#dynaura

          “Um. Well, I think they should get to know me first. And then we can tell them more once we’re all friends! Then we’ll become even better friends—”

          But before Earl could continue her justifications, she froze in her tracks. She had made eye contact with a swarthy ogre of a fellow: One she had heard about between her own personal life and magical adventures, that alien invasion scout who had posed as one of Earth’s new superheroes, just when she’d moved in around here too.

          Just as he attempted to say something, Earl let off a terrible, frightful scream!

          “aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

               She prepared to swing her wand. Various holographic shapes— dynamite, hearts, onions, flowers, and garlic cloves, emerged as the magic began to activate. The wand bashing the Earthborn alien in the face, followed by a point-blank explosion that sent him flying through the air. When he was far away enough, he twinkled like a star.

          And Earl just skipped merrily on her way. She felt like she’d shaved off a great deal of her anxiety just then! If she could handle a brute like Rex, what couldn’t she do?

X

          Within no time at all, something—or someone, entered the solar system. A being possessed of the ability to detect, generate, and channel cosmic energy. Though there were many styles of energy-slinging in the universe, this one was noteworthy because it was the same as a certain Earthborn Alien’s own skills. The superluminal figure slowed down, disengaging a personal warp field and approaching Earth at a calmer near-light cruising speed, before issuing a summons of sorts. Perhaps astral, or telepathic in nature.

          “Surya Aruna.”

          Silence at first. And then, the distant sound of explosions, as if muffled by a semi-liquid membrane. The presence was not pleased, as if expecting the altercation in the physical plane to have been resolved quicker. Another moment, and then Rex himself fell backwards through this quasi-aether. A trail of afterimages following him from one position in space into this next one.

          “REX!! YOU #$%&ED UP BIG TIME!”

          “Big Rutler…”

          Rex lay on the ground, frozen in place with an open mouth, as if issuing an exclamation that never came. The lifeform called Rutler manifested—a metallic humanoid with a cyan shade with accenting patterns to distinguish himself, and three bulbous eye lamps, the third present on the forehead. For a moment, a cascade of a hundred arms extended from his body, before settling down into six. Four of the arms maintaining meditative gestures, while the original two arms went to his sides, as if displeased with Rex’s efforts.

          “Remember yourself, boy: Although you have been allowed to remain on this planet, you owe a duty to the Galactic Volunteer Reserves. One you’ve shirked!”

          “How?! I was just in the middle of it!” responded Rex, with a louder telepathic tone. His body remained inert, while Rutler stood over him. Starting to point a finger.

          “Wrong! The immediate coalition of worlds in this space sector are growing increasingly restless.”

          Rutler produced something akin to holographic, real-time representations of the worlds and their star systems to visualize the opposition. These images were followed immediately by windows into various corners of the globe. Humanity’s various scientific endeavors.

          “Because of your lax approach, the Earthlings have made strides in conducting warfare and off-world colonization. They repeatedly demonstrate extreme aggression! At this rate, Earth will be named an enemy of the entire cosmos!”

          “That’s not fair, Rutler.” said Rex. “You can’t condemn them all for the failings of their rulers—”

          “—Nor can I excuse the fact, that the way you go about… warring with the local metaforms has yielded little progress. Have you no other avenues to consider?!”

          “I could say the same about other planets you’ve had a hand in, boss.”

          Rutler went silent. Over the years, he had often reminded Rex that their actions had to be carefully calculated: For the sake of other lifeforms. Too much, and it would be infringing upon the right of self-determination. Too little, and it would allow catastrophe to rob the universe of entire cultures where they could have, and should have tried to intervene.

          “Remember your promises.” said Rutler at last. “There is much tension. To untangle it will mean a supreme effort.”

          If Rex could nod just then, he would have. For all the strict drudgery that Rutler had considered an adequate way to administer education, there were still certain things Rex had hung onto in his lessons. Even the lessons that Rutler didn’t always consciously instill.

          “Always, to the last.”

          Finally, Rex was released from the commune of mind and spirit. Back to Earth. Back to the never-ending battle.

X

          All of a sudden, Earl didn’t feel so confident again. She couldn’t really place why: She’d fended off a strong foe, shared a few words with a trusted friend, and made it to the building where she’d be formally trained. It was reminiscent of the sort of afterschool tutoring she had to attend sometimes, middle to high school, before an exam if there was even the slightest doubt that her grades were entirely in order.

          There were certain areas from which the great echoes of things being hurled around or broken occurred suddenly, without much warning. With intervals of inaudible intent: the vocal cords of praise, of a rough and rapid joke uttered within the confines of that group, and small talk in colossal tone.

Was her batch going to be next? Would she find her place there?

          Earl eventually found the floor and the room set aside for her batch. She was pleasantly surprised to see someone else there: a magical woman. Someone who had been where she had been. Who from the looks of things, still held the same interests at heart. It gave her stride a confident march, towards a desk filled mostly with official papers, highlighter markers. There was more Earl had yet to identify.

          “Name or alias.”

          The voice was a weary one, uttered by a mouth adorned with mature black lipstick, the colors on her costume-dress were faded somewhat, a replacement outfit lingering in the plastic packing dry-cleaning laundries provided, as if it were meant for a certain appointment. Earl stood there for a moment, before murmuring her introduction. The magical woman seemed unimpressed, which made Earl buckle a bit more. On closer approach, she’d cracked open a window and started smoking a cigarette wrapped in a lavender rolling paper. Courteous enough to blow the smoke aside to join the urban smog of Delta Bay.

          “Unsettling Magician… Blightina!”

          To regain some of her confidence, Earl struck a pose. The magical woman at the desk raised a brow.

          “I’ll just put ‘Blightina’ on the forms, kid. Makes it easier to process.”

          “Oh…”

          The cigarette was put aside. As Earl’s eye followed to the ashtray the magical woman kept for herself, she saw some colorful gel pens she’d used to sketch away on a set of post-it-notes with borders themed after sleek race cars, and cute stickers with musical notes and butterflies. A computer on the side boasted a full-color cascade glow from its keyboard.

          “But you can still tell people your full title in-person. If you like… want. It’s all yours, y’know?”

          The woman tried to stave off her unintentionally dour demeanor, putting on a weak smile that didn’t jump out frequently. Earl nodded back a few times, swearing she would carry it proudly. That earned a chuckle from the magical woman, who sent her on her way. As she headed in for her official matters, she couldn’t help but notice on the edge of the magical woman’s face, a sad look. One Earl felt guilty over.

Even though it wasn’t really her fault. Not Earl’s, not even the magical woman’s own, either.

There was an auditorium full of other young, aspiring superheroes. Some were even magical girls in their own right. There were those too far off among the crowd to address. Those nearest trying to focus on the main event. And one that smiled back when Earl smiled. Before the curvature of that lip fell into a frown, barely hidden. It made Earl wonder if anyone else nearby and trying to concentrate on the proceedings did similar. It was easy to imagine them replicating that singular performance, all the more difficult to picture anyone feeling positive about it. Utterly impossible to imagine neutrality, now.

There was a pristine podium carved from marble. A microphone adorned it. These were put in place for the veritable goddess that graced the stage: Unlike the magical woman at the front desk, the colors on this one were not faded—she was known the world over for the promise that hers never faded, not while anyone required her services. The outfit itself was an embellishment of a sailor-style school uniform, compared to Earl’s poofier, more ‘otherworldly fantasy’ oriented garb she’d worn for most of her career as Blightina. Though its colors might have been called sickly or gross, they were just as bright, constant in their promise to restore joy.

“We love you, Lady Pastella! Alignment Angels for life!”

“Do the Harmonious Golden Tide! It’s your best move!”

Pastella brimmed with so much youth and vigor, and yet in her years she was everyone else’s senior. She was accompanied by the Enforcer Shootsuit, who postured as if some of that applause was for himself. Likewise, a cadre of veteran Pithy Randos representing the superpower-share app were not far off. Those in the audience who did not immediately appear to be superpowered metaforms or vigilantes were welcome to their recruitment table being set up on the sidelines, once the main event was over.

“Let me just thank each and every one of you for being here.” said Pastella, in a calm lullaby, sing-song sort of voice. “Once upon a time, we just broke into the business as soon as we received our blessed, fabulous gifts, these brutal and destructive curses, whatever you’ve come to call your abilities. It’s high time that changed… Shootsuit, darling?”

Shootsuit stepped up to plate, receiving his share of applause. Removing his helmet with intricate nanotechnology. It was like his headpiece was never really there. Something about that bugged Earl. Better to dwell on meager gripes like that than to suppose the absolute worst.

“Ahem!... How you kids doin’? Stickin’ it to the man? Well, courtesy of Quark International assets, we’re giving you all the chance to be among the first to register with our Freshcut Initiative: If you’ve worked solo all this time, only ever worked with other fresh-faced metaforms, or just need a few pointers—you’ll now have access to state-of-the-art training facilities, lessons from us experienced super-types, and no shortage of opportunities to be part of the true blue field: To bring something unique to teams like my Enforcers, become a VIP among uniformed like the Pithy Randos, the sky’s the LIMIT! Say it with me: I made it! And it only gets bigger from here!”

There was a chant. Earl joined in at first, but settled down as the rest of the crowd got to hooting and hollering louder and more fervently with each new round.

“Now THAT’S what we like to hear! My good friend Pastella’s gonna be one of the top brass for the Freshcut Initiative. I mean, I’m cooler than cool—but Pastella’s not half bad herself.”

Pastella offered a gleam from one of her pieces of enchanted jewelry to delight the crowd.

“And I also bring my wisdom, my experience. You’re all going to learn how to throw down, and then you’re gonna look incredible doing so. Now… who’s with me?!”

The crowd went wild. Earl clapped her hands, as much as she could as some of the other newcomers in the audience started colliding with her. Hard: The way they pronounced their apologies didn’t sound entirely right. But they offered them, right? That had to mean something. She couldn’t see their faces before they disappeared among the crowd in a tremendous hurry. Everyone was funneling out of the auditorium. Some sticking around to confer with the recruitment tables, or Initiative faculty to learn more about their offerings.

But Earl would have to look into that stuff later. It was going to take far too long to navigate, let alone to overcome the long lines. First thing tomorrow after her regular college classes, she was going to begin her training with the legendary and beloved Lady Pastella!

X

          Rex was soaring across the skyline of Delta Bay. Careful not to shatter any windows as he accelerated, nor the neon lighting that culminated in the plentiful advertising across the city. Specifically, what he was looking for were things a person could have put together: potential scientific doomsday devices, cataclysmic rituals forbidden in the practice of magic, anything of such advancement and capability that it would go virtually unopposed. Especially if given the opportunity to thrust all potential detractors back to the stone age.

          Not if he could help it.

          Rex listened with his hyper-hearing, preparing himself to zero in on unusual noise. When he had a suspicion as to something dangerous going on, only then would he employ his hypervision to scan. With multiple layers of functionality—telescopic or microscopic zoom, frequencies from infrared to x-rays and beyond, he could observe far more than most. Its potential in an exploratory capacity had to be kept in check by a desire to avoid wielding it to completely obliterate the privacy of others.

          But nothing hidden was brought to light this time. Worst thing he did was catch someone going through their smartphone on the toilet, and police on the streets calling for attack helicopters and mecha to standby for launch, at the merest passing glance of the cosmic contender. One even became so impatient they sought to ‘plug’ Rex right between the eyes. A 9mm bullet bouncing off of his brow, earning naught but a wince. But it was the thought that counts, and the sheer contempt lingered with Rex while the bruise on his skin faded in no time at all.

          “Bzzz Bzzz!”

          Just then, Rex spun around in a jolted hurry. Looking to see the form of none other than the magic insect called Zealzee!

          “Bzzzzz…!!”

          Like a mundane housefly trying to escape a swatter, the smaller Zealzee attempted to fly around Rex. The cosmic contender did not mean to resist, but in his attempt to get out of the aerial arthropod’s way, he ended up nearly swatting poor Zealzee out of the sky.

          “ACK!!... Sorry!”

          Zealzee was the one spinning out of control now. At least, until Rex zipped around through the air. Going from collision to offering a living landing pad to the magic bug. That seemed to calm poor Zealzee into realizing Rex was not here to harm her.

          “Are you alright?”

          Zealzee nodded. But Rex could tell something was wrong.

          “I have to go. My friend is waiting for me…”

          “Would your friend happen to be a wand-baton wielding magical girl who likes onions and garlic?”

          “Yes! How did you know?”

          “She knocked me clear across the city skyline with one blow.”

          “Oh.”

          Zealzee muttered an apology. The cosmic contender sheepishly tried to reassure the magic insectoid that it was alright. The two hovered towards a building still under construction, seating themselves upon a steel girder to catch their breath.

          “She’s been bzzzzsy lately. With university classes, with starting her hero training and making friends. Real friends, I mean.”

          Rex perked up.

          “But you went to the trouble of looking for her. Not that she shouldn’t socialize… but you’re being too hard on yourself. She’s made it this far because she had your support.”

          Zealzee seemed taken aback. Thankful to have had that pointed out. But the magic bug didn’t want to hold Earl back.

          “I wish I knew some way to… not just cheer her up, y’know?” said Zealzee. “It’s nice to be bubbly and positive, but what good is that without actually affecting anything? I wouldn’t be a very good friend otherwise.”

          “Ah. That’s a doozy…”

          Rex set one hand on his own chin in thought. Trying to think of something that might help. It was a tricky situation, one that would require time and a little research. The Earthborn Alien hopped off the girder they sat on together, going into a mid-air hover.

          “I’ll get back to ya on that, Zealzee. I promise.”

          “W-Wait! Rex—if you run into her. See if she’s okay? She asked me not to follow her when she goes to her hero stuff, but… I just worry so much. She may seem loud or gross or whatever people say. But she’s more than that!”

          Rex offered back a quick two-fingered salute and a small smile.

          “That’s another promise, then. Extra special kind.”

          And with that, Rex darted off through the air. Still thinking, trying to figure out the best possible way to help without worsening the situation. Like Zealzee, he didn’t have all the answers. But they could be found. In some form.

X

On the first day of training under the Freshcut Initiative, Earl— Blightina, had triple-checked her things before arriving at the facility. Education here consisted of physical challenges, as well as a quick classroom session to go over tactics and watch recent news reports, the ones that were flagged as important for the likes of elite supergroups like the Enforcers. Color-coded freelancers from the Pithy Randos powershare app trained with them, but had a separate certification course to eventually jump up to intermediate operations.

No one really talked much unless they already knew each other from somewhere. Maybe with future assignments and a more relaxed atmosphere brought on by familiarity, there would be more opportunities to just chat.

Day 2 dispelled that notion. It was not unreasonable, as Earl had seen it in mundane schooling before. But the demands of her new mentors only dialed up. The coaches and scribes on the faculty here started getting louder, snippier whenever they were given a question. Obedience was the way to win their favor, if it could be called winning. Still, no one really reached out. Not even when Earl said hello, or tried to make small talk about everyday things. She was the one being normal this time, and everyone else was being bizarre. That didn’t feel any better than being the odd one out.

          Day 3 was much of the same. Earl had to keep her head down. She knew for a fact she could keep up with the Freshcut Initiative. It wasn’t much more challenging than the advanced placement classes in high school, and she had a handle on her university homework for the most part. But it was during the physical training seminar, dodging an array of stun-turrets and cybernetic armatures leveling spinning padded discs with sawblades drawn on them for psychological effect, that something happened. Someone reached out.

          She’d been hit in the head with a disorienting red rubber dodgeball and failed the course, painfully. It wasn’t included in the obstacle course before. The coach wouldn’t—no, the coach was too distracted to bother going that extra mile, Earl had come to notice that as of late. She tried to figure out who had thrown it, but the one responsible was nowhere to be found.

          There was only giggling and snickering. They sounded so very much like the half-hearted apologies she received at orientation.

          Day 4. There were some other girls here that kept looking in her direction, but never actually saying or doing anything. Not to be welcoming, at least. Earl didn’t understand it, especially when she saw another magical girl among their number. One who she could have sworn had altered her uniform style with each new day. Matching with the rest of the clique. If they had weapons, they didn’t wield them openly. If they had color, it was muted. No frills, nothing poofy, no fantasy to it. Yet the cruel couture was constant in its reminder that it was still a sleek and uninviting femininity, neither wanting to give the sense it was terribly masculine either. Earl had even seen them throw out brand new articles of clothing and accessories.

          Suddenly, everything capable of going wrong—that did end up going wrong, the clique was there out of the corner of her eye. She was afraid to run into them again.

          Day 5 was much of the same. Keeping up with lessons, avoiding the attention of instructor or supposed peer. Except that Earl ran into someone famous in the hallway: The spectral metaform known as Ectoette! Brimming with pep in her step. Seeing that Earl was less than enthused, she approached without delay. The magical girl regaining some faith at the sight of a graduated superhero, a full-fledged member of the Enforcers. And one of their most optimistic heroes on the roster, no less.

          “Why, hello! Looking a little lost there, hun. Need some help?”

          Earl gave the best flourish she could as Blightina, offering a pose back that Ectoette didn’t offer much of a reaction to. In some fairness, not being a magical girl herself, Ectoette was not familiar with the cultural significance. But that only went so far when Earl incorporated it into her introduction, moving with a profound passion.

          “I’ve been waiting so long for this! I’ve kept caught up with the material, but the schedule is a little tricky to figure out. And there’s these other girls who keep—”

          Just then. Ectoette put a hand on Earl’s shoulder. Not threateningly, but it was an attempt to help reassure her. Earl thought Ectoette understood completely. If only she did.

          “It sounds to me like you should go even farther than ever before. 110%, no fear, gather up all your courage, and push forward!”

          Earl’s expression tried to remain a smile. To be polite, well-mannered. But something inside her that kept her hanging on was losing its threading, ferociously. The holographic images of her favorite things seemed to dissipate beside her.

          “That’s not—”

          “Not something you’re capable of? Don’t talk like that! You can do anything if you set your mind to it.”

          “B-But the other girls. They keep messing with me, like during training. I got hurt--”

          Ectoette backed off before Earl could finish speaking, and thought about that. For all of two seconds, to the outside observer.

          “I’m sure they’re just as nervous as you are. It’s a coping mechanism some people use, y’know? Given time, I’m sure they’ll open right up! If you want to get them in trouble, you’d be no better than they are! Right?”

          “Wh—”

          Ectoette could see she was losing Earl. Only with a sigh did she finally decide she could try to do something about it.

          “I’ll talk to the faculty. You clearly just need an… intermediary! A go-between, that’s it. A third-party with no bias to help clear things up.”   

          “What about Lady Pastella? Or Shootsuit?”

          Ectoette involuntarily laughed. Tried to play it off as natural mirth.

          “No need to bother those two. That seems a bit much, don’t you think? Now get on out there and show everybody what you’re made of! Glitter and romance and everything!”

          Earl didn’t understand what that last part meant. Ectoette was guessing at what Earl did despite her costume-dress and the iconography of her magic. And then Ectoette went as far as to use her powers to phase through a wall just to get away from the conversation. Unsettling Magician Blightina—Earl, just stood there a moment longer. Only the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead filled the dead air, just then.

          Day 10. Earl was starting to fall behind on her training. She tried to leave early during the lecture portion, but she wasn’t allowed. That would allow the clique to catch up with her. They were lead by Syrena-X, a fangirl of some wormy little spy on Shootsuit’s payroll, that Tabkeeper guy or something. The other magical girl just went by LeFay now, and it was harder to tell that she was ever one herself, the way she gave up everything. The others she’d heard about in passing. As long as they were Syrena-X’s groupies, they had more or less thrown away their own identities in order to leech off of the success of the meanest one there.

          “Hey, pukemaster.”

          Syrena-X had cornered Earl. Deactivating an optic camouflage gadget she was using. The others who followed her approached gradually from the ends of the hallways, as if to say there was no route towards freedom.

          “Coach had a talk with us. Said that you’re still a hero too. Even if you started out misguided.”

          “Yeah, no matter how gross you are!” spat one of her groupies, with unrestrained vitriol. By comparison Syrena-X spoke calmly and clearly. Shooting a glare that made her underling regret piping up. The others scolded that underling in hushed whispers, before quickly returning their attention to Syrena-X and Blightina.

          “What they mean to say is. Work on yourself. Fix things. We could use a girl like you on our side. Wouldn’t that be nice? All of us actually being friends.”

          Syrena-X turned away. Despite not getting far, she seemed to act like she’d just conducted ugly business. LeFay made it more obvious, turning back to make a disgusted expression.

          Day 15. Nothing happened. But Zealzee couldn’t find Earl. Tried to have faith that she was putting everything into keeping up with the Freshcut Initiatiev. But the magic insectoid searched the environment with nervous compound eyes. Feeling as though she were being watched.

          Day 20.

          Lady Pastella herself finally came to see her. Earl didn’t feel like her prayers were answered. But there was still something in her heart that saw what Pastella was, at least in terms of her appearance, and yearned to be considered as much. By the public perhaps, but also to be deemed worthy enough to be a peer.

          “Ohhh, my poor darling…” hummed Lady Pastella, putting the gentlest of caresses onto Earl’s cheek. “What promise, what potential you had when you started. And now you’ve fallen into such disarray after all that beautiful progress.”

          No question of what ailed her. Earl didn’t think to ask at this point. Her magic no longer emphasized her love for entomology, for the strong ingredients that gave sharp flavor to her favorite foods. All that remained were the little holographic hearts. Gone was their vibrant lime green, replaced with standardized pink.

          “Blightina, darling?”

          “Yes, Lady Pastella? Anything for you, your majesty. I don’t think I’d have been allowed here if the Alignment Angels hadn’t cemented their place in the world.”

          Lady Pastella’s lashes fluttered. Her eyes almost closed at all times, only cracking open slightly to offer a look at a void with multiple shine-spots that made her feel more like a legendary fae than a magical woman. Likewise, her skin was flawless, make-up hiding pores, her lips glistening as if they could never truly be dry, not for a second.

          “You’ve come to a major fork in the road that is your life, dear. Everything hinges on your decisions here. And I warn you, that none must be made lightly… this path, being a hero, and following the tradition of mahou shojo at that. It requires dedication. To endure every hardship with a smile—”

          Perhaps. But Earl wondered why suffering was a necessity. At least, heaping it on in bulk. Why no one bothered to help her. It didn’t feel like they were telling her to stand up for herself either, more like she had to surrender. It didn’t feel like she was championing herself, nor anyone else. Let alone other girls, magical or otherwise. Like they were all just playing back into the very thing that was confining them. Trying to bargain.

          “You might even have to seriously contemplate whether this path is for you. Or not, Blightina.”

          Earl thought that was it. She had to get out of here. And she had to perform the ultimate surrender: To get away from this before it consumed her completely. But not before the hole was dug deeper: Syrena-X and her clique had returned. And they weren’t alone.

          They had Zealzee, captured. Earl tried not to let the horror on her face show. She couldn’t, but Lady Pastella interpreted that purely as fear of leaving the program. What baffled Earl though, was the fact that Zealzee didn’t scream, buzz in terror, or even call out to Earl. The magic bug just offered a smile, in spite of all the pain twitches and aches. Blightina’s poor familiar had been hunted with extreme prejudice, before being slated for capture instead at the last moment.

          Without you, thought Earl. There’s no magic.

          If Zealzee could respond, the friendly fly would have said something like: I just ignited it. It was always yours. And how thankful the bug was to have gotten to see her make it her own. To make new friends, and face the future unafraid.

          That chance was lost.

X

          Earl was sick of it. She didn’t want to be the Unsettling Magician Blightina anymore, or whatever it was everyone wanted to turn that role into. These weren’t just suggestions, no mere editor’s notes, but the rules to be allowed to exist. She didn’t fly, she didn’t skip, she ran, the run became a sprint, and then she felt her stamina burn through into nothing. She manifested her wand. Watching the associated images it manifested. It stung to look at, the things that she cared most for. To share with others, and show them it didn’t always have to be scary. These things inhabited the world as much as anything else.

          She lobbed the wand-baton forth, never wanting to see it again.

          “--YEOW!!”

          Earl was brought out of despair for a moment. There, she saw Rex of all people. Rubbing his head. Bringing back over that accursed wand. And all he could do was offer it back. Confused when Earl only seemed to recoil.

          “Huh?? But this is yours, ain’t it?” said Rex. “I remember being hit with this exact baton before.”

          “It’s nothing but trouble.” said Earl. “Get it away. I don’t want anything to do with that horrible thing. Or what I have to be to get allowed to even use it!”

          There was silence. Save for the sounds of the city of Delta Bay around them. Rex watching. Noticing that Earl was choking back a sob. This was what Zealzee had asked him to help with. Rex feared he’d arrived too late. His brows furrowed: though he didn’t know precisely what happened, he had to do something.

          “… I went to Magical Girl Island, and they said they’ve heard of you.”

          Earl blinked. Mouth agape as she glared at him. What nonsense was that?!

          “You’re just making fun of me too.”

          “No, for real! I searched for it all this time. Zealzee said--”

          “Shut up. SHUT UP, SHUT UP! IT DOESN’T EXIST!”

          Blightina took hold of her wand-baton again. Rex braced himself. He didn’t go flying this time, but the force of her blows was nothing to scoff at. They generated shockwaves whose residual kinetic energy reverberated through the area, while the bulk poured right into the target. That being Rex in this case. They were also accompanied by showers of sparks and bursts of pseudo-pollen. Constructs that mimicked the flight of bees and wasps. Cloves of garlic flying every which way.

          It continued for a while. No longer staggered back, Rex tried to stand steadfast. The rapid barrage finally gave way as Earl exhausted herself. She expected a reprimand, some stern lecture, but these things never came. Instead, there was just a wistful look on Rex’s face. The bruises and other signed he’d been bashed didn’t hurt quite as badly as seeing someone at their lowest.

          “… I’ll tell you something I know for sure, then.” said Rex. Gesturing for Earl to slow down. “That training you were doing. Freshcut Initiative?”

          Earl just nodded slowly. Unsure what this was leading up to.

          “I’ve been where you’ve been. It wasn’t as official, but the Enforcers took us in. Me and some others I joined up with.”        

          “Did they fit in? Did it all make sense to them?”

“Oh yeah. Yeah. Cripes. They passed with flying colors.”

          “And they said you would too.”

          “They said I had to. No alternatives. Did they tell you the same? Looked the other way when you tried to ask for help?... and then it all fell apart.”

          Earl just nodded. Rex could only grimace: What happened to him before was not the first time. And with the magical girl’s confirmation, it was far from the last. She held the wand-baton in her hands. Trying to wipe away a teardrop that landed on it. That had never happened before.

          “… Well, they’re wrong.” said Rex, getting his second wind. “About costumed adventuring and whatnot. It’s more than fighting or justice, getting one over others. And it’s not about strict adherence either. It’s an intersection of… of generosity and self-expression. Charity infused with art. You found inspiration, and cultivated it in others. That’s how we make the world a little better than we found it.”

          Rex put his hand over Earl’s. His aura had a certain quality to it: Like being out in the tropics, a summer day that wasn’t oppressively scorching. Just warn enough to go to the beach or run through the woods at night to catch lantern-flies. He retracted his hand after a moment: his outreach meant not only to offer genuine comfort, but to make sure she didn’t drop her wand. The familiar holographic symbols her magic manifested came back to being. They needed a moment to form the shapes correctly. Earl wanted them to, so badly.

          “Tell me about that ‘Magical Girl Island’ or whatever.” said Earl. “What’s that supposed to be?”

          Rex seemed flustered by the question. Like he didn’t completely understand it himself. Every part he talked about, like disjointed rumors slapped together:

          “Well. From what I gathered… it’s where magical types of all ages and styles go to.”

          “So… what,” said Earl “Any old sorcerer can go there?”

          Rex shook his head.

          “They called it Magical Girl Island. That’s their priority first and foremost. The little ones can learn their magic unfettered. Princesses can be princes if they want. And there’s even grannies who retired there. They can be gentle, they can be fierce, but they do so together. Sometimes their greatest champions come out into the world to do the same for the rest of us. That’s how they know about you: I met them on the shore since I wasn’t allowed deeper into the island where their sacred shrines were. I asked if they could help you. You should have seen the way they lit up when they recognized your name. They were excited.”

          Earl tried to picture it in her mind. To some extent she could. The visual aspect at least. But if there was truth to what he said, she had a difficult time buying into it. Maybe if someone told her about it a month ago, she’d have been excited herself.

          “The Enforcers have Zealzee.” said Earl, going back to something she knew for certain. “I failed her. I was selfish and that left her at their mercy.”

          Rex seemed to gain a bit of vigor. Throwing off some of the sorrow.

          “Doing your best to belong, to be wanted, to live. That isn’t what’s wrong here: Zealzee wanted that for you too. You’ve gotta get her back, and share that with her. That’s how you make this right.”

          There. The spark had returned to Earl’s eyes.

          “I won’t wait any longer then…!”

          She levitated off of the street. Fixing her costume and bringing back its rightful colors and patterns. Earl buzzing as she gathered the sum total of her magic…

X

          Zealzee woke up slowly. She found herself in a laboratory, suspended inside of a large tube filled with a strange preservative. It lessened the pain that came from being poked and prodded. Syrena-X stood in front of the capsule, interrupting the work of the Enforcers’ R&D department. Disgust on her face. Wondering why anyone would bother to carry an abhorrent pest like this around. At least, until she was called away to another task. For her efforts here, she was on the fast-lane to early graduation as a Freshcut.

          It was in that moment that the magical woman who served as the receptionist—Delinquent Diviner ‘Delilah Fino’ noticed Syrena-X had departed. With a gleam in her eyes, she knew it was now or never to strike. To do one good thing in her miserable time here: freeing the enchanted familiar of that poor girl, Earl. Delilah had overheard Ectoette mention the clique and and the difficulty—not so much what Earl was dealing with, but framing it as if she was bringing it onto herself. As if her tormentors could be expected to show her pity. But the last straw was the wailing of Lady Pastella herself. She, whose team—the Alignment Angels, had spurred Delilah to enter this field herself. Sold her these promises, these poetic dreams. It was bad enough they crushed Delilah’s, but to see it happen again to Earl made something snap within her.

          “Who’s there?...”

          Zealzee tried to regain consciousness. A sedative had been introduced. Just as something else was about to be activated, the lab techs dropped. A mist that was equal parts the sands of sleepiness and metaphysical nostalgia for something they never actually experienced before, not in its true totality. Then, the holding capsule opened: A towel offered to Zealzee. Delilah wasn’t enthused by the goopy preservative getting on her outfit, but this slight inconvenience wasn’t the important thing right now.

          “It’s okay now. Just stay with me, until we clear the front doors—”

          But at the lobby, some of the Freshcut recruits were already waiting for them. Syrena-X appearing to put Delilah into a chokehold. Zealzee fell out of the magical woman’s arms, while the superspy enacted her violence. She and Zealzee were surrounded!

          *CRRRASH!!*

          The glass windows and the front doors smashed open. Thousands of purple glowing locust constructs came smashing in, engulfing these would-be Enforcers, and the ilk of the other elitists of this era. In flew none other than Earl, embracing her theme to the fullest. Zooming in as her swarm forced off Syrena-X. Delilah landed on the ground, trying to catch her breath as she scrambled to catch Zealzee before anyone else could. Even with the swarm, some of the Freshcut recruits could still power through to join the fight.

          *WHAM!* *WHAM!!*

          With a left and a right hook each connecting with different opponents, Rex had arrived after Earl! Forcing back the wave of stragglers so that Delilah could pull back the familiar to safety. Syrena-X produced a pair of silenced submachine-guns, firing on Earl. Thick masses of the locust constructs flew into the way to shield her, swathes of them vanishing after being hit. To that, a wave of her wand-baton manifested a pair of large mandibles fit for the finest stag beetle! Then, she landed on the floor. Sprinting ahead to catch Syrena-X, and clamping onto her with herculean force. Once, twice, and a finale THRICE!

          What prevented it from being a quadruple clamp was the sudden collision of an ice ball that mimicked the appearance of a stellar comet. Lady Pastella herself had emerged! Bearing down with a tundra pummeling, solar beams, and Venusian magma. Earl valiantly kept up her forearms at first, before deflecting oncoming projectiles with her wand-baton. A final flourish, and a spell was cast to release onion-sulfur so potent, Lady Pastella’s eyes burned until she shed tears of her own.

          “You INGRATE!” exclaimed Pastella, waving her own wand every which way, failing to land her own magicks on her former student. “You couldn’t make the cut, floundered at making friends, and now you want to REBEL?! I have given EVERYTHING to see that people actually welcome you, instead of turning up their noses! Where’s your shame?! That you could be so… so ODIOUS. So VULGAR. Throwing in with lesser women and callous freaks! I don’t GET IT!”

          “I don’t think you WANNA get it!” thundered back Earl. With a nod from Zealzee, the two prepared to pose in unison. “Even if these things stay in the zeitgeist of humanity as being icky and scary… the Unsettling Magician Blightina will, to the last breath—make them a lot less scary. They’re natural!”

          “—YEAH! everything has a time and a place! Even if it ain’t always cutesy or fits your strict idea of what’s cool!” bellowed Rex, joining Blightina’s side. Karate chopping someone away, which lead into a pose of his own. “Anybody that’s got a problem with an honest magical girl like Blightina’s an enemy of Asuraman DAYBREAKER!!”

          That Rex felt comfortable enough to embrace his old moniker too instilled hope within not only Earl, but Delilah too. None of them had to face this alone.

          “That is the dumbest thing I have EVER HEARD!”

          It was LeFay! Running to Lady Pastella’s side. Red in the face. Consumed by rage. She had sacrificed too much to fulfill the vision Pastella, Syrena-X, and all the other elitists, to let it all come crashing down.

          “Your bugs are GROSS! Making that hag from the front desk buy into this crap. And that frumpy little supermanlet?”

          Rex blinked. He wanted to say something in his own defense, but the important thing was seeing this through, on Earl’s terms. Though they shared in this wretched experience, this was her time. Her chance to take back what was hers, and make things right with Zealzee. While everyone was taken aback by LeFay’s interjection, Lady Pastella started subtly charging up her mystical force, and transferred it into LeFay!

          “Go!” howled Lady Pastella “Your spirit burns for justice, for order! To return proper peace to this place!!”

          “Peace for WHO?!” exclaimed Earl, as she raced forward. Zealzee combined her power with that of her patron magical girl. Racing forward to catch LeFay off-guard with the force of a bull stampede. Scoring one heavy strike before being blasted aside. Rex flew forward to swing a kick that was dodged with a swift slide, after-images left in LeFay’s place. But not before Delilah gathered debris from the building being damaged around them, and creating her own planetary ring, its revolutions rapid as she tackled into LeFay from behind. LeFay responding by using an overpowering well of manipulated gravity to throw everyone through the ceiling, and into the lower atmosphere.

          All save for Rex, whose own personal ‘warp factor’ and a lot of grit allowed him to remain grounded, a crater around himself. Flummoxed by the fact everyone was gone! He saw Lady Pastella fleeing, and opted to give chase. But not before Shootsuit himself arrived!

          “Sorry bud. Cinderella’s gotta leave the ball on time! How’s about you start laying off our recruitment drives, huh?!”

          Rex turned to swing an elbow right into Shootsuit’s helmet. Disorienting the wearer and throwing the onboard sensors into momentary chaos. A hail of missiles and laser beams forcing Rex into a retreat. In the distance, he could see the other Freshcut recruits being suspended in mid-air alongside chunks of architecture. Delilah and Earl trying to mix-up their attack patterns to prevent LeFay from unleashing her newfound full-power onto either one of them with arcs of golden lightning. The surrounding area afflicted by torrential winds that made maneuvering difficult.

          “FULL-NELSON, BROTHERRR!”

          Shootsuit came up and caught Rex by the arms, hooking onto his shoulders and planting his steely mitts on the back of Rex’s neck. But at that moment, Rex wasn’t sure what was worse. The physical pressure being put on his neck and upper spine. Or the fact Shootsuit could be so flippantly glib at a time like this.

          “This isn’t even your fight! Why do you bother?” said Shootsuit “You keep butting in where you’re not wanted! It just makes things weirder and harder for the rest of us.”

          “I. WANNA. GIVE A DAMN!!”

          Rex forced off Shootsuit. Weaving past the armored offender’s heavy concussor bolts, Rocketing in to slam his forearm against his chest-mounted power source, followed by a barrage of body blows, like a boxer trying to get out of a corner.

          “I LIKE being INVOLVED!! If other people can’t feel welcome on this planet, then I never truly will, either!”

          He reached down to catch Shootsuit by the ankle. Shootsuit diverted all available power to the flight boosters, vast jets of flame from his boots right in Rex’s face. They singed viciously, but Rex started on a hurricane motion, like a spinning top. In the distance, Earl was raising her baton. Infusing it with a passion that called forth the essence of a kaiju-sized stick bug. The mythic Monkey King, Sun Wukong, couldn’t have done it better himself. It was as epic a finish as anyone could muster, but Shootsuit threatened it: Just as he locked onto Rex with his power armor’s suite of weaponry, he was alerted to Earl’s finishing move to stop LeFay with once and for all. Delilah was already firing some lightning arcs of her own to keep LeFay stunned.

          All of that meant one thing. Rex had to do what he did best: be the shield.

          With a sonic boom erupting through the sky, heavy rainfall and natural thunder booming behind him, he raced to intercept the oncoming wave of firepower from Shootsuit. It was shaping up to be the full-force of the arsenal he brought with him today. And as soon as he could feel the impact of the munitions, he shut his eyes and started to grit his teeth. Feeling his flight failing him as he started to fall from the sky.

          His last glimpse was of a rainbow-segmented stickbug shape brought backward, then raised high overhead where the improvised insect curved against the great gusts that tried to halt it. Earl screamed, putting everything she had into her counterattack, as Zealzee flew to put her hands over Earl’s.

          “I’m sorry. I’m sorry—” Earl grunted. But Zealzee just gave her a peck on the forehead, and started rubbing her fly-feelers together. Generating an extra static boost. Now, there was more magic left to give beyond that. Only the wish to see Earl be able to find happiness in this life. Without kowtowing to what anyone else deemed acceptable for her, when she was already on her own track towards being her best self.

*BA-DOOOOOOM!!*

The giant rainbow stickbug collided with LeFay, forcing the magic Lady Pastella had given her either back up to the stars, or towards the Earth, where the waiting presence of Gaia and the likes received the gift. Not the amount of power lost, but Earl and Zealzee’s will to return what was taken. A wide flash of light exploded outwards.

And Rex closed his eyes. Content to crash once he knew Earl, Zealzee, and Delilah had broken free. The future was theirs once again.

X

          Through the thick of an ocean fog, cut the bow of a modest sea-cruiser. At the helm, a guide was going over a nautical map with Delilah’s oversight. She and Earl were in casual clothes for the moment, but their wands weren’t far off. Being tended to by Zealzee, who had yet to find her sea legs. Beside her, lazing away atop some crates, cushioned by cargo sacks that were passable pillows. Delilah came down and around.

          “Rex. We’ll need you to scout ahead again for the island.”

          A thumbs up from the Earthborn Alien. Earl wasn’t far off, offering some medicine and a small water bottle to Zealzee. But before Rex got back up to a stand all the way, Earl stopped him. Delilah was confused, before Earl elaborated:

          “You said before that you went through the same thing I did.”

          Rex nodded. Delilah took a seat to listen, and Zealzee scooted over to do the same.

          “Lost my secret identity against my will and everything.”

          “And they said you came here to invade the Earth.” said Earl. “But you’re not. They took that from you the way they tried to take our magic. I mean—I believed it! Enough to hurt you, And I’m sorry. I…”

          “It’s fine, Earl. You know better now, and you acted on it.”

          “No! No, it’s not fine, not yet...” said Earl. “… I wish it was okay for you to be your whole self too. Messy, honest, earthling and alien. Every facet. You were there for us when we got that back. You should be out there soaring high. W-With somewhere safe to come back to… to feel like you’re home.”

          Rex sat there for a moment. Trying to remember when someone talked to him like that. Not just with sympathy, but with such indignation. Not merely the desire to punish, but extending something nice to the downtrodden.

          “One day. Until that dream comes true though, I’ll keep at this.”

          He got up to a stand. Earl couldn’t help herself, and hugged the cosmic contender. Burying her face in his shirt. Delilah came over to pull Earl back so Rex could ascend into the air, swooping off to perform an aerial sweep. Earl sniffled, while the magical woman Delilah gave her hand a squeeze.

X

          As Rex waded through the fog at a swift, but calm pace, he could sense another thoughtform projection from Big Rutler.

          “Complete your secondary objectives soon, Rex.”

          “Call them what you think them to be, Rutler: diversions.”

          Big Rutler said nothing. He was not completely unaware of what had transpired as of late. Lady Pastella’s mystical disruptions were difficult for even the more veteran of the two honed energy-slingers to ignore.

          “You put it best once, boy: To all things, a time and place. Simply… take care to wield the force of the cosmos with distinction. And honor our Nypardia, always. Alongside your precious Earth.”

          Rex realized he’d been scowling. But Rutler’s final words caused his features to soften. He looked back forwards, the glow of his eyes indicating the use of his hyper-vision to try and find the landmass he claimed to have come across before, from his initial attempts to cheer up Earl.

X

          Eventually, Rex returned. He gave his instructions on the coordinates for Delilah and the guide at the helm, before waving farewell for now, and rising skyward to clear orbit, some other matter to sort out. A lighthouse helped indicate land ahead. Earl and Zealzee made for the bow of the cruiser boat, hanging onto the railing as they saw the fog clear enough to spot the shore.

It was empty in that moment.

Then, someone arrived to spy for approaching boats. The yellow of a long raincoat and hat indicating there was at least one person. As they got closer, several more mundane individuals arrived. Delilah was just glad that this wild goose chase at least had taken them somewhere with people. Before being taken by surprise, as distant lights further inland flashed from one point to another, until their source was realized: Tenacious swordfighters, elegant ballet dancers, and small children still finding their niche. There were even some whose themes were as offbeat as Earl’s own, old and young. Engaging in an impromptu celebration. One themed after the Loch Ness Monster even went as far as to dive into the water, nearly swimming towards the boat just to get a better look at the newcomers.

Delilah and Earl were only going to be here for a week or two before they’d have to return to school or finding a new job. But for the time they were here, they felt more alive than they had in a while. The magical woman watched as Earl and Zealzee were the first to transform and take flight. Turning back to extend an open hand to Delilah. They could all try again. And they’d share it with the world, inviting those in similar predicaments to live authentically, too.