Cibus Esculentus Madoka Magica: by W.C. Hotchkiss

Chapter 2: Tomoe, Mami

The Esurients manifested in a public park. It hunted for the Cibus distorting reality to root them out. The creature took the form of a dead moose, with a horrid deathly smell, and rotting meat falling from its black skeleton. The distortion it created caused angry grey storm clouds to roll in. The Esurientes absorbed such energy to start its pocket reality that the temperature dropped. The four girls started shivering when they arrived, their breath visible in the cold.

"Whoa!" Sayaka exclaimed, "I didn't think they could be that gross."

"Eww," Madoka covered her nose.

Pia observed the monster carefully. It was familiar. She'd seen something like it before, but she wasn't sure where or how.

"Alright girls, it's time to put on a show! Like a flash of yellow lightning, Mami lit up. The Cibus dress that enveloped her glittered gold. Even at her weight, Mami effortlessly displayed her grace. "Let's wrap this up quick, shall we?" Mami produced an array of brightly adorned muskets. The magical weapons danced to life and found their target. Mami gave the command. A thunderous clapping eruption created a cloud of smoke. The Esurientes was hit hard, pieces of its dead flesh being strewn about. The monster turned its head to Mami and her friends. It opened its maw, but not to let out a howl or roar. An ear-shredding hiss filled the air. All the girls covered their ears at once, gritting their teeth.

Mami waved one of her magical muskets and conjured an energy bubble around her audience, then around herself. The lethal hissing called forth acid rain. As the noise subsided the damage commenced. Acidic mist gathered just above the earth's surface, eating away the vegetation. Mami was becoming worried. "I've underestimated this one," she said to herself. "Girls," she called, "Get ready to run when I give the signal, this is going to get messy."

Her friends nodded their heads in agreement. "Okay," Mami said. With a musket in each hand, Mami picked her shot. She fired one at the ground just behind her, the kinetic energy lifting her to the vantage point. Then she took the kill shot. The rifle cracked off and the Esurientes exploded in half, only the legs and a bit of torso. Mami landed and approached the broken creature.

It looked like she was about to say something, but it was no use. The girls saw how the acidic mist formed into one cloud beyond Mami. She was too focused on her "victory". It penetrated Mami's shield with the last of its power. She was wholly unprepared. The gas filled Mami's lungs and began to feast on her. The terror on Mami's face would be forever scarred in the back of her friend's minds. She coughed and spat blood, her own smoke puffing from her nose. Mami tried to call out, but then she vomited the remains of her stomach out in a visceral heap.

"M-Mami..." Madoka sputtered. Her shock was matched by Sayaka, who froze.

Pia too was horrified, but not quite catatonic. "Mami...She's dead."

The Esurients had found new strength, more fatty tissue to eat. It was gathering itself again, but then it was vaporized in an instant. The rain and smoke expelled. It was destroyed completely. Homura flicked her hair behind her. She ended it. "How stupid could you be?" Her cold eyes fixed on Madoka.

---

Sayaka and Madoka walked home in silence. Madoka watched her best friend quietly enter her building. Her first instinct was to ask Sayaka if she would be alright, but Madoka knew the answer. She waved to Sayaka and went home. Madoka hoped she would wake up from this nightmare tomorrow.

---

"Sayaka Miki. How can you call yourself a friend of Madoka's? How could you allow her to come here?" Homura asked, shaming Sayaka.

Sayaka snapped, "Where do you get off? Mami needed your help, and where were you!? Look how easily you did that! Why didn't you help her!?"

"It doesn't matter anymore. She should have seen the true Esurientes coming," Homura said.