Force of Magic
By Ewen "Blackbird" Cluney
Chapter 9
"Today we have some very serious questions that need to be
answered." said Rainbow Knight. She was the news correspondent on
things magical, and Goro stretched out on the recliner as the
report continued. "Last week, about ten percent of the Tokyo
area's magical girl population vanished, and so too did almost a
thousand young girls. None of the reports have included any
mention of violence, but one peculiar fact remains. The missing
magical girls are all so similar that they seem to be working for
the same Kingdom, a realm whose rulers are most likely planning
something very big. No one knows what it is; all I can say is,
there's a lot of parents out there waiting and hoping their
little ones will return home soon."
With a scowl, he turned off the TV.
Minami looked worried. "Could that be why Haruko...?"
"It is." said Goro flatly. "I'm sure of it; she's Magical Girl
Candy Rose."
Minami gasped. Teruo nodded. "That would explain a lot." he
said, making some notes in that infamous binder of his.
"But what are they planning?" asked Minami.
Teruo flipped through his binder. "Well, if my suspicions are
correct and it's Chrysalia we're talking about... It's entirely
possible they're going to move against the Dark Kingdom of
Krystlan."
"Shit." muttered Goro. "We've got to do something."
"Why?" asked Minami, afraid of what she'd hear. "What is it?"
"Don't you see it?" he replied. "They want to go all out, wipe
out their main enemies once and for all. No matter what the
cost."
"What?" gasped Minami. "But... she could... You have to help
her!"
Goro nodded. He owed her. His life. "I will find a way. I'll
get her out of there."
Teruo let out a long breath. "That won't be easy. You're
talking about infiltrating a magical kingdom, and if we're right,
one tha's preparing for a war."
"Isn't there someone you can ask for help?" asked Minami. She
wouldn't want her father to get hurt either.
"Yeah, but who?" Some backup would help, if it was someone he
could trust. But no one would knowingly take that kind of risk.
With the state of the conflict against the dark kingdoms, no
magical kingdom would take kindly to unwanted visitors, Chrysalia
least of all right now. No one would be crazy enough... A smile
spread across his face. "Magical Rina."
Teruo made a strangled sound. "A-are you sure that's a good
idea?"
"Do you have a better one? She's good at what she does."
"A little too good. At killing things."
He nodded. He knew the type, and he knew Rina. Being sent off
to destroy youma could affect a girl, and badly. Some were
traumatized, while others, like Rina, came to enjoy hurting the
youma. Children don't know better, and being praised over their
kills only makes it worse. Another entry in the long list of
reasons to stop using magical girls.
The note had read, "Magical Rina -- Mysterious Pink wants to
settle the score. Be at the Yamashita Ramen Shop at 5:30." Pink
waited, leaning against the wall by the entrance to the tiny
shop, half-empty despite the hour. The looks the cook gave her
through the haze of broth-steam and cigarette smoke were as acrid
as the nicotine-laden air. The customers who remained would be
very deliberately blind to whatever happened -- unless there was
a hunter here, but none among the crowd, mostly middle-aged
working-class men with tired eyes, had the look. Hunters always
had it in their eyes. No matter what their reasons, it took a
certain kind of person to kill a girl.
"Alright," Rina demanded as she strode in. "Where is she?"
Pink was right to the side of the door, leaning nonchalantly
against the wall. "Looking for me?"
Rina spun around, scowling. "There you are!" she shouted. Hate
shone in those hazy blue eyes. "What do you want from me?" The
tip of her wand began to glow. "A fight? I think I can do that
for you."
"Your help."
A giggle turned into a laugh. "Me? Help you? Why should I?"
Pink swung into action. Before Rina could blink, Pink had
grabbed her by the collar, swung her around, and slammed her up
against the wall. Even some of the customers took notice of this.
Magical Rina was looking at the tiny, pale arms that were pinning
her in place. What she didn't know was that Pink had the same
strength as Goro, who was a heavily built auto mechanic. However
delicate and tiny she looked, she had a grown man's strength and
then some. And cold, steely eyes to match.
Rina froze. Clearly, being at another's mercy was a new
experience for her.
She looked Rina in the eyes, unblinking. "In case you forgot,
you ungrateful little bitch, I saved your life once. And so did
Candy Rose."
"B-but why? Why do you need me?" Rina was about to burst into
tears.
"Candy Rose is in trouble, and I can't help her by myself."
She tightened her grip and lifted Rina up a little higher. "And
if morals and honor don't mean anything to you, them remember
this: next time you cross me I'll bash your little skull in." She
didn't want it to come to that, but if there was one magical girl
Kanzaki would've put on his list of "bad ones," it was Rina. "So.
What'll it be?"
Rina nodded emphatically. "S-sure! Let's go!"
Seeing Magical Rina edgy and afraid was something of a nice
change from the way she usually came off -- as an arrogant
sadist. Teruo and Minami were still leery of the girl and the
look in her eyes.
"Let me get this straight." Rina said shakily. "Candy Rose and
her friends are in Chrysalia, being trained for a... war with
Krystlan, and you want to rescue them."
Mysterious Pink nodded.
She fidgeted, casting nervous glances about the living room.
"So... how are you planning to get there? I can't help with that;
I don't even have access to my own magical kingdom."
Pink eyed her own wand. "I think it's time for our old friend
Lytana to pay a visit."
Minami rolled her eyes. Terup shook his head.
Rina looked confused. "Who?"
Pink stood up. "The Dreaming One who gave me my powers. A
Sidhe from the magical kingdom of Thera." An idiot fluff-head who
became a magical girl recruiter because she was the black sheep
of the kingdom's ruling family. It had all been an accident;
Lytana had meant for the want to end up with Minami. The wand
glowed.
A beautiful woman appeared on the coffee table. She had
pointed ears, sky-blue eyes, long silvery hair, and pale, creamy
skin. That last detail was abundantly evident, due to the fact
that the only thing covering it was a batch towel. Lytana took a
moment to realize what had happened.
There was a long pause.
"Stop staring!" she shrieked. Rina probably thought it odd
when she realized that Teruo and Mysterious Pink were both the
ones staring. Scowling, Lytana raised a hand, nearly making the
towel drop, and was enfolded by energy that resolved itself into
ornate Sidhe-style clothes. When Lytana finally stopped blushing
and regained a measure of composure, she spoke as casually as she
could manage.
"So," she said with exaggerated calm, "What's happening guys?"
"We need help getting into Chrysalia." replied Pink.
"So... what's happening guys?" She repeated. "I almost thought
I heard someone say something about going to Chrysalia, which is
one of Thera's enemies and would be treason or maybe even an act
of war..."
Pink leveled a steely gaze at her. "You heard me. A friend is
in trouble. Political crap isn't my problem."
Lytana looked worried. Very worried. "Do you have any idea how
much trouble--?"
"Trouble? What if your superiors heard about your..."
"My... what?"
Pink grinned. So predictable. "Two words. Rainbow. Sherbert."
Lytana gasped. "Y-you wouldn't!"
"Wha?" That was Rina, who clearly had no inkling of what was
going on.
"Long story." muttered Teruo.
"C'mon guys!" pleaded Lytana. "D'you know how much trouble
I'll get into."
"Damnit!" shouted Pink. "LIVES are at stake here!"
Lytana hung her head. "Alright." she said at last. Although
afraid, she seemed to grow in confidence as she spoke, hatching a
plan. "I'll do my best. I'll have to get a scroll from the Great
Library first, though."
"Is that going to be a problem?" asked Teruo.
The grin Lytana wore was uncharacteristically devious. "I
don't think so. You just gave me the perfect idea. I'll be back
soon."
And with that, she vanished.
"You know," muttered Rina, "Dreaming Ones are freaks."
Looking at the spot where Lytana had stood, Minami nodded.
"Some even more than others."
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Ewen "Blackbird" Cluney blackbird@earthdome.com
Blackbird's Domain http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/6127/
Knight Kevlar of the Immortal Frog Silver Knight of Mihoshi
"Be nice to me; I might just develop
psychokinetic powers and destroy Tokyo!"
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