Magical Girl Gunslinger

Chapter 20: Revelations

The toe-high water swished around my shoes as I walked through the darkness to the black and violet pillar of lightning thorns. It was an oddly calming sound, and the reflected purple light felt welcoming. I made my way to the pillar, an odd sense of nostalgia mingled with comfort washing over me. There was something else under it though, a sharp, pining feeling of shame? Guilt? Fear? A mixture of the emotions, maybe, honed into a knife stuck inside the depths of my heart.

I swallowed, trying to ignore the feeling as I reached the thorns, marveling once again at the unnatural darkness that made up the core of the lightning, its violet outline glowing in a beautiful accent. A gentle hum emanated from the electricity, soothing the needles of anxiety in my lungs.

Once I reached within touching distance, the thorns crackled, shifting to open up a window, revealing a familiar looking girl covered only by stray strands of the dark and amethyst thorns. She looked up at me, scarlet and azure eyes peering at me with a pleading expression.

Why? she whispered, her voice soft with an undercurrent of regret.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, looking away. I wasnt sure how, just that for some reason, I knew Id done something bad. Something I shouldnt have. The answer to what she was asking tickled at the back of my mind, teasing me with answers that I couldnt quite grasp.

I dont understand, I finally told her, and she gave me a sad smile.

Why? she repeated. Why didnt you wait?

Memories flashed through my mind in a whirlwind of razor blades. Vines, a bloodshot eyeball, the pain. I recoiled, jerking my gaze to my left arm only to find it gone starting just above my elbow. A panicked cry escaped me as I went to grab my stump, stopping short as I tried to process, to understand. My hand began trembling as I felt myself begin to hyperventilate.

My arm.

It was gone.

I cut it off.

It had looked so odd, detached and lying on the ground.

It was part of me.

Now it wasnt.

I I-

Shh, the girl shushed me in a soothing, empathetic voice. Its going to be alright. Like Selene said, it isnt permanent, so just breathe.

Her words wrapped around me like a blanket, and suddenly the panic didnt seem important anymore. It was still there, but it wasnt overwhelming, its talons no longer clawing into my heart. The horror and panic became far away things, something I could still think through. I took the opportunity, falling into my familiar method of calming down. I focused on my heart first, willing it to slow down to a normal pace. I let my racing thoughts melt away, imagining the still water of a pond.

Slowly, I began to feel myself relax, my muscles unclenching as my breathing returned to a normal rhythm.

Good. Just like weve done a thousand times before But I still need to know Why didnt you wait?"

I looked back into her eyes and felt them bore into me. It felt like she already knew, that this wasnt really a question, but I knew that only meant answering her correctly was that much more important. It always was when the person wasnt really asking.

I I swallowed. I thought it would be safe.

But why? she asked, voice trembling. Why did you think it would be safe?

Error Machina told me it would be, and Selene agreed with him.

You trusted them, she said with a sad smile, pausing for a moment to tilt her head. Why?

I opened my mouth to answer, only to find myself without words. Why wouldnt I have trusted them? They had no reason to betray me, and Selene had always been right before.

But Id still gotten hurt, and that was her point, wasnt it? They had seemed so sure I would be safe on the way back that Id just trusted them to be right.

I assumed and trusted, and now I was missing my arm.

You understand, dont you? the girl closed her eyes. Sometimes, it isnt about betrayal. Sometimes, being wrong is enough. But you know this very well already. You just forgot, didnt you?

My mouth felt dry, and I settled for just nodding in response.

Theres more, though, isnt there? she asked, giving me another searching look. There has to be. Why else didnt you wait?

As I thought about it, I found myself slowly clenching my teeth, embarrassment and anger burning at my cheeks.

I was overconfident, I whispered. Everything was going so well, and all this Magical Girl stuff, points and stats, its like a game. I stopped thinking about this like real life. I stopped thinking about what losing would actually mean.

Overconfidence, the girl murmured. Waiting to manifest Selene would have prevented this. Spending your points to make yourself stronger? No Those would have been a drop in the bucket. Those wouldnt have changed anything.

I still shouldnt have treated this like a game, I said through clenched teeth. It was stupid.

On the contrary, it was right.

I looked up in surprise only to see her looking back at me with big eyes. There was still pain and sadness in them, but beneath it all was something desperate.

You dont understand yet, but you will. Soon, I think. You should have been right. Safe. You never should have lost that arm. Caught, but not mutilated. Embarrassed, not sundered.

I stared at the girl, her words pulling at something at the back of my mind, but whenever I tried to catch the stray thought, it retreated further away.

I dont understand, I finally shook my head.

You do, just not yet. All the pieces, but no frame to put them in. Its okay. You made assumptions on fragments, thinking they were the whole picture. Youll see. The missing links are all there. Life has just been a little too busy for you to think about it, thats all.

The desperate intensity began to drain from her expression, her eyelids drooping as she resumed her sad, almost sleepy expression. She tilted her head, and her smile suddenly became strained.

And whats the final reason you rushed into it? her voice cracked as she asked. The one you told Selene, the lie that has the painful truth hiding behind it?

Her words hit me like a hammer, a wave of pain pulsing through my chest. I didnt want to say the words, to admit it aloud. Yet, somehow, I felt like I owed it to her.

I wanted to save Lily and everyone else in the shelter. I just wanted everyone to be safe. It didnt matter if

If you were safe, she finished for me. If you got hurt. If you died. You never even stopped to really consider those things. Because it didnt matter. It never does.

I bit down on the inside of my lip, my hand clenching into a fist. I knew she was right, but she didnt know, didnt understand. There was more, so much more to everything than just some stupidly simplistic reason. She didnt know me.

Shh, its okay, she hushed me, her voice growing more tired. I just wanted to make sure you understand, thats all. Theres nothing wrong with putting others first, even to that extent, not so long as thats what you really want. What does it matter, getting hurt, if its the path to your happiness? So long as you understand, we can bear it, just like we always have.

I looked up at her in confusion. Her eyes were drooping lower, words coming out even more slowly as she seemed to draw closer to falling asleep. Her body sagged against her bonds, the thorns giving an electric crackle as they pulled tightly against her body.

Its almost time for you to wake up, she whispered, and I blinked.

Wake up?

I looked around, suddenly aware of where I was.

Or, more accurately, that I had no idea where I was, or why I was talking to a girl that looked just like me. A girl who was held by solidified lightning in impossible colors. A girl who seemed to know things about me that nobody could.

What are you? I asked, my heartbeat picking up as a sense of wrongness swept through me.

The girls eyes fluttered open, locking onto me with renewed vigor. A gentle, regretful smile stretched across her lips, and her next words reverberated through my bones with power.

Im the painful truths you dont want to accept, bound by the lies we spin together to keep you safe. Im the ever present thorns imprisoning your heart and the shelter from all the pains you cant bear. Im the reflection of something shattered and beautiful, something perfect in its brokenness. So breathe, Mai, and let me shoulder a share of your burdens, just like I always have. Let me help, and forget, because its not over yet, and youre running out of time.

Before I could ask what she was talking about, the world blurred as a sound filled the space and pushed me out.

[Mai?]

I opened my eyes and gasped, lifting myself up as information overloaded me. It was bright, and I was lying down somewhere. As I tried to push myself up into a sitting position, my left arm failed to find purchase, and I fell back onto my back.

[Easy, Mai, easy!] Selenes voice washed over me. [Youre safe! Youve been asleep for a little less than two hours, but you are still far from recovered. Take your time waking up.]

I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I looked around. I was in the shelters infirmary, on one of the beds. An IV was stuck into my right arm, a red liquid flowing through it. The sight sent a flash of memories through my head, and my eyes widened as I whipped my head to look at my left arm.

It was a stump, ending just above my elbow.

I swallowed, a jittery hysteria bubbling up inside me. I took a deep breath, looking around widely only to find Selene sitting on a table next to me. I mentally latched onto her comforting, plushie like appearance, and felt myself calming down as I took her in. Her tails were raised but drooped at the ends, her head bowed towards me. She looked worried, and maybe guilty?

My arm I whispered hoarsely, coughing at the dryness in my throat.

[How much do you remember?] Selene asked.

Images flashed through my head, and I felt the horror in my chest try to boil over. To my surprise, it didnt. The emotion felt oddly distant, like I was remembering a nightmare Id already had time to distance myself from. Or, more accurately, it was like one of the bad memories that Id had time to push so far away, it took effort to make myself think about it. What I felt was just an echo of the true emotions the experience contained, as if time had blunted its edges. It still hurt, but it was a watered down, bitter wave instead of the sharp knife I would have expected.

I wasnt sure why the fact Id just lost my arm felt so watered down. Was it because I lost it fighting the Anathema, trying to do the right thing? Had I really subconsciously understood that being maimed as a Magical Girl was a possibility? Or had I finally reached the point where this was just another drop in the ocean, another bad memory that barely made a ripple in how numb Id become?

Or maybe it was some other reason

Besides, Selene said it isnt permanent, so just breathe.

The thought felt oddly out of place, and yet I still found myself calming down with a deep, shuddering breath. That was right. Selene had said that. I was a Magical Girl, a fighter on the frontline of humanitys endless war. I was already acutely aware that healing magic and magitech were things, and it was hard to imagine I wouldnt be able to reattach my limb with both at my disposal.

A deeper pang of guilt, shame, and loneliness pulsed through me, and I quickly worked to answer Selenes question before I could fall into that particular line of thought.

I remember, I rasped, accepting a cup of water that Selene handed to me with her tails before I continued. Its a little blurry, but I remember getting back to the shelter and then passing out.

[Good,] Selene nodded, her body relaxing. [Though it seems you dont quite remember everything. The officers were unsure what aid to render, and you woke briefly to tell them to just give you a bed and leave you alone. You were fairly out of it at that point, and were only really repeating what I was telling you. When you had enough mana, I manifested and instructed them to give you a blood transfusion to aid in your recovery. I also informed them of everything that happened.]

Oh, I said, looking away from Selene. I see.

Silence stretched between us as I stared at nothing in particular.

[Mai] I heard Selene shift around nervously. [What happened-]

Was my fault, I interrupted her. I was careless. Everything had been going so well, and I just stopped being careful. I should have waited.

[Maybe, but at the time, I even agreed with your decision. It was a mistake, Mai, but it was not yours alone. None of this should ever have happened.]

I shrugged, the motion making me acutely aware of the weight now missing from my left shoulder. The sensation sent a shiver through me, and my throat tightened.

Is, um is my arm

[What I said was not merely meant to calm you down,] Selene answered, and I turned to face her. [Losing your arm is not permanent. Fighting the Anathema is dangerous, and losing limbs happens. Thankfully, there are a few answers. Anything from buying a lifelike prosthetic from a Vault to using high level healing magic to regrow the appendage is possible. None of that will be required for you, however, as we were able to safely retain your arm. Even a relatively low level Magical Girl will be able to assist you in reattaching it. Honestly, even a normal surgeon with the aid of some Zenith technology would be able to do the procedure.]

I felt myself relaxing more at Selenes words. Shock and fear still clawed at the insides of my chest, but some of the edge disappeared.

The container I bought cost zero points, I noted almost absently, glancing at my stump before looking away.

[The bio-safe, yes. There are some items the Zenith deemed too important to the survival or well-being of Magical Girls to put a price on. One of those is a bio-safe capable of keeping any lost appendages in perfect condition. The case is enchanted with a spell of Gentle Repose, preventing any degradation or decay. It can last for three days unpowered, has a tracker inside it, and can be plugged into any electrical outlet to extend its running life. The case is also armored to keep Anathema from opening or destroying it. With your arm being kept in pristine condition while inside, the effort needed to reattach and fix it will be greatly reduced.]

I shivered, a tingling feeling washing over me as Selene said Gentle Repose. I wasnt sure how, but I could tell those words held power in them. It raised new questions, but none felt really appropriate for the moment, so I filed it away for later.

Okay, I said, more to reorient myself than anything else. So what exactly went wrong? Why was that Anathema there, and why did the lights come back on?

Selene shifted uneasily, tails twitching.

[The full explanation is best given in the control room, perhaps while talking to Error Machina. I woke you up because there are some time-sensitive complications we need to discuss with him. Before we leave to do so, I want to ask did you happen to have a dream while you were asleep?]

A dream? I asked frowning. I dont think-

Black and violet lightning shaped like thorns. Water tickling against my toes. A familiar looking girl with a sad smile. Scarlet and azure eyes.

Images burst through my skull like an ice pick stabbing into my brain. I winced, raising my hand to my head. What Did I have a dream? It felt like I did, but trying to latch onto the memories only sent them retreating further away.

I maybe? I said. I think so, but I dont remember it why?

[Not quite yet, then,] Selene gave a relieved sigh, her tails relaxing. [You just seemed restless as you slept. Anyway, the reason I woke you up Well, Ji-woo wanted you to get as much rest as reasonably possible before we talked, something I agreed with. I can go get Ji-woo now so we can have a discussion, but perhaps you would like to take a shower before you leave. Ji-woo laid out some extra clothes on the nearby bed for you.]

It only then really hit me I was still in my sweaty clothes, my jeans soaked with blood. I stifled the disgust that rolled through me, forcing myself to shake my head.

No I want answers first. Ill change my clothes, but the shower can wait.

[Very well,] Selene gave me a nod. [I will go get Ji-woo while you change. Allow me to remove your IV for you first.]

I nodded, and Selenes tails quickly wrapped around the line before removing it with a quick pull. It was more of a weird feeling than a painful one, a sharp pressure disappearing from beneath my skin I hadnt registered before. I got to my feet slowly, heading over to the pile of clothes even as Selene hopped away. Closing the dividing curtains around the bed, I went to work.

My eyepatch was resting on top of the pile even though my backpack was nowhere in sight, and I quickly pulled it on. Changing the rest of my clothes with one hand was difficult. I ignored the clenching feeling in my chest as I focused on my task. With a little creativity, I was able to finish dressing in the gray sweats just as the door to the medical room opened. The last thing I did was roll up my left sleeve so it bunched up at the point where my arm ended. Then I quickly threw my other clothes into a semi-respectable pile before I opened the curtains and stepped out.

Ji-woo stood before me, her eyes slightly sunken. She gave me a ghost of a smile, her eyes flicking down to my stump before returning to my face.

Hey there she said softly, her voice soft. How are you doing?

Unease washed through me, and I shifted uncomfortably.

Okay, I responded. I, um Its not as bad as it looks.

Ji-woo flinched at that but quickly nodded.

No, no, of course not, she agreed. I mean, with healing magic you should be right as rain. Still it must have been hard. You should really talk to someone about it when this is all over. Get things sorted. I know a few therapists or even groups if you ever need anything. Just let me know, okay?

I nodded at her, but the thought of talking to someone about what happened practically made me want to vomit. I didnt want to think about it, let alone relive it. It was better staying buried, and I had plenty of practice in doing just that.

I cleared my throat. So Selene said there was something we needed to talk about.

The fake smile melted from Ji-woos face, and she gave me a nod, gesturing for me to follow. I did, and we quickly made our way through the halls of the shelter straight to the control room. Sergeant OMalley was in there, and he looked up at me as the door closed behind us. My backpack and gun were on the conference table, looking untouched except for the conspicuous lack of the bio-safe that Id stuck into my bag. Selene jumped up next to the items as Sergeant OMalley gave me a deep, respectful nod.

How are you doing? he asked, his voice subdued.

Okay I responded. Looking between the two officers, a thought hit me, and a surge of guilt washed through me as I realized why the two seemed so hurt.

I-Im sorry, I quickly said, looking down. The other officers who went before me Im sorry I couldnt

Mai, Ji-woo hurriedly said, sounding shocked. You have nothing to be sorry about! There was nothing you could have done for them. From what Selene said, they were long gone before you could have even gotten to them.

But I struggled. You must have known them and-

We only knew them in passing, Sergeant OMalley interrupted. Guard duty for each shelter is drawn from multiple precincts, and ours was chosen to stay behind. What happened is awful, but you need to remember they were doing their duty. They volunteered, knowing the risks and even expecting the outcome. They were heroes, and what happened to them has nothing to do with you.

His words were strong and resolute, as immutable as a mountain. Some of my guilt melted away, and I gave him a nod. Part of me felt bad that knowing Ji-woo and the other officers hadnt lost anyone they personally knew made me feel better, but well, it did help, in the sense that their pain wasnt as bad as it could have been.

That did leave me confused as to what exactly was causing Ji-woo and Sergeant OMalleys haunted, reserved expressions.

So There was something we needed to talk about? I asked.

Yes, Sergeant OMalley sighed. Selene informed us of what happened, and we came to some conclusions. I think it might be best if we contacted Guardian Command before we continue. Perhaps Error Machina can provide additional insight and assistance.

I frowned, doing a quick glance at Selene and Ji-woo. Everyone was being weirdly secretive, and it was starting to scare me. I swallowed down the hesitant, foreboding feeling and simply nodded at them.

Okay.

I moved over to the communication console, the officers taking up position behind me as I placed my hand on the appropriate touch screen.

Mai, I just want you to know, Ji-woo suddenly said, her words coming out quickly. That whatever happens, its your choice. Youve done enough, and-

Officer Ji-woo, Sergeant OMalleys voice snapped out like a whip, cutting her off.

Before I could ask any questions, the authentication process ended and the screen flickered to show Error Machina in his emerald, futuristic armor. His helmet was already retracted this time, revealing a relieved smile.

There you are! I was getting worried! Things were taking so long and-

He stopped in his tracks, eyes widening as he seemed to notice my arm. The smile on his face disintegrated, replaced with an expression of horror.

My god, what the hell happened? he trailed off, eyes flicking between my stump and eyes.

Um I struggled to find my words, shifting unconsciously to the side to hide my arm from view. We We left for the generator like we planned, but there was a Newborn Arachnomantis in the generator room.

You fought a Newborn Arachnomantis!? Error choked out, eyes bulging. He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. What were you No No, I suppose you probably felt like you didnt have much of a choice. Dammit What level was it?

Twenty-one, I shrugged, and he let out a bitter bark of laughter.

Jesu- I mean, dang. You really dont do things in halves Okay. So you fought the Arachnomantis and obviously won. To be honest, Im surprised you only lost an arm and-

I didnt, I interrupted softly.

He blinked, quickly looking me over again with a confused look.

What?

I only got a few bruises on me from the Arachnomantis. But after I turned the mana generator on and was running back when a Corpse Blossom attacked me.

Shit, he winced, letting out a slow breath. That would do it. Those stalker types Wait, you said you activated the mana generator? The computer says the shield is still offline, though.

[As we were attacked by the Corpse Blossom,] Selene cut in. [The lights for the mall turned back on.]

That doesnt make sense, Error frowned, fingers moving over a holographic keyboard as he glanced to the side.

[No, not unless you take into account that there was an unidentified magitech box attached to the mana generator.]

Error blinked. His eyes went from confusion and then to realization. Shock flashed across his face only to disappear as rage pulled his features into a tight sneer. His viridian eyes began to glow, hands clenching tightly against the table as he leaned forward, and I took a step back by reflex. Faint emerald light began to radiate off him as his lips curled back in a snarl.

What? he hissed.

[It was a magitech box, clearly Guardian bought. With no markings on it, I assumed the only logical and reasonable explanation was that the box was some type of booster for the generator. However, if the shield generator didnt turn on, but the lights activated]

There was a tense silence as Error stared at Selene with undisguised fury. Slowly, he leaned back into his chair, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

[The damage to her arm was significant,] Selene said quietly. [It cost a lot of points, and even then she had to self-amputate.]

The silence became strained, lasting only for another few moments before Error shattered it.

Fuck! Error slammed his hand onto the table, and I flinched as my whole body went tight with nervous fear.

Error seemed to catch the motion, eyes snapping to me, and he quickly held up his hands in a calming motion. The green light that had been coming off him disappeared, his glowing eyes dimming.

Sorry! I just this is dang it, he sighed. Im sorry this never should have happened to you, and Im sorry you had to go through this Did you manage to recover your arm?

[She made her first zero-point purchase,] Selene nodded at him, and he gave a bitter snort.

Well, welcome to the club, for what its worth, he raised an imaginary glass to me, and I furrowed my brow in confusion.

[Its considered a rite of passage among higher level Guardians,] Selene explained. [Because most zero-point purchases mean a truly desperate situation, having had to make one is a badge of respect.]

So at least you have that, Error spat. As for the magitech box and lights coming on I cant believe I didnt figure it out before. I never even considered it an option because its so freaking insane and stupid. I should have seen it, though, or at least realized it was at least a possibility, but

He shook his head. I looked between the grim, angry expressions on the officers' faces and Errors before I decided to speak up.

Um I dont really understand. What does that box have to do with the lights?

Error sighed, rubbing his brow.

Where to start Alright, so this whole time, we thought the shield station went down because of some glitch, right? That the shelters coming online all at once somehow made the generator think it was compromised because of the sudden draw in power. So it did an emergency shutdown, which caused a burst of mana, and that was what knocked the malls power offline. Thats what we thought happened, right?

He waited for me to give a nod before continuing.

Well I assumed this was the case because the other possibility seemed too far-fetched. The possibility that the power supply was tampered with, that some idiot decided to mess with a machine that is literally responsible for keeping thousands of lives safe. Just to confirm my suspicions, when you turned on the generator, what percentage of power draw was displayed?

[82% was reported as the amount that caused the shutdown,] Selene answered. [At the time, I assumed someone had merely made a mistake setting up the generator because, as you said, the other possibility seemed too unlikely.]

Error shook his head, eyes again flashing.

Insane is the word you are looking for, he spat. Khai the reason the lights turned back on was because that mysterious box was leeching power from the mana generator. My guess is its a mana converter, turning mana into electricity like the shield station usually does. In other words, the mall was illegally siphoning power from the mana generator. Thats why the generator went down, and also why the shield station didnt restart when you turned the generator back on. The shield station has the software and equipment to recognize there actually was tampering, so of course it didnt automatically restart when you turned the generator back on. Of course, because the shield station didnt begin restarting, it didnt draw any Anathema, and so the Corpse Blossom was there waiting for you when you tried to run back.

Error had a sickened expression on his face as he shook his head.

Some idiot decided to illegally siphon some power, probably to save the mall money on its electricity bill, and everything that has happened has been because of that. All the lives put in danger, the hole in Arcadias shield network, all of it. It was all because someone wanted to save some money.

I stared at the screen in the silence that followed, my heart pounding as I processed all the information.

The shield station if it hadnt gone down, I would have been able to make it to the shelter with Brian. I would have been safe, never had my guts sucked on, never would have had to fight against monsters. I would be safe right now, and so would the hundreds of people in the shelter.

And I never would have had to cut off my own arm.

Money.

It was all because of money.

Oh, I sighed, somehow relieved by the familiar, sick feeling that settled into my gut. Okay. So the shelter on the third floor is still in danger, then? Can I make the shield station restart if I go there next?

Error and the officers blinked at that, giving me various shocked expressions.

Okay? Ji-woo asked, and I felt myself blush. Thats thats all?

Um yes? I tried, nervously shifting my weight. I guess it just makes more sense than this all being an accident, doesnt it?

Ji-woos face tightened at that, more confusion flashing through her eyes. I felt myself growing increasingly uncomfortable under the worried look she was giving me when Sergeant OMalley finally cleared his throat, nodding at Error Machina.

As a point of note, one of the owners of the mall happened to be visiting when the Usurpation started and is in this shelter. He was acting weird from the beginning, trying to put himself in charge of our decision making and only backed off when we threatened to arrest him. When the Familiar was informing us of what happened, we came to the same conclusion you have, so we decided to detain him.

Good, Errors eyes narrowed, a thin, bitter smile crossing his lips. It isnt much, but I can at least promise that I will find the people responsible for this. All of them. And when I do, I assure you they will not be seeing the outside of a prison cell for the rest of their lives. The laws regarding tampering with shielding stations are quite clear on that matter.

Im aware, Sergeant OMalley nodded, pausing for a moment. And Im also aware that normal attempts to interfere with a mana generator should have been detected. However, if the mana converter was provided and set up by a more legitimate source

I understand what you are implying, Sergeant, Error nodded. And I can assure you, no matter the credentials of who provided the converter, they will be punished. You have my word. As for the shield station, it can be restarted if you go there in person, but

A dark, gloomy look fell over Errors face. He opened his mouth to say something, then paused, made an irritated sound and clicked his teeth together. His eyebrows rose slightly, then he let out an annoyed grunt and shook his head. Errors expressions continued to change at a rapid-fire pace, and it took me a second to realize he must be communicating with his Familiar.

Is that what I look like when I talk to you? I whispered to Selene, and Ji-woo let out a huff of laughter beside me.

No, she whispered back. You have a blank, faraway look that grows more thoughtful. It just looks like youre thinking really hard.

My cheeks warmed a little, and Error finally let out an exasperated sigh, looking down at the table in front of him. He looked crestfallen, and he shook his head a few times.

What I want to tell you is that you cant, his finger started tapping on the table. But Im sure your Familiar would tell you the truth. I Look, our options are limited here. The shield station can be restarted with the proper authorization, which you have as a Magical Girl. The problem is, it requires double confirmation, one to begin the process and one to finalize after checking to make sure all readouts are stable. In other words, once you turned it on, you would have to sit there for the full five minutes it takes to start back up before you manually give a second confirmation command. The problem with that is the shield station will be gathering mana the whole time its starting back up, drawing all the Anathema in the area. So

So she cant, Ji-woo hurriedly interrupted. It would be too dangerous. But what if we escorted them instead? If we cleared out the Anathema along the path to this shelter, could we just bring them here once the doors are forced open?

Unfortunately, no, Error sighed, not without a lot of them dying, at least. Looking at the map of the mall, there are dozens of passages Anathema could wander in from. Even if you managed to clear the immediate area out, escorting that many people would take a long time, and the chances of an Anathema stumbling into the area or coming in through a rift during that process are almost guaranteed. Even worse, some Anathema have a sort of life force sense, letting them find living things from far away. They might not pick up on a a small group, but a few hundred? Anathema with the ability would be able to sense them from the other side of the mall. Hell, Id be surprised if the Anathema didnt just open up a rift and spawn a bunch of monsters right on top of them the second they sensed all the people.

What about the mana converter? Ji-woo asked quickly. What if we disconnected it, would the shield automatically restart then?

No. The restart sequence requires double confirmation regardless of the circumstances. Besides, I would not recommend messing with the mana converter. It would take a specialist to safely disconnect it without damaging the generator.

Error took in a deep breath, his hands clenching into fists.

Im sorry, but theres only one way to save everyone in that shelter.

But she cant do that! Ji-woo growled. You said it yourself! She would have to fight off who knows how many Anathema for five entire minutes before starting up the shield. Even if she did, there wouldnt be any way for her to escape, not with all the Anathema that would be drawn in. Its a suicide mission.

Yes, Error replied quietly, looking up and meeting my eye. It is.

I stared back into his gaze, my pulse spiking into my throat. It was his eyes, I decided, that sold it to me. There was something in them, a haunted, empty look that was too sharp not to come from somewhere deep. He meant what he said because he had experienced something similar to this.

And, I was willing to bet, hed also seen the same look that I hoped was in my eyes.

Because the fact of the matter was, I was scared. The idea of dying did scare me.

It just didnt scare me as much as knowing that by not going, others would be dying.

Other people would die, everyone in the third floors shelter, all in exchange for my life.

Lily would die so I could live.

I would be killing my only friend.

I decided, and it was easy.

Okay, I said, surprised by how collected my voice sounded. Ill do it.

You cant- Ji-woo immediately started.

Im the only one who can, I interrupted quietly. And and Im a Magical Girl. I have a chance.

Youre a Magical Girl without access to half of what makes you one, Error snarled, and I recoiled at the venom in his voice. You have no idea how screwed this has already been, how much youve already had to go through just because

He cut himself off, head twitching as his eyes briefly snapped to something I couldnt see.

If I dont go, people will die, I told them. People I know. People I care about.

I met Errors stare, and after a minute, he shook his head.

Officers, I need a moment with my khai.

Sergeant OMalley nodded, and while Ji-woo looked torn, she relented and followed OMalley out. Once the door was closed, Error leaned back in his chair and looked at Selene. A silence passed between them before Error gave Selene a nod.

Its time, he said simply.

[It is. It breaks regulation, but the circumstances warrant it. The rules set by the council have doomed her every step, and I wont have her doing this blind. She at least deserves to know the truth about her Astral Shift.]

Error nodded, face curling with disgust, and I looked between the two of them in confusion.

Whats going on? I asked, and Selene turned to face me.

[Its time I told you about the things Ive kept from you. About the Basic section of your status menu, the reason you cant use your Astral Shift to transform, and about just how different your fights should have gone. What I say next, I will only transmit to you. All I ask is that you can forgive me, because even though you told me I could keep these things from you, what Im about to say is going to hurt.]

I felt my breathing pick up a little, and I glanced between the two of them. Error gave a small nod.

Ill be here for any questions you might have, he leaned back, turning to look to the side. Take all the time you need.

Whats going on? I asked, my heart thumping in my chest.

[Its time you learned your Origin, the reason you were chosen to become a Magical Girl and why that very reason has kept you from accessing your Astral Shift.]

I looked between the two of them as my pulse continued to increase. Error wouldnt quite meet my eyes, and Selenes tails were limp, lying lifelessly on the table. I swallowed down my anxiety, steeling my nerves.

Tell me.

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