Over the next few weeks, Lilly continued to work at school. She listened, learned, and tried to understand everything. She went from being an average student, to a somewhat 'above average' student, due to sheer hard work and determination.
In particular, she became entranced with rainbows, and the colours of the new sun. She was saddened when her teacher explained that due to the nature of the sun, a basic rainbow could not likely form in the sky any more. This shocked her somewhat, and with the aid of prisms she wanted to try and create her own rainbow. It was to be her class project, and something to show everyone else.
Her parents and brother supported her through all the trials and difficulties of what it meant to live as a young animal girl. She found herself realising that if this was to be her life... it wasn't actually all that bad. Even if she was going to grow up to be a lady.
Something continued to strengthen in her. A resolve deeper then anyone could ever imagine, of the insurmountable challenges she faced in this new world. There were friends around her, family... but nobody to tell her what to do. Indeed, nobody would tell her... because it was something she had to decide herself.
It had been so long since she thought of that boy she used to be. Indeed, she felt just a little guilty to be living her life now as if she 'replaced' him. But he was still there, sort of. She was him, he was her. That was the best way to think about it without any guilt. She couldn't be both at once, but... she didn't feel like she had destroyed part of herself to become Lilly. She just expanded her identity.
This realisation was calming to her. That... actually, things were okay. At least in as far as her life was concerned. There was still the matter of the upcoming battle with the Enemy. With the dark-moon gone, she didn't know any more what would happen next. What would be her place in a fight? Would she even get to help? Or would Jenny and Artemis simply be teleported away, to some magical plane to fight while she...
"Meow," said Sakura.
"Yeah..." said the little squirrel girl holding the cat gently.
Life carried on...
She helped people during the week, getting to know the town from the perspective of a cute innocent girl. It was strange, but also a lot of fun. They trusted her, and she in turn would do chores for them. she still had her blue stick, small though it was... and sadly, she had yet to find any other sources of magic. She would jump from tree to tree, across parks and fields... seeking any rumour or hint of magic. She was only allowed to look for an hour each day, and she did so with diligence on the hope of finding something new to use.
... but she never found anything.
There just didn't seem to be any more magic, and the stick became all the more precious. She had to save what was left of it. She even bumped into Haru but... strangely enough, the girl didn't even remember her. She was confused to who this little girl was, when she talked to her. Something about her magic made people forget she was ever there maybe? At least her eye was no longer possessed. She was embarrassed by that encounter but moved on. She didn't do this to be remembered anyway... she just wanted to do the right thing. The entire world may well forget her.
She used the stick in battles with Jenny, using it as bait. She would get bolder, and use the stick to send the creatures into the portal that Jenny created. Once she almost stepped into it... and it seemed like she had over stepped the line.
It got even stranger when the other magic girls practically banned her from taking part in any more battles, with the teacher actually putting her in a semi-detention to keep her in. She fumed a little, but didn't have much choice. She also realised she had to hide her 'hobby' from her parents... she felt horrible doing it, but what else was her choice? Always the question came to her. Just one clarification that kept on burning over and over.
You want to fight?
And always the answer would be: Yes... she wanted to fight.
Most would have said no. That it was a bad idea to even consider it. A war was no place at all for a child especially one as young as she was. But that didn't matter. She absolutely wanted to fight. To help her friends... to protect her family. Her brother, her parents, even everyone else in school. Billy, Hannah, the teachers... Perhaps it was because she used to be older that it just felt so right to want to protect them. She was older then them, in mind even if not in body.
But you are a child now. You are not supposed to fight
Neither was Jenny...
that's different..
Why is it different? Why? Why in the world was it different!
She laid awake on her bed, processing these difficult issues. Her mother had scattered on the ceiling little star stickers that glowed in the dark. Her father, ever mindful, put them into particular constellations. She smiled a little at that.
She glanced down at her torso. It appeared as if she was... growing faster. It was now just so noticeable that she was different, even more pronounced then Jenny. She had avoided wearing a bra but... would she have to soon? She had no idea. She might become the first in her class to do so and... she knew she would feel like a laughing stock if she was the first.
Maybe in a few more weeks, she'll decide.
As always, it just seemed to be her own decision... a further sign that she was growing up. She almost missed a grown up telling her what to do... but maybe it was time, to, to stand. To be strong, and do what she wanted...
... but all she could do was think how a mortal as her, could fight...
... just one more time.
Mark, the Angel girl, was in bed nervous. She... she knew it had been leading up to this week. One of the member's of their choir, was about to... 'attempt' the deed. She and David had discussed it that this was likely an eventuality... and they also all know who it was...
But it still made her nervous.
Still they had spent together for so long as sisters, sharing so much of each other's lives. She had never felt so close to anyone as this, and even if it was a pain... sometimes... it was also very assuring.
She could feel Zara make her move to embrace a teenage boy, and they all felt the gentle kiss of his lips. Everyone reacted differently but... surprisingly, there was not much objection. Not even from Mark, often the loudest objector. She could feel Zara was waiting for one of them to do something.. to object.. because she valued the relationship of her sisters, over the fact that she also wanted to experience love...
Mark yielded to that desire. She knew Zara just wanted to feel that love... and didn't want to impose it upon them. But maybe it wouldn't be an imposition, if it was permitted by the group. If they had to feel it... and it was a joyous feeling... then... she could forgive Zara, and even encourage her. Because they were sisters... a strange word to her, that had so much of a strong meaning now.
"It's okay sister," she said softly. "I'm obviously not the ... man I was before," she said quietly. "You can do it if you want... or not..."
and the lives of the angel girls continued. a step closer, never apart... always as one.
Robert married Erica and Samuel, happily. There were no issues in the end with the fact that she was a devil woman now. She hoped she could continue to help her community.
