Chapter Text
“I don’t know how you can read stuff like this.” Shang Qinghua leaned over Shen Yuan’s shoulder. He read over the book in his hands.
“Don’t I read stuff you write?” Shen Yuan smiled behind the novel in his hands, a trashy teen girl romance.
Shang Qinghua snatched the book out of his hands, forcing him to turn around, leaning over the back of the chair.
“I was reading that.” Shen Yuan reached up to grab the book, but Shang Qinghua managed to wave it out of the way, grinning.
Shen yuan pushed himself out of the chair, attempting to snatch the book again, to no avail.
“C’mon it's late bro, shouldn’t we go home?” Shang Qinghua frowned.
"School ended like, an hour ago. Besides, aren't you scared of… the skinner?"
Shen Yuan rolled his eyes.
The skinner was a nickname given to a murderer responsible for the deaths of different women around the area they lived in. The name came from the… state, the bodies were found in. Of course Shen Yuan wasn't stressed! He was a boy!
Why was Shang Qinghua even wanting to go home earlier? He wasn't scared, was he? There was no reason to be! Besides, they usually spent a couple hours in the library after school. Why was he being so annoying? Shen Yuan reached up to grab the book again. Obviously, he wasn't able to retrieve the novel. So of course he had to get some 'coolness' points back. He crossed his arms, then leaned back on the chair he had been sitting on before.
“Nah.”
That was definitely worth some 'coolness' points.
“Broooooo-” Shang Qinghua had begun whining.
“Oh shit-”
Shang Qinghua looked at something behind Shen Yuan. When he turned around to see what, there was just the new student, Mobei Jun. Shen Yuan shuddered, that guy, now that was someone untouchable. Shen Yuan's measly 'coolness' points system felt a little stupid after looking at that guy.
“Shang Qinghua, c’mon he’s not that…” Shen Yuan began to turn around, raising an eyebrow, his friend really was a total coward!
…
Shang Qinghua was nowhere to be seen.
“...scary?”
No wonder! Mobei Jun really was someone that could repel thousands of people as far as possible. Shen Yuan grabbed his bag, checking the time. There was still a short amount of time until the library closed, Mobei Jun had already disappeared from view.
Shen Yuan frowned, he had been reading one of those trashy romance novels. Even if Shang Qinghua thought they were stupid he was still a little invested. Just a little bit! His younger sister had gotten him hooked on them. It wasn't his fault, obviously, that she would come home and barge into his room, yelling about some trashy teenage girl romance novel. So it wasn't his fault! Sometimes they were a little entertaining, a bit funny. Though, there was no way he would be able to finish the book Shang Qinghua had snatched off of him. Right in the middle of the confession scene too!
He'd have to find something new to read.
Something good enough to cheer him up after one hell of an accidental cliff-hanger.
Shen Yuan strolled past the shelves, looking over each title briefly. None of them really caught his eyes. He was never really good at judging a book by its cover, he had usually read web novels. He was missing his younger sister a little bit though, since he had moved to his brother's house to be closer to his high school. Sure, she was annoying as hell, but he missed her company a little bit. Besides, his older brother, Shen Jiu… the difference between his two siblings really messed him up. Not to mention his eldest brother! A real untouchable person, busy helping run their family's company.
“What the…” Shen Yuan paused in front of a particular book.
It was… glowing?
It was probably just some LED trick with lights or something, but still…
"Fuck…!" As he pulled the book out of the shelf, it seemed as if it had yanked itself out using Shen Yuan's arm. It wriggled in his palm, before forcing itself open. He dropped it.
The pages stopped after a secound or so, he leaned down to look at the page. There was an illustration of someone in a frilly dress, like from one of the animes his sister used to watch growing up.
"Crisis Novel Power Make Up…? What the fu-" There was a large burst of green smoke.
Shen Yuan waved his arms frantically, coughing harshly. His eyes shut painfully tight, as he moved around thoughtlessly.
"What sort of prank is this?" He coughed again into his palm.
After a couple more minutes of coughing and waving, it seemed like the smoke had dissipated. He blinked his eyes open slowly, small tears pricking at the corners.
He rubbed his eyes. How strange, his hands were much softer than usual.
…
Shen Yuan swore loudly.
What sort of bullshit was this? Some stupid green gas appears and his entire outfit has changed! Not only that but he's wearing some, some, some… some frilly girl dress! There's bows and ruffles and layers and it hugs his waist tightly.
How did he even…? Shen Yuan's eyes darted around. No one was looking right? His entire social life was over! Finished! A lost cause before it had even begun! The secound someone- shit, Mobei Jun was in the library wasn't he? No, if he saw… it'd be better to just die! If he can't die, crawl in a hole and pretend to die!
Or if Shang Qinghua found out, no, forget his already dead social life (rest in peace) he wouldn't ever have a peaceful day! Not anymore!
He fell to his knees, leaning his palms on the wooden floor of the library. Fuck…!
Wait!
He grabbed the book from earlier, the outfit he was wearing… Yes, it was the exact same!
Then… What sort of bullshit was that!?
How did… How could… A book? Transformed him into a, a- no the very thought was too much to handle for poor Shen Yuan.
He shed a few tears before reading over the page it had forced itself to open on.
Ah! It was no use! This book was practically useless! All it had on it was the stupid 'transformation' words.
He chucked the book across at the chair he had sat on before, frowning.
Ah, really… His life was over, wasn't it? He'd have to go home wearing that dress, and, no… Shen Jiu would see it.
Better to just live in the library for the rest of his life.
Shen Yuan frowned.
Surely there was someway to, what was the word? Denature, Deescalate… Detransform! Ugh, the thought alone made him cringe.
"Detransform!"
…
"Turn off!"
…
"Change back..?"
…
Shen Yuan collapsed on the floor again.
What had they said in that one show?
"Make… down?"
[Unable To Detransform: Enemies Nearby]
"Shit!" What the…? A robotic voice spoke in Shen Yuan's head.
…Enemies?
There was a loud crash.
—
Shen Yuan woke up with his back and arms aching. Wait a minute… his back and arms were tied to a pole!
"He woke up! Luo Binghe, he woke up! Look, look!"
Ugh, that voice… Ah, No!
His eyes darted to the two people near him, tied to each other, back to back.
Luo Binghe and Ning Yingying! No, his reputation as a cool upperclassman is forever ruined! How will his underclassmen… no, he didn't even want to imagine it! RIP what little reputation he had, his life was over!
In the middle of Shen Yuan's mourning, a weird laugh came from somewhere.
A dark silhouette came from behind a bookshelf, covered in silks. The person wore elaborate traditional clothing. Dark veils covered their face and head.
"Ah it seems I've caught a magical girl in my trap!" The laughter coming from under the veil was shrill and rang in Shen Yuan's ears.
Seriously… what the fuck was happening?
The veiled person scoffed.
"Ah, ah, ah, little magical girl, even if you crack open your head, you'll never guess who I am!"
Shen Yuan frowned. Were they serious? Any person with half a brain, no, less than half a brain, could figure it out! The stupid tropey coincidence was clear as day!
"What's there to guess?" Seriously, he wasn't born yesterday!
"..."
"You're the skinner."
The skinner pulled back the veil, revealing a smooth feminine face. Skin like cold porcelain, stained after years and years of use with tea. Her eyes were cold and sharp, but held an unnatural air to them.
"Impossible! How could you guess? The chances of that…" Her cool face contorted into a grimace.
[10x Coolness Points gained!]
Coolness Points…?
Wait, impossible? Did she think he was stupid? Shang Qinghua had literally mentioned it not even an hour before! What sort of shitty magical girl plot was this?
She frowned, before quickly readjusting herself, a dignified and gentle expression played on her face.
"Not bad, I am in fact the skinner. Thought, you surely never thought the skinner would be a soft and weak woman like me?"
What about her was soft and weak? He had been tied up and overpowered without any effort on her part!
"No one would expect the skinner to be a woman aha! I managed to take the skin of each of my victims and impersonate them easily enough. It gave me enough time to search for my next target with ease." She laughed to herself again.
…Was she really monologuing? What sort of bullshit novel plot was this? This was something straight out of a crappy novel written by Shang Qinghua.
"That makes no sense! How can you skin them, won't it be weird to have two bodies? Two versions of the victim?"
"Ah, so you figured it out? I simply conceal the body as the previous victim when I swap." She leaned on her hip, arms folded. The skinner smiled, she almost didn’t seem real, like a novel villain!
"Why are you doing this?" Shen Yuan frowned.
"Hmph, why should I tell you?" Her gaze flicked to Ning Yingying.
Ah, she really was stupid! She had already told Shen Yuan so much, what more would it be to reveal a motive!
She stepped in the direction of Ning Yingying and Luo Binghe.
"Ah! Mr Magical Girl! Please save us! Don't come over here!" Ning Yingying screamed loudly, kicking her legs up trying to push herself away from the Skinner.
The Skinner scoffed.
"He's bound by my magic rope, he'll have to worry about himself first. What reason is there for him to care about you?"
"Hmm, a skin like yours would be very good! And I should be done preparing the magical girl's skin to take by then!" She laughed gleefully.
What had she said about not revealing her reasoning? She had even told them her future plan! Ah, he was too young to lose his skin to an old woman like her!
"Help! Help! Save us, please!"
Shit…!
Shen Yuan struggled against the binding rope. Attempting his best to pull himself out, or wiggle free. Maybe even break the rope, though he knew that would never happen. Still! He had to help Ning Yingying! He had gotten preoccupied talking to the Skinner, he had forgotten she was a murderer!
There had to be something he could do.
[Use Scenario Quick Solve?]
"Yes! Yes! Use it!" Shen Yuan spoke without thinking.
He watched the Skinner take a step towards Ning Yingying, and as soon as she lifted her foot, the bookshelf next to her fell.
…on top of her.
Shen Yuan managed to wriggle out of the rope, it seemed that the rope only really worked when she was conscious, that really made no sense though.
The skinner suddenly stood up through the boom wreckage, paper scattering in her frantic movements.
Perhaps he just hadn't wriggled out of the rope well enough before.
[Please Use 'Finishing Move': 'Fourth Wall']
Fourth wall? How the fuck did he use a finishing move? What even was that?
"Uh, Finishing Move- ack!" A small book fell into his hand, a feather pen- quill?! rolling out of it. He grabbed the pen quickly.
"Fourth…wall?"
The pen began to glow a bright white, he pointed it towards Skinner, who yelled out in pain at the sudden flash of light. She covered her eyes, staggering backwards, her yells were loud.
There was a moment of silence. Shen Yuan opened eyes he didn't know were closed.
The Skinner was gone, instead, on the floor, was a thin, 2d image of the Skinner in her final moments.
—
Shen Yuan leaned on his back, heavy blankets and books over his lap.
[Please Complete Magical Girl Transformation]
Shen Yuan pulled the blanket over his head, pushing a few books to the ground in the process.
[Please Complete Magical-]
'Yeah, yeah I know!' Shen Yuan turned over onto his side, grumbling at the strange robotic voice in his head.
There was a knock at the door.
"A-Yuan, dinner's ready."
Shen Yuan groaned in response, listening as Shen Jiu walked away. Ah, Shen Jiu, what a life saver! Someone who gave others space, really, Shen Yuan could always appreciate that!
[User, The Completion Of Your Magical Girl Transformation Will Facilitate Any Success As A Magical Girl.
Incompletion Of Transformation May Result In;
Stress, Bloating, Migraines, Injury-]
‘Ah, I already understand! Plus, how does not completing a magical girl transformation have to do with bloating? How did my weight get brought into this!’ Shen Yuan stuffed his pillow over his head.
‘Besides, you never even told me what I’m supposed to do!’
[Completion Of Magical Girl Transformation Can Only Commence Once In set Location]
‘Where even is that?’ Shen Yuan pulled the pillow back under his head, frowning.
…
This useless system! It would nag him constantly to complete his magical girl transformation, but when he actively tried to… radio silence!
[Do Not Aggravate Yourself Over The Lack Of Information, User Must Use Their Own Brain]
Ah, What the fuck? Wasn’t this system creepy? Not only could it read its thoughts, but what happened with The Skinner…
[Do Not Dwell On The Skinner Matter For Too Long, She Has Been Properly Returned To Her Origin]
Shen Yuan sat up. Her origin? Wasn’t she a demon? Where did demons even come from? He had used that finishing move, ‘Fourth Wall’, and she had turned into fucking paper! Forget how she was sent to her ‘origin’, what about Shen Yuan, Ning Yingying and Luo Binghe! His poor underclassmen, forced to witness murder in broad day(night)light! Not to mention she had been sucked into that fucking book that had caused all of this from the start!
It wasn’t that Shen Yuan felt particularly bad for her. If she had been turned to paper and sent back into the book, that only meant she was a book character from the beginning.
…right?
—
“Shen Yuan! Cucumber Bro! Are you alright?” Shang Qinghua leaned over the back of his seat to talk to Shen Yuan.
Had Shang Qinghua already found out about his outfit? It was over for him!
“Why wouldn’t I be alright?” Shen Yuan leaned his chin onto his palm, rolling his eyes, his life was over, wasn’t it!
“Are you serious? Did you not hear? The Skinner attacked the library last night! Ning Yingying, in first year, was yelling about it all morning! Really, you can’t not have known!”
Ah, Of course Shen Yuan had known! How did Shang Qinghua believe his half-assed lie? What sort of idiot…!
“But she attacked Ning Yingying and Luo Binghe, ah, Cucumber bro, surely you know the two of them? They’re some of the most popular kids here! Even Ming Fan in secound year’s been all over Ning Yingying.” Shang Qinghua frowned, leaning further on his chair, upset that Shen Yuan wasn’t up to date with the current gossip.
Well, not only was Shen Yuan aware of all of that gossip already, but he had been there during the whole ordeal! How had Shang Qinghua not even mentioned him yet? Was the whole magical girl outfit really so minor? Did it matter so little? Perhaps crossdressing and yelling out magic moves was very normal!
Ah, who was he kidding?
“Ah! There was also a 'magical girl' on the scene!”
Finally!
“...Magical girl?” Shen Yuan did his best to sound disinterested.
“I don’t know, but apparently there was someone dressed in frilly clothes that defeated the skinner, and the skinner kept calling them a magical girl! They've been all over the internet for ages, conspiracy theories and all that.”
What? Weren't they just some sort of kids show genre?
[Warning! Knowledge Of Magical Girls Revealed To Public!
Status Of Reveal: Minimal]
…What the fuck?
"That's stupid."
Shang Qinghua and Shen Yuan both turned to look, Liu Qingge had spoken.
"...I guess, you're right." Shang Qinghua looked away, awkward.
Thank god for Liu Qingge's zero tolerance for idiocy.
—
'What is a magical girl actually? Like you haven't told me anything.' Shen Yuan looked past Liu Qingge, who sat by the window. A real 'main character'!
[A Magical Girl Exists To Return Demons To Their Origin]
The sun was quite bright.
'Yeah, and we all know you'll never tell me what that 'origin' is.' He lay his head on the desk, resting on crossed arms.
'But why are there demons? To what goal do they have?'
[The Demons Have One Goal: The Destruction Of Humanity]
…
Shen Yuan breathed out heavily.
'So… like the apocalypse?'
[Correct, The System Wishes The User Good Luck In Thwarting Their Plan]
Was this real? Had he gotten hit by a truck, eaten spoiled food, died and been sent into some shitty magical girl story? He wouldn't be surprised if his sister turned on the t.v just to watch this shit!
The only thing he was missing was a half-assed romance plot!
"What are you looking at!" Liu Qingge slammed his fist on the table, shaking it, his face flushed a light pink.
"eh?"