Pain. Lost potential. Pain. Lost potential. PAIN. LOST POTENTIAL.
The Enemy watched as Lilly stepped outside of time and outside their realm, none the wiser of what had happened to them when they tried to examine her.
The box was still there, but it didn't seem to have use for Lilly's 'guides' right now, so Lilly left it by her window. She could see her "companion".
Insofar as a pink cat could work to look like a "magical girl's companion", there it was. The Enemy was an alien intelligence, yes, but it had enough skill at pattern recognition. So, that was the shape that they molded the "companion", or, more specifically, the Time Devourer, into. A pink-hued, pink-eyed housecat that was fed by Lilly's energy at the moment, and depending on her to 'live'. Of course, it was still a being of potential. As such, it could easily change when needed into another form.
Trying their best not to appear alarmed over the damage Lilly had just done them, the Enemy kept talking to Lilly, now with the care of pretending that it was the cat talking to her.
Good... Now, Lilly, you will guide your companion to help reinforce reality against an attack by the Enemy...
The 'battle' within Lilly's mind took place with Lilly herself being none the wiser. Lilly felt special, she really did. She was learning magic and was about to help save reality itself from the Enemy, just like Jenny, who she admired so much.
The powerful magical girl and her animal companion walked outside of time, in her mission to protect reality.
No.
The innocent squirrel girl and the Time Devourer walked outside of time, in its mission to destroy reality.
What a difference seven words make.
"Uh-oh. Looks like someone divided by zero..." - Said Lucas, looking at the black-hole-like dent in the reality outside of time - "Now, for reals, we AREN'T too late, right?"
Death shook her head.
"No. This is... Well, a hole to outside-outside of time. To the Origin of Time. You should see it as a ball of light. And so should whoever made that hole."
"Will that hole be seen outside this timeless world?" - Said Hawkins.
"Only for a split second. It will do no harm, not by itself." - Said Death - "However..."
"Let me guess, that place is where I fight the Time Devourer..." - Said Lucas.
"Yes. You won't be able to kill it, however. If you can get it unconscious or weakened enough and send it to reality, a magical girl will take care of it." - Said Death.
"Yeah. Because no problem is so serious you can't solve it with some child soldiers..." - Said Lucas.
"I don't like it any more than you do, Lucas." - Said Hawkins - "However, you can at the very least make sure their work is easier."
"You kidding? These guys are trying to destroy the place where I keep all my stuff. When I'm done with whatever it is, it'll be BEGGING for death. Er, lowercase D, no offense to present company."
"None taken." - Said Death, smirking lightly - "Anyways, there is 'ground' and 'air' there so far as you 'expect' it. So, it should be safe for the car."
"Good." - Said Hawkins as he entered the strange void with the car. Or exited reality with the car.
Cecilia took the time to collect data of this place.
"My sensors indicate two beings besides us here..." - She finally said.
"I can see them, Cecilia." - Said Hawkins.
Lilly looked surprised at the car as it stopped by the great ball of energy she and her 'companion' were currently near.
Hawkins got out of the car, already imagining what had happened.
"What are you doing?" - He said, at last, to Lilly.
"I'm a magical girl! I'm protectin' reality!" - She said to him, smiling.
Hawkins looked at the 'magical girl' outfit. It looked nothing like any magical girl outfit he had seen. In fact, it looked quite fake. That and the fact that no beings besides Lilly were near and that beast - which, incidentally, looked precious little like Tetra - helped him put two and two together. They are using her. His suspicions confirmed, Hawkins sighed inwardly.
This was about to get a whole lot more complicated...
