Chapter Text
Nene
Why on earth would anyone become a magical girl?
Nene asked herself this often after Emu first approached her with the subject. Though Emu had been overjoyed when she was invited to join the Cutie Magic Fighters and had filled every conversation with her excitement for her first mission, Nene couldn’t help but worry. In her eyes, magical girls weren’t quite as glamorous as their sparkling costumes made them seem and she certainly wouldn’t summarize what she’d read about them online as fun. No, Nene knew the danger that came with the profession- every day it felt like another girl was reported on the news as being severely injured after a fight. Even the few girls at school who were magical fighters came to class looking exhausted and scraped up. She tried to tell all of this to Emu, of course, but nothing seemed to pop her bubble. If you're so worried, maybe you should join too, then you can keep me safe, she had said last week, right after she first signed up for CMF. As much as Nene wanted to protect her best friend, she wasn’t sure if she was willing to risk her own life to do so- a thought that tore her up inside to rationalize. Though, there was always the possibility that Nene was too focused on the downsides, a possibility that Emu would have the time of her life and never encounter anything truly hazardous. Maybe, just maybe, it would turn out okay… At least, that was all Nene could hope for.
✩
“What do you think, Nene- would it be cooler to fly or be able to shoot moonbeams out of my hands? Ooh, or what if I get to teleport? One second you’ll think I’m waaay over there but the next I’ll FWIP and be right behind you!” Emu pushed herself into the air off of Nene’s shoulders, nearly bumping her head on a tree branch. Since they went to separate schools, they spent most of their afternoons together, walking around or putting on improv shows for passerbys. These small moments were something that both girls cherished, chatting and laughing until the sun went down some days.
“Ack- It would be very useful to be able to teleport in my opinion,” Nene groaned from the sudden weight on her back. “Just like invisibility, it could give you the benefit of surprise. Though I’m not sure how well you’d be able to do if you had to be sneaky.” She smiled at the thought of Emu trying to be stealthy. “No, I think something flashier would suit you more.”
Emu sighed dreamily. “I hope I get something really awesome, like Haruka and Airi. Wahhh, why can’t my first mission come already?! I wanna get my super uper duper cool power so I can fight all the bad guys!”
“You know, most heroes of justice wouldn’t be so open about wishing for crime.” Nene chuckled.
“But, but, then I’d get to go ka-pow and save the day and make everyone happy,” Emu’s face drooped immediately, like a puppy being told it can't go outside. “But yeah, I guess something’ll happen eventually.”
As they reached the Ootori property, Nene wondered if she was being too quick to judge Emu’s eagerness. Really, shouldn’t she be glad that her friend was so invested in justice? The world really could use someone like Emu to keep the peace.
Emu waved goodbye, and Nene realized that her cynicism may very well be the result of her own jealousy. Once Emu was called to her first mission and granted her magical ability, what would keep her from abandoning Nene for her new friends? Nene certainly couldn’t compete with literal superheroes. All the way back to her own home, Nene mulled over this conflict. Ultimately, she decided that she wanted Emu to be happy, by any means necessary.
✩
Emu
It was impossible for Emu to keep her excitement under control, not when she was one phone call away from becoming the sparkliest, coolest and best-est version of herself. She’d always wanted to protect the smiles of others, so when she heard about the opportunity to fight for peace and truth there was no way she could have turned it down. In class, she pictured herself being whisked away to complete her initiation and shut down some money laundering ring or something of the sorts, all before returning for lunchtime. It was really quite distracting.
Almost as if she had willed it from her mind (was that going to be her power?), her phone lit up and buzzed across her desk. It was Airi! Calling her! To go on her first mission!
Without missing a beat, Emu picked up the phone. “Are you gonna tell me what I think you’re gonna tell me?!” She practically shrieked into the microphone.
“Jeez, it was a mistake to put you on full volume right next to my ears! Um, but yes, I’m calling to see if you’d be able to make it to the music store in the next, say, ten minutes? I got word that customers are trapped in some kind of hostage situation, but there’s no sign of a robber, so you should be safe. Whaddya say, are you up for it?”
“YES!!!!!” Emu was already putting on her favorite sneakers before even hanging up. This was it, the perfect chance for her to prove that she was fit for CMF and that being a magical girl wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed. Her heart pounded with excitement as she took off in the direction of the music store.
While she sprinted down the street, she dialed Nene’s number. There’s no way she wasn’t telling her best friend about the adventure she was about to go on.
“Emu? Is everything alright?” Nene asked when she picked up.
“I’m going to the music store to catch a baddie! Well, maybe there’ll be a baddie... But I’m still going anyways! Then I’ll get my power!”
“Really, right now? You're sure about doing this?”
“Yup! I’m on my way!”
“To the music store, right?”
Emu rounded a corner. She was close now, only a few minutes away. “Mmhmm!”
“I’ll meet you there. Please be careful, Emu!”
“Okay!! Waiiiit what do you mean you’ll-”
Just like that, her phone beeped, the call over. Now, she had to focus on getting to the mission location in time to meet up with Airi and Haruka and start using her powers. Oh, and stop a hostage situation at the same time. Easy!
✩
Airi
“Are you sure it was right to bring Ootori into this call? She can be a bit… overly enthusiastic.”
Haruka and Airi stood outside the music store, their rhinestoned costumes reflecting moonlight onto the building front. They usually tried to change before arriving on site, especially if there wasn’t an active threat, like tonight. Still, something had to be wrong for the customers and employees to be trapped.
“It’s good to be passionate! We need her kind of can-do attitude, especially with all the complaints we get about your bluntness.” Airi chuckled.
“It’s called professionalism.”
“We aren’t office workers, y’know. The 'Cutie Magic' is a very important part of our brand! Anyways, the girl needs to get her feet wet eventually. Remember how excited I was when I joined?“
"Yes, but-"
"It'll be okay Haruka!" Airi continued, "We got cleared to initiate her, didn't we? That should be evidence enough that we're capable mentors now."
“What if she gets hurt on our watch? Anything could happen in there.”
Just as Airi was about to respond citing the safety of the situation, a loud bang erupted from inside the building. Not the best way to prove her point. The conversation was tabled as soon as the noise occurred- they knew each other well enough as partners to understand that they could figure this out when there wasn't an imminent threat.
With a pull of the door, the girls prepared for the worst, but they pushed their fear aside because above all, they were ready to enact justice.
✩
Emu
It felt like an eternity before Emu reached the music store. Between the adrenaline from running across town and how much she had been looking forward to her first mission, it was no wonder her heart was beating out of her chest. Even if she wanted to relish in the anticipation of the moment, she knew that any hesitation might risk the poor hostages inside.
She tugged open the door, ready for anything that could come at her. After all, she wanted to be a Cutie Magic Fighter more than anything in the world.
✩
Nene
By the time Nene approached the music store, she was terribly out of breath. She hadn’t planned on following Emu tonight- she was still terrified of what might happen at a crime scene like this- but before she could convince herself otherwise she was out the door, hoping that she could at least get there in time in case her dear friend got herself into trouble. She didn’t even wait to calm her heart (and lungs) before carefully entering the building. As worried as she was, a sudden intrusion might only make things worse for everyone inside.
Nene wasn’t sure what she had expected to see at an active hostage scene, but as far as she could tell this didn’t look like one. In the far corner, where shelves of headphones and speakers lined the wall, a blue-haired girl stood in front of a group of sitting people, among them a few of the store’s employees still in their uniforms. From her sparkling white coattails and ruffled dark blue skirt, Nene figured that she was one of the other magical girls in Emu’s group. The girl looked to be talking with the group casually, even eliciting a laugh from them at one point. Hostages didn't usually laugh, did they?
On the other side of the store, the only thing that seemed out of place was a spinning rack of CDs that was knocked over. Nene looked for any flashes of pink, but couldn’t see her friend anywhere. Had she not made it yet? That couldn't be possible, she was much faster than Nene was, especially if she was motivated. It was strange that there was only one girl that looked to be part of CMF, didn't Emu say there were two of them?
Then, Nene heard the unmistakable sound of Emu shrieking and her heart sunk as images of her in danger flashed in her mind. Abandoning any sense of secrecy, she ran in the direction of the scream, towards the back area of the building. When she ripped open the door (completely ignoring the ‘employees only’ sign), she was blinded by light- one much brighter than the dim storefront. She shielded her eyes, not able to notice as a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
“Nene!!” Emu’s voice chimed, “look what I did!”
She opened her eyes slowly, still not completely adjusted to the overwhelming light, and she could hardly believe what she saw. Emu was glowing.
Not holding a flashlight, not illuminated by the ceiling lights. There was a full aura emitting from her body.
“Wha- how did that happen?” Nene was dumbfounded. When Emu talked about gaining magical abilities she thought it was a joke, a fantasy. How would that even work? Surely the so-called 'magic' was an illusion or scripted, like wresting. She played along to keep Emu happy, but she had always assumed it was nothing more than a marketing stunt. Yet she couldn’t deny the reality in front of her.
“I was surprised too,” another voice said, stepping closer to Nene. Through the haze of light, she could just barely make out the shape of curly pink pigtails and a white dress. “As soon as we came back here, she just popped on like a glowstick. Cool, right?”
“I’m magic! I’m magic!” Emu jumped up and down, still hugging Nene tightly.
Nene’s head started spinning from the rush of it all. “Hold on, I don’t understand. There’s no threat? Everything’s okay? I- I heard a scream, so I thought something horrible happened.”
Emu cheerfully exclaimed, “Nope! Isn’t that right, Airi?”,
The pink haired girl appeared more hesitant. “We haven’t found any suspicious individuals or anything that would be concerning, but of course that doesn’t completely dismiss the situation. Something messed with the doors.”
“The doors?” Nene had no problem getting in, and obviously neither had Emu or the other magical girls, since there was no sign of a break-in.
“Everyone’s stuck once you go in! Oh… we should’ve warned you.” When she frowned, Emu’s light dimmed, suggesting it was somehow correlated to her mood. Interesting.
Nene ran through possibilities in her head. “Are you sure it’s not an issue with the locking mechanism? Assuming the store utilizes automatic timed locks, there could be some kind of interference.”
“Haruka looked at that- oh yeah! She’s the one with pretty blue hair and the sparkly suit, she’s keeping everyone happy while we figure out what to do!” Emu returned to her previous brightness as she excitedly described the girl who was in the main area, once again blinding Nene like the sun.
“Interesting… Can I take a look myself?” She didn’t want to undermine the opinion of someone who quite literally had magical abilities, but something seemed off about the whole situation.
“Yay!! Let’s show Haruka my powers!” Emu bounded for the door, somehow becoming even brighter. At a certain point anyone around her would need sunglasses to avoid damage, but Nene had never heard of a magical girl whose ability hurt others, so she just shielded her eyes and tried to focus on the confusing problem at hand.
There wasn’t much time to think, however. Just a moment after the trio passed under the doorway back into the storefront, a television buzzed to life overhead. Normally, the various screens around the shop would show a popular music video or advertisements for new products, but in place of idols or headphones was an anime girl with teal pigtails, looking down as if surveilling the floor. It was far from unusual to see Hatsune Miku on these screens, though the plain black background was a little odd. The girls almost walked past this display, until a robotic voice came from the intercom system.
“Ah ah, mic okay? Hello?”
Her voice got the attention of the entire group. With everyone looking at the screen, she smiled.
“Miku!” Emu cheered. “Do you have a new song to announce?” If it weren’t for the uneasiness of the moment, Nene would have found Emu responding to a screen of all things to be endearing.
“I thought the screens went out with the lock?” One employee asked someone else.
“Beats me, I’m just a temp.” The other replied. Similar murmuring spread around the group.
“Hey! Can’t you hear me?” Miku tapped on the screen, the sound reverberating. “I’m trying to talk to you guys!”
“I can hear you!!”
Nene tugged on Emu’s sleeve. “You don’t actually have to respond, it’s not real.”
At that, Miku’s expression twisted into one of agitation. “That’s not very nice! What if I said you weren’t real?”
Shock swept across the room. While it was plausible that she was just part of a pre-recorded ad before, the way she clearly responded to Nene’s comment proved without a doubt that she not only had sentience but could somehow hear them in the store.
“Hmm, that’s what I thought,” Miku continued. It was becoming increasingly clear that whatever was happening, this likely wasn’t the friendly version of Miku that they were used to seeing. “Since I put all that effort into getting you all here, the least you could do is cooperate, yeah?”
One of the employees stood up then. “H-hey! I’m the manager of this store, so if anyone should cooperate here, it’s you!” He tried to put on a confident voice, but this was so unlike anything he’d encountered during his time at the store that he couldn’t mask his fear.
Miku feigned concern. “Oh nooo I’m so intimidated by your corporate hierarchical power! Seriously, you think I care what your stupid little name tag says? Watch this-” She snapped her fingers, and a couple of the store lights burn out, shattering and sending a flurry of glass onto the carpet. The manager flinched at the sound.
Sensing Miku’s unpredictability, Haruka proceeded carefully, keeping an arm behind her to shield the civilians. A faint blue bubble reached around them- only noticeable to those who were outside of it. “What is it you want?”
“I’m glad someone finally asked! It’s suuuuper simple- you magical girls are getting too strong! Everyone's totally obsessed! So what’s a virtual idol supposed to do when the world doesn’t care about her, hmm?”
Emu’s brows furrowed. “That’s not true, lots of people like you!”
“Like, sure, but nobody relies on me, do they? No, of course not, not when they can just call up a bunch of sparkling heroes to solve all their problems.”
“Is that really a fair comparison? You’re not a human.” Nene retorted. It still felt silly to talk to a screen like that, but she hoped logic could get through to Miku.
“I know!” Miku shouted, exasperated. The power flickered. “I can’t do the same things as you girls. No matter how hard I’ve tried, it’s just not possible. So, I had no other choice but to use what power I do have and make sure no one can ever be protected by you again. I think it’s a perfectly reasonable compromise.”
“You can’t do that-” Airi hastily crossed her index fingers and thumbs together into finger hearts aimed at one of the Mikus, pulling the right side back as a glowing pink bow and arrow manifested into her grasp. She shot an arrow right in the center of the screen, the display splintering upon impact. The screen turned black with a blip, and Airi let out a sigh of relief.
It was short-lived though, as Miku appeared on a new screen on the other side of the room a moment later. “Well that was rude!”
Airi rushed over to the new screen and repeated her attack, the arrow appearing much stronger this time. As the TV exploded, a large chunk of glass hurled towards Airi, slicing through her glove to the back of her hand. She dropped the bow, letting it dissolve into small particles of light as she clutched her injury with a whine. The white satin quickly darkened with blood.
Yet again, Miku reappeared, shaking her head. “Boy, you humans aren’t very smart, are you? Thanks for making my job easier at least,” She thrust her hand towards the screen, and a large speaker fell off the wall just above Emu’s head. In a panic, Nene shoved her out of the way, the both of them falling to the ground mere inches away from the crushing weight of the speaker. Small bits of glass from Airi's attack pressed into their skin, but the adrenaline covered up the pain for now. All that mattered to her was that Emu stayed out of danger. She had to do something to help. Suddenly, an idea hit her. If she could only get a distraction…