My Normal Life Now Has a New Roommate

The shark lunged. Seconds before capturing human and faerie alike in its jaws, the flash of light passed it by, and it froze. Staring at its former prey, it swam away, all the hostile sea life once intent on feasting now ignoring the two. Even the water paused in its rise.

Everything stopped—everything calmed. A dangerous sea, reduced to something as beautiful and quiet as an aquarium.

The water hovered at Tama’s waist; Sarine flew in circles, overlooking the peace from higher above. “You…you did it.”

“But—” Tama gestured to herself, “I didn’t do anything. You did that shit.”

“I didn’t do anything either!”

“You were glowing!”

“So were you!”

“Fuck—we’re not doing this again.”

Sarine sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Nope. Definitely not. And there’s no way we both did this. Magic can’t be channeled through two people at once unless you’re using someone as a living battery.”

Tama winced. “You’re not doing that, right…?”

“I’m not! I don’t even know how. Besides, I wouldn’t…” Sarine put a hand to her heart. “Did—did you mean that?”

A blush, and Tama looked away. “Let’s not talk about that right now. Ohzora’s probably worried out of her mind.”

“…Right.” Sarine made it to the dial. It locked into place earlier, but with the water stopped, it finally turned. She set it back to the dojo, the two watching as the ocean drained and the sea creatures fled back up the pipes.

The last fish flopped back to safety as the door opened. Chiho scurried in, sweeping Tama into a big hug while Lavi did much the same with Sarine. “You did it! I’m so, so, so proud of you!!”

“Urk—I’m seriously done for…” Tama gasped and gagged between breaths, and finally after her near-death wheeze, Chiho dropped the poor girl.

Lavi perched onto Chiho’s shoulder. “Sorry,” Chiho said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Sorry, for everything. It was terrible, what we did—”

“But it worked!” Lavi grinned from ear to ear. “A big sparkle surprise unlocked your true potential! And I…don’t really understand what happened, either!”

“What?” Tama looked to Chiho.

Though she seemed happy earlier, the resident magical girl’s smile dropped, displaying an emotion more complicated. “Um—I don’t understand either. Do…either of you?”

Sarine and Tama exchanged equally clueless looks. With everyone at a loss, only one faerie dared to break the silence.

“It’s fine, let’s just ask the Head of Society about it!” Lavi kicked her legs back and forth. “Surely someone as wise, powerful and all-knowing as them can tell us!”

“It’s still strange…” Chiho scratched her cheek. “I don’t know. I’m worried that coming forward with this anomaly will destroy whatever semblance of a normal life Tama has.”

Tama shrugged, trying to ignore her rising heartbeat. “What, is it that big of a deal?”

“We don’t know,” Sarine said, arms crossed as her wings fluttered in a similar rhythm to Tama’s speeding chest. “I…I wish I could say, but like I’ve said, I’ve never seen anything like what we did. Worst case, you might be forced to live here forever for your own safety. Best case? You’re put on the frontlines, might even be forced to move somewhere else with less magical activity to keep you from getting murdered in your sleep.”

“Murdered!?”

“What, you didn’t know people die when they’re killed?”

“No—what the fuck, I don’t wanna die, get me outta here!” Tama bolted towards the door, grabbing the handle before Sarine grabbed her by the ear and yanked her back. “Hey, I thought you’d stop doing that!”

“I never said I’d stop, asshole!”

“You’re the asshole taking hostages!”

“If anyone’s the hostage here, it’s me!”

Chiho and Lavi watched the display, the latter with exasperation and the former with a faint smile. “They haven’t changed too much,” Chiho said. “Still…I don’t want to tear Tama’s life apart. She’s my friend—if she lived here, she wouldn’t be able to walk home from school with me anymore.”

“I wouldn’t want that either,” Lavi said, wings sparkling at the tip. “You always have a smile on your face when that loudmouth is around.”

“I…do?”

“Yeah! And you blush—just like that!”

“I do!?”

“Mhm! And that’s why I have a super pretty idea that’ll fix all of this!”

“Oh, please tell me! I don’t want to lose her.”

“So, so…”

Lavi whispered into Chiho’s ear while Sarine and Tama bickered. Somehow, they finished their millionth nonsense argument before Chiho had to take charge and make them stop.

“What’re you two mumbling about?” Tama asked.

Chiho clapped her hands together, excitement barely contained in her wide grin. “We were thinking—informing the Head of Society might mean taking you away from your normal life. I’d hate to do that to you…but if it’s a safe place you need, well, since you live alone, maybe no one would mind—only if you want to, but, you could…

“…stay with me,” Chiho finished, voice a notch above a whisper, “We have plenty of room. I wouldn’t mind at all—in fact, I insist!”

She held a hand out, much like the way they first met. “Will you?”

“Uh—” Tama stuttered, covering her mouth. She thought about refusing. Returning to the cold, empty place she’d spent most of her life growing up in. Of the people who came and went until Tama’s parents considered her old enough to take care of herself. Of the boiled eggs she learned to throw together for breakfast since no one ever bothered to teach her how to cook.

Of going back there. Again, again, for who knew how long.

“Yeah. Sure, I’ll stay with you.”

Chiho pulled Tama into another hug, and this time, she didn’t let go for a long, long time. Sarine and Lavi joined in too, bodies glowing with a simmering happiness.

…

In their moment of peace, no one noticed the worm watching, shadowy body shifting as it slithered up the pipe. It dropped out into an ocean in the outside world, swimming to the closest shore. Standing at the edge of the beach, a girl with jet black pigtails, red eyes and an elegant gothic lolita dress waited for the creature’s return.

It crawled into the sand—the girl lifted the creature to her ears.

“…Hm. I see. You did very well, Nacht. You may return to your dreamer.”

At her command, the creature fizzled into nothing, and a black prick of light floated away. The girl pulled an umbrella out and opened it up, shielding her from the vestiges of the moonlight.

“Someone capable of resonation—right under the nose of Society Prime? It shouldn’t take me longer than a week to make her my new subject.

“Not if I target the weaker one. I’ve played enough games with that sparkle girl; it’s time I claim checkmate.”