***
Snow as far as the eye could see. Yet it brought on a sense of warmth instead of loneliness. Here, nobody could bother us, so why? How did it end? How did this end? I release my breath into the air, the hot vapid exhalation transformed into a fine mist as if it was magic, it had exceeding beauty. I've worked so hard for this outcome, for this image. I'm even living a peaceful life now, I just have to return home to her safely so our tranquility can continue...
She lives joyfully and filled with no regrets. Pure like the snow itself, totally unlike myself. I... Do not regret my own actions. Because it was all worth it. Nothing could change my mind. If she wanted to see the snow once more, I would bring her there again. So I wonder, is she now holding back for my sake? The progenitor was a blessing unlike how many others describe her. She had blessed us with a good life. It pained me to see her like that, but I love her with all my being and I want to see her be selfish like how kids her age were suppose to be.
I love her. More than anything else. My previous snowflake, my one and only daughter. The progenitor's deal was simple. Spread word of her goodness and live a righteous life. She will take care of how she earned money, and I will get a decent job managing her underlings. I was just like any other father. Maybe I got to greedy and grasped at such things too hastefully. Maybe it was too good to be true. But can you really blame me? For taking the easy route, for being worried about job security, for scrounging up every sliver of money. For wanting the best.
Looking back, she was behaving as best she could due to an obvious reason. She feared the divorce of her parents. Unlike the usual heated mess, our arguments were silent. Suffocating even. It was healthy for nobody, and ever since young I had learned how worthless it was to get angry at someone. So I always held my silence. Naturally I looked down on her mother for being so emotional and reactive, it was like looking at an animal go feral each time.
Subconsciously, such an impression formed over time. She must have guessed from the expression I was making, I was not particularly good at hiding my thoughts. Just my anger and sadness. When I was elated I would smile, when I was irritated or agitated I would keep silent and endure, when I was mad I would be dead silent. I would let the raging storm pass by until the seas were calm again.
Again, I had ample time to think things through as I began to ignore her as well. I kept silent because that was usually what caused people to reflect on themselves, they were forced to hear only themselves and think to themselves about their own actions. It was effective on kids and sometimes on adults. But perhaps I should look at myself too, reflect a little in how I even got here.
Things continue on until it just seemed that nobody could stay happy in this relationship. We accepted it mutually and had a smooth divorce. It took a while for her to get used to it, but of course, it was not normal for her. My heart aches when thinking about what I could not provide, I try to fill in that void with extra money but she wasn't so demanding like my wife was. She just wanted us to be happy, so we could live together.
She was allowed to see her mother and chose to live with me. I can never repay my gratitude for the great joy she has brought me, nor can I bring back the good times she yearns for. I am sorry. I wasn't a good father.
***
"Checkmate."
My left hand was on her neck while she was about to fire her draconic beam. It seems that she only uses it as a last resort, it must be potent and devastating if that was so. More destructive than her fists and more coverage of area than anything else in her arsenal. That was why my strategy relied on this tiny possibility. Drive her into a corner, no matter what just push her into a dead end. So that she would use the beam. That was it. Conserve as much power as I could and make her feel threatened.
When she uses that beam attack, I'll reverse its direction with my first skill. It was an energy attack powered by magical particles. Like with normal magical particles, I could manipulates its movement. Now that I had seized control of it before she fired by touching her neck with my left palm, it was like I had acquired a bomb in her jaw. All of that was so roundabout and troublesome, but I finally achieved it. I will win.
Light shines through her mouth as if it was about to burst. Alcide closes her eyes and tightens her eyebrows as I strengthen my left grip on her neck. It was about to explode at any moment, it was fine if it hit her from the outside but from the inside of her throat it was basically courting death. That was because there were no dragon scales inside her mouth. Not even actual dragons have scales lining their throat and mouth. Her magical girl augmentation may not be enough to defend her now. It was also too late for her to use her second skill or the technique, Primal Dominion. She had no more moves.
It explodes, a tear drips down Alcide's cheek. I redirect it towards the ceiling. A massive beam of white and gold shot through the tiled ceilings and even more through the earth, vaporising anything in contact. It didn't stop until it shot through the surface and into the sky. There was no sunlight shining through this hole, so it must have become the early morning.
Her knees give out and she collapses on the ground in a kneeling position. Her cheeks were marked with tears as she stared speechlessly at us.
"... Why?" (Alcide)
I couldn't muster the energy to properly explain. I threw away all my plans just so she could live. There was no doubt, if someone were to be blamed for this, it would be me. Everyone's efforts gone to dust due to my dumb, naive decision.
"... Just like how your knees gave out, my conscious did too."
"..." (Alcide)
Her face drew a blank, not knowing how to react. I felt stupid as well, my actions were so shocking that my enemy stopped moving. She could kill us right now but she didn't. She understood her life was spared, her conscious couldn't bring her to kill us now. In other words she felt what I felt, we couldn't bring ourselves to kill the other meaninglessly. There was no reason to fight. Her mind must be in a mess now.
The expression she had just now, before I spared her life. It was of someone resigned to death and accepting of her own regrets. That emotional turmoil of having forced herself to accept her own regrets and death and then having that turned on its head must be heavy. It was akin to a typhoon because it took place too fast. She needed time to think now. To see what she wants to do for her future. Well, that was my interpretation. Depending on a person's mental fortitude, they may react differently.
"You realise I can't let you kill the progenitor. She has done undeniable good and helped countless others, disregarding my senses as a father, but as a human being." (Alcide)
"..."
"I knew it, your ideals were flimsy as hell. Really putting me and Gerald to shame here since you were able to defeat us." (Paridia)
It was a baritone declaration of displeasure. Even though the battle was between 2 sides just now, all the attention had now centered on me. The despondent Alcide who had her resolve trampled by an insecure dream, Paridia who had taken a backseat to the battle applying the most pressure on me she could muster and Kyou who looked away wanting to stay out of this mess.
"Your dream. It sounds so stupid that I can't help but ridicule it. Ideal magical girl? Such a being can not exist in this ugly world to begin with. I only followed you out of respect because you beat us, out of respect of your ideals. But if you can't uphold it yourself, why should anyone else follow you and suffer with you? "(Paridia)
"..."
" SAY SOMETHING!!!! " (Paridia)
How could I? She was right. For the most part, I have no idea what I am doing. All we've done so far was pretend like we were in a story and indiscriminately killing the 'bad guys'. What the hell was the point of all this? To make myself feel better? To make my life exciting? Just... What am I... Suppose to do...
"... Now you're crying?... Give me a break..." (Paridia)
Her voice trails off as well, she faces away digging deep into her own thoughts. Walking behind me with the ring of clear steps echoing off was Kyou, the footsteps approach nearer and nearer with the rhythm of a metronome.
'PA!!!'
A jab to the face, my body was weakened enough from the battle and my magia retainment was released the moment the battle was over. My body was as weak as a normal girl's now, any of the magical girl's around me could kill me in a single hit. But that was not it. Kyou used the normal strength of her body to punch me, without the magical girl augmentations. Just the strength of a normal girl, it still hurt like hell to get hit in the face.
I look at her in the face, her strong will was reflected through her determined gaze. It shone so bright that I had to look away from her face and stare at the floor.
"You.... Don't give up so easily... Who cares about a little moral ambiguity. Does doing something good negate committing a crime?" (Kyou)
I look back up at Kyou, a little light returning to my eyes.
"You are equal parts dumb and equal parts ----- huh" (Kyou)
"Heheh... Forgive this one then. Oh great noble."
With a barely noticeable flush, warmth rush to my cheeks which I attempt to hide my embarrassment in. I gave way to Kyou as she walked closer to Alcide and began to interrogate her.
"Glad to see you're back to normal. Now back to business. Alcide, you are under my blade territory so think carefully on what you say. Are you going to stand in our way?" (Kyou)
"Will you guarantee me a stable job and income, and protection for my family if I don't?" (Alcide)
"... We'll add it to the contract then. I ask you once more. There won't be anymore chances after this. Do you oppose us? " (Kyou)
"..... Alright, then I'll tell you. If you bring me a detailed map of Central, I'll show you roughly where the boss is and stop opposing you. In exchange, I trust your organisation fulfills some of my conditions as well. " (Alcide)
"As long as it's nothing too demanding." (Kyou)
They eye each other down. Alcide sat on the ground with her left leg tucked in and right leg bent into a squatting position, her right arm rested on her right leg as her bright orange hair flows along with her movements. On the other hand, Kyou was eyeing her down while standing near her, her eyes sharp with caution and insight. Alcide's breath has steadied since the battle ended, her composure and mind picked up its usual momentum and prodded at Kyou.
After a while, Alcide decided to cave in first. Perhaps she saw no point in continuing the staring contest since she was suppose to present her conditions first before intimidating the other party of the negotiation. Bring her right hand and cupping her fingers into her knuckles, she gives a little cough before resuming.
"Ahem! Well, first would be the protection of my family. Second would be the pay and working conditions. In other words, the preservation of my previously built lifestyle. And my family's wellbeing. Or is that too much?" (Alcide)
"We can discuss that in detail much later. For now, how does a truce sound?" (Kyou)
"... I'll keep an eye on you guys." (Alcide)
***
".... The darkness really is your home field advantage. It's too hard for anyone else to see, especially when your attacks blend into everything else... " (Myuu)
" Un. We've beaten all the weaklings until now. The next room is the boss's room, be careful. " (Gerald)
They were similarly in an underground location as the air filling the passages was extremely stale. Myuu had send out an overgrowth of plants to flood the entire lair in order to bust out the lights, leaving everyone to the mercy of Gerald. The only place left unexplored was the final room where the boss of this territory resided, the room with the most magic protection coating the walls.
"... Don't touch the walls here, it may be poisoned. Just use your plants and destroy the door." (Gerald)
"Got it." (Myuu)
With a big crash, the metal door flew into the wall behind it and scrapped the ground for a screeching landing. In the middle of the room sat a desk. Behind the desk was an old man with withering gray hair and deep wrinkles on his forehead.