Magical Girl Ai (2)
Saturday morning, I hadn't slept since yesterday, just chatting nonstop with Kim Do-hee, Ai's older sister, the magical girl. By playing games together, flattering her, empathizing, listening intently, and reacting just right, she quickly opened up and spilled her troubles. Before long, she explained her situation—how things stood between her and her little sister right now—and asked me for advice on what to do.
In the original game, Kim Do-hee would naturally come to realize things on her own, but to drive a wedge between her and magical girl Ai, I'd deliberately made the kidnappings of magical girls and hunters obvious. As expected, Ai had taken charge of the case, her time at home naturally dwindling. Do-hee, oblivious to it all, was growing more anxious by the day.
So I smiled and hammered out a chat message.
Sorry, but Ai must have fallen for my bait by now, seething with rage. I'd set up plenty of traps to cloud her judgment—she wouldn't be coming home in her right mind. It was about time for Ai to head back.
Ding!
Just as planned—they'd had a blowout. From the chat, it looked like Ai, her stress maxed out, had finally snapped and unloaded on her sister. Do-hee had taken a huge emotional hit in the process. Things were wrapping up faster than expected. I quickly typed back, summoning Friss at the same time.
Ai's face was twisted with irritation.
'That loser dared mock me?'
The disappearances had left no traces, no evidence. But suddenly, they were flaunting clues everywhere.
'Whoever this loser is, I'll kill them when I catch them.'
Every kidnapping site had a black rose left behind. Its meaning? Death—or "You are mine forever."
The culprit knew they were being hunted yet left these marks anyway. And as if they knew Ai's ability, every black rose yielded nothing when she tried her power.
'They erased it on purpose? But how?'
Normally, even an attempt to erase would leave a memory trace. But these black roses were like they'd dropped straight from the sky—no info at all. Even sky-fallen things left a falling memory.
Today, too, she'd gotten zilch and headed home. The stress from the kidnappings had her at her limit, and seeing her sister's door still firmly shut ignited her fury.
"Sis, come out already. You gonna live like this forever? If that's how it's gonna be, just stop."
[...I-I'm trying! A-And don't say it like th-that...!]
"Hah... You're pathetic. Holed up playing games, can't even eat alone, adult with nothing to show for it. Just die already."
[...]
Ai loved her sister as family—that much was true. But the overload from recent kidnappings, plus three years of bottled-up resentment from caretaking... all those bad factors piled up, and Ai spat words she'd never say to anyone else.
She hurled the empty bowls piled by the door, shattering them.
Crash!!
Do-hee bombarded me with chats, saying she wanted to die. I messaged back, suggesting we meet IRL.
No reply for a bit, then: Okay.
Meeting her in that state would've raised red flags, so I'd looped in Friss beforehand. Friss was peeking at my chats from the side.
"Leave it to me!"
We set the meet at a quiet café near Ai's place. Friss and I grabbed seats early. From afar, I spotted Friss on her phone, waiting for Do-hee.
A bit later, a disheveled woman shuffled in—hair down to her waist, clothes thrown on haphazardly. Obviously Do-hee.
Friss stood and approached. Do-hee twisted away defensively, eyeing her. Friss introduced herself as Yong-jin and guided her to the table.
"...I thought Yong-jin was a guy..."
"Yeah? Nickname's kinda masculine, huh."
The talk flowed smoothly. Looked good. I slipped out of the café. Friss would handle the rest.
Friss snuggled into me as I tested abilities.
"Yong-jin's here~"
"Handled it well?"
"Of course~"
"Good girl."
I paused and headed to where Do-hee was. The room was pitch black all around. I'd made this space for energy harvesting. The vibe was less room, more monster gut. Made of my black particles, it even twitched faintly—like it was alive. Well, it kinda is.
Dozens of women were embedded in one wall, uniformly recessed slots holding them fast, limbs fused into the surface. Eye masks blinded them; tentacles in their mouths fed nutrients periodically. Tentacles milked their breasts dry. Between their legs, black particle panties forced ovulation, devouring the eggs.
Mastering separate control of black particles let me build this remote battery factory. It powered the facility; leftovers flowed to me. Experiments proved black particles funneled energy to me anywhere.
The recent kidnappings? All funneled here. Pretty colleagues ovulating for me.
Done sightseeing, I went to the center where Do-hee lay. Not as pretty or cute as Ai. I'd never touch her normally, but using Do-hee opened endless possibilities with Ai. Hence the plan.
First, a gift for Ai. I cleanly severed Do-hee's unconscious limbs with the body separation device, then gift-wrapped them prettily.
God, the device was convenient. No real cutting—just detach and reattach like toys. Chopping limbs manually? Blood, bone-sawing hassle. A few taps, and pop—perfect for me.
Ai spent the day moping.
'I said awful things to Sis... I'll apologize the second I get home.'
Recent events had made her blurt the unsayable. On the way, she spotted takoyaki—Sis's favorite.
'Haven't had it in ages.'
She bought some and entered. Still-shut door. She knocked.
"Sis? You up? Got takoyaki—wanna eat?"
No stir.
"Sis, sorry. My bad. Say anything? Sis? Sis?"
Weird. No way no reaction. Sensing wrongness, Ai transformed and read the room's memories.
Info flooded in.
"Sis... left the room...?"
Ai bolted, psychometrizing everything nearby to track her. Trail led to the café. Memories there: met a woman.
'Friss...? Why's Friss meeting my sis?'
Magical girl Friss—someone Ai met often. Why her? How'd they know each other?
They'd talked, then left. Following the trail into a deserted area...
Suddenly, a black figure lunged, hand piercing Friss's gut. Friss spewed blood and collapsed. Do-hee behind her fainted at the sight.
The black figure grabbed them both and vanished. That black—she knew it. From the roses at sites. That guy's the perp.
Tiny, childlike, under 150cm. Vines from its back snatched them. Culprit who'd left no traces before finally did—for her.
"I'll make you regret this."
She rushed to the Magical Girl Association, broadcasting the situation. Big case drew crowds—ten skilled girls assembled fast.
Over ten magical girls and hunters kidnapped already, fates unknown. Today, answers. Everyone grasped the gravity: intelligent monster humans rising. This black one matched human intellect—planned grabs, no traces, taunting roses.
Ai described it.
"Height around late 140s, covered in that black-rose black. Ability unknown—guessing speed boost or stealth. Estimated difficulty: S-rank."
Gulp...
"Location here. Captives' status unknown—rescue priority if found. Got it, losers?"
The ten nodded, fired up.
Ai and ten others reached the suspected spot. Hidden stairs led underground to a vast bunker. Opening the door unleashed chills.
Black vines on walls—rose-black. All knew: this was it.
Edging warily into a big room. Center: the black monster human, standing still.
"Halt."
Ai raised a hand, stopping them.
"Different. Can it shapeshift? That's why we missed it...?"
The central figure: now ~170cm, black-covered. Massive chest that'd make you grimace, vulgar hips and thighs.
It turned to them as they arrived. No eyes, but Ai felt their gazes lock.
Magical Girl Ai
