Miko whistled as she worked, rearranging files long ignored since Emiyo’s absence. She usually ordered Jin to perform the task. But her partner had vanished, leaving her with the bulk of the work. She would ground Jin for decades once she returned. If Emiyo returned to this mess, she’d have an epileptic fit!
Some magical girls claimed she’d died, lost in the multiverse’s infinity. Others argued the rebels had killed Emiyo. But Miko knew different. She picked up a hairbrush often used by the office’s owner and ran her finger over a long strain of black hair.
Miko smiled when she sensed the girl many universes away, still alive and vibrant. While many claimed her power of finding was useless, it’d made locating lost items, like socks, a breeze. People underestimate how useful it was to find pens or TV remotes you’d mislaid. They were too foolish to recognize her ultimate power, too obsessed with might and battle.
“Perfect!” Miko said as she finished dusting the top of a bookshelf. “Emiyo won’t find a single fault with her office.” And she laughed to herself, pleased with the results. Only brilliant, behind-the-scenes magical girls like her got anything done around here. Let the uncouth girls with powers that scattered universes mock her. Miko, alone, knew the truths of the cosmos.
She laughed harder to herself, delighting in how much smarter she was than everyone else. When she motioned to leave, an odd sound caught her attention.
She paused, making sure it hadn’t been her imagination. No, there it was again. Curious, Miko headed towards where she’d heard pounding. She approached a bookshelf, trying to determine where the sound originated from. It only contained books, nowhere someone might get trapped. The pounding sounded again, Miko soon realizing it originated from behind the shelf.
Miko removed each book, placing them neatly in its Dewey Decimal order. With a grunt, she pulled the bookshelf away from the wall. Miko entered into a coughing fit as a cloud of dust bombarded her. Behind the shelf, she discovered a hidden alcove behind broken plaster. Inside, she found old documents bound with a rubber band and a startling amount of bourbon. Did Emiyo have a drinking problem? But that was nothing compared to the white, squirming figure demanding her attention.
The fairy squirmed, mouth muffled by a gag. Her eyes pleaded for rescue.
“Nyx?” Miko asked, pulling away the gag.
“Thank the stars!” Emiyo’s partner said, breaking into tears. “I’d thought I’d never get free!”
“Why are you?” Miko flinched as Nyx glared daggers when she recognized her rescuer.
“You! Come to gloat, have you? Humiliate me more?”
The fairy’s vitriol surprised Miko. Hadn’t she just come to rescue her? The fairy blinked in surprise when Miko untied her.
“You’re helping me?”
“Obviously,” Miko said, rolling her eyes. “Why are you blaming me? I didn’t even realize you were trapped here until a couple of minutes ago!”
“What? But your partner!”
“What about her?”
“She’s the one who attacked me from behind and stuck me in here!”
“What?!” It seemed impossible, unreal. Jin’s strange ongoing absence came front and center, bringing uncomfortable and unwelcome questions. “Why?”
“She’s a traitor! She’s been working with the rebels for years! I overheard as much!”
“No.” It seemed impossible, a reality Miko refused to accept. While Jin had never been that friendly with her, weren’t they partners? Could Jin just abandon that?
“Deny it all you want, but it’s true. When I came to report Takako’s treachery and this new, dangerous, magical girl named Seina, she attacked me!”
“Did you say Seina?” A sinking pit formed in her stomach, for that name confirmed everything Nyx claimed.
“You’ve heard of her?” Nyx asked, confused.
“It’s a long story.” Everyone in Starlight Dream had heard of the insane magical girl who defied the Devil Princesses. They had wanted posters all over, promising fame and prestige to anyone who captured her. They called her a vile villain seeking the destruction of Starlight Dream and everything they held dear.
“Please, start from the top. How do you know about Seina?” Miko listened in silence as Nyx explained Emiyo’s encounter with the rogue magical girl.
“They call her a villain here?” Nyx said, amused. “It fits. I heard all about how she terrorized the poor vampire population of their world, almost genociding their entire race! Blood stains her hands crimson. She’d be a proper magical girl if she wasn’t totally bonkers!”
“Yeah, we could call her Crimson Seina!” She’d recommend it to home office later. Lunatics like her needed a good nickname.
“But why would Jin turn against us?” This point kept returning to Miko’s thoughts, unbidden. Had her partner been supplying info to the rebel all along? It explained much. Rage flared within her from the betrayal, tears stinging her eyes. Jin would pay dearly for this.
“Beats me, but I can see you’re also hankering for revenge! Good, so am I!” Jin smirked, clearly knowing something she didn’t.
“It’s too late. Two of the Devil Princesses are already chasing after her.” Miko said, her tone bitter. It was ridiculous to think an office clerk like her could accomplish anything. From Nyx’s expression, she had similar thoughts.
“And Seina’s super powerful. I’ve seen nothing like it. Even Emiyo struggled against her!”
“Where is Emiyo anyway? I haven’t seen her in weeks!”
“Good question. I assumed Seina would have killed her, but that clearly didn’t happen.” Nyx said, troubled. “Captured, I suppose, like me. They must be keeping her to torture information out of her! Emiyo’s quite knowledgeable about Starlight Dream. The monsters!” Genuine concern crossed over the fairy’s features, fearing for her partner’s life.
“We have to go rescue her! Before the Devil Princesses find Seina!” When Miko gave the fairy a questioning look, Jin clarified her reasoning. “If the Devil Princesses discover Emiyo has been leaking information to Starlight Dream’s enemies, they wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate her.”
Miko nodded in understanding. “Or for failing to stop such a dangerous threat. Can you find Seina?”
“Oh yes! But we can’t fight her alone. And Takako has become more dangerous. Hard to believe, but true!”
That also didn’t account for the hated rebel’s alliance with them. While Miko had never really cared for her boss, she didn’t despise the girl enough to see her tortured or dead. Thankfully, Miko had a plan. “I have just the magical girl to help us. She’s not as powerful as a lieutenant, her ability makes up for it.”
“And if we rescue Emiyo, we should have enough power to stop them,” Nyx said with the utmost confidence. With Miko’s ability, they’d find her in a snap.
“Perfect! Emiyo’s good as rescued!”
---
“So, that guy helped you?” Seina asked, more than a little baffled.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“That’s right. Together, we’ve been protecting the world from the vampire menace.” Masato replied, proud of himself.
“That’s idiotic and completely not true,” Colten said, shooting down his claims.
“And I’ve been doing all the work!” Takako said, annoyed. She took great umbrage at someone else taking credit for her effort.
“Shows what you know!” Masato shot back, but nobody paid him any attention.
“Anyway,” Seina said, trying to get the conversation back on track. “He actually hurt a magical girl?”
“Wait. Shouldn’t that be impossible?” Mr. Kiyojiro asked. “Even the great vampire king couldn’t hurt Seina!”
Seina had to admit her bodyguard had a point. Though, it still baffled her how exactly Lothaire died. Did that mean Mr. Kiyojiro might also get powers someday? It irked her bodyguard that he couldn’t fight alongside her.
“Maybe the sword is some legendary artifact forged from orichalcum!” Masato said.
“This isn’t some stupid RPG. This is real life,” Takako replied, exasperated. “Orichalcum isn’t even real! Besides, it broke too easily to be forged from some mythical, unbreakable substance.”
“Says you!” Masato said, countering back.
Himari looked thoughtful. “The multiverse has infinite possibilities. Orichalcum might exist somewhere.”
“We’re getting off-topic,” Ume said, finally speaking. She nibbled on some chocolate-covered sticks as she spoke. “The question is where Paliah came from? He seemed to know you guys.”
Oh right, she’s here too. Not that Seina didn’t appreciate her help, but Ume was a total jerk. The girl had a poor attitude. While Takako was also kinda a jerk, she was the cool, aloof type.
As they conversed, Ume kept a suspicious eye on Himari. Since they’d first met, the rebel remained unconvinced of the girl’s story. It seemed far too convenient for Ume that Himari would turn ally just when Seina needed her. To the rebel, all magical girls from Starlight Dream were devils. Thankfully, Takako seemed more understanding of Himari’s unique situation. She accepted their new friend with an open heart.
“Maybe he’s a fanboy inspired by Seina’s heroism?” Himari said, making Seina blush with embarrassment.
That would explain his sudden nervousness. Seina remembered how the knight flushed when they first met.
“I hate this. Too many unanswered questions.” Ume said.
“He’s an ally, so who cares?” Takako said, picking her ear with a finger.
“It does matter!” Ume said, temper flaring. “He saved us, but these questions still need answering!”
“Whatever.” Takako flicked a gob of earwax away, earning a scowl from the other magical girl. An uneasy silence overtook the room, the friction between Ume and Takako palpable.
“I suppose it’s a problem for another day!” Seina said with false cheeriness. Somehow, she needed to wrangle this group together. “I’m sure he’ll explain his story when he’s ready.”
“I bet he’s a secret prince with a hidden personality that only emerges when the good guys need rescuing!” Masato said. “Otherwise, he’s an ordinary guy, unaware of his secret identity!”
“Another stupid, outlandish theory,” Takako replied by reflex.
“Truth is often stranger than fiction,” Masato said, trying to sound sagely.
“You aren’t even part of this conversation. Why are you here?” Her bodyguard said, pointedly.
Jin, the rogue fairy, sighed, rubbing her temple. “Is your party always like this?” She’d abandoned everything to help them, and this party of misfits didn’t encourage her.
“The real issue is Reiko. She wants us dead.” Seina’s words brought them back to grim reality. The memory of the Devil Princesses’ sickly cruel attitude brought her a palpable sense of unbreakable dread.
“We couldn’t even scratch her. Her powers were insane. Her words bring wishes to life!” The silence within the room deepened as Seina spoke. Not that she blamed them. They always expected her to be unbeatable, capable of anything. Reality, as her short life had demonstrated, proved such fancies wrong.
Seina turned to the smartest person she knew to solve this. “What do you think, Takako? What can we do?”
“You have the old queen’s staff, right?” Takako said. “Use that?”
Seina only signed, scratching her chin. “I guess. But it’s proved useless so far.”
Himari nodded her agreement. “We swung it around several times, and everything, but nothing happened!”
“Did Charity give some special instructions?” Jin asked.
“She didn’t,” Seina said, shaking her head. “What do you think, Hope? You’re the oldest here. Do you have any suggestions?”
While this unflattering description raised the fairy’s hackles, Hope gave a reply after a moment’s thought. “I’m not really sure. I was pretty young when the Devil Princesses took over.”
“What was the old queen like?” Mr. Kiyojiro asked. “That might provide us some clues. Like what happened to her, exactly?”
“I’ve never actually met her.” Ume only shrugged. “I’ve heard weird rumors, but nothing definite. But my friend Hinata didn’t seem to like her that much. I’ve always gotten the impression she wasn’t popular with the other magical girls.”
That explains why the Devil Princesses easily smeared her name with the Wicked Queen label. Was the old queen some stuck-up prima donna?
“Nobody’s sure what happened to her. Suddenly, the Devil Princess appeared and took over Starlight Dream.” Ume crossed her arms, her expression caught in old wounds. “They hunted and killed anyone who disagreed with them. Hundreds of magical girls and thousands of fairies died.”
The room entered a stunned silence. While not huge, Starlight Dream had been a decently sized place. That meant the Devil Princesses killed almost the entire fairy population, the monsters.
“The Devil Princesses have much to answer for,” Seina said, earning nods of agreement from her friends, and Masato.
“I just remembered!” Ume said, catching their attention. “Right around the old queen’s disappearance, a strange tower appeared in Starlight Dream.”
“Wait, do you mean the Pin of the Cosmos?” Seina asked, astonished. She’d assumed it’d always been there.
Ume shrugged. “I guess.”
“Legends say it extends to the other end of the multiverse. Many magical girls have never returned trying to explore it.” Himari said.
“So, it might be a prison?” Seina asked. It made sense. How could someone got out of a maze of infinite proportion? And if they stole the queen’s powers, she’d have no hope of escape.
“So we have to find her in an infinite maze? How annoying!” Takako said.
“Are we sure that’s the right answer?” Himari said, speaking up.
“What do you mean?” Ume said, annoyed. “It’s the obvious answer.”
“No, Himari is right.” Mr. Kiyojiro said. “Seina said the Devil Princesses were fearful of the old queen. Would they take such a risk of escape, no matter how remote?”
“The Pin is trapping her?” Seina suggested.
“Possible, but it’s too obvious a location.” Her bodyguard shook his head. “What if one of her allies tried freeing her?”
“If someone can free her from under that thing,” Takako replied. “But I see your point. Let’s forget the Pin. There have to be other possibilities.”
Then, what is the Pin of the Cosmos ? Didn’t someone tell her it was breaking apart? Was that a good or bad thing?
“It has to be at Starlight Dream, at least,” Himari said. “I always thought it was weird that at least one Devil Princess stayed at home base at all times. I suppose they feared leaving her alone.”
Takako shrugged. “I agree. Did Charity give any hints? You said she could read the future, right?”
Seina gave this matter some consideration. Charity had insisted they’d get her partner’s wand, throwing them into a literal pit of scorpions to retrieve it.
“Is the wand the key?” Seina asked. “Can we trace her with it?”
“Doubtful,” Ume said. “Her magical signature would be impossible to detect if they have her trapped somewhere.”
“But Charity seemed insistent it was the key,” Seina replied.
“Are you forgetting she was half mad from centuries of isolation? Can we even trust anything she says?” Ume shot back. Seina gritted her teeth, annoyed at the other magical girl’s cynicism. While eccentric, Charity was smart. Ume was dismissing someone she’d never even met!
“Girls. Fighting won’t help.” Mr. Kiyojiro said, giving both magical girls a glare. They each gave a sheepish nod in reply. Her bodyguard seemed to possess a preternatural ability to make Seina feel ashamed of her actions.
“Anyway, it’s a key. We just need to figure out where it fits.” Mr. Kiyojiro said, bring the conversation back on track.
They discussed various possibilities, but the problem returned to finding the queen’s location. Seina fell into despair, feeling trapped. As her friends, and Masato, argued, she slipped away to think alone.
“What’s the problem?” Aiko said, sitting by Seina as her friend kicked her legs over the peer. The ocean was beautiful as ever, its vastness always awe-inspiring.
Seina remained silent for several moments, watching the waves crash against the peer. “I feel useless.”
“What? But you’re the strongest magical girl ever.” Her friend replied, aghast.
“Not strong enough to fight the Devil Princesses! I’m barely 11! I shouldn’t have to deal with this!” She ranted about how she was facing impossible odds against an unstoppable foe.
“The Devil Princess doesn’t even seem human. That girl, Reiko, scares me. How can one person enjoy hurting people that much? If I face her…” Seina trembled, curling into a protective ball.
Aiko gave Seina a tight embrace. “That sounds scary. It’s unfair you need to face this.”
“I’m not trying to be whiny. It’s just…”
Aiko sighed, nodding in agreement. “You never asked to fight vampire hoards or insane magical girls. It’s unfair, however you see it.”
Aiko suddenly stood up, catching Seina’s attention. “But you’re the coolest girl I’ve ever met, Seina. Nobody’s as tough as you. We can beat this! We always do!”
This brought a slight smile to Seina’s lips. “You’re a good friend, Aiko.” If only she could believe her friend’s words.
“All this worrying isn’t helping! Let’s get some ice cream! That always makes you feel better!” Before Seina could protest, her friend dragged her away.
“Okay, okay,” Seina said, laughing. If she were to die horribly, some cake ice cream wouldn’t go amiss.
“Hey, you can’t get ice cream without me!” Colten said, zipping towards them.
“Of course not!” Aiko said, beaming. They each ran hand-in-hand towards the beachside.
To pull Seina from her trouble, Aiko talked about nothing in particular to bolster her friend’s spirits. She chatted about random gossip about her middle school, particularly about a class clown named Shigeru.
“He actually put a spider into Yoko’s shoes! The poor girl threw a fit and hadn’t worn shoes since! She only sticks with sandals!”
“Really? Isn’t that an overreaction?” Seina said, taking her cone from the strangely morose vendor.
“Yoko really hates spiders,” Aiko replied, licking her strawberry cone.
“Spiders are gross.” Colten licked his favorite flavor, bubble gum.
“If it wasn’t for this Devil Princesses nonsense, I’d insist that Uncle Kenji transfer me to your school.” Seina found it super depressing she was getting tutored instead of having normal schooling. Her bodyguard wasn’t a bad teacher, but she wanted to hang out with kids her own age. Great, she was getting depressed again.
“Yeah, being a magical girl makes it difficult to have a normal life. But hey, you have me!” Aiko said, giving an encouraging smile.
“And me! I will always protect you to my last breath!” Colten said with conviction. She noticed her bodyguard had joined them. He never seemed far behind, knowing he’d even brave Starlight Dream for her. While slight, as usual, he gave her an encouraging smile.
“Thanks.” Despite her difficulties, she felt blessed. A warmth filled her, making her more determined than ever to stop the Devil Princesses.
“Want to play on the swings?” Colten said, pointing towards a nearby playground.
“Do I?” After the nightmare of Starlight Dream, some normalcy was welcome.
And she laughed as Colten pushed her higher and higher, determined to see how hard he could push her. Seina forgot about being a magical girl and embraced being a child with her two bestest friends. Future battles and troubles could wait.