Chapter Forty-Six
“Holy shit, Kyle,” Dad said.
“It’s not going to be a quick process, Pendletons, but I’m big on reconciliation and forgiveness. I had to learn it after Zero-Suit and General Spence, and they had to forgive me, too. Robert, you’ve got the hardest job. You’ve got to forgive yourself and admit that what happened wasn’t your fault, but that some of your choices after hurt people you care about.”
The minute hand shifted a little bit, finally, finally aligning with the twelve. I held back a sigh of relief. The session had started awkwardly and gotten worse before it got better. I was sure Kyle was intentionally antagonizing my dad, but I had no choice but to trust the process. He was the expert; he had to know how far he could push.
“Mr. Pendleton, I trust we’ll see you here next week with Claire?” Kyle asked.
My dad grumbled and glared. Then he nodded grudgingly. “What the hell? Why not?”
“Good! I’m afraid we’re out of time today, but I’ll see you all next week. And remember, it will be a slow process, but in the end, all three of you will be much happier. I know I was.”
Kyle shook our hands and walked us to the door. “Remember, Alice, the elevators only go to the bottom floor with civilians on board. No other stops.”
I nodded, and we piled into the elevator.
When the door closed, Dad coughed. “You’re coming home with us, right, Alice?”
“No, I’ve got a meet-up with my teammates right after this at Bay Centre.”
“You’re going shopping?” Claire squealed, looking up from her phone. “I wanna come!”
“No, not today.” I might’ve been a graduate, a Magical Girl, and maybe even a hero—I didn’t know about that, but Palace Athena seemed to think so—but meeting my friends with my little sister in tow was not happening. Some things I couldn’t live with. “I’ll swing by Duncan Tower after, though.”
For a moment, Dad looked like he wanted to argue. Then he balled his fist, and I flinched just a little. “Fine. But your ass is still grounded when you get back.”
I nodded. Kyle had said things wouldn’t get better overnight. But we were taking steps in the right direction. It’d get better soon.
Mount Olympus still burned. Fruit Fighters and Omega Lily had found an entire factory complex under the Olympic Mountains, and they’d won a hard-fought battle there two days ago. Other Bastion Cities reported similar under-mountain facilities, though none seemed as well-defended. A few prototype androids had tried, but strike forces overwhelmed them.
Our victory really had changed the course of the fighting.
Two cars waited in the parking lot. I hugged Claire and Dad, and they piled into the first one. It pulled out into the street while I climbed into the second one—and saw a familiar driver.
“Where to, Luciole?” PFC Carter asked from the driver’s seat.
“Bay Centre Shopping Mall. You can take your time, though,” I hedged.
“Ha!” The car took off with Carter grinning like a madwoman as I struggled to buckle my seat belt. The car weaved through traffic onto Highway Seventeen, where the private gunned the engine.
After a few minutes of absolute terror, the car squealed to a halt outside Centre Point. I opened the door and wobbled out. “Thanks, I think.”
“I’ll be here when you get back, Alice,” she said, using my real name since I wasn’t in uniform. “Take your time.”
I looked at the mall for a minute. Chunks of the facade were missing, and half the doors had caution tape around them and missing glass, but the shards had been swept up, and a construction crew was patching some of the holes. The Victoria district had been ablaze and invaded when we flew over after Sooke. But in the week and a half since, it’d come back to life.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
I headed inside and rode the escalator to the second floor. We’d planned on meeting at the food court. And sure enough, when I got off and walked over, Olivia, Li Mei, and James sat around a table, slurping on smoothies. Olivia saw me and waved her drink in the air.
“Just a minute, I’ve gotta get something.”
Five minutes later, I had a slice of greasy pizza and a smoothie of my own. I sat down. “Enjoying your time off?” I asked.
“Yeah, actually. No Bentley?” Li Mei asked.
“No.” I wouldn’t have minded, but he had a training to finish up on fire support optical packages or something. “I did invite a friend, though.”
“Oh? Charlie stayed home. We’re keeping our relationship strictly professional,” Li Mei said. She looked down into her smoothie. “It made more sense for both of us.”
I nodded and ate my pizza while we talked about counseling. All three of us were seeing Kyle, and even though a lot of it was stuff I didn’t want to share, Li Mei and Olivia had similar stories to mine. Sam’s death weighed more on me than in the days after Sooke, but I was powering through.
“Hey, Alice. Mind if I join you?” Someone asked.
I turned around and gave Sora a gigantic hug. I’d heard Sora was out of the hospital, but seeing her out and about was the best news I’d gotten in…a long time. “Sure, Sora. You’ve met Olivia and James…sort of. You were on some serious drugs. And this is Li Mei.”
Everyone said their hellos, and we sat around talking as we finished our drinks and food. Then it was shopping time!
It happened in the third clothing store. Li Mei was in the changing room trying on some shorts, and James was outside on a bench. My optical augment lit up, a familiar message after West End and Sooke.
Warning!
Emergence Detected
An Emergence event has been detected at or near your location. Internet connectivity has been disabled. Phone systems have been disabled. Audio and visual surveillance have been disabled. Electrical power has been rerouted to emergency systems. Emergency ordinances and State of Emergency laws are in effect.
* Make sure all civilians make it to a shelter. Assist anyone who needs help.
* Defend civilians from aberrant Machines at all costs.
* Assist any other Magical Girls operating in your area.
“Sora, stay here,” I said while I dashed for the changing rooms. I spun around, back and forth, completing my dance and transforming into the red, black, and white dress. Then I was Luciole. Overclock and Li Mei were doing the same in the stalls beside me.
As we emerged, I smiled at Sora. “Alright, let’s get you to the nearest shelter. Bentley, you there?”
“Moving toward the Communications Floor now.” Bentley’s voice came in choppy, like he was on the phone. “Good news is this one looks minor and localized, almost like a retaliation for the factory. You’ll shut it down if you're aggressive before any Class Threes come in. Send James with your friend. He’ll have a headset, and we’re running a simulated Operator’s desk for him here.”
“Give me my stats, Bentley.” I’d put points into Agility, Will, and Soul after Sooke, but I wanted to double-check that I was topped off and ready.
Basics
Name: Pendleton, Alice (Luciole)
Level: 12
Class: Lightning Bug
Color: Red
Mana: 110/110
HP: 75/75
Statistics
Str: 4
Agi: 9
Vit: 13
Will: 22
Soul: 17
Points: 4
Sigils: 2 (1 used)
Rank: 70/127
Skills
Perk: Fogform
Mana Surge: Feu-Follet
Spells: Blazing Light (2/2+1), Moonray (2/2+1), Will-o-the-Wisp (5/5), Arcing Rays (3/3)
Operator: Bentley (Tags)
Li Mei grinned, her white costume tinted with red stripes, and drew a blood-red sword. I pointed Sora toward James, who had a headset on. They ran down the mall’s wide concourse, along with a crowd of people.
The first Type Ones turned the corner, chasing a few stragglers. Overclock, Li Mei, and I strode toward them. Those people needed help, and here we were!