Magic girl six was used to this trip. Her powers were fickle, throwing herself into the winds like this she never knew quite where she would end up. Earth was a big place... even bigger now, given just how messed up magic was making things.
So... where was she now?
... in a desert. The middle of nowhere. "Lost... and alone..." She said with a sigh, glancing around as she made her magical "dice weapon" disappear. It would take a while for it to re-charge and transport her away and it was rare to end up in a city. The odds just... didn't favour it. Still her magic usually had purpose to where it send her, so there had to be something here.
Her darker thoughts started to come to the fore. Maybe her magic was going to be merciful. Maybe now that she had failed in her mission, she would be allowed to just die in a sand dune somewhere.
... magic girl six thought about that. Yeah, there were few lives worse then being a magic girl. Perhaps the worst though, was to be a magic girl... a soldier... alone in the face of the entire universe. Not just a world... an entire universe without even a purpose for being. She was always in the shadow of the others, or the brightest star. There was no middle ground. She wasn't the one who left before they became famous... she was the one made by the universe, after there was no need for the Numbers at all.
"I hear the magic girls had companions... special creatures to talk to for advice. All I have are my own thoughts," she said to herself as she picked what looked like an interesting mountain in the distance and... started walking. Her clothes shifted into a civilian form, a very heavy sweater to hide her six breasts, and a hood that made her look somewhat like a tomboy- despite the pink hair.
... none of which would be wise in the desert. Reluctantly she took off her top and hood, and put everything in her bag. This was not a look she allowed anyone to see- but then, this was a desolate area.
She thought back on her life... when it was perfect... before her transformation, when she had friends and family. She was a good person... the nicest guy you could meet really. He was into sports. Now he- she was thrown into a life that was unnecessary and pointless... forced to just make what she could of it, without even a magic companion to comfort her.
She looked up at the sky with her honest though bitter eyes. "...I don't deserve this."
"World engine... check, Reality numerator, check, stability matrix..." Anneza looked over the systems she had been looking at for the whole year. There was a lot of things to work out, but for the most part... a lot of progress had been made.
"I think we're ready to run that new program," said Astra.
Anneza looked at her daughter and nodded. "Okay... run the simulation."
The system activated and the screen flickered. However a red warning light came on.
"No good," frowned Anneza. "The program won't change direction. it's still connected to the Earth Internet."
One of the clockwork beings came in... with a plate of sandwiches.
The two space-girls decided to take a break, and accepted the food. The clockwork robot left without a word (If with some haste.)
"The people here don't talk much," said Astra. "It's a good thing we have each other to talk to."
Anneza nodded embracing her 'child' again. "Well, we do have to get you back to school soon. I feel guilty that you feel stuck here... you should be with your friends."
"It's okay mom. I want to help Lucas an' whoever else ended up in that universe machine."
Anneza nodded, still a little guilty. "Sometimes... I feel strange here. Like..." she looked distantly with her deep green eyes.
"What do you feel mom?"
"I'm not sure. It's like... I feel like I'm supposed to know something. But I've... forgotten what it is."
"Oh- well it's probably cause um- you know. These machines are so alien.. and we're aliens, right?"
"I guess..." said Anneza distantly. "Why don't you have a look at the environment of the universe, and make sure its compatible. I'm a bit worried that pi isn't quite right. Make sure there are no severe repercussions... we want the wheels at least to work right."
"Okay mom," said Astra as she got to work.
Anneza floated to the machine. "Activate vocal inter-phase."
Activated... greetings Anneza.
Anneza nodded. She had discovered this inter-phase. It spoke with impeccable neutrality... yet it was easy to believe it had to have feeling and emotion behind those words.
"Is Lucas there?"
Opening File, Lucas. Angel-changed. Title: Angel of Vengeance. Keeper of the Water Element of Prime reality. Immune to integration. Currently residing in the node designated Town of Autumn.
Anneza looked over the file. It had Lucas's HP, and magic stats... everything seemed fine. "Warn me if this ever starts to fluctuate."
Understood...
Anneza glanced around. Hopefully they could create a few cheat codes for Lucas, if things got into difficulties. She also had another thing in mind and now... was probably a good a time as any. "Bring up my file please."
Access denied.
Anneza blinked. "....what? Explain?"
File For Anneza has been blocked from access.
"...okay... who can access this file?" she asked hoping this question would not be denied. This machine had never denied her anything... never.
Anyone that is not Anneza. replied the machine.
The space girl glanced in the direction of her daughter. She was the only one that could... do this. What was she hiding? Or did someone put her up to this?
... I want to ask a question. She said calmly.
Please state it Anneza said the voice in what might be... concern.
"Can you play the file... of when I met Lucas?"
There was a pause. Displaying.
Anneza looked at the image of a hologram as she was shown Wings, as it appeared on Earth to pick her up so long ago. Why did this feel so... strange to her? She felt like she should know something... something important. That look... in the eyes? What was Lucas holding back? what was it about Anneza, that provoked such an emotion?
"Did... Lucas know me before?" she asked the machine.
Access denied.
"I'm going to take that as a yes. Okay... I want to access everything possible about my life."
It is not permitted...
"Screw that! I want to know what's going on here!"
Anneza...
"Tell me please! Just tell me..."
Slowly the machine showed various pictures of people that had interacted in the space-girls life. A curious web, with ranging expressions... but that look... always that look.
"What am I seeing.. what exactly am I seeing?"
... Hatred.
Lilly was feeling a little dizzy. Doing that magic spell for Cliff was very tiring, perhaps. They still didn't know what magic could do, especially when one trained at it rather then use their own 'source'.
The teenage squirrel girl had learned a lot about the differences. Her own magic though was a little... tricky to work. It seemed to help when she had an object to work with. Perhaps she had a natural affinity for enchantment? Who knows...
"You're gettin' really good at magic," said Jenny with a smile.
Lilly smiled back to her best friend. "I couldn't have done it without you though."
"Can I come by later and you can show me how to do more?" Asked Jenny hopefully.
The teenager squirrel girl nodded. "Sure. We can do that in between homework. Artemis is going to try and contact Lucas today too. She'll come by and show us how it's done. She's on some other world! My dad's there too- that's what they think."
Jenny had a distant look as she stared up at the sky. "... some other world," she said softly. It was... such an awe inspiring thought. People could now journey through the stars in this magical universe... and humans (and changed) were the center of it all. She hoped they could all go and explore, someday.
"How did the hunt for magic girl six go?" Asked Lilly curious even as the sudden wave of.. nausea set in. It's a good thing she was going home. She hoped she wasn't getting a cold.
"Not... so well. Becca found her, but she didn't want to talk."
Lilly glanced at her in concern. Magic Girl six was the enigma... a bit of an accident, that turned up well after all was said and done. There was a question on if there would be more magic girls... but six seemed to the the last. "I'm really curious... what do you know about her?"
"Not a lot. She's got some kind of magical die. Becca said she rolled it and a portal opened... then she went through it."
"I don't understand why she's so sad. Jen's wish was supposed to fix it though! People are supposed to be happier when changed."
"Jen specifically wished 'better off'," reminded Jenny. "The stone made a call on her specific circumstances."
"Did it? Being a number though is different to the other transformations..." thought Lilly sadly.
"True... no matter if she changed or not, she would have always been six... but that she transformed must mean she... is better off."
Lilly nodded grimly. She wanted to help everyone who had troubles with their transformations. No matter what the issue was, she would find some way to fix it. By magic directly, or linking them to people with similar issues. Her magic did give her a certain 'sense' of when things were right, and moving in the right way for someone... but when she thought of magic girl six, all she could feel was a girl somewhere, drifting far away.
Finally they arrived at Lilly's house. It always brought memories of her father... sometimes she would think he would open the door to her.
"See you later on Jenny."
The two girls gave a brief hug to each other.
Alone now, Jenny glanced back... she had this feeling... that Lilly was hiding something. The girl was very honest to her usually but... why did she act so strange with Cliff WIlford? The lack of her powers made it difficult for Jenny to know what to do...
Still... she trusted Lilly. She felt... she had to.
