Alleyway Search!

The Fool Arc

Deep within a rundown apartment building in Tokyo, a creature stared at the flickering old monitor that had become its only friend.

A message had appeared on the screen. There were rumors. More and more stories of Magical Girls. More lies designed to hide the truth of this world.

More of them could not be allowed. A new world must be born, free of those who defied the creature's expectations. No magic, no witchcraft. Order. The creature had expressed this across online forums and been laughed at, mocked, belittled.

Each time the creature was forced out, it began again under another name, another account, another sockpuppet. The creature's will would be heard.

It looked at the comforting words on the screen of the PC. They changed every time. It wasn't like a private message, or a chat site. There was never a record of the conversation.

Then why don't you do something about it?

The creature left the house for the first time in days, maybe weeks.

♥ Magical Girl Rinrin ♥

“Ugh, this is taking foreveeeer!” I whine, looking at the floating fairy Nyamu. The fun of searching for a new friend had been worn out by the reality of spending a hot summer day walking through Tokyo streets.
“No-one said it’d be easy, nyamu.”
“You only go ‘Nyamu’ when you’re distracted, ya know.”
“I don’t go ‘nyamu’ ever, nyamu.”
“There ya go again!”
“Stop trying to force character traits on me.” I groan at Nyamu’s dismissive response, and watch him fly ahead. The little fairy could be such a pain in the ass. Spending all night in magical girl form had misled me into forgetting just how hard it is to walk around as a normal girl. My legs ache, my back hurts, and it’s been four hours in the hot sun.

“Just a little more.”
“You said that an hour ago!” I snap back at the fairy.
“It’s not an exact calculation, ny- mm.” He cuts himself off. I grit my teeth. I haven’t spent this much time outside in a long time, and my school uniform, once a prideful symbol as the only article of clothing I had that was not a hand-me-down, feels awkward and a little musty from hanging on the back of the door like a warding talisman.

Somewhere in this city, that strange light had found a new girl. That’s what Nyamu had explained excitedly when he flew up to me as I left home. Those lights were “blessings” from the world above, from the Magical Realm. They would find their way to a girl who represented the strength, will, and love needed to become a true Magical Girl. One had found me the day I met Nyamu, though I hadn’t been aware of it. And… one had found someone else in my town. Magical Girls work in teams. That was an important part of the genre, you and two, five, seven, of your best friends would laugh, play, and fight together. I remembered the messages from earlier and felt a little giddy. What if it was literally my friends? My heart was racing at the idea.

“It’s unlikely.”
“What is?”
“That you’d already be friends. Shinkawa is big. Tokyo is bigger.” Nyamu flitters past, quashing my slight silent hope. At least, I hope it was silent. I have a tendency to mouth along with intense thoughts in my head, which my sister constantly teases me for. I thought she could read my mind for a few years before I figured it out. I pause at a street corner vending machine, putting in a few coins to pay for a soda. Scanning options, I’m tempted to go with something western, but-

“Oh hell yeah!”
“What!?” Nyamu stares at me confused and concerned, leaping out by about a meter as my victory air-punch almost knocks him out.
“They got Skol! You never get Skol this far north!” I grin triumphantly, hammering the buttons and ordering it. Maybe it’s not a city-girl flavour, but it reminds me of long summers on the beach while my Grandma watches over us in her lazy laid back way, toy water pistols from a dagashi candy shop. I open the can with that trademark carbonated hiss and let the slightly-sour bubbles tingle on my tongue, feeling refreshed.

“Maybe it’s some sort of limited edition thing, nyamu.” The fairy says, barely acknowledging the can in my hand as I glug half of it down, releasing with a panting breath.
“Yeah, maybe.” I reply. I hold the can in my hand as I continue my search. A friend, someone who gets it. That’s what I need right now. I also need to get out of this damn heat.
"Let's just hope that energy sticks around, mu."
“On to the next alley!” I grin, looking up at Nyamu, feeling re-energized. He sighs.

*            *            *

“And the next one. And the next one. And the next…” I drone. The energy had lasted a few hours, but even that brief boost wasn’t quite enough to keep going longer. Magical exploits in a non-magical body are tough and at this point, with the sun lazily draping the city in orange, I wanna quit and go home.

“Keep it up, we’ve almost covered this neighbourhood!”
“Uh-huh…” I let out a long exasperated sigh. My shirt is clinging in uncomfortable ways from sweat, and my hair keeps getting in my eyes, driving home my desire to quit. I let out another sigh, this one more theatrical than honest, to demonstrate my displeasure.

“Feels like we’re never gonna find anyone.”
“It always feels that way before you do, mu.”
“Sounds like you have experience.” I judge, noting his hesitation for a second.
“...Let’s continue searching.” He replies. I wish he’d stop acting inscrutable at times like this, but I guess that’s just the way a fairy’s gotta be. That or I got saddled with the worst fairy in any world- above, below, or between.

“You think the new girl will have her Resonance?” I look up at Nyamu, who continues to fly along, up and down. Each magical girl has a series of powers that are shared with each other- magically enhanced strength, speed, agility. The ability to jump onto rooftops from a standing start and leap across them. Magical stamina- I could really use that right now, but I’m still searching like this- and one special ability, called their Resonance.

“Do you think she will?” Nyamu asks. I grit my teeth, shaking my head no. The question felt kinda dumb right now.
“Right. That’s because Resonance is a rare gift for magical girls. Most never achieve a single level of it in their whole lives.” Nyamu begins, I can tell by the way he begins speaking that he’s ready to lecture.
“Every Magical Girl has a Resonance, a hidden power unique only to them. It resonates with their heart’s most potent wish to give them an ability.”
“Oh yeah, you said the exact form depends on the person, right?” I question, looking around the alleys. I know he likes to talk, but I kinda like learning more about the magical realm. And besides, it beats focusing on how worn out I'm getting.

“Right. Your Resonance takes a form that suits who you are, and what your powers should be used for. Some have the gift of healing, others combat, others control.”
“Sounds like it could be abused.” Now that caused a reaction. Nyamu went from passively floating to full-scale staring at nothing, as if debating what to say.
“...No true Magical Girl would dream of abusing their power.” The words come out of him like pulling teeth, each one a noted effort.
“What about… ‘untrue’ ones?” I prod further. Nyamu flitters in the air, staring and looking away, as if he’s desperate to say something but thinking better of it.
"I-"

There’s a crash nearby. Something loud smashing, a heavy thud. Looking around to see if anyone can see me, I grab my magical pendant and hold it into the air. Light envelopes me as time slows around me, my old body peels away like a cocoon, old clothes disappearing as the glowing light wraps around me, becoming a familiar sparkling outfit, bedecked in ribbons, bows, and a white-pink theming to match the shift in my new hair and eyes. Time reverts to normal as I ready myself for a fight. I dive around the corner and announce myself boldly.

“Magical Girl Rinrin is here, beware evildoers!” I yell out, then freeze. Looking down the alleyway, I see… red. Spilling out in a pool, darkening the ground. So thick red that it could be black. Oozing. O tale a step back in shock, eyes wide.

“Oh god…” I stare down at the source of the blood. My stomach’s churning, I feel like I’m going to throw up. Lying in the centre of a pool of blood is a person. No. A dead body. No living person can lose that much blood.