Chapter Thirty-One

Floor Three was packed with Magical Girls.

Some wore uniforms, others wore workout clothes, and two showed up in only underwear and a t-shirt, only transforming once they’d gotten a spot in line. Clearly, an All-Girls alert was serious.

I waited in line behind Overclock and Li Mei. The press of bodies felt exactly like an assembly at West End High - except no one was talking. The buzzing voices and hype music were missing entirely. I fidgeted with my hair.

Li Mei whispered something to Overclock, who shook her head. “No, most teams have their spots, but training teams sit up front so they can see what’s happening. It’s better to learn that way. Find the Z-4 signs and take us there.”

We got through the door, bumping into others and apologizing repeatedly, and I paused to take in the scene.

The briefing auditorium was so pretty. Concentric circles of white chairs with blue padding looped around a central platform. Giant TV screens in the center showed a map of Vancouver Island - and of Haven itself. We sat down near the front behind a white desk. A short, wide monitor and keyboard were attached to the desk.

“That’s for questions. You type them in, and they get projected up there when it’s time for them,” Overclock whispered.

A Magical Girl in a poofy blue-and-white dress, with bows in her hair and everything, stood up. She was joined by one in a white toga with green decorations - the legend herself, Palace Athene! As they moved, more appeared so that each section of the room had a copy facing them.

“Alright, Girls! Ten minutes to assemble, that’s close to the record,” the Blue said. “I especially appreciate you two Whites up front, but please transform out of your pajamas.” The room laughed, but quietly. Tension filled the air despite her joking demeanor.

“For those who don’t know, I’m Palace Athene, and this is B.S.O.D. Together, we run Haven’s defense grid. After last week’s Emergence event, B.S.O.D. adjusted her algorithms to pick up on the changes the Macks made.”

“We received a message from Sanctuary two hours ago. Apparently, the AI doesn’t think the mayor’s office is a viable communication vector anymore. I can’t imagine why,” B.S.O.D said to another polite chuckle from the crowd of Girls. I didn’t laugh, though. Whatever had happened at the mayor’s office, the implication that human error had killed my classmates - had almost killed my best friend - was too serious to laugh at.

The Blue went on. “The message stated a likely attack in the next forty-eight hours. Using that and my algorithms, I’ve narrowed down the time of the next Emergence event and its location. We are looking at heavy attacks along the 1A superhighway between Nanaimo and Victoria, with possible lighter Emergences across the island’s southern edges. All in approximately three hours.”

“Since we know the areas of attack, I’ve been adjusting my Mana Surge locations to compensate,” Palace Athene said. She pointed to the map. Green patches lit up along the island’s southeast coast. “We’ll also deploy most of our strike teams - Omega Lily, Fruit Fighters, and ResCute plus Ebon Ring and Maybelle-1 - to that area.” Three red circles appeared near the green patches.

At that announcement, the whispers started, competing with dozens of keyboards clattering. Mine included. Was Ebon Ring coming out of retirement? And why was she going to be on ResCute, anyways? I looked at Overclock, sitting next to Li Mei.

Was she going to be with us, then? I opened my mouth to ask, but B.S.O.D. was talking again.

“We’re keeping Tech Five and Bug Breakers in reserve on this one. Mid-level teams will be deployed between the heavy strike teams.” A pair of red circles appeared in Victoria, along with pink dots scattered up the coast. “Training teams will cover the south and southwest coasts, with, uh, Starlight Sisters providing heavy support to them as needed. Finally, HANAF forces will be deployed as soon as possible for support and light fighting.” Five white dots appeared, with a big red dot behind them. The monitor in front of me lit up with a zoom-in on one of them.

Sooke, it read.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“All Operators are currently in the communications superstructure, receiving their briefing. Teams with their own transportation, you’ll deploy at your discretion. Trainee teams and teams relying on SHOCKS transport, your helicopters will be spooling up in half an hour. If you have levels or points to spend, now would be a good time, Girls,” Palace Athene finished.

“So, questions?” B.S.O.D. asked. The first one popped up. “Most popular, with over 35% of the questions, are Ebon Ring and Maybelle-1 coming out of retirement? The answer is yes. They’re covering with ResCute while its third and fourth members work with a training team and help injured civilians from the previous Emergence, respectively.”

The questions went on for ten minutes. How many Emergences were SHOCKS expecting? Could our team be deployed closer to my home? Would the east coast be evacuated so strike teams could operate at full power?

As the questions dwindled, Palace Athene cleared her throat. “This Emergence shouldn’t be a big deal, Girls. Unlike last time, we have a battle plan, and HANAF forces will back us up. Make your preparations and meet your transportation. Dismissed!”

She and BSOD watched as the mass of Magical Girls funneled through the exit. “Let’s just wait,” I said. “Why are we going to Sooke, though?”

Sam, surprisingly, responded. “My family’s from down there. Honestly, we’re probably just going to keep people from panicking. It’s a smaller part of Haven - only 300,000, mostly in the towers, and an old-fashioned beachfront from the 2020s. But it always seemed to get small Emergences on it. I think the San Juan Superhighway makes it a target.”

Overclock nodded. “Good analysis, Sam. Our Operators should be coming online again in the next minute or two - they’ll have more details. For now, back to Z-4’s quarters. Let’s talk powers.”

Back in our suite, Li Mei spoke up first. “Charlie said my Mana Surge is a multitargeted sword strike. I haven’t tested it, but if I use swords, I can get one or two hits on as many things as I can zip between in about three or four seconds. My Perk is, uh, an extra edge on my weapons that makes it easier to cut through Mack-plate. It’s not quite passive, but it’s cheap.”

“Good, good. The extra damage is always welcome, and I can see both of our Surges working well together,” Overclock said. “Sam?”

“It’s a defensive ability. It places a directional shield on friendlies near me that tanks some hits for people. It’s a lot like a phalanx or a shield wall. Pretty simple. The Perk is an active sort of…magical sonar or radar? Or whatever the kind that can go through the ground is.”

“Ground penetrating radar,” Overclock supplied. “Can it see through walls?”

“Only the cheap kind. These metal ones, or cinderblocks, are too thick right now. But drywall or frame walls wouldn’t be a problem, I don’t think.”

I nodded slowly. “So, we have two offensive Surges, a defensive, and a support one? We could use my Feu-Follet first, then have Overclock stop time–”

“It doesn’t stop time,” Overclock said. “My mana organ is overactive. It’s constantly putting out nanites, which are constantly spreading everywhere. When I use Overclock, those nanites slam into anything I’m not marking and slow them down. A lot. I have to get slowed down too to maintain it, though.”

She touched her ear. “James is back, and he says the helicopter is ready for us. Let’s go, kids. We can talk on the flight over.”

We transformed.

Li Mei’s white outfit looked much like the sparring outfit she’d fought Pixie Punch in. A white mini skirt flared off her waist, while her legs and arms were covered in white cloth and pads that hinted at armor. A light grey trenchcoat draped down to her calves, with a hood that started up until she pulled it off her head. Her black hair was in two long braids.

Sam, meanwhile, looked like the most stereotypical Magical Girl ever. Pleated white skirt and sailor uniform top. Knee-high boots. The works. Her bleached hair stayed the same, but long white gloves reached up to her elbows. She shrugged. “I just went with Mme. Baudilaire’s suggestions.”

We jogged through the hallway to the elevator, jammed into it like sardines with a dozen other Girls, and started ascending. We were halfway up when Bentley spoke up in my ear. “Hey, Luciole. So this is it, huh? Were you this nervous before?”

“Hi, Bentley, I whispered. A couple of girls stared at me, and I dropped my volume even more. “No, this is relaxing compared to West End High. That was…”

Bad. I couldn’t say it, but whatever we were about to fly into couldn’t be worse than West End. I had a team this time, and Overclock and James were still with me. And even if Dad and Claire were in Duncan Towers, where the main Emergences were supposed to be, they’d be in a shelter, and Fruit Fighters would be nearby.

They’d be fine. I hoped.

“We’re going to be fine,” I said out loud. A couple of White Magical Girls in the elevator looked at me nervously, but Overclock nodded along.

The elevator door opened, and we poured out like syrup. A few Girls in white uniforms directed us toward a helicopter with Z-4 chalked on its side. Other teams were clambering into their helicopters as we ran to ours. It lifted off before we’d even strapped in and jammed bulky headsets over our ears.

“Alright, kids. Let’s talk public relations and basic battle strategies,” Overclock said through her headset.