what would mom think?
That question kept on echoing in Lilly's mind. he wouldn't let her be a happy child. She could be! She knew she could be. All she had to do was let go and abandon those memories. It would be easy... just forget him then everything would be so much better. She could start her life over. But...
M-Mom? she said streaming tears. The look of conflict on her face was too much for Cecilia to bare, and quickly pulled the child closer to her. Her mechanical body felt warm to the squirrel-girl as she stammered with uncertainty looking into those strange mechanical eyes.
"It's okay," Said Cecilia calmly, though clearly very concerned of her partner as she gazed into the darkness. "We are going to take you back to your mother once this is over."
"M-My companion. Please don't h-h-hurt-" she winced as if she could feel the creature being attacked. She tried to push past the gynoid to the sounds of a terrible fight, but the mechanical woman held her firm. "L-let me go! M-My-"
"Listen to me Lilly," said Cecilia. "That thing isn't a magic girl's ally." She knew this was going to hurt... God she knew. But she had to get Lilly to start realising the truth. "Think, If you are a magic girl, what is your number?"
"M-My number?" The child said even more bewildered, and stopped resisting. Every magic girl had a number... what is hers?
Lilly burred her hands into her head. A number? What was her number? I-It was never said, never established. She was drawn into the excitement of joining her new friends in their strange world of moon dust and stars. "P-Please g-give me a number. I am a magic girl! I am!"
Cecilia just shook her head.
You're not magic... you're not a girl... you're not a magic girl.
Just like that he seemed to beat her. She... he... she beat herself? This was getting too confusing. "N-No! stop it!" Stop it stop it stop it! She was a girl!
"Lilly who are you talking to?" Cecilia was starting to get really worried. Was the child having some kind of mental break down? Was she talking to the Enemy? There was no way to know, all she could do was to keep her focused on her.
What would mom think?
She... would want us to be happy, thought Lilly. She wouldn't want me to hurt you... B-But you are the one hurtin' me. You're the one not listenin' to her.
I- I know. I'm sorry His voice said back. that inner part was still incredibly embarrassed that this side of her-him was being shown to the world. Just some crazy thought, a dream... she wasn't real exactly-
I am real! she hated how he always dismissed her. When all she wanted to do was play, and make friends. to simply be who she was. Lilly took hold of her wand, and gripped it tightly. She held it with two paws, staring at the abyss where the battle of her companion was happening. The plastic bent a little at the force she was applying. "M-my friend.. you're hurtin' my..." Without the magic animal she couldn't be a magic girl ever! But the gynoid was too strong. She couldn't fight her.
Her pink cat... she... the colour reminded her of... something nice. What was it? maybe something related to a magic girl?
I know what we can call her, said the boy. I'll do this for you... then let's... not fight any more okay?
Lilly sighed wearily. As one, they whispered the name.
"Sakura."
