Sirius, the Frosty Mentor
If Altair was the dazzling epitome of a magical girl, Sirius was the one with a cold, aloof charm. Unlike Altair, who had plenty of sightings whispered among people, there were hardly any rumors about her... I never imagined I'd meet her like this. By the way, did that mean I'd get to meet the other magical girls too...?
"What are you doing? You planning to chat standing out here?"
"E-Eh, ah... N-No! P-Please, come in."
She was definitely different from Altair. A little scary, even... but that was part of Sirius's charm, I guess. I hurriedly ushered her inside. Thinking about it, two magical girls had already visited my tiny apartment. I knew I shouldn't laugh, but my lips kept twitching upward... Heh, hehe.
"First, show me."
"Huh? Sh-Show what?"
"What else? Transformation, obviously. Didn't Altair teach you?"
Sirius crossed her arms and tilted her head, as if commanding me to get on with it.
It made me tense for no reason. B-But I could do it. I clutched the pink Spica's Jewel that had turned into a pendant, spun around just like yesterday—
Suddenly, she grabbed my arm.
"What are you doing? You."
What now? Had I messed up again...? She stared at my bewildered face, then let out a huge sigh.
"Haa... Altair. I told her to train the newbie properly..."
She looked back at me. "The basics of transformation: shout your name. That way, the star can find you and shine easily."
Aha. Now that she mentioned it, every magical girl shouted something during transformations or skills...
...But it felt kinda embarrassing. I wasn't used to the name Spica yet. Still, I... had to do it. Didn't want another scolding.
"Ma... Magical Girl, Spi... Spica, tra... transform..."
"Louder."
I bet my face was beet red... It burned.
"Magical Girl Spica! T-Transform!!"
The words had barely left my mouth when a dazzling, radiant light cascaded down. It seeped into my clothes, slowly reshaping them into a dress.
"Good. The more people around, the louder you shout. Don't forget."
I pictured myself transforming smack in the middle of a packed subway station. Being a magical girl was tougher than I'd imagined... But that thrill was part of what made my heart pound.
"Transformation's fine. Next. Learned how to find rifts yet?"
"Uh... no."
Another sigh from Sirius.
"Next time I see her, Altair..."
It felt like every time I spoke, I was just giving her more reasons to chew out Altair.
"Once you're attuned to the star's power, you'll sense rifts pinpoint-accurately. But not yet. Until then, rely on the jewel. It'll guide you like a compass."
Yeah, I still felt like a total rookie. But if I kept learning like this, maybe someday I'd be like Altair or Sirius?
"Grip the jewel and focus. You'll feel the rift's direction. You try."
R-Right now, after just hearing it? No confidence, but a newbie's fate is to obey her senior. Okay. I clutched the jewel-embedded pendant, closed my eyes. No clue how, so I just focused blindly... and something tingled. Couldn't pinpoint the direction exactly, but faintly... I sensed the rift. Amazing.
"Something there, right?"
"Probably... yeah."
"Not bad instincts. A rift popped up nearby while we talked. Let's go."
Heading out right away. B-But I had so many questions left. Rift came first, though.
I followed her naturally to the window, then it hit me late: I hadn't learned to fly yet.444
"Um... unnie. I still..."
"Can't fly?"
Sirius didn't even glance back, like she'd expected it. Dr-r-rk— She slid the window open, then turned to me. Her expression stayed icy, but she didn't seem mad.
"Thought so. I'll teach you. Practice solo later."
...She seemed nicer than I thought. Sirius.
That impression evaporated in under a minute.
"Kyaa, kyaahhh—! Hii, hiiik!"
"Don't stand there like an idiot—dodge! Right!"
Right on cue, a thick, squid-leg tentacle whipped in from the right.
"Kyaaak! S-Save the magical girl!"
I barely twisted my waist to evade it. This was the rooftop of a nearby building. A rift bigger than yesterday's had appeared here—and I was fighting it solo.
"Just gonna run? Attack too!"
"H-H-Howww!"
If you're just gonna backseat from way over there, why come along...!
"You name your skills! Focus on the wand!"
M-Make up a name now? With those fat tentacles writhing out of the rift and lunging at me? But obey the senior—that's a newbie's fate. I blurted the first word combo in my head.
"Shi-Shining Spica Beam—!!"
The wand vibrated faintly in my tight grip, then a brilliant light gathered at the tip and fired straight ahead. It nailed the tentacle barreling toward me...?
"Eh... uh?"
Way flashier than I'd expected—I got flustered. Must've lost focus. Didn't even notice the one slinking in from the side.
A slimy, cold sensation—like slime plastering my chest—wrapped my arm. Not just the texture... it clung stickily, like it was trying to seep in...?
"Hii, eek...! G-Gross feeling!"
I flailed my arm—no dice. Worse, another tentacle snagged my free hand. Then, in that hold, they slowly dragged me toward the rift.
Uh... oh crap? This was bad. Really bad...?
"Told you not to freeze up."
Before I could even beg for help, Sirius's voice cut in close. No time to see—two flashes of stark white-blue light, and the tentacles on my arms burst apart.
"Rift tentacles bind hard. Get too close, you're done. Remember."
Sprawled on the ground, I stared blankly up at Sirius sealing the rift.
"W-Wow... c-cool."
The admiration slipped out in a dazed voice.
"You nearly died."
Her scolding carried a hint of pity, but even that was cool. The tentacle chunks beside me dissolved into purple smoke. Tiny black Abyss fragments remained.
Definitely tougher than yesterday—quite a haul.
"H-Here... you take them, unnie. Today's just practice for me."
Practice my foot—without her, I'd be toast.
Sirius finished sealing and turned toward me and the fragments. For a split second—her eyes flickered. But she snapped back to her usual composure.
"No. You take them."
"Huh? All of 'em?"
"Yes."
Not like she was just yielding. More like... she didn't need them? Or avoided them...?
"Unnie... don't you dream?"
I asked carefully. Dream ordeals weren't exactly fun.
"...No."
She trudged toward the railing. Before leaping off, she added one line.
"Never have. Won't."
Whoosh. She vaulted into the sky and vanished.
"...What?"
Left alone on the rooftop, mysteries still piled up. Did magical girls have to stay enigmatic? Or was she just too strong to need them?
Hmm, work was done—time to head home. I brushed off the dust and stood. The black fragments seeped into my earrings. More than yesterday, so they felt a tad heavier.
Night hit fast. Bedtime for good girls. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Still... felt stronger after today's fight."
Yesterday, I'd just flailed the wand blindly at the slime. Today, I pulled off a proper magical girl attack. Sure, Sirius finished it, but still.
Anyway! I fiddled with the big pink jewel shifted to necklace form in my right hand.
"Trading today's absorbed fragments in the dream... will that make me way stronger?"
I wanted to shine dazzlingly, be as cool as Sirius or Altair.
Sleep rolled in like waves, piling up, weighing my eyelids.
"Yawwwn... so tired..."
Busy thoughts cluttered my head... but beating drowsiness was impossible.
Again. My consciousness sank into the dream.