A Fox's Mission Page 6

  “Because for a character like myself there are only two possibilities as to what my role can be in a magical girl scenario: The animal sidekick or the lesbian love interest. I like you, Lindsay, but not enough to have sex with you, so animal sidekick it is.”

  Blushing a bit at the “lesbian love interest” comment, Lindsay frowned at the fox. “I’m not sure how I feel about that. Aren’t you romantically involved with your sister?”

  For just a moment, Lilian’s face froze in an expression of anguish. Lindsay blinked, and the look vanished. Had she imagined that?

  “Iris has been with me for my whole life,” Lilian said. “I know it might seem weird to a human, but kistune society is vastly different from human society. Incest and same-sex relationships aren’t really taboo. Honestly, the only thing concerning about our relationship is that she and I can’t sire offspring since we are both women. However, no one cares if we have sex.” Pausing, Lilian seemed to ponder something before adding. “There’s also the fact that she is a Void and I’m a Celestial, but that’s more a matter of genetic compatibility than anything. Even if she were a man, we still wouldn’t be able to reproduce since our affinities clash.”

  “Uh, I don’t really get any of that, but okay.”

  Lilian sighed at her friend’s lack of understanding. “In yōkai society, matters such as incest aren’t a real problem. Unlike you humans, children born from blood relatives aren’t deformed, be it mentally or physically. There are actually many cases where cousins and siblings of the same clan will be forced to mate in order to keep genetic purity. Humans need to diversify their genes to survive.”

  What Lilian spoke of was the basics of genetics, a field of biology centered around hereditary genes and genetic variations found within living organisms. Lindsay wasn’t much for genetics. She was barely passing that class, so all this talk of genes gave her a headache—not that Lilian seemed to care.

  “However, it is the exact opposite for yōkai, especially those who have strong elemental affinities. Siring a child with a yōkai who doesn’t have the same affinity as you means that your child’s affinity will be weaker than yours, which is practically a death sentence to your child. Yōkai often cull children whose affinities are weak.”

  Lindsay gaped. “You mean they kill them?!”

  “What?” Lilian needed a moment to make sense of her friend’s words. “No. Of course not. Don’t be stupid, Lindsay.”

  “But you said—”

  “I said they cull them, not kill them. That being said, killing them would probably be more merciful.” Lilian shook her head and sighed, and then ran a paw through her hair. Lindsay thought it was a surprisingly Kevin gesture. “Yōkai who have weak affinities are almost always kicked out of their clans. A weak yōkai reflects poorly on the clan.”

  “T-that’s horrible!” Lindsay held a hand to her mouth and gasped. “How could anyone do that?”

  “Believe me, you’re not the only person who doesn’t approve of how the yōkai world works.”

  Rage flashed through Lilian’s eyes. It was so complete, so utterly overpowering, that Lindsay almost stumbled away from her friend in fright.

  “Well,” the rage left and Lilian suddenly smiled, “why don’t we get started with your first lesson?”

  “Eh?”

  “And what better way to do that, then to have you experience what being a magical girl is all about first hand.” Lilian saw the blank confusion that Lindsay wore and gestured at something in the distance. “Take a look over there.”

  Lindsay frowned, but turned her head and looked at where Lilian was pointing.

  The frown grew.

  “What… exactly am I looking at? What is that thing?”

  The “thing” that Lindsay spoke of was large and hairy. It had no definitive shape, but appeared instead to be an amorphous blob of fur that could change shape at will. She would have said it looked like sludge, seeing how it crawled across the floor, but it was so furry that she couldn’t. Two bright red eyes sat near the top.

  “That is a thought entity,” Lilian told her. “It’s a malicious creature created by the lingering negative thoughts of people who’ve died.”

  “So, like a ghost?” Lindsay asked.

  Lilian shrugged. “If that helps you imagine what this is, then yes.”

  “… Right.” Lindsay looked at the malicious thought entity, which was just sort of roaming around several dozen feet in front of them, then back at Lilian. “So, why have I not heard of these things before now? This sounds pretty important.”

  “Never mind that,” Lilian dismissed her words. “That’s not important. What is important is that you, as a magical girl, are duty bound to extinguish these evil entities wherever they are found.”

  “I don’t remember you saying anything about this before.”

  “Of course, in defeating these thought entities, you will grow in experience and eventually level up. This is all so you can become strong enough to help your friends instead of being sidelined like a side character.”

  Lindsay could have sworn that Lilian was purposefully diverting her attention.

  “Now, then, raise your wand above your head and repeat after me,” Lilian said.

  Lindsay raised her wand high above her head.

  “I am the one who has been given a mission.”

  I can’t believe I’m doing this.

  “I am… the one who has been given a mission.”

  “Under the contract, release those powers unto me.”

  “Under… under the contract, release those powers unto me.”

  “The powers of love, friendship, and yuri.”

  This is so embarrassing.

  “The powers of love, friendship, and yuri. Wait. What’s yuri?”

  “Moon Prism Power: Activate!”

  “Moon Prism—wait a minute! You stole that last line from Sailor Moon!”

  “So? Every other line was stolen from Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha—except that one about love, friendship, and yuri. That one was mine,” Lilian said, her chest puffing up with pride.

  “Don’t look so proud of yourself!” Lindsay spat.

  “Ufufufu.”

  “Stop laughing!”

  “By the way, Lindsay, you might want to run.”

  “Huh?” Lindsay stopped raging long enough to look at Lilian in confusion.

  “You know that evil thought entity I was talking about? It saw you.”

  “What?!” Lindsay looked over to see that, yes, the malicious thought entity had seen her, and it was currently rushing in her direction faster than should have been possible for a blob. “Crap! Lilian, what do we do—haaa? Lilian?” Lindsay stared at the spot where Lilian had been, dumbfounded. Lilian wasn’t there anymore. She’d disappeared. “Where did that woman—KYA!”

  Leaping backwards, Lindsay could only thank the heavens for her athletic ability. The ground where she’d been standing cratered as the creature landed on it. Was it just her, or did it look a lot bigger up close?

  Strange objects shot from the creature’s fur. Lindsay screamed as she ran away.

  The thought entity let out a loud roar and raced after her. More projectiles shot from its fur, and Lindsay did all she could to dodge. She wove a zigzag pattern. Projectiles passed her on all sides. They slammed into the ground and penetrated the concrete like it was paper. Lindsay would have gulped, but she was too busy running for her life.

  “What are you doing?” a voice asked on her left. Lindsay turned her head to see Lilian running alongside her, easily keeping pace as she bounded on all fours.

  “I’m running! What’s it look like I’m doing?” Lindsay shouted.

  “You do realize that you’re negating the entire purpose of this night by running away, right?”

  “What else am I supposed to do—”

  Several dozen projectiles crashed into the ground next to them. Lindsay squealed in fright.

  “—Kya!

  “Um, transform? You kn
ow, that thing that I’ve been trying to get you to do this whole time.”

  Even though her fox face seemed inexpressive, Lindsay thought Lilian somehow looked exasperated.

  “Right. Because transforming into a magical girl is so easy! Maybe if you actually told me how to transform, I’d be able to.”

  “I already told you,” Lilian said, sounding irritated. “It’s all about visualization. You need to imagine yourself as a magical girl, visualize it within your mind, and then speak your activation phrase. I’ve told you this a hundred times.”

  “Well, sorry for being so slow and incompetent!” Lindsay squealed when several projectiles passed by overhead. She could actually feel them slicing the air above her!

  “Hurry up and activate your transformation!”

  “I can’t!”

  “You have to!”

  “But I—”

  “I believe in you,” Lilian interrupted, giving her a thumbs up… which shouldn’t have even been possible since she didn’t have opposable thumbs. “I know you can do it.”

  “That really doesn’t inspire much confidence…”

  Lindsay knew that she couldn’t keep this up. That monster was gaining on her, and if she didn’t do something soon, then…

  I guess there’s no choice.

  She raised her wand above her head…

  I can’t believe I’m doing this.

  “M-Magical… Heart: Activate!”

  Magical passcode detected. Activate.

  “Did this thing just talk?” Lindsay asked before she was engulfed in a bright light. “What’s going on?!”

  Lindsay squealed when her clothing suddenly vanished. Strange sparkles coalesced around her as she tried to conceal her body. Unfortunately, her body didn’t do what she wanted it to. Her hands moved on their own, stretching out as if grasping for something. Gloves appeared on them, whiter than snow and flowing up to her elbows. Streams of magical energy wove around her body, forming a skin tight bodice, then a skirt, which barely covered her butt. Knee length boots materialized on her feet. When her transformation finished, Lindsay twirled her magical wand around, then struck a suitably mahou shojo pose.

  “Ooh!” Lilian clapped excitedly with her front paws. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a magical transformation.”

  “Don’t act so happy!” Lindsay covered her body as if that would somehow hide her shame. “That was the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me!”

  “But you were so cute when transforming.”

  “That doesn’t make me happy!”

  “Hawa!”

  Lindsay twitched. Maybe it was just her, but this future Lilian didn’t seem to be right in the head.

  “Oh, by the way,” Lilian said.

  “What?” Lindsay growled.

  “That thought entity is still trying to kill you.”

  “Huh?”

  “ROOOARRRR!”

  “AAHHH!”

  The monster lunged. Lindsay dodged. It slammed into the wall of a building, which shattered like glass underneath the beast’s gargantuan size.

  “What am I supposed to do now?” Lindsay asked as it turned to her, gleaming red eyes gazing down at her with malice.

  “Now you need to defeat that creature to stop it,” Lilian answered the obvious question with an equally obvious answer.

  Lindsay shrieked and leapt away. Several projectiles caused the ground in front of her to explode.

  “How do I do that?” she demanded.

  “It’s like I’ve been telling you: By visualizing what you want to have happen, you can create spells. If you want fire, imagine fire. The same goes for ice and other spells. It’s not just elements either. If you can imagine it, then it will become a spell. Your wand has synched with you now, so once you have a spell in mind, it will do the rest.”

  While Lilian spoke, Lindsay scrambled away from the monster, which had tried to body slam her. It hit the ground instead, causing fractures to appear along the road top.

  Visualize…

  Left with no other choice, Lindsay attempted to visualize an attack. With her anger at Lilian and this monster, it was easy to imagine the stupid thing burning. She pictured flames. Her wand made it happen.

  Magical Actualization. Start up. Inferno.

  Lindsay pointed her magical wand at the monster. Light flashed from the tip before a giant cone of fire blasted forth like a surging tidal wave. It washed over the monster, whose angry roar turned into a shriek of agony. The beast disappeared within the inferno, vanishing before Lindsay’s eyes. When the blaze died down, there was nothing left—nothing but a strangely beautiful green gem, which floated in the air.

  “T-there… I did it.”

  “That you did.” Lilian, still in fox form, strolled up to her. “Good job.”

  Lindsay glared at the kitsune. “You could have helped me, you know.”

  “If I did that, then the whole point of you coming out here would have been pointless. Besides, you did an excellent job—even if it took you way longer than it should have.”

  “Whatever,” Lindsay mumbled. She was so tired. She just wanted to sleep now, but she couldn’t yet because of that green gem floating in front of her. “So, what is that thing?”

  “You mean the jewel seed? Touch it with your wand.”

  Lindsay wearily did as told. She became shocked when it glowed a bright pink before vanishing into her wand.

  “What the…?”

  “Those jewel seeds are the prize you get whenever you defeat a thought entity,” Lilian lectured. “Once you gain a certain number of jewel seeds, you will have one wish granted.”

  “A wish?” She hadn’t been told about this—then again, she hadn’t been told about the monster either. This Lilian wasn’t very good at explaining things.

  “That’s right. A wish, just one, but it can be anything you want.”

  “Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  Lindsay paused. If gathering these jewel whatevers really could grant any wish she wanted, then…

  “Lindsay, I love you,” Christine said, wearing nothing but whip cream covering her naughty parts.

  “C-Christine,” Lindsay blushed shyly. “What are you saying? Do you mean that you…”

  “Yes, Lindsay, please, marry me.”

  “Of course! I’d love to marry you!”

  Christine pulled her into a hug, Lindsay’s clothes magically disappeared, and flower petals suddenly surrounded the two of them as her cries of ecstasy echoed throughout the room.

  Lilian felt a drop of sweat run down her neck as drool began leaking from Lindsay’s mouth.

  “Lindsay? Hello! Earth to Lindsay!”

  She snapped her finger in front of the girl several times, but nothing seemed to happen. The girl didn’t even blink. When blood started leaking from her friend’s nose, Lilian knew that she was a lost cause.

  “Well,” Lilian started, “I guess I’ll take her home.”

  Wrapping her tails around the girl and lifting her into the air, Lilian wandered back to the Dianne residence. It had taken some time, but Lindsay had finally taken her first step on the road to becoming a magical girl.

  It isn’t much, Lilian thought grimly, but every little bit helps.

  She looked up. The sky was invisible, blocked by a giant dome of rock.

  Beloved… I promise I won’t let this world end like mine did… I won’t let you turn into a monster in this timeline.

  Chapter 3

  The Troubles of a Human High School Student

  Daven had been speaking with Kotohime and Mack when the phone rang.

  “Hello?” he grunted in his gruff voice upon putting the phone to his ear.

  “…”

  Daven listened to the person on the other end, suddenly feeling his age, all 700 years of it.

  “Is that so? I suppose there is nothing that can be done at the moment. If possible, I’d like you to stay there until I can figure something o
ut.”

  “…”

  Grunting, Daven hung up the phone. Lounging in a chair, Mack gave the other man a look while Kotohime, standing beside the desk, raised a single eyebrow in question. He tried not to sigh, but it was really hard.

  “That was Kevin,” Daven said upon seeing the unspoken question. “He, Lilian, and Iris have made contact with Orin Wukong. However…”

  “I am guessing they have run into some kind of trouble?” Kotohime asked, her lips turning into a delicate frown.

  “Yes, a problem would be an accurate way to describe things.” Daven paused, contemplating how to explain. “When I was younger, I was very… entitled. I thought of myself as the leader of the Four Saints, and I tried to push the others into doing what I demanded. While Kuroneko didn’t really mind, and Sarah did whatever she wanted no matter what I asked of her, Orin and I butted heads many times. He disliked how I tried to order him around. In some ways, you could even say it was my attempts at bossing the others that caused the Four Saints to go their separate ways.”

  “I never took you for the self-entitled type,” Kotohime said, hiding her mouth behind the voluminous sleeve of her kimono. “Ufufufu, it seems even someone as prestigious as Monstrang-dono acted recklessly in his youth.”

  If her words bothered him, Daven did not show it. He leaned back, the chair squeaking ominously, and placed his clasped hands on the desk.

  “I was much younger back then,” Daven confessed, as though admitting to some great sin. “I had all these ideals and all this power that I thought I could do anything. That led me to becoming arrogant and acting out a lot.”

  “Well, that’s not really your fault, is it?” Mack asked rhetorically. “Everyone acts like a know-it-all when they’re younger. Part of being a youth is acting impetuous and feeling a sense of self-entitlement.”

  Daven finally released a sigh, smoke pouring from his mouth as he did so. “That may be so, but I was still a fully-grown adult during that time, not some young brat who was wet behind the ears. I had worldly knowledge, yet I didn’t have wisdom. It wasn’t until the Four Saints went their separate ways that I realized how foolish I had been.”