our entire lives to kill you. We’ll make our friends and get our boyfriends then.

  Maylene – You girls must’ve had such sad lives then. It’s no wonder why Maggie reached out to me. Siri, have you really been abusing my children this way?

  Siri-senpai – It’s not abuse. They needed to live this way so they could go strong enough to defeat you.

  Maylene – I don’t care. If anything, they should’ve had some friends so they could be happy.

  Siri-senpai – They are happy. We’re a family that loves each other and looks out for one another. Isn’t that right, girls?

  Maggie & Lily – Right!

  *Maggie’s doubt is heard in her voice and Maylene hears it. Maggie notices what her mother does and looks away*

  Maylene – I doubt it. There are some things that only a mother can see.

  *Siri looks at Maggie, who she notices that Maylene is focusing on*

  Siri-senpai – Maggie?

  Maggie – I’m fine. Let’s just get this over with.

  Maylene – Look how eager she is to obtain her happy life.

  Maggie – That’s not it.

  Maylene – You can’t lie to your mother.

  Maggie – You don’t know me!

  *Maggie takes out her sword and hits her mother, but she blocks her sword with her bare arms*

  Maylene – I like your fighting spirit. I remember your father having it as well.

  Maggie – Don’t you talk about him!

  *Maggie spins around and hits her mother through the wall and into the training area. She goes after her and clashes with her until she’s hit away. Siri and Lily join the fight. Together, the three women manage to get a couple hits in even though they take some hits themselves*

  Maylene – You’ve taught them well, Siri.

  Siri-senpai – Of course I did.

  *Maylene is smacked into a wall by the combined force of the three women*

  Maylene – I’m so proud of you girls, my daughters. You make your mom so happy.

  Maggie – Stop this mom! You can fight this curse that’s possessing you!

  Maylene – I’m sorry, Maggie, but that isn’t going to happen. After I beat you, you’re going to share in the power I have. You can get the happiness you want, Maggie. Why even wait? Just come to mommy and I’ll give you what your heart’s desires.

  Maggie – I…I won’t!

  Maylene – That’s a shame. I thought you were the one who had more sense than your sister.

  *Maylene frees herself from the wall as power begins flowing through her body. She’s now able to move at faster speeds, take more hits, and is stronger. The three now have a harder time hitting and pushing back Maylene even when they combine their attacks. They’re at their wits end with bruises and cuts all over their body with most of the building heavily damaged from the fighting. Seeing Lily and Siri heavily injured gives Maggie the strength to push forward and continue the fight with her mother. She fights well until her injuries get to her and she’s kicked back. Maylene tries finishing her off, but Siri jumps in front of Maggie to take the hit. Because of the hit, Siri is immobile on the floor. Maggie and Lily look at their broken master in shock*

  Maylene – You can’t beat me. How about you two just be good girls and come to mommy?

  Lily – N-no! We’ll never give up! Maggie!

  *Lily shakes Maggie who is still in shock*

  Lily – Come on! We can do this t
ogether.

  Maggie – I…don’t…

  Lily – Yes, we can! Look at me, Maggie. I’m your older sister and I will always protect and love you.

  *Maggie looks at her sister*

  Maggie – I…I trust you, sister.

  *Power begins to radiate from the sisters. A power bestowed upon them by their parents. The sisters now glow with Maggie glowing red and Lily glowing pink. This awakened power allows them to take on their mother until they eventually defeat her with a combined attack. In her last moments, Maylene’s eyes turn back to their normal color*

  Maylene – I love you, Maggie…Lily…

  *Maylene is then killed thanks to the combined strength and sisterly bond of Maggie and Lily. The sisters then bandage and heal their teacher*

  Siri-senpai – Heh, I knew you two would do it. I’m so proud of you.

  *The sisters hug their master*

  Siri-senpai – Easy there. Injuries do more to this old woman than you think.

  *The three women laugh before Siri’s injuries are patched up. They then bury Maylene’s body in the garden alongside her husband’s*

  Maggie – ‘This isn’t the ending I thought I would get. I expected it to be more like the stories I read. I expected to attract someone after the battle.’

  *Maggie looks at Siri and Lily*

  Maggie – But I guess this is fine…for now.

  *Siri contacts the authority of the city and is able to reconstruct their training dojo thanks to her connections. Meanwhile, Maggie and Lily head out for another day of school*

  Maggie – So, what are you planning to do with your new life?

  Lily – I’ll probably become a police officer. What about you?

  Maggie – I don’t know yet.

  Lily – Don’t tell me you’re going to be a shut-in weebo loser who does nothing but read manga, watch anime, and play video games all day.

  Maggie – I’m not going to be a loser! Take that back!

  Lily – You don’t have a plan. You’ll become a loser if you don’t make one up soon.

  Maggie – Oh yeah? Well, you’re going to be part of some pervert’s wet dreams if you don’t start wearing proper clothes!

  Lily – Shut up!

  Maggie – You’re going to be a cop, but you look like you’re going to be a slutty cop who gets off on cuffing people!

  Lily – That’s it!

  *The sisters start fighting each other like always as they walk to school. Meanwhile, deep beneath the surface of the earth, Maylene is reborn by sinister forces. She smiles as a single tear falls from her eyes*

  Volume 2 – Euthanasia

  *The sisters only have a month of normalcy before their mother comes back from the grave to try to corrupt them again. Because of their first encounter, they are able to defeat her without as much trouble as last time, however, their mother comes back again the next week. Their mother then starts regularly coming back twice a week to fight them. The city becomes a battleground with it being constantly acted by sinister forces that only the sisters and their teacher can handle. For the good of the city, the authorities kick them out at least until they can resolve the situation with Maylene. The sisters and their teacher are chasing the source of spirits and Maylene by going in the direction they come from. They hope that this will lead them to the source of their problems. Right now, they are on a deserted road to avoid getting people involved in their fight*

  Maggie – Just die for the final time already…

  *Maggie has killed her mother for an unknown amount of times. Her mother has been shedding tears after every death, which has been getting to all three women. After Maylene’s body dissipates into the wind, Maggie stands with her sword planted in the ground where she impaled her mother*

  Maggie – ‘Why do I need to keep suffering like this? Why can’t I live a normal, happy life?’

  *Lily finds her sister and puts her hand on her sister’s shoulder and smiles. Maggie manages to give a faint smile back before rejoining Lily and Siri on their quest*

  Siri-senpai – I thought that being an old lady and your teacher would mean that I would be carrying our supplies through on the road.

  Lily – You can’t face our mother in a one-on-one fight like we can since we’ve been fighting her so much.

  Siri-senpai – That doesn’t mean you can’t carry something!

  Lily – We need to be on guard especially since the frequency of attacks has been steadily increasing.

  Siri-senpai – Since when did you become our leader?

  *Lily bops Siri on the head with the butt of her gun*

  Siri-senpai – What did you do that for?!

  Lily – For all the times you bopped us on the head for no good reason!

  *Maggie can’t help but laugh no matter how hard she tries to contain it*

  Siri-senpai – I’m going to give you a good reason when I have a hand free! Don’t you dare disrespect your teacher!

  Lily – This isn’t disrespect. It’s payback!

  Maggie – Come on, Lily. Apologize then let’s go.

  Siri-senpai – I’ll let this go if you listen to your younger sister.

  Lily – Okay, fine. I’m sorry, senpai.

  Siri-senpai – I forgive you. Maggie.

  Lily – Huh?

  *Maggie hits Lily on the head*

  Siri-senpai – I forgive you now, Lily.

  Lily – Traitor! Is this what your older sister gets for picking up for us?

  Maggie – Let’s go already.

  Lily – Fine.

  *The three women come to a crossroad where they notice smoke in the air. They follow the road and come across a destroyed town in flames and everyone is dead. Maggie is shocked by the destruction in the town and falls to her knees in tears*

  Lily – What happened here?

  Siri-senpai – It looks like it doesn’t matter where we go. Maylene and the sinister force controlling her is going to cause death and destruction even if we stay away from populated areas.

  *Maggie begins wandering the city while Lily and Siri are looking around. She gazes at the burned and dismembered bodies scattered around the city. A huddled pair of bodies in an alleyway catches her attention the most. Maggie walks down the alley to see what looks to be a mother shielding her daughters. Of course, they were dead, but it appears that the mother did her best to protect them*

  Maylene – This is the way I want to be. This is the way I’ve always wanted to be.

  Maggie – Mom…Why do you have to be like this?

  Maylene – Because I wanted the power to protect everything that I held dear. I wanted to give you a good life. What you have now is not what you deserve. Please, let me give you what you want. What you need.

  Maggie – I don’t trust you.

  Maylene – It’s because of Siri and her lies. What happiness has she given you? Your life is miserable because of her. Your sister doesn’t help much and just goes along with what Siri says. Try as she might, she won’t protect you from what really hurts you the most. I can protect you from that in the way only a mother can.

  Maggie – I still don’t know. Do you remember how many times we fought? How many times I’ve killed you?

  *Maylene hugs her daughter for the first time in her life. Maggie is taken by surprise and tries freeing herself*

  Maylene – Shhh. I’m not going to do anything.

  *Maylene pets Maggie’s head to soothe her until Maggie stops resisting*

  Maggie – ‘I don’t feel any kind of magic or sorcery being used on me. What’s going on?’

  *Maylene continues embracing her daughter until she starts to cry. This makes Maggie hug her mother*

  Maylene – I’m so sorry, Maggie…

  Maggie – Mom…

  Maylene – This is the only moment I’ve been able to talk to you as myself. Don’t trust what I said before and what I say after. I don’t think I can ever regain my senses again until you kill me again.

  *Maggie holds onto her
mother tighter as tears begin to flow from her face*

  Maggie – Mom…

  Maylene – I love you, Maggie. I’m glad that I finally got to hold you. Tell Lily I love her too.

  Maggie – Mom…

  Maylene – I only have a little while to talk so I’ll make this quick. The source of the sinister power that keeps bringing me back is underneath this city. Go all the way down near the center of the earth and destroy it. I know your sister and you can do this. Here, take this last bit of power I hold.

  *Maylene kisses Maggie’s forehead and a large amount of power is transferred into Maggie’s soul*

  Maylene – Even when I’m gone, you will always have me with you. I have to go now.

  Maggie – Mommy…please…

  Maylene – I’m so sorry, Maggie.

  *Maylene struggles to get out of Maggie’s grasp while she’s crying. Eventually, she gets free at the same time Lily and Siri find the two. Maylene jumps to the roof of the destroyed building as Lily and Siri have their weapons drawn. Maggie is curled up in a ball on the ground while she cries*

  Siri-senpai – What happened here?

  *Lily embraces her sister*

  Lily – What happened, Maggie?! What did she do to you?! I’ll kill-

  *Maggie reaches out to where her mother was*

  Maggie – Mom!!!!!!

  *She then begins to scream as power builds within her. Maggie continuously beats the ground with her sword in anger and anguish. The ground shakes with each impact as destroyed buildings begin falling apart. Lighting and thunder fills the sky as Maggie’s power is unleashed*

  Lily – What’s going on, Maggie?!

  Siri-senpai – Get away from her!

  *Siri pulls away Lily as Maggie breaks the ground beneath her. Maggie keeps hitting it and hitting it until most of the ground beneath her is disintegrated leaving a giant crater where the city once stood. Once her power is spent, Maggie faints in mid-air as she falls into the crater she created. Lily and Siri catch her as Siri uses her hair and kimono to slow their fall. Lily lays Maggie down when they land and holds her. After a couple seconds, Maggie comes to her senses and wakes up then looks around*

  Maggie – What happened? Did I cause this?

  Siri-senpai – Yes, you did. What did Maylene do to you?