Battle at the Old City Pool

The Magician Arc

It was abandoned. That was the first thing that people saw about it. It’d been abandoned since the day that Tokyo was hit by tragedy, all those years ago. The event that led to the redistricting and eventual creations of districts like the neighbouring Shinkawa.

But this area was left untouched, even as the urban sprawl rebuilt. Maybe because of the tragedy, the rumors of hauntings and ghosts kept people away, or maybe it was just superstition. It still bore the traces of what it had been in its heyday. Once, it had been a public pool.

The great destruction had struck out lines from a central area of Tokyo, like a spider's web of bizarre lines. On that fateful day, no less than eighteen families had been present at the pool. The children, too. Laughing and playing, they never expected what happened until the lights went out. The rumbling started.

The news reports said that of the eighteen families, only three survived. It was one of many symbols of the great tragedy that passed.

So many years after what happened, the swimming pool had dried up. Most of the debris had been shifted to give rescue workers access, and in time the place had been cleared away and gradually forgotten.

Forgotten like the rest of the districts that ran too close to the fault lines of the accident. Abandoned, untouched, a monument to old Tokyo. No-one would go there willingly now. Which made it perfect for the needs of a trio of Magical Girls looking to best a violent and dangerous enemy, one that likely wouldn't bat an eye at using hostages.

Starplus looked around the empty hallway, walking back and forth to secure the perimeter. Or maybe she was just antsy. They’d picked a place that was open enough to make use of their powers, but secluded away from anyone who could get hurt. Given the amount they moved during the last battle, it was hard to find somewhere safe, away from the prying eyes of passing civilians.

There was no way it wouldn’t be a fight, was the thought shared between the three. They’d attacked a girl in an alleyway with necromancy, Sleepy Angel had been very nearly killed by an ambush when she got into the city, and now word was they’d sprung a con and destroyed a golem. Whatever their little plan was, the true Magical Girls would end it.

Starplus clenched her fist. It was hard to look at Sleepy Angel, those bruises were vivid and red, and her eyes looked dead to the world ever since the attack. She looked mournful, and Starplus knew just how much that girl must be suffering inside to know that a respected Magical Girl like Bishop had gone completely rogue, and taken down three others with her.

“They’ll be here soon.” Constellation said with certainty. Starplus looked over to the team leader, noticing how brightly the sparkles in her purple hair glowed under the setting sun.
“How can you tell?” Starplus asked. Constellation looked up at the sky without a word. Her Resonance, Star’s Fate, was the answer. When Constellation stared at the stars and thought about a person who she’d met, she was able to watch them- as long as they were underneath open sky. It was too limited as a form of scrying to guarantee her a job in the Information Bureau, perhaps, but she was working on that, too.

♥ Magical Girl Rinrin ♥

“Remember, they aren’t our enemies.” Rook says, severely.
“We may need to beat them into submission, but don’t kill them.” She ordered. Anya nodded, and I hesitated for a moment.
“I… don’t think I can transform.” I say, sullenly looking at the floor. Rook’s expression flattens, and she looks over at Anya.

Rook had been more humorless than ever once she’d been told what had happened by EMP-Ire. A frame job, we’d been completely sewn up and sold down the river. That set my teeth on edge, too.

We’d trailed all three of them, and it seemed that our enemy had been working methodically over days to build up this cover story, all for the purpose of shifting blame to us, hiding the truth of Purification. The true Maniacal Girl was going to great lengths to cover it up.

“Don’t underestimate the Magician. Sleepy Angel fell for her tricks, and she had years of experience on both of you.” Rook said, and I nodded grimly. This girl, the Magician, she’d used her abilities on two of the girls that we knew of, and seemed to be able to use it rapidly in battle.

*            *            *

We’d gone to investigate the area where the fight took place, and Rook had seen first hand the murdered middle-aged woman. Her body was almost torn in half from the force of the punch Sleepy Angel had hit her with.

“An innocent. Just a woman who could help them sell the illusion.” Rook had stared at the scene below. This Magician had used her hypnotic Resonance to make Magical Girl Sleepy Angel see that woman as an attacker, and while Angel was beating an innocent woman to death, had used that moment to run.

“We know something about the illusions now.” Rook said, thinning her lips. I turned to face her, and Anya pursed her lips.

“You can’t touch them. The ladder was used to simulate stairs, the woman to simulate an enemy. When Sleepy Angel was striking at air and stopping, confused, she was likely punching through illusionary attackers.”

*            *            *

We made it to the old public pool, stepping over the collapsed gate and moving past some of the devastated vehicles. As we did, Rook discussed battle plans.
“I’ll take on Sleepy Angel. Tama, deal with Constellation.” Tama nodded, shutting her eyes.
“...Resonance; Sniper.” She whispered, and her magical rifle appeared in her hands.

“What about me?” I asked, looking between Rook and Tama. Tama tilted her head in concern. We all knew that I wasn’t capable of transforming at the moment.
“You’ll… get Starplus.” Rook said, slowly, evaluating options.
“She saw you untransformed before, as a civilian. Seeing you again may make her pause. Then you can tell her what’s going on.”

We’d decided on the plan and headed to the only location that could’ve been in Hanako’s riddle. Even if we hadn’t used the Youkai, there was a trail of very obvious clues around the city. No note saying “come get us”, but the message was clear as to where they were set up.

“They’re pretty sloppy, guess they could learn something about hide and seek.” I commented, and Rook nodded.
“...No.” Anya said, quietly objecting. Me and Rook turned to face her.
“Hanako said they were ‘waiting for you’. If you are hiding from someone, you are not waiting for them.” She continues. Crap, she’s right. That means…

“It’s a trap.” Rook said.

✰✰ Magical Girl Constellation ✰✰

My resonance allows me to spy on people at a distance. It’s referred to as a Scrying-type, and usually unsuited to combat. It’s unsuited to heavy duty work, too. I have to meet the person in real life, and they cannot be beneath something. I also must be staring at the same sky, which limits its use to only people within the same realm.

Sometimes, I wish I could use it to spy on SilkSwan and see what she gets up to when no-one’s around. Maybe that’s idle curiosity, or maybe I want some blackmail material. I’m not sure. According to the Magical Girl who trained me and her fairy, scrying-type abilities most commonly awaken within those who have a latent voyeuristic streak. I’d been offended at first, until I realized that I’d been idly following people I met during the day home with my ability, so maybe there was something to that theory. Or maybe having an ability encourages you to use it. It’s almost like the invisible man, where you wonder if he was always evil, or if the power of being unseen made him that way.

I’d met a member of that group in passing, once. Some time ago. Rook. She was going into the Inspection Corps and I was assigned to watch her nightly activities and see what she got up to, make sure she was the right sort of person.

Staring at the sky through the large holes in the roof, I watch her again. She’s moving towards the front of the building we’re in.

My head snaps to the direction of the front door.

♖ Queen-Side Rook ♖

This part of the plan is dangerous. No, it’s stupid. It’s insane. But it was Kuri’s idea.

They had a trap. But we have a "hostage". Kuri volunteered herself for that task, uncertain how else she could help given her failure to transform last time.

This group of Magical Girls seemed different from the Maniacals. They didn't seem to be intentionally hostile. If they’re the good guys they won’t risk injuring a hostage to catch us. Meaning that if Kuri marched in clearly with us, whatever trap they may have set will fall apart.

That is, if they’re good. If not, well… I try to avoid Kuri’s pure eyes when I think that part. It feels wrong to have her on the front lines. Even if Kuri is technically a Magical Girl, she’s defenseless without transforming.

“Are you sure?” I ask one last time. She nods, hand to her heart.
“Please. Let me. Even if I can’t transform properly right now, I can still do this to help.” She whispers, looking between Anya and I. Anya has complete trust in her, in both of us.
“Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t get in the way. Find somewhere to hide if fighting starts.”

With that, we rearranged our marching order, Kuri directly in front of me. She’s trembling a little, but her face is resolved with stubbornness.

I reached over her head to open the door.

“STARPLUS! STOP!” A voice screams, my eyes dart around as I see the magical motorbike riding towards me. The driver seems to realize what’s happening thanks to the yell from her friend, her visor is down. From the panicked way she swerves to the side, there’s no way she was prepared for that. I watch her careen past and-
“Resonance; Gungnir!” I call out. The lance appears in my hand, and I stab it into her bike tire as she passes by.

She flips through the air, smashing down nearby in a daze. Constellation and Sleepy Angel begin moving fast. Battle’s on. Up above, I hear shots ring out as both converge on me. Anya had snuck around the side and climbed the roof. She neatly separates the pair, and starts taking shots at Sleepy Angel as ordered. Constellation notices this, and runs up the side of the wall to stop her. All three members of their force are split.

Freed from Anya’s fire, Sleepy Angel turns to look at me only to receive a punch in the face. Staggering back as she does so, I turn to swipe her legs out from under her and send her sprawling to the ground. Please let that be two down…

It isn’t. From her prone position, Sleepy Angel moves like a crab, bones at unnatural angles as she twists around and slams her knee into my back. I stagger forward, and that gives her enough time for another couple of blows. They’re all crude and ineffective for combat, but with the force of a Magical Girl’s strength behind them. Facing away from her, there’s not a lot I can do to counter the attack.

She keeps punching and hitting, bones cracking with the force as her fists slam against my backplate. A shot from above hits her side, startling her and knocking her backwards. I don’t give more than a second to look at how Anya is doing in the duel with Constellation before turning to look at Sleepy Angel, who is slowly standing, her body moving like a puppet as it’s pulled upright.

♦ Magical Girl Tama ♦

From the moment that Constellation charges at me, I know what is about to happen. She will come up here, and I will fight. My objective is not elimination. It is distraction. We must buy time to convince Starplus.

I swing my sniper around, slamming the butt into Constellation’s side, and dive backwards. Running my hand along the end, a bayonet appears, and I jab it towards her a few times. Mostly, it’s to keep her on edge. I do not want to stab her, as that would be a problem for phase 2 of this battle.

I should not be focusing on phase 2 right now.

Constellation grabs the barrel as I try to stab and she swings in a kick towards my face. It hits, and hurts. I fly backwards and down, landing in the basin of the dried pool. Looking up at Constellation, I pull my rifle and fire. Three shots as she dives down, but only two hit. I roll out of the way barely as she strikes the ground next to me, cracking it with her fist. I slam my foot into her side as she gets back to her feet and I start dashing away from her, leading her around the pool area. Under a “No Running” sign, I stop and fire a shot at her leg, causing her to slip and land, face-down, on the tiles.

It looked painful, but I do not have time to apologize right now. I reload my rifle, rolling back into a crouching fire position, and wait until she gets up to fire a few more shots, one after another. This time, she’s dizzy and shaky, but I make sure not to hit her too hard. I had the option to take her down sooner, but we cannot do that.

We have to wait for Kurin-senpai.

This plan relies on her.

Even if she cannot transform right now, she is in our team.

Constellation gets up and slams her fist into me a couple of times before I am able to respond, ducking low and kicking out at her legs with mine. She falls again.

Good.

Keep her on the ground, where she cannot get hurt. That is the plan.

✰ Magical Girl Starplus ✙

My head hurts. A lot. I blink away sweat and blood, and a groan escapes my lips. My head is on the lap of a girl I don’t.. know… no. I know this girl. She’s the one who I saved in a back alley.

As recognition dawns, I feel her slap my face, looking guilty.
“Saved ya again?” I say, grinning. Then I sit up, and look around. It takes a moment before I realize that I’m no longer transformed.

“Whoa, whoa!” I yell out in surprise. Looking around, I try to find my transformation compact, only to see it in the girl’s hand. She was pulling it away. I'm no pushover in my current, untransformed, self, but after just waking up groggy with a bleeding head I can't say I'm at my best. The girl is easily able to keep it out of my reach.

“Hey, you shouldn’t have that, give it back!” I say, but she shakes her head in response.
“You need to listen to me, Starplus.”