Fitting Room
'Ouch!!'
I've heard of runner's high before.
It didn't hurt a bit when I launched into the air, but now that I was flying, my body ached all over—probably from the wind.
My left shoulder, where I'd taken that space slash, throbbed like someone was pressing a lighter to it over and over.
Half out of it, I kept flying until a massive blue shadow loomed in the distance.
That dragon from before!
I squeezed out every last drop of mana and focused it into my soles.
"Aurora!"
Aurora
BOOM!
I kicked off the air and hurled myself at the blue shadow.
"Magical girl KIIIIICK!"
I slammed the condensed mana straight into the dragon's side. Honestly, that had to land. Right?
But then—
Clang!
"Huh?"
Why the clang?
Right after, a bone-rattling shock jolted through my entire body.
"GyaAAAH!?"
I was the one who just kicked it! Why does it feel like my leg's about to snap?!
Too bad I only realized the magical girl kick was useless after pulling my foot back.
I bit my lip to stifle a scream—ruining my form wasn't an option—flipped in midair, and landed on the ground.
"...Neff!"
Terra's voice came from behind me. I forced a casual shout.
"Sorry I'm late!!"
"Y-Your body...!"
"I'm fine! Just slap some spit on it and it'll heal!"
I had to bluff right now. Otherwise, my legs would've given out on the spot.
Terra pulled me into a tight hug.
"I'm sorry! As the adult, I should've protected you... Does it hurt?"
"Hehe... I'm a magical girl too, y'know."
Of course I get hurt.
Mana flowed from Terra's hands.
The healing power infused with the earth's life force. Terra was a utility powerhouse in every way.
My shoulder wound closed up like dirt filling a hole. Whoa, that's wild. I gotta learn a heal spell someday.
"Hoh. To block my attack. Where does a little thing like you hide that kind of power?"
"None of your business!" Truth was, I hadn't blocked it. It still stung like hell!
"You're from the Monster Association, right? Why do you keep showing up in front of me? I'm not into reptilians, y'know?"
Not into furries either. It was my best zinger, but he just looked bored.
"No one told you, huh? See? You girls are holding back 'cause you've got something to hide."
"..."
Terra and Bital exchanged glances just between themselves. Felt like they were tossing around some lore I wasn't privy to. Kinda annoying. Maybe she'll spill later.
I took a deep breath and looked up at him.
He was big.
That was my only real impression.
The bandaged giant from before was bigger, but this guy felt huger. The sheer intimidation was overwhelming.
The quality of his mana was on another level. Like the first time I saw that 300-year-old pine tree in the park near my house.
This is an A-rank executive.
Honestly, I was a little scared. I'd seen my full-power kick bounce right off.
"Neff."
"Yes!"
Terra looked at me with pity.
She'd come to protect me, but here I was all banged up, and we were on the defensive.
But I didn't care. In fact, I loved it. We could double-team him now.
I just hoped Terra wouldn't pull some flag like I'll hold him off—run!
That'd bum me out.
But then—
"Neff. His scales have powerful magic resistance. To pierce them, we'd need some seriously strong spells. So..."
Terra gripped my shoulder tight.
"Can you help out your inadequate senior?"
She grinned at me.
Whoosh!
Her smile suddenly looked huge, slamming into my chest with a thud!
She asked me to... help her?
There was a badass blue dragon right in front of us, and we were totally outmatched.
Yet the words from this veteran magical girl weren't run, stay back, or we got this.
Help me. Lend your strength to your lacking senior.
It felt so damn good.
I wasn't just some baggage hiding behind the seniors anymore. I wasn't someone to protect—I was a comrade who could fight back-to-back.
My heart swelled at the thought.
"...Yeees!"
I clenched my fist and shouted back with all my might. Terra immediately issued orders via Resonance.
⊳ Neff. You can use my mana too, right? I'll set up my signature move—boost my mana for me. You can do it.
⊳ Yes! Leave it to me!
⊳ I'll go first.
"2-on-1, huh. A bit disappointing. Back in the day, we'd throw dozens of magical girls at a single powerful monster."
"A scrub like you is more than enough for us two!"
Five massive rock fists formed behind Terra. Her signature move, Gaia Impact!
Gaia Impact
"I've seen that one."
"Someone hasn't!"
With Terra's shout, the floating rock fists rained down like meteors.
⊳ Neff! Now!
I instantly shot out threads, linking Terra's body to mine.
"Dress Code Type: Terra!"
Dress Code Type: Terra
I poured every bit of Terra's mana I had right back into her.
The influx pumped her spell forcibly. The rock fists swelled to absurd sizes in an instant.
BOOM! KABOOM! BOOM!
They crashed into Bital. The ground shook, and a massive dust cloud billowed up.
"D-Did we get him?"
Ah! Guess I raised the flag this time?
"Definitely heavier, I'll give you that."
A low voice echoed from the dust.
Bital stood there, one hand raised. A blue barrier on his palm had caught every rock fist.
"Impressive. Output's better than before. Close call."
He looked down at us arrogantly.
"But making eggs ostrich-egg-sized doesn't change the fact they'll shatter on a rock."
Crunch!
He clenched his fist, and the rock fists crumbled in an instant.
"Now it's my turn."
Bital took a deep breath.
His chest expanded like a balloon, and a massive surge of mana gathered around his mouth.
Danger.
I could guess what was coming. Dragon and all. He'd do that. Terra sensed it too—she leaped in front of me and raised the ground. Triple-layered stone walls formed in a hurry.
And sure enough—
"Dragon Breath."
Dragon Breath
Roooaaar!!
The blue beam from Bital's mouth vaporized Terra's walls without a trace.
Crack! Shatter!
"Mixmatch!"
Mixmatch
Third Prism Neff of the day. The first two were manageable, but the third rang alarm bells in my head. I'm gonna die! But not using it meant dying anyway, so whatever.
I unleashed every spell available in Prism Neff state. Frost's ice barriers, Aqua's water veils, Pluto's shadows. I threw everything that might block the breath...
"That's all you got?"
The breath's power didn't waver.
Shatter!
My barriers broke one after another, shoving me back hard.
"Varied forces, indeed. Water, ice, shadow... A mishmash of mana."
Bital tsked pityingly.
"But no depth. All borrowed shells—nothing truly you inside."
"...!"
"That crude power can't pierce the Mental Theme that makes me."
What's that supposed to mean, you weeb!
BOOM!
When the beam cleared, Terra and I were wrecked.
And all that remained was the breath's path of destruction stretching beyond the mountains.
This guy's a total cheat.
I was floored. I'd assumed the monsters were weak since they got shredded without landing hits these past few years.
Figured they holed up in some parallel world or whatever. But facing one? Ridiculous.
Even teaming with Terra, and we're getting stomped? With me as a newbie?
"Disappointing."
Bital approached me.
"If I see no potential, just die here."
A huge mana orb formed in his hand. That thing would kill me.
What do I do?
Just borrowing power... can't beat this guy?
Then Terra's voice.
⊳ Neff.
⊳ ...Yes.
⊳ I know this isn't the time, but answer me. Have you... ever met Prima in person?
Met Prima? Nope.
I'd kill to meet her. At least show me her face.
⊳ No...
⊳ Then, have you ever received mana directly from Prima?
That, yeah. She jammed it into me by force. That's why I'm in this mess.
I nodded, and after a brief silence, Terra continued.
⊳ ...Do you know what a Mental Theme is? To pierce his scales now, we need it.
⊳ N-No...
Mental Theme. Again with that crap! He mentioned it earlier too.
⊳ S-So, I just buy time until you use it?
⊳ No.
⊳ Neff, you need to use the Theme.
"...?"
Terra gave me a quick rundown on Mental Themes.
After hearing it all, my thought: How the hell do you do that?
Sword taught me basic mana curtain applications. But overlaying your inner world on reality? No clue.
And now do it in live combat? [You don't need to have learned it.]
But Terra added with total confidence:
⊳ Because you have Prima's mana.
⊳ Why would Prima's mana...
She said:
⊳ Prima's normal attacks are Mental Themes.
Whoa. That's the real cheat.
Prima, the origin magical girl who could do anything with imagination alone.
She laid the foundation as the first, gave form to the mascots, established the world's rules.
Her normals being Mental Themes meant her very existence was a complete world—a walking Mental Theme.
But that's Prima. I'm just Neff?
As I floundered, Terra gave her final advice.
⊳ I heard from another senior once. A Mental Theme isn't just dumping your mana.
⊳ ...Huh?
⊳ To use it, first face yourself. Grasp how you see the world, then overlay your inner landscape on reality.
Inner landscape. How I see the world.
Suddenly, I recalled sensing Terra's mana earlier. That vast earth deep inside.
If that was her Mental Theme...
What's mine?
What am I? Man or woman? Regular college student or magical girl?
Chaos. My identity blurring at the edges.
Meanwhile, Bital's dragon claw closed in.
But instinct told me: no rushing now.
I closed my eyes, focused my mind. Calmly, blocking out the outside, sinking deep into myself.
To find the me coiled inside.
A faint new landscape formed in my vision. Pitch-black void all around. Empty nothingness. This was my inner world, my Mental Theme.
I searched for Seol Ha-yoon there. The regular 20-something Korean college guy who majored in design idolizing magical girls.
But why?
No matter how deep I dug, I couldn't find him. My core self, which definitely existed, was gone.
Instead, what I found in the darkness was...
[Don't worry. I'm right here. Slowly, calmly, stand up.]
A mysterious girl in white hair and eyes, wearing a costume like mine. I didn't know her, but she felt familiar.
She emanated a strange presence—like me in a mirror, yet different. Familiar mana radiated from her.
[Now run that way. Scared? It's okay. I'm here. Don't be afraid anymore. You're not alone.]
Colorless, attributeless—pure, transparent white mana.
[If the fear won't fade... reach out without hesitation. I'll be watching only you from here. Until the end, the very last moment, I'll protect you.]
Her voice echoed in my soul.
My mana could become anything, hold anything. Empty, so it could fill with all; transparent, so it could reflect every color.
That was my mana. My essence.
Right now, I chose. Out of endless possibilities in my world.
The perfect form to express me.
Borrowed shells, huh?
Wrong. I don't borrow. I choose.
I reached into empty air. Mana threads unraveled, dancing.
Manas of every color, every property, swirled into one flow.
My personal showcase, displaying everything I desired.
"It's over."
With Bital's verdict, the dragon claw rushed to devour me.
That instant—
Whoosh!
Pure white mana enveloped me, expanding outward. Reality faded; my Mental Theme overwrote it.
Scattered rainbow manas danced at my command, taking form.
"Dress Code."
Dress Code
This time, no magical girl name. No need. In this space, everything was mine.
"Open."
Open
Dozens of radiant hangers floated behind me, each holding a magical girl outfit I'd created so far.
This was my Mental Theme. My world.
"Mental Theme."
Activated
From the possibilities before me, I grabbed my favorite. Stood before the full-length mirror and held it to my body.
My name for it:
"Fitting Room."
Fitting Room
Shhh!
The sound of curtains parting heralded the new world's beginning.
