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Chapter Text

The family of three walked out of the doctor's office in a state of shock.

The person most affected by the news was the subject of the news: Yezaria Seffor.
She was 11 years old now, but she still couldn't go to bed without drugs, otherwise she would just pass out throughout the day and need assistance at all times.

This was the reason for the visit, and she now had the name for her troubles.
Insomnia.
What did it mean?
Apparently, it just meant she couldn't get to sleep, and it could be caused by a host of things, from sleeping habits to just plain old genetics, which made very little sense to her.

Why did she have to go through hell each night? Why couldn't she just go to bed like everyone else?

The moment the three got into the car, Yezaria could feel the tension spike.
Her father turned around from the driving spot to look at his daughter with a large grimace.
"Perfect! Now we need to spend more money on medicine! Is it really that hard to just put your head in the pillow?"

Yeza's mom, for what it's worth, did try to calm the man, but he brushed off her calming hand and fell deeper into his anger.
"Well!? I'm waiting for an answer!"

Yeah could already feel her eyes welling, but held on with everything she had, and answered. "I don't know-"

"Of course! Of COURSE you don't know! Why would you, when you don't even know basic math from how often you fall asleep in class!" Her father cut her off.

"Deo!" Yeza's mother shouted, aghast at the insult.

Then, he turned to her and got in her face.
"What, Ri? She couldn't count the wheels on the car because of how little she pays attention! How is that my fault-"

Yeza's mother went red in the face from the sudden rage, and matched it.
"IT'S NOT HER FAULT EITHER! MAYBE SHE HAS SO MUCH TROUBLE SLEEPING DUE TO YOUR CONSTANT SMOKING IN THE HOUSE!?"

The hand flew up before Yeza could see it, but both Yeza and her mother knew it's trajectory far before either opened their mouthes.

The sound of hand against skin announced the new large red mark across her mother's cheek, and just as suddenly, silence fell.

Her father turned the key in the ignition, and drove them home.

It was a very long 15 minute drive.

Yeza ran up to her room the second she took her shoes off, and closed the door quietly.

She flopped on her bed and pulled her Blåhaj in for a hug as she let go of her tears.
The insults, the loud shouting, the slap, it all fell from her eyes and into the stuffed shark.

[Are you alright?]

(Who said that?) Yeza thought to herself, peaking her head out from her alcove of sadness.

[Check your window.]

With little else to do, the girl curiously got up from her bed and rubbed the tears from her eyes to see out the second story window.

She spied her favourite tree, a peach leaf willow tree that her parents had planted it when she was born, and it made for a great place to read during the spring, when all the flowers bloomed.

[Now look a little closer.]

The girl, now unsettled, looked at the tree's closest branch, and saw a bushel of green that didn't match the rest of the tree. Once she saw the green patch, a small, brown head poked out.

[Hello, Yezaria.]

Chapter Text

The girl took a step back from the window in shock.

It couldn't be.

She looked towards her door and there, nailed to her wooden door, was the spitting image of the animal that was talking in her head.

Her favourite animal.

A brown throated sloth.

Yeza couldn't help but flail her arms about in excitement as she squeed and dashed outside to the tree.

The sloth only tracked her movements with it's eyes, but somehow, Yeza got the feeling it was just as excited as her.

Once the girl got below the mossy creature, it reached it's long arm down until it was just in reach of the girl.

[Well? What's say you come up here?]

The girl once more shook with energy before climbing up the limb and sitting down in the tree next to her new friend.

[Hmmm, I suppose we are friends, aren't we?]

(So you do read my thoughts! This is so cool! I've never gotten to see one of you up close!)

[Ha ha ha, well, if I'm honest, it has been some time since anyone has seen me up close. So believe me when I say it's incredible to finally meet you, Yezaria.]

The young girl cocked her head to the side.

(How do you know my name?)

The sloth looked almost like they giggled, just slowly. [We are far more connected than you realize. I was made to help you, emboldened you, and gift you great responsibility.]

Yeza started to bounce in her seat at the mention of a gift, but didn't recognize the concept of responsibility.
(Whats responsibility?)

The sloth dramatically moved their claw to their face, before answering. [Well, let's just say that you will have some jobs to do, like beating up unfeelings, and helping others.]

Yeza had heard of unfeelings before.
(Oh! Like the monsters we're supposed to hide from in the basement at school?)

[Exactly. So, I'd like to ask you if you'd want to fight instead of hide from monsters. To let them taste some of their own medicine.]

Yeza, as far back as she could remember, loved the idea of fighting her problems.
Stories of heroes and heroines slaying foes, saving villages, and defeating great evils.

If only she could fight her insomnia.

She absolutely loved those stories, but before she could say yes, she remembered the car ride, and felt a flood of fear hit her all at once.
(Would I be fighting my daddy?)

The sloth looked incredibly concerned for her, and moved so that she could hold their claw.

[I see your confusion, and I sympathize, but it would not be your job specifically to harm your father.]

The girl swallowed her fear, and looked into the brown fuzzy face of her new friend with determination.
(Then I want to help people.)

The large mammal nodded knowingly.
[I knew you would. My name is Moss, but you can call me your familiar.]

(Why do I get a familiar?)

The sloth slowly moved their paw to their face, and rubbed the palm of the paw into their forehead.
[I completely forgot to talk about the contract, I knew I forgot something.]

Moss looked back towards the girl and extended their paw slowly, displaying a roll of parchment and an inked quill.

[If you write your name on the dotted line, you will gain the powers of a Magical Girl, a powerful warrior who works to protect the world from the unfeeling hoard, and embolden the humans of the future to fight alongside you- oh, that was fast.]

Before Moss even had time to explain the duties, Yeza had already dotted her name with a star.

Moss read the signature, and smiled.
[You are amazingly adorable, and perfect for this job. I look forward to working with you.]

Moss bowed their head respectfully and Yeza felt something really warm lit up in her chest but not in a painful way. [May this partnership surpass even entropy itself.]

The girl, her eyes beginning to become misty once more, hugged the sloth, and felt the warm and fuzzy embrace of a friend, no, Family, for the first time.

Moss, with one long paw holding the girl carefully, climbed back down the tree to the ground. Once on the ground, the two pulled apart slightly.
[Now, let's see about getting you to bed. You'll need energy for tomorrow when we practice our abilities.]

(Abilities?)

Yeza watched as the sloth once more moved their paw to their face, and rubbed the palm into their forehead.
[I need to lay off the smoked eucalyptus.]

Chapter Text

After the long explanation session, and sneaking the large sloth into her room, Yeza tried to go to bed, but found her mind once again racing; spinning it's wheels.

Images flashed across her eyes, memories of various attacks she failed to block and dodge, dreams of finally standing up for herself, and nightmares of what punishment awaits her if she fails.

She couldn't fail, she decided.
It wouldn't be the same as before, she had power now. When Moss had shown her her "stats", a group of numbers she only sort of understood, she found out she was much sturdier and stronger now.

She had spent an hour before bed just punching holes into the side walk, seeing how far the cracks grew with each slam of her tiny fists.

She was ready.

[Are you now?]

Oh right, they were still here.
Yeza was laying in her bed, letting her brain cogs spin like race car wheels, while cuddling with the warmest and safest friend she's ever had. Her bed was now covered in moss, but she felt it worth the comfort.

[Well, I appreciate the gesture, I was unaware you worried about such messes.]

(No! Not at all! You are one of the first friends I've had that my daddy didn't scare away! ...You aren’t scared of him...are you?)

[Not in the slightest. I feel that getting contact with someone, however, who is trained in stopping these situations is far more advisable.]

(Like?)

The big sloth gently scratched her head.
[Well, have you ever heard of CPS?]

(No... is it the Cheese Pooping Sandwiches?)

[Pa ha ha ha ha! You are hilarious!]
The sloth quietly chuckled to themself, before continuing.
[That is a good name, but they do far more than feed others. No, their name means Child Protective Services, they protect children in... difficult situations...they can't easily escape.]

Yeza looked into the big fur ball's eyes.
(Isn't my job to protect? Shouldn't I protect myself?)

Moss gave her some pets on the head.
[I love your bravery, and it shall carry you far as a magical girl, but...things this complicated...they need a fine tuned hand, and you have only just started. And you can't truly start until tomorrow, so...]

Yeza, now pacified, felt a large yawn shake her system, and soon, the sloth was asleep.

(Fair enough.) She thought, before succumbing to the yawn of sleep herself, for the first time in a very long time, without taking her pills.

------------‐------‐----

"YEZA! GET DOWN HERE!"

Yezaria Seffor had felt the hug of a loved one, and the warmth of safety, but now she truly new happiness.

The fibers of the universe were hers to control, and they weaved around her fingers to her whims. She pointed, and they strung themselves until they created a tapestry.

"YEZARIA, IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL!"

It showed her in a sleeping gown, Moss with mushrooms coming out of their back, and three other girls in dresses. How she knew them? She had no clue, but it felt like her soul longed for them, and that they were not far.

"YEZA!!! I'M COMING UP THERE!"

The flowing strings around her turned to silk, then back to thread, before spinning themselves into very textured hair.

[Now that you have tasted power, how do you feel?]

The girl pointed her blind head up, into the atmosphere of string.

(Ready.)

[I expected nothing less from such a strong girl.]

The door opened just as Yeza awoke from her dream, sitting straight up in bed.

Yeza's mother popped her head into the room.

"Yeza, you just got out of bed? Come on! If you don't get ready fast... let's go!"

The fear was evident on her mother's face, but Yeza had other things on her mind. Like where Moss went.

There was still the remnants of last night's comfort, mud tracked across her bed and carpeted floor, but the sloth themself was gone.

The door fully opened as she walked in.

"Yeza! Look at this mess! What happened last night?" She spoke harshly,  before calming herself.

"Sorry mommy, I was hugging my new friend, and we slept in my bed. I'll clean it later!" The girl said sincerely.

The mother sighed.
She knew the future just as much as Yeza did.

"Please, just... let's get you ready for school." She said softly, before getting some fresh clothes from Yeza's closet and putting them in the hallway bathroom.

[A little close, wouldn't you say?]

The girl gasped and looked around, but Moss was no where to be found.

(Where are you?)

[Check your left hand.]

Yezaria put both her hands up to make the L sign to see what was left, but the ring on her hand caught her attention first.

It was the most intricate and beautiful jewelry she had ever seen.

It was a silver ring that had three little claws sticking up from the base, holding a translucent, green gem.

(WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH)

[I knew you'd like it.]

The girl hid the ring on her hand with her other hand, and looked around.
(But, where are you?)

[Anything you need, weapons, armour, even me, will be hidden in this gem, until you activate your astral shift.]

Moss could already feel the girl's next question.

[Think of it like a decent "everything proof shield", it only lasts for about an hour for new magical girls such as yourself, as it takes quite a bit of strength to hold on to.]

(Okay... so how do I do it?)

[I would advise waiting until you need it, or until we start training in a little while, but you can activate it by thinking of a latched door,]

The wooden door popped into the young girl's mind.

[then unlocking the latch,]

The black rusted latch held a single lock, and that lock flew off like a kite in the wind.

[and then opening the door as wide as it goes.]

Swoosh

The girl opened her eyes, and from the neck down, she was covered in a pink frilly dress.
She looked like a tooth faery!


Class changed: Student (Magical Girl)
You have reached Level 1
Max HP and max MP increased
5 skills points available

(What is that?)

[A message. You've grown stronger already.]

(Nice! Okay, so what do I do?)

[Well, here is the skill menu! It shows you your stats, remember from yesterday?]

(Yeah! It looks like there are buttons now though.)

[Exactly. It's time to do some character building! So, what would you like to be?]

(Ummm... I want to help people!)

The sloth took a moment to think, before a voice called from the hallway bathroom.

"Yeza! Bath is ready! Let's get you cleaned up!"

(Oh! I need to take a bath, what do I do?)

The sloth chuckled. [No one can see this but you, but they will see your dress if you don't de activate your astral shift.]

The girl started to panic. (Oh! What if mommy sees! I can't let her see!)

[It's alright Yeza, remember the door?]

(Yeah?)

[Do the actions in reverse, so Close the door, flip the latch, but don't lock it.]

With the assistance from Moss, the dress poofed away.

"Alright silly girl, let's go. Why are you still in those-, whatever, let's just get you in the tub."


Once the bath was over, and Yeza was in clean clothes, her mothe guided her downstairs.

"Alright honey, let's get your bag. Alright, now your lunch, don't forget your shoes! Finally, now the bus will be there soon, don't go playing in the mud!"

And out the door she was, ready for a new day of boring school.

[Well, it's not all boring.]

(Oh right! You're here! Having a friend during math class will be so much fun!)

[I think I can do you one better.]

Suddenly, a small scroll appeared in front of the girl.

[Remember our contract?]

(Yeah!)

[Well, right here, it says you need to go to a specific school for magical training. Considering you are also technically independent, you no longer need to go to school if you don't want to.]

Yeza's eyes lit up with excitement.

She started sprinting towards the biggest mud puddle on the lawn.

The sloth sighed with a smile.

[Kids.]

Chapter Text

After the long explanation session, and sneaking the large sloth into her room, Yeza tried to go to bed, but found her mind once again racing; spinning it's wheels.

Images flashed across her eyes, memories of various attacks she failed to block and dodge, dreams of finally standing up for herself, and nightmares of what punishment awaits her if she fails.

She couldn't fail, she decided.
It wouldn't be the same as before, she had power now. When Moss had shown her her "stats", a group of numbers she only sort of understood, she found out she was much sturdier and stronger now.

She had spent an hour before bed just punching holes into the side walk, seeing how far the cracks grew with each slam of her tiny fists.

She was ready.

[Are you now?]

Oh right, they were still here.
Yeza was laying in her bed, letting her brain cogs spin like race car wheels, while cuddling with the warmest and safest friend she's ever had. Her bed was now covered in moss, but she felt it worth the comfort.

[Well, I appreciate the gesture, I was unaware you worried about such messes.]

(No! Not at all! You are one of the first friends I've had that my daddy didn't scare away! ...You aren’t scared of him...are you?)

[Not in the slightest. I feel that getting contact with someone, however, who is trained in stopping these situations is far more advisable.]

(Like?)

The big sloth gently scratched her head.
[Well, have you ever heard of CPS?]

(No... is it the Cheese Pooping Sandwiches?)

[Pa ha ha ha ha! You are hilarious!]
The sloth quietly chuckled to themself, before continuing.
[That is a good name, but they do far more than feed others. No, their name means Child Protective Services, they protect children in... difficult situations...they can't easily escape.]

Yeza looked into the big fur ball's eyes.
(Isn't my job to protect? Shouldn't I protect myself?)

Moss gave her some pets on the head.
[I love your bravery, and it shall carry you far as a magical girl, but...things this complicated...they need a fine tuned hand, and you have only just started. And you can't truly start until tomorrow, so...]

Yeza, now pacified, felt a large yawn shake her system, and soon, the sloth was asleep.

(Fair enough.) She thought, before succumbing to the yawn of sleep herself, for the first time in a very long time, without taking her pills.

------------‐------‐----

"YEZA! GET DOWN HERE!"

Yezaria Seffor had felt the hug of a loved one, and the warmth of safety, but now she truly new happiness.

The fibers of the universe were hers to control, and they weaved around her fingers to her whims. She pointed, and they strung themselves until they created a tapestry.

"YEZARIA, IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL!"

It showed her in a messy green and brown dress, Moss with mushrooms coming out of their back, and three other girls in dresses. How she knew them? She had no clue, but it felt like her soul longed for them, and that they were not far.

"YEZA!!! I'M COMING UP THERE!"

The flowing strings around her turned to silk, then back to thread, before spinning themselves into very textured hair.

[Now that you have tasted power, how do you feel?]

The girl pointed her blind head up, into the atmosphere of string surrounding her.

(Ready.)

[I expected nothing less from such a strong girl.]

The door opened just as Yeza awoke from her dream, sitting straight up in bed.

Yeza's mother popped her head into the room.

"Yeza, you just got out of bed? Come on! If you don't get ready fast... let's go!"

The fear was evident on her mother's face, but Yeza had other things on her mind. Like where Moss went.

There was still the remnants of last night's comfort, mud tracked across her bed and carpeted floor, but the sloth themself was gone.

The door fully opened as she walked in.

"Yeza! Look at this mess! What happened last night?" She spoke harshly,  before calming herself.

"Sorry mommy, I was hugging my new friend, and we slept in my bed. I'll clean it later!" The girl said sincerely.

The mother sighed.
She knew the future just as much as Yeza did.

"Please, just... let's get you ready for school." She said softly, before getting some fresh clothes from Yeza's closet and putting them in the hallway bathroom.

[A little close, wouldn't you say?]

The girl gasped and looked around, but Moss was no where to be found.

(Where are you?)

[Check your left hand.]

Yezaria put both her hands up to make the L sign to see what was left, but the ring on her hand caught her attention first.


It was the most intricate and beautiful jewelry she had ever seen.


It was a silver ring that had three little claws sticking up from the base, holding a translucent, green gem.
(WOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH)


[I knew you'd like it.]


The girl hid the ring on her hand with her other hand, and looked around.
(But, where are you?)

[Anything you need, weapons, armour, even me, will be hidden in this gem, until you activate your astral shift.]

Moss could already feel the girl's next question.

[Think of it like a decent "everything proof shield", it only lasts for about an hour for new magical girls such as yourself, as it takes quite a bit of strength to hold on to.]

(Okay... so how do I do it?)

[I would advise waiting until you need it, or until we start training in a little while, but you can activate it by thinking of a latched door,]

The wooden door popped into the young girl's mind.

[then unlocking the latch,]

The black rusted latch held a single lock, and that lock flew off like a kite in the wind.

[and then opening the door as wide as it goes.]

Swoosh

The girl opened her eyes, and from the neck down, she was covered in a pink frilly dress.
She looked like a tooth faery!


Class changed: Student (Magical Girl)
You have reached Level 1
Max HP and max MP increased
5 skills points available

(What is that?)

[A message. You've grown stronger already.]

(Nice! Okay, so what do I do?)

[Well, here is the skill menu! It shows you your stats, remember from yesterday?]

(Yeah! It looks like there are buttons now though.)

[Exactly. It's time to do some character building! So, what would you like to be?]

(Ummm... I want to help people!)

The sloth took a moment to think, before a voice called from the hallway bathroom.

"Yeza! Bath is ready! Let's get you cleaned up!"

(Oh! I need to take a bath, what do I do?)

The sloth chuckled. [No one can see this but you, but they will see your dress if you don't de activate your astral shift.]

The girl started to panic. (Oh! What if mommy sees! I can't let her see!)

[It's alright Yeza, remember the door?]

(Yeah?)

[Do the actions in reverse, so Close the door, flip the latch, but don't lock it.]

With the assistance from Moss, the dress poofed away.

"Alright silly girl, let's go. Why are you still in those-, whatever, let's just get you in the tub."


Once the bath was over, and Yeza was in clean clothes, her mothe guided her downstairs.

"Alright honey, let's get your bag. Alright, now your lunch, don't forget your shoes! Finally, now the bus will be there soon, don't go playing in the mud!"

And out the door she was, ready for a new day of boring school.

[Well, it's not all boring.]

(Oh right! You're here! Having a friend during math class will be so much fun!)

[I think I can do you one better.]

Suddenly, a small scroll appeared in front of the girl.

[Remember our contract?]

(Yeah!)

[Well, right here, it says you need to go to a specific school for magical training. Considering you are also technically independent, you no longer need to go to school if you don't want to.]

Yeza's eyes lit up with excitement.
She started sprinting towards the biggest mud puddle on the lawn.
The sloth sighed with a smile.
[Kids.]


Chapter 4, Now No Longer

Ri patted herself down.

Keys?
Check
Wallet?
Check
Phone?
Check
Purse?
Check

She had everything she needed, and Yeza was already on her way to school, she just had to get some coffee started before-

"Ri. Where's the coffee?"

Shit.

She put on her best smile.
"Hey honey! I'll put it on in a sec!"

That's when she saw him.
For a few weeks now, he'd been staying out late with his friends each night, coming home with a hangover still brewing, and then try to suffer through the day until he could do it all over again.

But he always needed something to start the cycle each morning.

"Uh, why didn't you start it earlier?" He bemoand.

She inhaled and exhaled.
"Because Yeza needed some extra help this morning, but like I said, it'll be-"

"Did she not go to bed last night?"
His face was sturn; the rolling of thunder loomed behind his eyes; like a snake coiled and shaking it's tail.

"I don-"

"DAMN IT! We spend so much money on drugs for that spoiled brat, and she still can't get up each morning?"

Ri froze in the headlights.

Not again.

"You know what I think? That girl needs a proper lesson on how to go to sleep. We shouldn't be filling her up with half-baked recommendations from some crowd of doctors. When she gets back here tonight, I'll make her go to bed on time, she probably doesn't even need this stuff."

The bulky man was holding some of Yeza's medicine. The bottle wasn't very large, nor full, due to this bottle being a test run for how it effected her.

"Hey! She actually was asleep last night! She had tracked mud around her room, but at least-"

The man held out his hand in a halt motion.
"Hold on, you're telling me Yeza tracked mud all over the house last night? And you didn't stop her?"

His face loosened, swapping topics, and leaving Ri unprepared.

She was slowly losing her grip, she knew how this would go.

"What? No, I just said she only tracked it in her room."

The man SLAMMED his fist onto the counter top of the kitchen.
"Then how did she get into her room!? Through the window!? Don't lie to me! I'm not stupid!"

Ri jumped at the sound, which only fueld the boiling cauldron that sat in front of her, threatening to tip over.

"Well!? Tell me! How did she get into her room without tracking mud UP THOSE DAMNED STAIRS!?" He said as he got up in Ri's face.

She lost her cool.
"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW! SHE MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDOW IF SHE MADE LESS OF A MESS THAN YOU DO EVERY FUCKING NIGHT!"

-----------------


[Yeza.]

The sloth had gone cold suddenly.

The two had been playing in the yard, practicing combat moves and learning to swing a common sword when her familiar froze in place.

"Yeah?" The girl giggled, stowing the shiny glowy sword in her ring.

[Did you hear that?]

Moss had gained a thousand yard stare, aimed straight at the front door to the house.

"No. If it's daddy though, he probably drank too much last night." She said with an innocent grin.

[Oh no. Um, I'll get the police here as fast as possible.]

"Why? Is something wrong?"

[Your mother might be in danger, but I don't want you to-... ah phewey.]

The girl had already pulled her sword and started marching towards the front door.
Caked in mud.
Ready for war.

Moss got just close enough to go into the ring before speaking.
[Listen! This is incredibly dangerous! I cannot advise you to do this!]

"I don't care if it's dangerous, I care that mommy is okay."

The small girl poofed into her still very beginner dress, and slammed the door open with a ferocity.


[Oh no.]
"Mommy!"


"What are you doing here, brat!? Shouldn't you be-, where did you-... that's it! I'M GOING TO TEACH YOU A-"


Yeza screamed her war cry as she aimed her sword directly at the man.


"MOMMAAAAAAA!"


SSSSCCCCHHHHLERRRICHT!


The crackling magic sword pierced right through the man's chest as if it were wax paper.


He fell to the ground, shouting obscenities and pain as the wound bloomed across his torso.


As soon as the sword retracted, Yeza dashed over to her mother.

She picked her up like a princess, and dashed back out the front door, blood still pumping in her ears.

----------------

Ri awoke to bright lights being shown in her eyes, and a steady rhythmicbeeping to her right. She moved her hand to block the light, but found that no matter how much strength she used, no hand came into vision.

Luckily for her, a head of brown hair blocked the light for her.

"Mommy!"

The mother smiled.
"Hi sweetheart, where are we?"

Suddenly, a third voice announced itself, far lower than the mother and daughter.

"Mrs. Seffor, good morning. How are you feeling?"

Ri's confusion grew with every breath.
"Um, fine. No pain, but, where am I?"

The doctor's face became far more concentrated as he sat down in a chair on the opposite side of her bed from Yeza.
"You are in the emergency ward. I understand that you were attacked, and this Magical Girl saved you. You have her to thank."


Magi-what?


The now flabbergasted mother looked back at the adorable face of her daughter, and realized that she had not seen her dress, which was the exact same dress as the mightiest Magical Girl in the Country.


"Um, oh. Thank you. Uh... can I talk privately to her?"


The doctor nodded and stepped out of the sterile room.

The moment the door shut, she turned to her daughter.


"What's going on?"

Chapter Text

"I...I..."
Yeza hugged her mother as her tears slowly started to leak from her face.

She had made it.

They had made it.

"It's going to be okay, baby. You are going to be okay."

And they were okay.


The two, mother and daughter, stayed in the embrace for quite some time.


"So,"
The mother stirred, and they broke apart enough to meet eachother's gaze.
"what happened?"

Yeza told her everything, from the moment she heard Moss's voice, until the moment Ri woke up.

"And so, the doctor said you'll need physical therapy, but you should recover fully given enough time."

The mother sat respectfully in her medical bed, until the girl finished.
"Oh Yeza, I'm so sorry this has happened to you; to us. You don't deserve this."

The Magical Girl showed off her ring hand dramatically.
"But I'm strong now! I don't need to worry about any monsters ever again!"

[That's not entirely true.]

Both mother and daughter snapped their heads toward the sound, and realized that the voice came from inside their heads.

"Oh! Right! This is Moss, my familiar!"

Yeza pointed her ring, and out from the gem glowed a large sigil, before out climbed a large, moss covered sloth.

[Hello Mrs. Seffor.]

--------------

When Ri woke up in the emergency ward, and found out her daughter was a Magical Girl, she told herself "Well, at least that's the craziest thing I've ever seen."

Then a living carpet named Moss appeared out of a ring on her daughter's finger, and she nearly passed out.

"WHAT IS THAT!"

Her daughter put her hands on her hips.
"'That' is my familiar, Moss!"

The carpet moved a shaggy limb from underneath it's mossy coat, slowly.

[Warm greetings. I understand you are Yeza's mother?]

Ri took a minute to compose herself, before answering. She had many questions, but only one answer.
"Yes."

The soft face of the creature smiled.
[Good. Now, I see you have some questions?]

Ri exploded into a flurry of questions, asking three as soon as the slow creature answered one.

Finally, the mother knew everything she needed to.



Her husband...Deo... had attempted to strangle her to death.



And when he nearly succeeded, she was saved by her daughter, a new Magical Girl, and when her husba-, Deo, attacked her, she stopped the attack with a returning fatal one.

Authorities had already collected the corpse of her-, Deo, but wanted testimonies from the three of them for future records.

Yeza, Ri, and Moss.

Yeza had refused to speak until Ri was okay, and Moss stood with Yeza, so it was up to Ri on how to handle the situation.



Ri took everything in when she finished her questions, and when she felt like she at least had a handle on the information, she hugged her daughter.

She could no longer hold on.

First Ri started sobbing, and her daughter followed.

The two cried into eachother, both freed from a prison of Ri's making.

They stayed there, in the hospital, for quite some time.

Eventually, the tears subsided, and as the two let go of eachother, the doctor walked back in.

"Ah, apologies, am I interrupting something?"

The mother waved them in.

"Very good."
The doctor flipped through their clipboard until they found the page with Ri's name, and handed it to her.

"So, as you can see here, when you were brought in by this young lady, we stabilized you with oxygen, and took some quick tests. We do recommend physical therapy due to the minor asphyxiation you experienced, but overall, a neck brace and some time are the main prescriptions."

The doctor looked into the hopeful mother's eyes.

"You are a very lucky young lady."


Ri wanted to hug the doctor right then and there, but she controlled herself and thanked the doctor.

After handing over their insurance card, the sloth and Magical Girl helped the mother out of bed, before Yeza picked up her mother the same way she carried her there, and walked out of the hospital.

It was incredibly strange to Ri how strong her daughter was, as she was able to carry the girl only a few years prior, before her back got worse and she had to work more to fund... yeah.

[It is alright, Ri. He cannot hurt you anymore. You are safe from him now. We all are.]

Ri still found the telepathic sloth unnerving, but comforting.

(Thank you for taking care of Yeza when I couldn't, I owe you far more than my life.)

[And I thank you for raising her. I would, however, like to say that I tried to keep her away from Deo when he attacked you. It was her courage alone that saved you. I would like to think that those traits came from her mother.]

The mother cried into the shoulder of her daughter all the way home as the two sped down the sidewalk at double the running speed of the fastest none magical human alive.


---------


It had been five weeks since the incident.

Yeza was probably the least fazed by the death of her father, seeing it more as a triumph than anything else.

The young girl no longer went to her boring school, and instead spent most days training her skills, like running and striking!

Saying goodbye to her friends was more than worth it in her eyes to be able to help more people, and just as well, she was really starting to get the hang of the basic sword, already able to cut through the fallen trees in the local forest with a singular strike.


Out of the three, Ri probably handled the death the worst.

Most days, when Yeza was off training with her familiar, she would try to join them to give encouragement, but with every tree she saw cut down, she saw the face of her dead lover.

"Why!?" They called to her as the sword met the bark.

"We loved you!" They shouted as the sword shot through them like lightning.

"You cheer the slaughter of your husband." Echoed in her mind as she encouraged her little warrior.

Moss, on the other hand, was practicing proactivness.

They had seen how safety above all else nearly killed the mother of their Magical Girl, so they took the lesson and decided to engage more than react, just like the warrior in front of them acted.

So, when they heard the thoughts of the forlorn woman, they suggested meeting with a therapist. After only a few visits, the woman looked like she sparkled as she walked.

She spent entire afternoons with the two, cheering on her daughter as the sword made quicker and quicker work of the disheveled wood. Soon, she would move on to the stumps of the fallen trees.

But, after the five weeks, a knock sounded on the front door.

"I'll get it!" Called Yeza as she eagerly rushed to the door and swung it open.

In the door way stood a tall, black suited man who held an even blacker suit case.

"Good morning young lady! I wish to talk with you, as well as your mother." He spoke, cheerfully.

"Who are you?" The girl said as she cocked her head to the side.

"I am Travis Vagabond, but you may call me your social worker. Is your mother home?"

"I'm right here." The woman said, peering from behind the kitchen wall, keeping an eye on the spaghetti pot.

"Ah, of course. Well if you don't mind, I'd like to chat about Yezaria's future."

The mother sighed and set a timer for the noodles as she walked over to the front door.

"What do you need?"

"He says he's a social worker!"
Yeza added helpfully.

[He is indeed. I called him so that we could get Yeza into an actual Magical Girl school.]

The mother sighed.
"Right, so, would you like to come in?"


The meeting went quite smoothly.

First, they went over the formalities of becoming a Magical Girl, and how that legally makes Yeza an adult.

It also gives Yeza protection from her official information being leaked online, and a position of power higher than most government grunt jobs.

"Does that make me a police officer?"
Yeza asked as she stared at the document.

Travis shook his head.
"You need special training to be a cop, and you also aren't just stopping burglaries. Your job as a Magical Girl will be inspiring others & slaying the unfeeling threat.
We expect a lot from you as an eleven year old, but that is why I, your social worker, am here to give you a proposition."

The suited man reached into his suitcase, and pulled out a new document that read: MGV, the all in one school for your Magical Girl Needs!

Yeza's mom spoke first.
"Well, considering the circumstances, I don't get much say, but I'd rather hear about this school."

Yeza bounced up and down in front of the coffee table.
"Yeah yeah! What's this?"

Travis cleared his throat.
"This is the enrollment form for MGV, or Magical Girl Vermont, a school that focuses on it's interconnectedness by combining elementary, middle, and high school all in one massive complex! The school is known for creating entire fleets of Magical Girls who stick together long after training."

The mother and daughter looked at eachother for a moment, before the mother spoke up.
"The catch?"

"It's not called Magical Girls Vermont for no reason. You both will need to move near half across the country in order to attend."

Time seemed to freeze for Ri.

The world went grey like an old movie reel, and she could hear the faint distant ticking of an ethereal clock.

She glanced around at her surroundings with a mix of anguish and fear.

She had met Deo in this town on a business trip, and married only 3 months later, and she sort of never left.

Vacations were hard to come by, and after having Yeza, all thoughts of leaving never truly took hold.

All around her were reminders of that time.

The stains from the carpet Yeza took her first steps across, the crumb covered leather couch that she would cuddle up with Deo on during movie nights, the slightly leaky sink that dripped to the beat of her favourite song.

She wasn't just rooted here, she grew here; she was here.

But then she looked at her daughter.

She smiled.

"What do you think, honey?"

"What's a Vermont?"

Chapter Text

Vroooooooooom

The station wagon's engine growled and hummed as the key turned in the ignition.

This was it.

Ri looked back towards the house through the car window.

The stained windows, the metal fence, the craggled driveway; she'd miss all of it. Like a beloved shirt that no longer fit, it would live in her heart forever.

Then, she looked through the rear view mirror at her daughter, and smiled.

It would be alright.

She put the car in drive, and didn't stop looking forward.


As they crossed the many miles to their destination, they came across statues and tourist traps a plenty.

The big something or other, the house of what's her face, two big something or others, but most were better heard of than seen.

After each day on the road, the mother and daughter would spend a night in a hotel, raid the breakfast, then leave as soon as possible.

After doing so 7 times, the family came upon a large mountain range.

There it was.

Vermont.


"Look mom! The mountains are so big!"

Ri patted the girl's head and smiled without looking away from the road.
"There are plenty more than those."

Sure enough, the car finally made it up the small hill, and found an amazing view of the valley.

"Woah." They said in unison.


The gentle forests that followed the road and obscured the view now broke into an enormous plane of unimaginably large rock formations, with little houses dotted along the flat edges like seasoning, topped by a white blanket near the summit.

Each mountain was, well, mountainous.

Ri looked back over at her daughter and chuckled.
"Good view huh?"

Yeza's face moved from wonder to excitement as she started to bounce in her seat.
(What incredible slopes! Sledding all year! I hope there's hot chocolate!)

Her mind spun like a dreidel, swapping from thought to thought, each more enticing than the last.

Ri smiled warmly as her child started to vibrate the car.
"I'll take that as a yes."

-----------------

"Sledding!"
Yeza shouted as she opened the door to their new home.

It was a modest, modern design, with a nice skylight in the living room. The views from the windows were mostly just their neighbors, but the kitchen window opened unto the mountain range.

Ri was impressed.
"I knew this was bound to be good. Alright honey, the furniture arrives in two hours, how's say we explore the house first, and then sledding tomorrow?"

Yeza sighed.
"Okay. But I want to pick my room!"
And off she ran, tumbling up the stairs and stopping at the top.

"Well, come on!"

Ri giggled.
"Right behind you!" She called as she locked the front door behind her.

"It'll be okay"
She sighed before walking up the stairs.


Once near the top, she looked into the small hallway to find her daughter in the room at the very end.

Yeza gazed at the world before her in wonder.

She had seen the mountains on brochures, and even glimpsed them on the way to the house, but at this altitude, in the highest room in the house, she now truly beheld the mountains.

Snow banks littered the cliffs and valleys along their many edges, with large forests dotting the bottoms and flatter parts.

But that wasn't all she saw.

Their vastness, their power, the weight they put on the world; she could feel it, deep within her bones, that these mountains were old, and their majesty unparalleled.

Little boxes lined the various trails that led up the mountain, houses and lodges most likely, which gave reference to how small she was compared to the landscape in front of her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Yeza snapped around to see her mother, leaning in the doorway.

"Oh! Yeah! They really are big! I...I want this room!"

Ri smiled and nodded.
"It's yours. The other room has more closet space anyhow, and your best outfit is only ever a snap away."

"Oh! Have you seen my newest design? I spent sooo long on it!"

Ri shook her head.
"You know you need to keep at least some energy in reserves; you don't want to spend it all at once; what if there's an emergence?"

Yeza pouted.
[Ri is wise, it is important as a Magical Girl to be able to help people at any time, or inspire them at a moment's notice.]

Yeza shrugged.
It was sound reasoning.

"Okay, well, then what if I go out looking for people to help?"

[That would also be unadvisable at this moment due to you still needing training. Perhaps next week? You still have yet to invest any of your skill points.]

Yeza sighed.
"Alright."

Ri, after watching her daughter start talking to the wall, realized Moss was in the ring (ITR), and walked downstairs to check if the Mover Schmovers™ had delivered their appliances & furniture.

Just as the mom made it down the stairs, she felt an emergency alert hit her optic, and she swiped her ear to view it.

"EMERGENCE EMERGENCE ALERT ALERT"
"REALITY USURPTION IN 4:59"

Ri started to call up to her daughter, but the girl shot down the stairs faster than sound, and nearly sent her mother sliding down the stairs.

"byemomi'llberightback"
Was all Ri heard before the door slammed shut.

Ri felt a mix of fear and fragility she had never felt before, in an empty house far from everyone she knew, but she steeled herself and swiped her ear again to see the nearest bunker.

She sighed.

It was almost next door.

-----------

[Pleaseslowdownpleaseslowdownpleaseslowdown]

"Wohoo!!"
The freed girl shouted as she sprinted towards the marker on her minimap.

She would finally get to try her new dress!
In a flash, she was in the green and brown frilly dress she had picked out the previous evening. The tassels were her idea, but the addition of small talons were Moss's suggestion.

The face paint was also very necessary, giving the young girl a very fuzzy adorable vibe, which Moss approved of, with the addition of some knee & elbow guards for safety.

This, of course wasn't the only thing on her mind during the several days on the road.

She had spent some time during the car ride learning about emergences, Reality Usurptions being the most common and Pocket Usurptions less common due to the rarity of Soulless.

As the girl zoned in on the spot, she looked around, but found it difficult to focus with all the screams and frantic traffic noise.

It was as close to an urban environment as you'd fine in southern Vermont, a couple streets lined with local businesses and fast food chains, all of which closed save for a waffle house.

Intermixed with the noise of shop owners running to safety, the roads were chocked with heavy traffic from abandoned cars and desperate drivers.

The young girl plugged her ears.
(Moss, help.)

To her relief, the sloth answered.
[This is still incredibly dangerous, but remember what I said about sensing emotions? Try smelling them.]

Now, Yeza was attuned to Moss's advice by now, but she still hesitated for a moment in disbelief before taking a whiff of town air.

(Oh! That's what fear smells like!)
Was the first thought in her head before sensing a large presence of terror to her left.

She turned to the source and saw a large crack open in mid air, and seeping out was a black liquid that formed into a rather leathery egg.

[Ravenous!]

Before Yeza had time to recall that exact creature's profile from the notes in her optics, the egg broke apart, and uncoiled an alligator like beast with hulking limbs.

It would have grinned had emotion not been foreign to it.

[Duck!]

Yeza dashed forward before sliding flat on her knees. She narrowly dodged the pounce from the Ravenous, and by the time she exited her slide and turned, she had her notes ready in her optics.

>Ravenous, 1☆ threat level, avoid if possible, aim for the tongue/eyes/paws<

(Bingo.)

The Ravenous turned after realizing it had missed the easy prey, finding the morsel dashing for it's eyes. It went for a defensive swipe, before feeling a shooting pain and screeching.

Yeza had managed to plant her talons into the sensitive padding on the limb, which gave her the opening she needed.

She pulled out her claws from the beast as it recoiled, and leaped into the mouth of the creature.

SWWWWEEEEAAATCHCHCHC

The Magical Girl's sword made a clean slice through the protruding mouth of the howling monster, it's last vision being of a mighty treat, followed by both of its jaws flying off its faceplate.

Boom

The beast fell hard onto the sidewalk, and turned to ash rapidly as Yeza retracted her blade into her ring. The girl breathed heavy gulps of air as she leaned on her knees.

[Amazing job, I am quite impressed, almost as much as your onlookers.]

Yeza looked up from her knees to see a large crowd huddling on the other side of the street from her.

Yeza sighed and clapped her hands as she stood up.
"Alright! Follow me!"
(Moss?)

[The nearest bunker is highlighted on your map.]

5 minute walk.

(Let's do this fast.)


The group followed the girl as she walked at a brisk pace. Occasionally, people from the crowd behind her would run up to thank her, and eventually, one asked for her name.

"My name?"

[Your Magical Girl name!]

"Right, I'm...Patience! Magical Girl Patience!"

[Not bad, I like it. We'll see what we can do with branding later on, after the Usurption.]

"Well, thank you Magical Girl Patience! You saved us!"
The crowd cheered as the girl nodded to the crowd member.

After a short walk, the citizens finally made it into the bunker. The doors closed behind them, and Patience moved back out onto the streets.

Suddenly, a message popped up on her heads-up display.

• Unfeelings slain!
• Ravenous: 10 points
• Total Points: 110

The girl sighed as she saw her incredibly high point total.
It was time she spent some.

[I appreciate your patience in using your points too hastily, but we are in active danger. I would recommend at least unlocking your first spell.]

Right, she hadn't even tried her spell.
She had seen it in the menu when she first became a Magical Girl, but figured it would be better saved for later.

Now was later.

She clicked on the button to unlock the spell.

• Protector's Reprieve
• Spell effect: Allows the user to summon a cloak made of thick fibrous vines from the ground. The cloak can be detached from the ground and worn, the fibers able to block most attacks with sharp implements. After use, a cooldown of 10 minutes will apply before the spell can be recast.


She opened her eyes to her total points only dropping down to 100, and sighed.

[Congratulations! I'm really excited to try out the new spell! But, might I ask why you look so... relieved?]

(It's just... I don't like not having access to things. At least I still have a hundred points.)

The sloth felt a strange mix of worry and pity, but held further comment on the subject.

[So... let's see it!]

"Right!"

Yeza moved her arm in front of her reflexively in a defensive stance, and in an instant, a fibrous bundle of green & brown plants shot out of the ground to protect her.

"Woah!"

The girl jumped back from the vines in surprise, but quickly moved forward and grabbed hold of the top weave, and pulled.

With a quick snap, the plants broke off their protruding matter, and retreated into the ground, leaving a few cracks and holes in the sidewalk where they had come from.

"Awesome!"
The Magical Girl now held a lightweight, sturdy cloak, made from vines and leaves, which matched her outfit very well.

She put up the yellowed hood and smiled, ear to ear.

"I love this. Please tell me I can make as many as I want."

[It isn't likely. Given the long timer, the summon will probably give you a new cloak each time, but it probably won't last you more than 30 minutes.]

Yeza gave the cloak a twirl, and watched as it swooshed both gracefully and ominously.
Perfect.

[And with that matter settled, do you think it's time we upgraded your weapons?]

(Nah, I still like my sword.)

[What about range?]

(I wanna run, not stand around.)

[Fair enough. So, shall we continue with helping the town?]

"Oh! Right!"
Yeza slapped her hands to her ears and took in another whiff of city air.

The smell of absolute apathy wafted towards her, making her turn on her heels and dart towards the rotten smell.

(Over here!)

[Um, maybe we don't run this-]

Before Moss could finish their thought, Yeza pulled around the street corner.

At least 100 Unfeelings stood between her and a large purple dome near the centre of town.

[Aw nuts.]
(Aw yeah!)
-------------

Chapter Text

"WATCH YA HEAD!"


Yeza dropped to the ground, barely dodging a large war axe flying just above where her head was, embedding itself in the head of an unfeeling man in a suit, near the front of the crowd.


"Head shot! Two points!"
Shouted the same voice, before a bright red figure bounded past her and retrieved the axe, swinging it into the next unfeeling with a single motion.

"BOOM!"
She shouted with gusto, cleaving two grey school teachers in half.

Before Patience could decipher any more of the action in front of her, a gentle hand reached down for her hand, and helped her up.


"Sorry about her."


The hand was soft but firm, and belonged to an elegantly dressed girl who looked only slightly older than Patience herself, but that could be due to how slow aging occured for Magical Girls.

She wore a flowy blue dress, with layers of sequenced fabric that gave the impression of seafoam around the hem, and a sparkling vastness near her torso.

Her hair was a sandy blonde waterfall down her sunburnt shoulders, which paired amazingly with her coral red eyes.


"There you are. Now, who are you?"
The girl asked, moving her attention to inspect Yeza's outfit.


"Oh! I'm Patience! I'm here to help!"

The watery girl cringed.
"Of course. I'm Magical Girl Petrichor, the axe that nearly shaved your scalp belongs to my wife, Fahrenheit."
She said with a knowing smile, before glaring at the girl who was blendering her way through the horde of grey townsfolk.

It was difficult to make out details, but there was a very large amount of fire shooting out from the crowd every time an unfeeling turned to ash.

"Wow! You both are really cool!"
She blurted out.

Petrichor smirked.
"Don't sell yourself short. Fahren only barely saw you after throwing her axe. What's your specialty?"

Patience made an embarrassed look before brandishing her claws and sword.


"Helping."


Petrichor nodded.
"Fair enough. Fahren will like you. Anyhow, I assume you know how to fight?"

Petrichor continued when Patience nodded.
"Then would you like to help me with that Rageless?"


The watery girl pointed, and sure enough, in the middle of the crowd sat an enormous, menacing gorilla, with large tusks and a blank expression across its faceplate.


"Absolutely." Patience said as she pulled up her notes.


>Rageless, 3☆ threat level, DO NOT ENGAGE, aim for armpits/mouth/ears<

[Please be careful Yeza, Rageless are incredibly resistant to non-magical attacks.
If you swing with your claws, they will likely not pierce even the weak points of the monster.]

(Gotcha. Swords only. Let's see how good that training was!)

The two girls nodded after speaking with their familiars, and dashed towards the middle of the crowd.

----------------

"Ke ahi! E ʻono i ke ahi!"

The axe passed by Fahren's face.

Thunk
Fwoosh

It landed in the head of an unfeeling dressed in priest robes, before igniting the one behind it.

"E ʻike i koʻu wela!"
She shouted to the horde, before hurling the axe over her head and into the crowd in front of her, burning away a large path forward.

Directly towards a Rageless.

"Eia!"

The axe slowed to a stop mid air before spinning the opposite direction and flinging back into the hands of the Magical Girl.

"I luna!"

The girl planted the axe head into the road, before stepping on it and feeling the thruster start.

BOOM

The Magical Girl rocketed into the air, her bright red hair flowing behind her.



Now in the air, she looked around to see two figures dashing towards her, stepping on the heads of the horde.


"Petri!"
She shouted, getting the girl's attention.


"Take the hoard! I get the biggon!"


Fahren's smile grew wide and crooked as the words registered in her mind.


She leaned back on her flaming axe, and swan dived into the sea of grey.


(Let's get cooking!)

--------------

"Alright! You take the right!"

Yeza was having enough trouble keeping pace, so when she looked up from her path to see the ape that tripled the size of the average unfeeling, she grimaced.

"Then let's move!"

The two ran in different directions, just as the Rageless noticed Petrichor.


RRRAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW


It roared with apathy as it moved it's large fist to crush the fast blue thing.

The hand came down with a SLAM but missed the Magical Girl as she appeared on the back of it's mighty paw.

"You missed!"

Petri pulled her silver spear from her ring and immediately jammed the head into the hairy mound beneath her, only barely piercing the thick hide.

If the monster noticed the attack, it didn't show it.

The Rageless raised its hand and turned it sideways, before shaking it vigorously.

Petri only barely managed to hold onto her embedded spear as she was flung around like a paper sail.

(That girl better be doing something!)

Patience, to her credit, was helping.


The Rageless moved to inspect the hand after feeling the small item dislodge, but was stopped when a loud piercing EEEEE filled it's left ear.

It moved to feel it's ear, now half deaf, but found only a large ashy hole where the ear used to be.


The Rageless roared twice as loud as before, shaking the glass in every window front as it did so.


Yeza watched from behind the beast's head as it raised it's elbows to look around for the missing piece she had cut from it.

(Time to get stinky.)

She rode the shoulder of the creature using her talons, and slid down into the armpit where she found the hole in the hide of the creature.

SCHLEWWW

The sword cut in without resistance, connecting with the shoulder joint and dislodging the whole muscle clad arm in a giant cloud of smoke.

The paw fell to the ground with a BOOF, crushing a good few of the crowd as both waned.

"Nice shot, Patience!"
Petrichor called from the giant's other shoulder, before planting her silver spear up it's nasal.

RRRRAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaarrrrmmmm BOOM

The beast fell back, crushing only a few stragglers, as the street was mostly now empty, save for a couple dozen grey zombies.

One unfeeling tried to shamble over to Yeza as she landed on the ground like a superhero, but was swiftly beefed in the side of the head by a flying war axe.

"Ha! Almost done!"
Called the now lightly raspy voice, as the axe swung back to her.
The red girl leaped into the small group of stragglers, and in one swift cleave, separated them all at the midsection.



As the cloud of ash dissipated, the three Magical Girls convened where the large beast had once sat, now no more than a pile of ash that shrank with the wind.

Fahrenheit put her hand on Patience's shoulder.
"That, was awesome."

The Magical Girl was clad in a spiked leather jacket, with occasional patches and embroidered words across the arms.
Straw poked out from the bottom of the jacket, where it was weaved in such a way to hold form even in constant movement, acting almost like fabric.
Covering her legs was a pair of ripped jeans, looking older than Yeza herself.

But the most striking part of the girl, was her face.

Her hair flowed like streaks of fire, framing her head and complimenting her olive skin tone. Her face was a mix of piercings and tattoos, which all encircled her eyes, two emblazoned coals of bright red.

"Th-thanks!"
Patience spat out as she tried to hide her shock.

Petrichor pulled Fahrenheit into a hug.
"Ah! Oh, I missed you too, Petri. Say,"
Fahrenheit picked up the watery girl.
"let's go see about ending that Queenless."

"Queenless?"
Patience asked.
She had studied most of the known forms of Unfeeling, but Moss had neglected to teach her about Queenless due to her low level.

Both Magical Girls looked back at the far younger Magical Girl.
"Yeah, Queenless. They look like giant wasps, but don't do much besides pump out more unfeeling. We try to make a habit of taking turns slaying Queenless, just because of their incredibly high XP output."


Unbeknownst to the three Magical Girls, wrapped up in conversation, a pair of eyes watched their movements closely from the window of a nearby house.

Their gaze did not lift until the three started to move towards the dome.

Once the trio were out of sight, the figure stepped off her stool, grabbed her torn school bag, and said goodbye to the ashpile sitting next to a large mark on the ground, near the broken-in front door.

She wiped a tear from her eye, and moved forward.

------------


The three Magical Girls stood near the edge of the dome, observing the pattern to which the unfeeling emerged from the dome, leaving small temporary openings.

"Alright! Petri, you stick close to Patience, while I clear the path. If we get split up, you both should storm the Queenless immediately. Ready?"

Both Petri and Patience nodded, enjoying the pure enthusiasm of the hotheaded girl in front of them.

"Then let's go."



Kalei watched as the three Magical Girls dashed behind a large gorilla that emerged from the dome, disappearing into the purple surface.


She sighed, she missed her chance.


She knew she needed to get their attention, but she couldn't bring herself to act, as always.


As always.


Always.


Always.

Always.

Always.

Always.

Always.

Always.
[Bogus.]
Always.

Alway-

Wait, w-was that..?

[That was me, don't you remember our emergency contract?]

But...the dream...

[Yes, it wasn't just a dream, and little one, we need to get you a therapist.]

(So... you're really...?)

[Yes, you are talking to me, your familiar.]

(But... where...how...?)

[Where am I? Or how are you a girl?]

Kalei looked down at herself, and only her hand stopped her tears from rolling at that very moment.

(I...I'm a-a girl?)

The frilliness of the dress she wore was unimaginably comfortable, it had existed in her mind before, but never on her. She moved her hand across it's hem, and not even her hand could hold her tears.

[You are, and more importantly I would say, a Magical Girl.]

Kalei stood in silence as she fully took in her outfit. The three Magical Girls outside her home, clearing the massive wave, had distracted her from it, and her parents...

Everything hit her at once, her knees buckling, slamming to the ground and creating small cracks through the sidewalk.

The girl started to cry into her hands, before something warm poked her shoulder.

[Little one, I am here, you will be okay.]

Kalei turned, tears blocking most of her vision, and there sat a large grizzly bear, nudging her with their nose.

The 10 year old wasted no time, and hugged the large warm creature, crying into it without abandon.

It was quite a few moments before she had spent all her tears.

[There, now, let's see about getting you somewhere safe, perhaps the bunkers?]

"B-but, aren't all the b-bunkers shut?"
The girl spoke to the bear, now face to face and incredibly dehydrated.

[Well, for one, you are a Magical Girl, so of course they would let you in, and second, I bet you're strong enough to tear those doors right off their hinges if you wished.]

The bear playfully nuzzled the girl.

"Okay, let's go."
The girl sniffled.

[Just climb on back.]

The feeling of riding a bear was foreign to the young girl, but never had she felt more powerful; more in control; more alive, than when she pulled herself up and looked at her minimap.

"Only 15 minutes."
She spoke, the pain slowly leaving her voice.

[If you're walking.]

The bear's paws slammed into the concrete sidewalk with ferocity as the two bounded down the street towards the townhall, where just beneath it held a strong set of doors, and most of the now halved town population.

--------


"E hele mai i o'u nei, make!"

Fahren felt the familiar sense of adrenaline in her system as she dashed through the maze like corridors, the coursing blood in her veins turning into pure fuel, and shaking her entire frame with one thought.

"Let's Dance,"

The tunnel opened into a large room, where three large, menacing, metallic lizard-like figures stood in formation around a yellow wasp creature, whose large lower parts were inflated to the size of the creatures surrounding her.

"Honorless."

The three Honorless snapped their fixated views onto the red haired Magical girl, and each let out a high pitch thrill, before marching forward.

They did not catch the two magical girls standing in the hallway just beyond view, and they never completed their first step forward.

In a flash, the sound of metal tearing filled the air, along side the smell of fried lizard & the heat of Fahren's flames.

When the two girls behind the door peaked their heads into the room, they found the three Honorless in six pieces.

"Iho me ke alii wahine."
Fahren huffed.

The Queenless, to her credit, was completely apathetic to the scene before her, and seemed to have little interest in the scene before her.

With a soft rumbling from her inflated gut, a small lizard tail began to protrude from the massive behind attached to the Queenless.

Petrichor ran up behind her wife and caught her in a quick hug, holding only for a moment, before equipping her solid silver spear and throwing it directly through the spine of the wasp like creature.

The Queenless bellowed a mighty shriek, before collapsing into its throne, leaving behind a half-baked Honorless in it's wake, which turned to ash as well.

After collecting her spear, Petrichor turned back towards Fahrenheit just in time to receive a massive hug that lifted her off the ground.

The height difference between the two girls showed, as Fahren, while looking the same age as Petri, was almost a foot taller than her wife.

"That's what I'm talking about! Nice job Petri! Just wait until our fans see this! They've been waiting for our return for forever!"


Petri hugged her wife back, and sighed.
"It's good to be back. Now, let's see about getting out of the collapsing dome."


True to the girl's word, the ground beneath the three began to shake vigorously under the shifting weight of the structure.

"Last one out's a rotten egg!"

The three girls dashed through the narrow tunnels, and found the outer edge of the dome to be already broken.

Once the group was clear from the massive structure, Fahren sniffed in the air loudly.


"Nothin' like a little sunshine, eh?"
And with her words, the skies obliged, turning from their mono-greys into clear, wispy blue skies.


The sun shown brightly upon Yeza's face, but she felt something to be off when she looked around her.

"So, do the people who were turned unfeeling disappear now?"
She asked of the two older Magical Girls.

Fahren chuckled before turning to Patience.

"Far from it. The job has only just begun. We now need to steadily remove every unfeeling from this town, and presumably the rest of the county, given the scale."

While the two continued their conversation on unfeeling matters, Petri had her gaze elsewhere.

Just a few feet from where she stood on the side walk, a street label had been embedded into the debris laden grass.

It read "Gage rd".

She covered her mouth.


"Hey...Fahren?"
The Magical Girl said quietly, pulling on the leather sleeve of her wife.

"Yeah Ba- woah hey, what's wrong?"
Fahrenheit exclaimed before taking her wife's hand to help calm her.

Petrichor's face had grown wide and placid, and when Fahren followed her gaze, her brain put the pieces together slower than her mouth.

"Hey, isn't that your sister's street?... Oh."


After the two looked around, they spotted the address number that was texted to them only 3 weeks ago.

The same one that they had planned to make a surprise visit to.

A house, with a door lying on the ground, completely separated from it's hinges, with a few claw marks and a bite mark around the edges.


Sandy felt like she was running in slow motion as she tore down the street, tears streaming down her face, trying to keep her from confirming her fears.

They were unsuccessful.

Kawena felt her wife rip her hand out of her grasp, and before she could truly process the sight of the house, and without taking the time to think, followed Sandy closely.

Once the two made it to the doorway, seeing the condition of the living room, Sandy fell to her knees in a series of hiccups and sobs, truly unable to move forward.



Kawena wrapped her spouse in a hug, which the girl accepted, crying into her leather jacket as if it were built to absorb every single tear.



Yeza, now steeling herself from her shock, made her way over to the crying couple.


Petrichor, inbetween desperate sobs, mumbled words like "not Abby, no no no no..." and "why?...", before her emotions reassumed control over her.


Fharen looked at the young Magical Girl with a mix of fear and sadness that communicated exactly what she needed to.

"Find them, if they still breathe."