The strange planet of ticking machines had travelled under its own power, diving relentlessly into Proxima Centauri and into the surreal strange world within the rainbow light- only the second star in the universe to have done so, besides Sol itself when it experienced the event.
Planet Clockwork was in some kind of strange 'warp' across time and space, a special pocket zone for the extremely 'large' bodies that would attempt to access the higher dimensions of the universe, the Rainbow Road itself. The strange world-engine made distinct ticks that together sounded like a collective hum, not unlike any kind of engine made on Earth, more like the rolling sound of a smooth marble on glass. The collective energy it contained was phenomenal, and all the more impressive as gears and shafts worked in unison to actually achieve motion of an entire planet.
The entire population of the planet, the clockwork-people, all looked up as if 'dazzled' by the strange lights. Every day had been exactly the same to them. They performed each of their roles exactly the same way, since their existence. Meeting those not like them, they felt the instinct to help serve and guide such beings. But with the sky turning into a kind of 'magical fire' they were experiencing the closest thing they ever had to human awe.
The only two non-clockwork residents, Were Astra and Anneza as they were housed in the control center of the vast universe-machine.
"The World engine is stable," Said Astra as she turned the dials. "We should be able to make Earth Orbit." It wasn't like travelling on Wings exactly... using a planet as a spaceship was very strange.
"Is that safe?" Asked Anneza worried. To bring an entire planet so close to Earth? Wouldn't there be earthquakes or something?
"Planet clockwork's engine can prevent harm to Earth and the Moon," said Astra. "But we'll aim to make contact at a point where all their masses are nullified. That will minimise any gravitational stress. We can then fly to the Earth under our own power, and maybe fix the computer glitches with a better communication between the two Internets."
"How do you know how to do all this Astra?" Asked Anneza suddenly. How could she possibly know such advanced concepts? This is.. crazy! Her daughter was some kind of mad genius, with a knowledge of Alien technology? Was she even still her daughter? How was any of this even possible?
Planet Clockwork instantly emerged from the sea of iridescent Light, and into a sea of muted darkness... filled with many points of iridescent stars, and curious 'winds' of that same light brightening the void. It was an entire universe of 'evolved' magical suns. The planet did not stop moving, as it continued it's journey to the Planet Earth, blurring those stars in the sky as it achieved some kind of FTL... based solely on clockwork technology, warping time and space.
The earth itself was easy to find as it was the only star that was not an iridescent star.
Anneza and Astra looked at the Earth on a computer screen. The entire image was... blurry. However what was possible to see, was a ring of light around the planet, not unlike the rings of Saturn if it was composed of a rainbow. A closed rainbow, across the equator that seemed to shimmer and shifted sometimes brushing the poles. Parts of Earth looked ravaged, only to be suddenly a blue and green paradise, then change to a mega-city and suddenly back to 'normal'. It was as if it couldn't make up its mind on what it was.
"What's wrong with the picture?" asked Anneza as she floated to the screen.
"Nothing," Said Astra. "Earth is experiencing complete hyper-dimensional envelopment. It is within the Differential Reality."
"And... What does... that mean?" Anneza asked warily.
"This is the... surface of Differential Space, where all reality concepts exist. "I do not know how this could happen... unless... the concept of 'Earth' is within the differential as well. The place of of the Numbers..."
"What do we do now?"
You must be integrated into this universe
Anneza and Astra turned to shock as the Rainbow Guardian appeared.
"No... no... No!" Screamed Astra. "Not... you!"
Anneza put a protective arm around her daughter. "Who are you?"
The Rainbow Guardian looked neutrally to Astra, then to Anneza. "I am... the other side of what she once was," it said gesturing to Astra. "While they were driven to annihilate concepts, I create them... rules are made. Wishes... into reality. The Trope-Master... the Wish granter... The Story."
"it brings chaos," whispered Astra as those old instincts surfaced. The need to end all life, all reality... to get rid of the 'rules' of existence. The things that this being and those like it enforced so rigidly. It had to be stopped... reality itself had to be destroyed... but... no... reality was where it- she existed now, as Anneza's daughter. She didn't want it destroyed any more, that shadow... wasn't her any more.
"You can not escape the paradox. Life 'is' Chaos... Your way would end existence and life... but you must have realised that. You are no longer as you were... all the others are defeated. There are only three of you left that I sense..."
"Three? There... are only two. Me and Melanie."
The rainbow guardian gave an enigmatic smile. "The third is perhaps one you had forgotten. The one named Julia birthed a child born from your collective... that one, was not lost..."
Astra cringed. "No..."
"Yes, and she is 'invited'."
Anneza looked menacingly at the creature. "I don't know what's going on... but I wont let you hurt me, my daugher, or the human race."
The rainbow guardian stood impassively. "I... do not harm. That is not our intent... Humans are the storytellers and there are rules to be followed. For reality to exist in any shape or form, the game must be played... and we have played it a very long time. Your world stands at the crossroad of its next future, and past... as do you."
"Me?"
"Don't listen to it mother!" said Astra suddenly worried.
The Rainbow Guardian produced a set of cards. "You have played the game without knowing it Anneza, and have known Death Herself... Pick amongst these cards... and claim what you desire most in your heart."
Anneza looked at the cards, surprised to see they were in her own language. Words like Love, Trust... and there, she knew what card she wanted. She picked it. "The Truth. Who.. am I?"
".. as you wish it," Explained the rainbow guardian. "This is your life..."
"What have you done?" demanded Jen as she saw the new piece being placed on the board. The floating figure of Anneza, hovering over the chess board, locked in an expression of cringe-worthy fear.
The dark figure shrugged. "Giving a choice to the one who never had one."
"Anneza was a hero! She saved a school- many children would have died if not for her!"
"The Sun-immortal is amongst the most powerful figures on the chessboard... even compared to Lucas Herself. Yet also, she is one of the most helpless," sighed the dark-figure. "The perfect King... in a game of chess. Our game... yours and mine."
One could almost feel the aura of being 'alone' in that figurine. But even worse was the feeling of hatred of a past life and yet the innocent figure on the inside was protected from it. Like a bubble in reality. "You are right, I can not change her past... I can not undo all that was taken away from her. I can not give back her old life in any shape or form... not that she would want it but also because you took that all away from her. And her 'daughter' took away her memories... all to give her a happier life, to make something of what was left. She could not get her life back with your wish because she would have died, changing back to human in the depths of space. One can not be 'better off' if they are dead..."
"...Don't do this." Jen pleaded. But she knew it would fall on deaf ears. The more she heard about Anneza, the more she felt fear. Was her opponent really saying that it was better of if... Anneza died? Even considering all the great things the woman did in her own time? She had no idea the Princess of the Stars was so... lonely. She wouldn't be forever but... if she didn't do this right, history could change for the worse!
Like a sharp pin, the reality around the figure of Anneza burst.
Suddenly Jen knew the woman was aware of all the hatred upon her... who she really was... and the future was going to change again.
"Consider very carefully Jen.. is your perfect future worth one life?"
Both looked at the chessboard and the results.
Anneza looked stunned. Her entire life, was a lie... built on other lies, and other fabricated mechanisations of her existence. Wishes imposed by a.. a stranger.
She... didn't have any words in her head as she glanced to her 'daughter', and the rainbow guardian as the memories tricked into her, piece by piece. Not changing her back exactly but... knowing a life that was hers... once.
So... that was really who she was? Who Anneza was? She was not really Astra's mother... she didn't have a family. It was all just a lie, to keep her happy. She was actually just... a man. One who was changed... mocked at.. and who's life was slowly eaten away as she lost all control of it. A corporate executive, that was punished... and still being punished. The hatred of others, and that stern look of Lucas when she bored the strange god-ship... made sense.
The laughter... the chilling laughter, mocking her... and the face of a fox... she stared at Astra, with her shimmering green eyes, helpless and lost, and so very hurt. How she kept herself hidden away in the asteroid belt so... alone.
"I- I didn't want to hurt you," said Astra tearfully. "But you were dying in sadness! I... I just wanted you to be happy. So I used the wish machine to..."
"...to created a new history, and new past for Anneza... a woman who never actually existed," said the rainbow guardian.
Anneza suddenly laughed herself. The whole thing.. the enormity of it all... insanity... pure insanity, with no hope. The full force of the despair hit her... She felt as if she was going beyond the speed of light, yet was still just floating in mid air at the crash of her self identity... all of it in ruin.
Astra stared recognised this as the strange aura flared around the space gir.. Her mother... was breeching.
and she heard the songs of the stars singing, to her.
"What happens now?" asked Jen.
"Your move," replied the being.
Jen looked at her options. She didn't know a lot about Anneza... only that she helped that one time and then left. She was a nice person in her own time... A space-farer, that took people to worlds far and wide that were discovered by her to be inhabitable. She even had (or will have?) a family of her own... But back then? And with this power? Anneza could be very dangerous. What could she do to someone that seemed that helpless... but that powerful too? Did Anneza even know at that point, how much power she could have?
There was only one thing she could do. "I will give Anneza this card," she said.
"The world card," nodded the Dark creature. "Are you sure?"
Jen watched the board. This was where her faith in her would be stretched. "Please Anneza..."
The rainbow guardian seemed to flicker and fade before the two space-girls, as something new appeared, spawn as ghostly energies from it. All taking similar shapes to the space-born.
Three girls... wearing magic-girl uniforms.
One Red, another Green, and another Blue. They all took a form similar to Anneza, although not quite the same. The one that was the most similar was the green haired one, athough all had the curious antenna that Anneza had.
"We are the Light Magic girls," said the one in Blue. "Princess Anneza," she bowed formally. "We have bonded ourselves to you."
Anneza glanced between them. "What.. is... going on?" She demanded. "Just what is all this!" Her life was a lie and now.. this? What was the point of anything now!
The green one floated to the space-girl and put a compassionate hand on her shoulder. "We heard your song amongst the stars... Please... let me introduce ourselves."
Anneza felt herself sooth at the touch... something about the green one made her feel.. better? It was like she was kindness incarnate...
"We are the magic girls of the Age of Light.. before matter existed." She said with a smile. "We have always watched you travel.. and now you brought us to your world... thank you."
The red one was staring at Astra, making the young child take a step back.
"One of the Ene- no, the Defeated," said the red magic girl. "I will defeat it again. Consider this pay-back-"
"Not this one," said the green one, hovering over the child. "This one is... not for you."
"But she hurt the Star-Wonderer! Destroyed her... I can feel her rage even now!"
Astra was almost sweating. She knew who these people were.. born of light... they were powerful magic-girls. In their own way, they were just as powerful as the Numbers... Astra had no chance in a fight with them.
"But I sense her love as well..." said the Green one. "She will not be harmed... not by us."
"Hmph. Very well... There are others. So many others that she hates" said the red-magic girl as she looked to Anneza. "Princess of Space, your enemies are mine! I will make them feel the justice! Your songs of sadness will end in triumph from this point on, this I swear." She summoned a magical weapon... a fire sword. "The one called... Jay Warner first will pay! Then eventually... I will even fight Lucas Herself!"
Anneza blinked. "Wait- what?" but it was too late, Magic Girl Red was gone...in a blaze of fiery fury. "W-Where did she go?"
"We are born from your primal emotions," said Green. "The red embodies all your hatred and anger... a magic girl of pure rage. It will attack all the things that hurt you... all the people..." Green said sadly. "I could only protect Astra for you... as you feel a genuine love for her."
"You have to stop her!" the space girl said with alarm. "I.. I don't want to hurt people! I was angry... but..."
Blue was looking distantly, having not said a word, just... staring.
"What is she supposed to be?" Asked Anneza suddenly getting a creepy feeling at the despondent girl.
Magic girl Green sighed. "Many emotions are a mix of three. Love.. Hate... Magic girl blue embodies... your Fear. Those you are afraid of. The Isolation... the need to get away. Being here amongst us is painful.. more so because we have never experienced a physical world. I will take her some place safe."
"But what about the Red one! If she goes after my enemies people will think-"
Blue looked up. "We'll be alone..."
