*
"... Nee~, you fought the sun magical girl right? That's where those burn marks came from? Are you really just a guide? "
"... Hahah... What good would you knowing do." (Kanou)
It sounded like a mix of a low growl and an exhausted grumble, this shift in tone was reminiscent of the way she spoke when we first met. Glaringly cold and untouchable. Perhaps I had stepped on a landmine, not that it mattered any longer. I was cowering with the rest of the students, too fearful to enjoy a game of volleyball with all the chaos going outside. A cacophony of flames and a strange sound of meat slamming against meat rebounded off from the centre of the labyrinth and into everyone's ear drums. It must have been a physical fight.
The first thing I saw when the shelters opened up was an exhausted Kanou-san. Her grey hair had stuck together and twisted in certain places unlike its usual combed straight down style. Her legs were full of wounds, metal shards embbed into her flesh and even her own flesh embbed into itself like a crater on her body. The black skin tight material was no longer covering much so Kanou-san reverted into another form. Her costume changed.
The black skin tight suit was gone and a high knee socks was in its place along with a tan mini skirt and shorts under it. On her top the metal armours and medals had reverted to leather armour with gold engravings , so did her gauntlets and boots, all reverted back to a durable looking thick leather. It was the same costume that she wore when I first met her, and it only occurred to me that she had changed form just to fight. Would I also obtain new forms of my magical combat dress? It sounds exciting at first, but not so appealing when you think about the requirements.
It's been roughly a month since I joined this academy of sorts as a magical girl. Just being here endangers my life, I'm not so sure if I can take anymore of it. All I can do is shift some wind and strengthened my punches by a small margin, what would that do against that... Sun wielder? I'm weak, even before this sickness broke me even more. So I needed answers.
"Would knowing make me strong enough to fight that magical girl you fought?" I stared intently, probing for an answer. Her cheeks stiffened and shoulders slightly bounce before piecing a satisfactory answer.
".... I won by a tactical victory. I drained her resources and crushed her offensive capabilities, but I couldn't kill her at the same time. In a fight to the death, it was I who was granted mercy. She simply found that retreat benefitted this tiny war more for her side. "(Kanou) Her eyes continued to glimmer, staring intently back into mine. A bitter taste resided in her mouth and it was evident from the displeased expression adorning her elegant face. Her dark grey bangs and long eyelashes fluttered as her head moved around.
"... Is there any reason why we were dragged into this war? " In a soft voice, I try to change the topic. Almost like a whisper, it sounded like a small animal's whimper, but I couldn't leave the conversation hanging on such a dreary mood. Unfortunately, the same mood persisted.
"..... You're asking too much. Go back home, I'm going too. Even I'll get tired of this sunlight. "(Kanou) There weren't any dark eye circles under eyes, however one could swear they saw some with how exhausted Kanou's demeanor seemed. Ostensibly, she had more tasks coming up after this small meeting with Kaorin and was not going back to rest at all. To fulfill these tasks, Kanou had to cut their conversation short and went on with it. She twisted her weary body and began walking in the opposite direction.
"..... I'll wait. 11 months from now, I'll find you even if I have to hunt you down, and I'll force you to be my master. Learning from an expert like you would be vastly faster right? I'll destroy your schedule, free you of your work and come knocking everyday. " An odd declaration for sure, it had caused Kanou to stop for a second to ponder before moving on. My fists clenched tighter than ever, a silent fiery passion burned in my chest. If I wallow in my own depressed and useless self, how would I ever improve? Kanou proved that, I'm sure even Kanou fears death, yet she plunged head first into their boss and kicked the shit out of her jaw.
From what she said, a tactical victory either meant that they thoroughly defeated that person's subordinates or sabotaged their fire power and prevented their attack. I don't really understand it myself, but if I were to be a useful chess piece in this war, it would surely lighten her burden. If I was a force recognised as a tactical advantage like she was, surely everything would be much better.
Heading back to my apartment, I was no longer in the mood for volleyball. It was late in the afternoon and a precious weekend was spent cowering in fear. I... Am more scared than anyone else in the class. Having experienced an attack twice by random magical girls, my life was chosen to be disposed off on a whim... It fills me with an unbearable grudge that wouldn't stop cursing for their deaths. Even though one of them was already dead from overconfidence.
In the end, these feelings, this fear was very real. I can only wonder when they'll fade away...
Slotting my key into the keyhole, I entered my 2 room living space and headed straight for the shower. I'll need a refreshed body in order to refresh my mind easier. Picking out a notebook I bought the other day from the plastic bag it came in, I started to write down my thoughts to easier compile them.
I am scared. I am afraid. Nothing can change how I quiver uncontrollably in front of the enemy. First the S-class Ray and then an odd construction type magical girl who used her powers offensively. I had the strength of an average teenage girl, how could I defend if that other magical girl sprouted concrete pillars from her palms, which charged at me like a truck.
In the first week of this educational institution, this magic academy of sorts, I was taught some simply history of what had happened during the great disaster and the few important figures governing their respective stories. There was about 1 continental faction for each continent and numerous smaller countries that were near inconsequential. Since all the continents on earth had been smash together by a weird force, it was renamed into pangea ultima, though very different from its theorised counterpart from before the Great Disaster.
To investigate, the Eye God simply used her skill and sold the information for money to the other factions, resulting in a smooth trade of resources and hastening our own recovery efforts by a large margin above the others.
African had move continuously north like the theory suggested but had been somehow smashed into an 'I' - shape, most of South America had crumbled or been plunged into the sea leaving little to no survivors. North America also had its edge crumble off and smush together into a ball before being crushed to its East to what used to be the African continent which is West to what used to be the Eurasian supercontinent. Australia's landmass had completely vanished, while Antarctica had expanded to the point it reached the African continent at a tiny point like the pointed end of a cone.
In our second week, we learned the bare minimum about skills and the basics of the monsters that we may encounter. Where the monsters came from was unknown, but they've manifested for the whole history of humanity. Magical girls existed in the pass to eliminate these creatures in secret, though unlike television, anyone could awaken into a magical girl.
That includes old men, and great figures like King Arthur and Alexander the Great May have been magical girls. King Arthur seemed to be a fictional being made long after the time period Arthurian legend was based in, so he may have been a figure based on an existing magical girl in the Author's time period.
As long as they have enough aptitude, or in other words they are able to act as a battery that stores magical particles, the world itself would grant people the abilities of a magical girl. It was a natural law in and of itself that these individuals evolve on the spot and become able to manipulate magical particles.
The third week was some training sessions and a study based on magical particles. These particles were extremely small particles, smaller than even Quarks. Like atoms which are measured in moles, magical particles are also measured in a unit that implies extremely large numbers, this unit was called mana but would otherwise not be used at all. Apparently magical girls accustomed to combat can regulate their own magical particle use to units smaller than mana, so it was otherwise obsolete.
The forth week, we were taught more about how the monsters work, even with a live dissection demonstration. Back in the past when there were more humans, monsters concealed themselves under the guise of natural phenomena. They had sentience to some extent and understood that if they showed themselves, humanity would investigate and secure their own spot at the top of the food chain. Now that 85% of humanity had been culled, they no longer need to conceal themselves, in fact revealing their grotesque appearances instilled more fear.
After that was the raid. I could hear it. A cacophony of screams and an assortment of other unnatural noises born from magic. I wanted to step outside the shelter and fight, but I noticed it too. Like everyone I was sitting down next to the wall, but it would have been foolish not to notice it. Noticed it, It, I was trembling far more than any other person was. What could I do? I was far more fearful, far more weak. An unbridgeable gap of sorts, I don't see it being closed either when I regain my powers. What good is a magical girl that gives in to fear.
But that was also why I have a deep passion for magical girls. Other than fear, I also felt my soul burning under the sunlight. After the battle, after observing Kanou's wounds. It was hard to imagine her, the invincible and reliable guide, to be so weak. She herself said all of that, with visible regret. Does that mean she was weak after all, since she couldn't defeat the enemy? Whatever the case, I should work hard first and see later. In 2 months time, there would be a tournament among the students. This was the only class since people awakening into magical girls were actually quite rare. 15 was already incredibly high, usually the number would teeter on the edge of 11.
An estimated recovery time of 1 week to 2 months and 3 weeks, even with a tournament in 2 months. I can't sit still, I have to find a solution and regain my strength.
Signed, Kaorin
On the Sunday, I hung out with Myuu at her house.
"Nee~ Myuu~. Have you used a smartphone before?"
"Of course I have! Unlike you, I'm an actual high school girl, JoushiKousei da! Now don't start thinking of funny thoughts with that information! " (Myuu) She spoke with an abnormal amount of zeal, which made one doubt if she was speaking the truth. Well, the truth didn't matter at this point. She was undeniable an important existence in my life, even if she was an old man I would call her my best friend.
"... I can't help it okay? Anyway, I was just thinking maybe we could talk about games we used to play in the past." Brushing away my reply to her words in an instant, I skillfully change the topic with the magical 'Anyway'. The secret was to maintain the same tone of speech and not drag it out unnecessarily. Hahah! How is that, my communication skills have once again improved by leaps and bounds. Unlike the previous life I led before the Great Disaster, I had been trying my best to talk to my classmates even if only a tiny bit. It really helps to be cute in magical girl form, boosting my confidence by leaps and bounds. Heheh, this appearance is indeed cute. Myuu wouldn't be mad if I was thinking about myself right?
Snapping out of my day dream, I drag my eyes into Myuu's direction only to see her pouting with both anger and disappointment. It was incredible that she could express 2 emotions at once so well.
"Mmmm... Well. How bout Confectionary Compress?" (Myuu) Ignoring my daydreaming, she continued on with the conversation as if an angel from heaven had decided to descend and grant mercy on myself in that awkward situation.
".... So you're not an old man but in fact a granny! "
"?! Gyaaaaaaa!!! Stop! I was just a very studious student so I didn't have much time to explore what new games there were. I just stuck with that same game throughout middle and high school... "(Myuu)
" Well it sucks now that the Internet is dead, the web must have perished along with all the games. "
"... Then~... If it's really that important to you, I'll give a listening ear even if I don't understand. "(Myuu)
Her eyes were slightly angled down, looking at the table in front of us as if hiding her embarrassment. A visible slight blush on her cheeks. We were both sat on a sofa at her apartment. It was at times like these, I felt very thankful to have a friend like her.