Magical Girl Outcast

The autonomy of a Magical Girl is very much a legal gray area. Legaly speaking they become emancipated as soon as they contracted. However most Magical Girls contract as teenagers or even younger. So a lot of them are not ready for the responsibility that come with adulthood.

How do you deal with a child that has more authority than the majority of adults? That can be a very tricky question and one that can lead to many psychological development problems.

But trying to treat Magical Girls who are forced to fight in a thankless neverending war like a bunch of children could also be just as harmful. In the end it doesn't seem like there is a good answer on how to deal with Magical Girls and we can only react to their situation on a case to case basis.

The most important thing is to have an honest conversation and listen to what your child need. They might not have the normal childhood you might have hoped for them. But they will still need you to be there for them.

Excerpt from the 'Magical Girls and Parenting' guidebook. -2042

The rest of the day seemed like a daze to Rin. Right when the sky cleared from the purple mist the first responders and the Canadian Army very quickly entered within the town and secured the perimeter killing the few Unfeelings still in town the Magical Girls have missed with magical guns.

Pomelo had quickly woken up from her daze much to Rin and Moruga's relief. But the paramedics still insisted on taking her to the hospital for a checkup. After a few grumbles Pomelo aquised and went into the ambulance car with them.

After the the all clear was given the Emergence Shelters were opened. The police made two arrests as soon as the reinforced doors were opened. The first one was the security officer who had activated the magic barrier for what was considered an insignificant threat to the school's shelter.

The second arrested however shocked Rin a lot more. A woman was escorted in handcuffs out of the Central Shelter. To Rin's shock the woman was her own mother. She felt herself tense up as she stare at Rin for a second but didn't react to her appearance.

With a start Rin realised her mom didn't recognise her because she was still in her Magical Girl form.

She was tempted to detransform and show that it was her and maybe gloated a little bit about the fact that her hobby hadn't been such a waste of time after all. But with how many civilians there was now outside she couldn't risk revealing herself for such a petty reason.

So instead she approached one of the police officer and asked. ''Why is she being arrested?''

The police turned to her and frowned. ''This woman was recorded by the security camera in the shelter yelling at her kid about how she didn't want them back at her house. She's been charged with child abuse and abandonment.''

Rin froze at that, so her mom was going to prison because of her? She didn't know how to feel about this. Her mom never liked her, but a part of her had still hoped they might reconsiliate and she could have returned home. No matter how unlikely that might be. But now she was going to be arrested and she really had no home to return to.

What would happen to her now?

Tears started pooling under her eyes and her she started breathing heavily. She felt her legs started buckling under her. W-why was it so hard to breath suddenly? She vaguely felt something warm pressing against her but she couldn't managed to aknowledge it. Everything was so blurry.

''Rin?! Do you hear me?! Rin?!'' She finally started to hear someone but it felt distant to her ear.

She squinted at the blurry blob that was pressed against her back and squinted until she recognize what or who was talking to her. ''A-Alicia?'' Rin croaked her voice hoarse.

Alicia was giving a concerned look her arm wrapped around Rin protectively. ''Rin are you alright? I think you just had a panic attack.''

A panic attack? Really? Her situation with her mom was pretty bad. But having a panic attack seemed like an overeaction. She was too weak if it was all it took to make her lose it.

[Rin, there's no shame about what you're feeling. Your mom abandoned you and you nearly died twice today. This would shake most adults to their core, nevermind a twelve years old.] Lupin replied, his voice clearly concerned just as much as Alicia.

''This might have been a bad time to do this. Maybe I should come back another day.'' A new voice suddenly stated. Rin glance in the direction where the speaker voice and saw a man in a business suit holding a briefcase.

''N-no I'm alright now, what is it?'' Rin said barely above a whisper.

Alicia still looked concerned but gave a unsure nod back to the man who cleared his throat. ''In that case we would like you to return to the Town Hall with us, we have a few things to discuss.'' The man said in a professional tone.

Rin looked at him and Alicia with clear confusion on her face. Alicia smiled at her gently to ease her concern. ''It's nothing bad dearie. But with everything that happened there is a lot we need to discuss about your future. I asked this gentleman to let me act as your guardian since your biological mother is...indisposed. I hope you don't think I'm overstepping.''

Rin still felt a bit out of it but she shook her head empathetically at Alicia ''It's fine, you're probably the closest thing I have to a grandma.'' She felt herself flushed as soon as she said the words. Alicia must think she was weird. They had only met today and here she was treating her like family.

But when she looked at Alicia she looked touched at her words, almost to the point of tears. Which surprised Rin but also made her feel warm inside.

The man in the suit smiled at the scene, but quickly regained his professional neutral look. ''Now please follow me, we have a lot to discuss.''

They made their way into the Town Hall but rather than going to the shelter they went upstair and the man opened the door into an office. The room was still in perfect condition. It looked like no Unfeelings had made it this far in the building.

The man in the suit sat behind a desk and motioned to the chairs in front of him. ''Please take a seat.''

Rin and Alicia looked at each other before they each took a chair and sat down. ''Now that we're here you can turn off your Astral Shift.'' He said to Rin.

The girl froze and wondered if she should really follow that advice. ''Huh...''

The man smiled a bit more genuinely at her nervousness. ''It's fine miss Rin Ainsley. Everyone in this room know who you are.''

Rin sputtered after the man used her name. ''H-how?!''

''I suppose a proper introduction might be in order.'' The man said slightly bowing his head. ''My name is David Timothy. I work for the Canadian government, more specifically I work for the Underage Magical Girls Protection Bureau. The government received a notice that you contracted about six hours ago. Each governments have a database of all the Magical Girls who have been contracted within their jurisdiction. it's an agreement the U.N. has made with the Awakened.''

Rin nodded slowly before dropping her Astral Shift form. She felt awkward and exposed revealing her civilian form like this to a stranger. Especially since it made it instantly obvious she wasn't really a biological female in this form. But she tried to ignore it by continuing the discusion.

''So if you come from a Magical Girls Protection Bureau then this has to do with what happened with my mom?'' She asked.

David nodded slowly. ''At least partially yes. The government would have made contact with you regardless to discuss your new status as a Magical Girl. But the situation with your mother has put this meeting ahead of schedule.''

Daid opened his suitcase and Rin's eyes widened as he presented a paper with the words 'adoption forms' written in red ink. ''Now miss Rin, or is it mister in this form?''

''M-miss please.'' Rin replied barely above a whisper and the man continued seeming completely unphased.

''Right, miss Rin, you have a few choices at your disposal here. The first is to be sent to the orphanage, the orphanage building has receive some damaged during the Unfeeling assault. It's nothing too major but it will take a month for the repairs. So you'll be living in the local hotel if you decide to go live with them.''

Rin really didn't want to go to an orphanage. She was nervous enough sitting in classroom with other kids. She didn't know how she would handle having to live constantly with a bunch of kids that may make fun of her for being such a weirdo. ''What's the other options?''

''Well legally speaking miss Rin. You became emancipated as soon as you made a contract to become a Magical Girl. Despite me being technically part of a branch of child protection services. If you decide to go live on your own there's nothing I could do to stop you. The help I offer you is completely optional.''

Rin gulped and nodded, the prospect of living alone at the age of twelve was pretty scary. But it was honestly preferable to an orphanage in her mind.

''Finally there is the third and last option. Miss Alicia here has offered to adopt you and become your legal guardian. Technically speaking this would be a mere formality since you legally have the same rights of an adult. But regardless she has offered to take you under her roof, if you so wish.''

Rin looked at Alicia and shock and the old woman gave her a gentle but hopeful smile in response. ''A-are you sure? You don't even really know me.'' Rin said trying her best to contain her tears.

''I know you enough.'' Alicia replied with complete sincerity. ''If you would entertain a silly old woman like me. I would be honored to take care of such a bright young girl until you can stand on your own two feet.''

Rin couldn't contain it anymore and started sobbing as she pressed herself againt Alicia who proceeded to embrace her and gently pet the top of her head.

Once Rin managed to calm down from the emotional outburst she felt embarassed that the man had been a witness to her embarassing display. But he only smiled warmly. ''I think I don't even need to ask with which option you would want to go with.'' Rin blushed and the two adults laughed good naturely.

Alicia signed her own name on the adoption paper. 'Alicia Taylor' and just like that Rin was now under the care of the old woman she had saved. And she couldn't be happier about it.

David cleared his throat and the girl and the woman turned his attention back to him. ''Now that's taken care off, we can move to the main subject the government would have wanted talk with you about if those unexpected circumstances hadn't happened.''

Rin cocked her head curiously. ''What is it?''

''Well, simply speaking the government wish for you to transfer of school.'' David said before digging into his suitcase and presenting the brochures of many schools from all over Canada.

''H-huh? Why?'' Rin asked confused.

David shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. ''Alagia Middle School is a decent school for civilians. The problem is that it doesn't offer any ressources for fledgling Magical Girls. Technically speaking it is your legal right to forgo training entirely. But I would heavily advice against it. Magical Girls who don't take the school programs to train themselves with professional help have a much higher mortality rate on the field.''

Rin gulped and she could feel Alicia clenching her hand as if to discourage her of being reckless. ''Alright, I guess it would be dumb of me to not train properly. But what about Alicia? What was the point of her adopting me if I'm going away?''

Alicia smiled at that. ''What make you think I'm not going with you?''

Rin eyes widened. ''H-huh? You would move away from your home just for me?''

Alicia shrugged. ''My house is basically finished after what those Unfeelings did to it. Even if I didn't move out of town I would still need to buy a new house with the assurance money I'll receive from this. And it isn't like there's anything that is tying me to this town anymore. My childrens and their family don't live here anymore. Whether I'm here or in another town they'll visit me just as regularly.''

Rin still felt like Alicia was upending her life just for her and felt guilty about it. But she tried to not show it as she smiled at her.

David sighed as he lined up the pamphlet before the two of them. Putting their attention back to him. ''There is however one issue that we are unfortunately facing when it come to enrolling you into a Middle School that has a Magical Girls program.''

''What is it?'' Rin said trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest.

''All of the schools that accept Magical Girls in Canada are all-girls schools.'' David replied with a frown.

Alicia looked annoyed. ''Why is that?''

David shrugged helplessly. ''It make sense really. Magical Girls training program can be expensive. And most Magical Girls are only contracted on their third year of middle school. There are much more specialised Magical Girls institutions for high school students. But middle schools are much more limited in scope. And so to maximize the profit from the cost sunk they only admit female students to maximize the chances that some of their students will be contracted on their third year.''

''And I'm assuming those schools are not trans inclusive?'' Alicia asked clenching her jaw.

David shook his head sadly. ''Unfortunately not, some of it is plain old transphobia. But the main big reason is the belief that trans girls cannot be contracted to become Magical Girls. Which evidently is a false assertion.'' He said while gesturing to Rin who flushed in embarassment.

''S-so what do we do? Am I just out of luck?'' Rin asked in a small fragile voice.

Alicia glared at David as if to urge him to find a solution and fast. David smiled back nervously before coughing politely.

''Well...How would you feel about legally changing your gender Rin? I can't promise anything but I think it would be easier to convince a school to let you in if your legal gender was changed to match your identity. That and the fact that you arleady are a Magical Girl should be a good motivation for them to bend the rule.''

Rin stared at him in surprise. ''Y-you can change my legal gender, just like that?'' It was a bit scary, proclaiming loud and clear to the world that she was a girl after all those years in the closet. And yet she wanted nothing more than to do it.

David nodded. ''As a member of the Underage Magical Girls Protection Bureau. There is a lot I can do legally speaking to assist Magical Girls. Changing your name and gender would be easy. Speaking of, are you fine with keeping the name Rin?''

Rin nodded, her name was gender neutral so she had no problem keeping it.

David then retreived a piece of paper and her heart caught in her throat. Most of the form had arleady been filled for her with most of her information the same as what she remembered. With one very important difference. Written under her name she saw the words sex: female. It felt so sureal to see her name and the word female put together but it also made her feel really happy.

''Sign at the bottom and you will offically and legally be recognised as a female in all legal definitions.'' David said before presenting her a pen.

Without hesitation Rin signed her name on the form. David smiled and took the paper afterward. ''Congratulation on your gender change.''

''So what now?'' Rin asked as David put all his papers back in his suitcase except for the school pamphlet.

''Now I'll go and make some calls to some schools and see which ones would be willing to accept you. I'll get back to you probably in a few days. Alagia's middle school will be closed for repair for the remainder of the week. So just relax and take this time to recupperate from your ordeal, you deserve it.''

With that the man took his suitcase and walked away. Rin let all the tension melt away once he was gone. But then a question surfaced. ''Where are we going to stay if your house is damaged?''

Alicia smiled reassuringly. ''I rented an hotel room, we're going to stay there until we move to our new home.''

Rin nodded hesitantly and the two of them sat up. Alicia took all the pamphlet and dumped them in her purse before both of them walked away from the office. It had been a really long day and Rin couldn't wait to go to sleep...