NOVEL NEXT Recollection 3: A Girl
The Girl stares at the starry sky, her heart racing with anticipation.
She knows what she needs to do, and she is more than ready to do it. She had been planning this for weeks, and the time has finally come.
She takes a deep breath and stands up, feeling the damp grass under her feet. She looks around, making sure no one is watching, before she starts to run. She runs as fast as she can, her heart pounding in her chest until she reaches the edge of the jungle and swamp that overlooks Jo Loon City.
The Girl slows down and took another deep breath, feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She knows what she is about to do is dangerous, but she also knows it is the only way to save her beloved family.
Her sworn sisters Yin and Setia are held captive by the corrupt government officials of Jo Loon City, and it is up to the Girl to save her. She had already gathered intel and had a plan in place, but now it was time to implement that plan.
She takes out her grappling hook and throws it over a high branch before hoisting herself up and making her way across the treetops. She moves quickly and silently, her years of training as an assassin and status as a practical magic savant coming into play. She reaches the cliff's edge and looks out at the technologically advanced port city below.
She can see the government research building in the distance, where Yin is being held. The Girl takes a deep breath and readies herself. She had to move with speed and precision.
With a quick jump, she leaps off the treetop and begins to glide through the air, her wingsuit carrying her forward. She lands on a rooftop and begins to walk across the buildings, using her grappling hook and acrobatic skills to move quickly and stealthily.
She finally reaches the research building and starts to climb up the side of the building, using her grappling hook to climb to the top floor. She scales the windowsill in a heartbeat and slips inside, her heart pounding louder in her chest.
The Girl is immediately met with a loud alarm. She ducks and looks around, trying to figure out what set off the alarm. Suddenly, she spots a laser emitter in the corner of the windowsill and realizes that her hook had triggered an alarm when she scaled the building wall.
She had grown careless. Soft. Complacent in relative peace.
But there wasn't time to dwell on her mistake. She had a mission to complete.
The Girl breaks into a sprint running down the hallway to be greeted by two armed guards with rifles. She narrows her eyes and takes a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. She dives to the side as one of the guards shoots at her, rolling out of the line of fire and tucking into a corner.
She pulls out her pistol and fires at the knee of one guard, causing him to crumple to the ground in pain. The other guard aims his rifle at her, but she is too quick for him. She dodges his gunfire and delivers a swift kick to his jaw, knocking him out cold.
She grinds her teeth and keeps moving. She runs down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest, as she makes her way closer and closer to Yin's location. She can hear the sound of footsteps and shouts behind her, but she doesn't look back. She knows she needs to stay focused on her mission.
Finally, she reaches the room where Yin is being held. She takes a deep breath and kicks down the door in a burst of mana, her pistol ready.
She finds Yin sitting on a bed, a look of fear on her face.
"Big sis?" she whispers in disbelief.
The Girl nods, a small smile forming on her lips. "Let us leave," she says, offering her hand to Yin. "Take it. Your memento."
She approaches Yin and quickly passes an object to her. Yin looks up at the Girl with wide eyes, and the Girl takes her by the hand.
A memento - the most treasured item of a magical girl that allows them to transform into their magical form - was a powerful tool. It was said to contain a piece of the Girl's soul, and as long as it was within reach, she could transform.
The Girl passes Yin's memento, a cherished photograph, to her. Yin clutches it in her hand, feeling the familiar warmth of mana pulsing through it. She closes her eyes and focuses on her transformation. In a burst of light, she transforms into her magical form. The Girl follows suit, taking out the familiar scorched dog tags.
Yin's silver hair whips around her face as she stands up, her silver and black uniform fitting her like a second skin. She holds her hand to the golden-haired Girl, who takes it without hesitation.
The door slams against the wall, and a group of armed guards rush in, their rifles pointed at the two girls. The two stand their ground, their magic crackling in the air around them.
"Ah. Fuck wo de ma ye. Lah," one of the guards says, his voice wavering as he takes in the sight of the magical girls standing before him.
Without warning, the Girl unleashes a blast of magical energy, sending the squad of guards flying back. Yin's power manifests in icy winds that leave the remaining guards with solid ice bindings.
"Let's go," the Girl says to Yin.
She takes Yin's hand and leads her out of the room. Yin's magic quickly seeps through the building, darkening the lights and causing chaos as they make their escape. The two girls run through the hallways, their powers creating a path for them as they fight off any guards that come their way.
Finally, they make it out into the streets. The two stand there, panting and exhausted, feeling as though a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Yin turns to her sister, who gives her a reassuring smile.
Yin's eyes widen, and she tackles her sister to the ground. A row of guns opened fire from the side. She feels the ripples in the air as the bullets fly over them.
A platoon of Achilles-class mechs emerges from the shadows. The Girl looks up to find a familiar woman standing atop one of the mechs with a platoon of them behind her.
"Mama?!" the Girl exclaims in shock as their mother stares down at them with a hardened expression.
"I'm sorry," she says, her voice heavy. "There was no other way. I had to do this."
The Girl's heart sinks as she looks up at her mother. She had always considered her a hero, but now she had just confirmed The Girl's worst fears. She had betrayed her own family.
"Why?" the Girl asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Because it was the only way to save us," her mother replies, her voice sad. "They would have killed us all. I had no other choice."
The Girl feels a wave of anger and betrayal wash over her. She struggles to her feet and steps forward, her fists clenched.
"How could you do this to us?" she screams. "How could you betray your own daughters?"
Her mother's eyes soften, and she steps down from the mech.
"I had to make a tough decision. A decision for the greater good," she says, approaching the girls. "But I know it's hard to understand that right now."
The Girl grits her teeth, her eyes blazing with fury.
"You don't get to make that decision for us," she growls. "You don't get to choose whose lives are worth sacrificing."
Her mother looks down at her, her expression pained.
"I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry," she says. "But please understand that I did what I thought was right."
The Girl shakes her head, her anger still boiling inside her. She turns to Yin and takes her hand.
Suddenly, the Aberration sirens begin to sound around them. The screeching sound pierces through the air, and the ground shakes. The Girl looks up and sees a massive portal in the sky.
Yin looks up in disbelief as monsters begin to emerge from the portal. They were hideous creatures with razor-sharp teeth, glowing eyes, and tentacles protruding from their bodies. They let out a bone-chilling roar as they descended upon the city.
Bathala curses under her breath as she orders her platoon to mobilize. The two magical girls stand there, frozen in terror, watching the monsters wreak havoc upon the city.
But the Girl's training kicks in. She takes a deep breath and grabs Yin's hand.
"Bathala!" the Girl screams. "Where is... Where are Setia and Cecilia!?"
The woman who was no longer the Girl's mother looks at her in surprise before responding. An expression filled with pain and regret fills her eyes before she answers.
"They're... in the Shambhala Group facility across the city," Bathala says, her voice strained. "Do what you must, daughter of mine."
The Girl looks at her sister, a determined expression on her face. She takes a deep breath and readies her powers.
"Let's go," the Girl says to Yin before turning and running towards the Theta facility with her sister in tow.
She jumps over obstacles as she rushes through the city, guided by instinct and a newfound sense of purpose. The two moved in tandem as a flash of gold and silver blurs.
The Girl felt a fire burning inside her, driving her forward as they fought toward the Theta facility. Hordes of mechs, guards, zombies, and other monsters attempted to stand in their way, but the girls quickly cut them down.
Just as they were about to reach the building, a loud explosion erupts from behind them. The Girl whirls around and sees a group of six magical girls standing before her.
A girl with green hair and eyes walks forward from the group and stands before the two sisters. She does this as a girl with pink hair draws an arrow of light back in her bow.
"Hana of the Dawn. Mayari of the Evening," the green magical girl says, drawing her katana and pointing it at the two. "Welcome to Jo Loon. I hope you two are having fun and all, but I'm sorry. Your rampage ends here."
The Girl looks at her sister and sees the same determination she has in her own eyes.
She takes a deep breath and readies herself for the fight ahead.