Magical Girl: Human Rebellion

Despite our victory, it was clear there was still something wrong. Mai had gotten distracted by something at a crucial moment and almost gotten knocked out. In a real fight, it likely would have meant her death.

The semi finals came and went much the same way. Mai used her new ability to analyse the abilities and weaknesses of our opponents, but with her head not screwed on right she got herself eliminated in a careless way, leaving me to finish the fight alone. I barely scraped by, using a significant amount of the magical power I had been hoping to save for the finals.

“Looks like the four of us are gonna get a rematch. Let’s see how you do without that Angel of yours there to save your ass.”

Hikari teased us lightly as we left the ring, and though i responded with a casual ‘it won’t be as easy as you’re hoping,’ I had very little confidence we could stand a chance against them in our current state.

To give us a chance to recharge before the fight, there was a 10 minute break between the semis and the finals. I used the time to take Mai aside once again, now sincerely worried about her mental state.

“It’s not like you at all to blank in a combat situation like you’ve been today. Clearly there’s something more to this than just being worried about Kei. What’s going on?”

Her expression had grown graver than I had ever seen it. Whatever was on her mind was clearly haunting her severely. I was starting to get pushy, but I was now worried that if I didn’t nudge her towards telling me she would simply bottle up her fears until it became too much. Such a fate was one I couldn’t allow.

“I just… That theory I mentioned before, the more I think about it, the more sense it makes, but I just… I don’t want to believe it. I desperately want to believe it’s not true. But fuck, I can’t stop thinking about it. Every piece of the puzzle fits together too damn perfectly. It’s like Occam’s Razor is shaving away every other possibility, and my sanity alongside it.”

“Do you think you could tell me what that theory is?”

Mai swallowed hard at the suggestion. Her expression was deeply conflicted. It was obvious why: she wanted to be open with me and accept my help, but speaking her idea out loud would make it too real. It looked like the decision was actively tearing her apart.

After much deliberation, she appeared to make up her mind.

“Shin… I think Kei might b-”

“Shin! Mai!” The panicked voice of Saki interrupted Mai’s own, as she burst into the hall. “They’re here! At the manor! They’re here for us!” She was visibly rattled, a rarity for the one who always kept a level head even in combat situations.

“Saki, calm down. Who’s here? What are you talking about?” I asked. Saki breathed in heavily to calm herself down, then dropped a bombshell on us.

“It’s Flame. All four of them. I don’t know how, but they’re here.”

***

Saki took us to a place out front where Nao and Hana were already waiting for us and, sure enough, there stood the four girls who had caused us so many problems.

“Good of you all to join us. And put your fists down. We don’t wanna fight if we don’t have to.”

At Nakama’s words, the five of us looked between each other, before begrudgingly lowering our guards

‘In truth, I’d prefer to avoid violence too if possible. We can’t risk any of us getting seriously hurt when there’s just a couple weeks left until the solstice.’

Saki spoke that message to our minds, and I reluctantly agreed. Getting rid of our most troublesome enemies here and now would improve our chances drastically, but the same went the other way. If any of the four of us were incapacitated here, it would throw a spanner in the plans we had concocted.

“How did you find us, Nakama? This place is in the middle of nowhere.” As usual, Saki took the lead as our spokesman.

“You underestimate hell. We can drop in wherever we please, and that includes using a person as a waypoint. You were never truly hidden from us.”

“Then why bother with this whole ‘hot gates’ approach? Why would Baal Zebul deliberately send his forces through a choke point instead of at random points on Earth?”

“He simply respects your resolve and wants to test you on an even playing field. You could call it a form of mercy, in a sense.”

I had a sinking feeling. This little ‘talk’ wasn’t gonna go well, that much was obvious. The very first thing said to us was that the war would already be over if not for the questionable actions of the enemy sovereign. I wasn’t sure if it was a genuine answer or just an attempt to intimidate us, but it was a poor start.

“Out with it then. Why are you here? If it’s not to fight you must have something to say.”

“So quick to get to the point as always, Saki. Okay, I’ll say it outright then: save yourselves. Surrender peacefully and accept Baal Zebul’s rule.”

“This again? Haven’t I already told you no?”

“As have each of your friends. But once again, we’ve come back to tell you that your decision is a foolish one. Why are you so adamant about not listening to reason?”

The pressure I had felt the last time we came face to face with Flame was back. It occurred to me that it was too powerful to simply be a result of Nakama’s natural attitude. This was likely her signature power.

I also caught something in her words. Each of your friends. Had all four of us been visited by a member of Flame at some point? I already knew of Mai being cornered by Yokoshima, but had Nao and Saki been in the same position?

“What you’re talking about isn’t reason. It’s cowardice. Why are you so determined to turn your back on your own species?”

“A leader’s job is to protect her subordinates, no matter the cost. This is our best chance of survival. I saw an opportunity to protect the lives of my girls and I took it. I’m urging you to do the same.”

“Survival in a world where everything that makes life worth living is stripped away? You’re insane.”

Tensions heightened immediately. It was obvious that Saki and Nakama would never see eye to eye on this issue. But it was also obvious that this wasn’t the full extent of why they were here.

“If this was all you had to say, you wouldn’t have bothered to come,” I interjected with my own thoughts. “Why are you really here?”

“Surely you’ve realised it yourself by now, Shin?” The girl who spoke wore my face. “Earth was made as a place for heaven and hell to fight their proxy wars. If one side loses access to Earth, what do you think happens to it?”

I was unable to reply, because I knew exactly what she meant. If we did defeat hell, it’s obvious what would happen: heaven would be the next to try to claim sovereignty over Earth.

“We don’t come to convince you to lay down arms completely, just to turn them towards the true enemy.” Nakama took the stage once again. “If hell takes over Earth, it is true that ideas of the collective will cease to exist. Regrettably, that includes the ability to feel love and friendship. That being said, it is preferable to the alternative. Were you to beat hell, it’s inevitable that Earth would instead fall to heaven. Were that to happen, all ideas of individuality would cease to exist. Free will, personality, expression, all would be concepts of the past. Could you truly say such a future is one you could fight for?”

As much as I hated to admit it, she had a valid point. Individualism was just as important to humanity as collectivism, perhaps even more so. A world under the rule of heaven was not one I could accept openly. That being said…

“What makes you think we would just roll over and accept the rule of heaven? Earth needs no god nor masters.” Saki spoke my thoughts before me, her tone a mixture of resolute and stubborn.

“Ha. You seriously think you can take on both Baal Zebul and God? Maybe you really are suicidal. You cannot take the middle road in this fight, Tachibana. Humanity’s time is over. Demon or Angel. One will be your overlord, whether you accept it or not.”

“Humanity’s will isn’t so feeble, Nakama. We’re not pushovers. You’ve made the decision to kneel. Now we’re making the decision to stand.”

Despite the overwhelming presence that radiated off of Nakama’s very being, we were able to stand with our heads held high at Saki’s side.

“Unfortunate.” Nakama sighed, and from her belt she drew two kunai: the same knives she had attacked us with that day in the chemistry lab. “It seems negotiations have broken down. Girls, don’t kill them. Just hurt them enough to stop them getting in our way.”

My fighting spirit was suddenly stoked to the highest level. I had no thoughts other than those telling me to fight with all my might.

“Are you insane? We have an army here. You’re outnumbered 75-to-1. Do you seriously think you can win?” Hana asked.

“Oh, but we’re not outnumbered. After all, this battle will just be between the eight of us, will it not, Saki dear?” Nakama taunted us, and though it made little logical sense, I agreed that the fight should be between our two teams alone.

“She’s right, Hana. Sit this one out. I’m afraid this fight is personal.”

With Saki’s words, the eight of us prepared to square off. For the first time, we would be facing the full might of Flame Of Time.