Midnight Flight and the Rift's Echo
Half-asleep in that hazy dream state... Yeah, I had one. A really bad dream. That's right too. But how did Altair know about it? Did I... maybe talk in my sleep?
I stared at her blankly, unable to give a proper answer, when Altair opened her mouth again with a dazzling smile.
"No need to be so surprised~ Sirius told me, so I came over."
Ah. Right. I... met Sirius earlier too.
"R-Really?"
"Yeah! She said you handled a rift all by yourself? Impressive, Spica~"
"Heh... heh, hehe."
I grinned like an idiot. W-Wait a second. Was now the time to be happy about getting praised?
"N-No, more than that... how did you know I had a dream?"
"Huh?"
Altair's face took on an expression like, Why are you asking something so obvious?
"Duh~ Because you sealed a rift, right?"
Seal a rift, gather Abyss fragments, dream and grow stronger. Was this sequence just common knowledge among magical girls...?
"B-But Sirius said she's never dreamed..."
"Oh, exclude Sirius! Pretty much all the other magical girls dream."
"S-So, Altair, you too...?"
"Of course~"
She didn't seem embarrassed at all. I was still a little shy about it.
Before I could ask why Sirius didn't dream, Altair spoke first.
"So, you wanna quit?"
"Huh?"
"Being a magical girl."
Her beaming smile faded, her expression turning a bit serious. Just like when she'd asked about Spica before.
"...No."
It was a dream I'd held onto for nearly ten years—I couldn't quit after just a few days. Besides, now I had questions... things I wanted to learn.
"For real? I'll give you one more chance to answer. Last one."
Wh-What? Scary.
"I-I'll do it. Magical girl."
"..."
Altair crossed her arms and looked down at me silently, then suddenly—burst into a wide grin.
"Great! I was just teasing a little~ I like that Spica doesn't scare easy!"
I scare super easy... Did she not see me screaming on the bed just now?
"Rookies sometimes get so scared after a few dreams that they wanna quit."
Hmm. I could kinda understand. Probably because of those eyes.
"Altair, you... dream too, right? Doesn't it scare you?"
I asked casually since she wasn't hiding it.
"Me? Yeah, it scared me at first. I didn't wanna do it. It's gross, right? Yeah, yeah, exactly."
"But~ after dreaming a bunch, I got used to it! Picked up some tips for enduring too."
"T-Tips? Can you tell me?"
I had a feeling I'd be dreaming a lot more.
"First off, you know you can't use magic in dreams?"
"Yeah."
"That's 'cause there's not a single star in the dream sky. Look up, and it's pitch black. Not one speck of starlight, no~ne at all. When it's hard to tell dream from reality... look at the sky to figure it out."
Oh... So that's what she meant by starlight not reaching those eyes.
"Th-Then what if it's daytime?"
Stars aren't visible during the day anyway.
"Who knows~ Could it even be daytime?"
Altair smiled as she countered. It couldn't be daytime...?
Why? Ah. I got it a beat late. The sun's a star too.
"Ah..."
Were there magical girls chosen by the sun? It'd be insanely strong up close like that.
"Got it?"
"Y-Yeah. A little... no, a lot helpful."
Not just lip service. I'd figured there'd be seniors if I became a magical girl, but they were way more reliable than expected. Sirius, Altair... I wanted to meet the others too.
"Alright~ Reason I came to see Spica today!"
Altair struck a pose, thrusting her magic wand toward me. I swallowed nervously.
"I didn't properly teach you how to fly last time, right? So I'll help today~"
"O-Oh! S-Sure, great."
It was nearly midnight, but after my nap, I wasn't tired. Oh, right. Hadn't I gotten way stronger than last time? Dealt with those eyes and stuff.
N-Not bragging, but... I could kinda fly on my own now, clumsy as it was.
"Um, me! Not confident or anything, but... I can fly okay by myself."
"Ooh! Fast learner, Spica~ Then I'll watch from the side—wanna try flying?"
"Y-Yeah...!"
My heart pounded. A good kind of tension. Exciting.
I got out of bed, watching Altair head to the window. Transform first before flying.
I closed my eyes. "Magical Girl Spica... transform."
Not whispering for effect... just 'cause it was night. But it worked fine. I instinctively felt the transformation start.
Even with eyes closed, I knew the light rising around me, wrapping my body. I surrendered to it, waiting.
Feeling the light fade, I opened my eyes. "...Whew."
The magical girl Spica—cute even by my standards—had arrived.
"Let's go! This way~"
Altair had already opened the window and was hovering outside, waiting. Effortlessly, she leaped from the sill into the air—like stepping lightly—and floated up into empty space.
I... I can do it too.
"O-Okay...!"
Flying alone hadn't been a big deal, but with someone watching, I tensed up. Deep breath, then I leaped toward Altair.
My body cleared the window, floated in the air—and soared.
"...It, it worked."
"Ooh! Looking good, Spica?"
All that solo practice paid off... Heh heh.
"Then let's fly that way~ Can you keep up?"
I nodded. I followed behind Altair as she took the lead.
Looking down at the city from the midnight sky, it was dark and quiet. What would someone below think if they saw me and Altair? Shooting stars? Birds? Planes? Or magical girls?
Cutting through the cool night air felt... amazing. Enough to briefly forget those sticky memories of defeat from the dream.
Back to school. I'd practiced late last night, but luckily no oversleeping.
"Why do you keep grinning to yourself like that?"
"Huh...? N-No? I wasn't?"
Chae-hyun had sharp eyes since we were kids. But how could I stop smiling?
Last night, after flying, it was because of Altair's promise.
'There's a place I wanna take you next time, Spica. Nothing to stress about—just think of it like a checkup! There'll be one new magical girl you've never met... but that's for later! Anyway~'
Heh heh heh... Just "new magical girl" was enough to make my heart race. Thrilling.
Too many names came to mind—I couldn't guess.
"Hey... stop smiling. People are staring weird, it's embarrassing."
"Hmm. I swear I haven't smiled, what?"
The checkup was because of what the Abyss said to me—about absorbing power fast. I told Altair, and she suggested it.
Nothing scary or worrying yet, but... right. Not the time to think about that. There was something I needed to test.
Something nagging at me, making me uneasy.
"Ahh~ Th-Thirsty. Got any water, Chae-hyun?"
"...?"
Th-That was too obvious? But I had to test it. Was that feeling still there?
She gave me a suspicious look at my awkward act but pulled a water bottle from her bag anyway.
"Here, water."
I took it, twisted the cap...
"Gonna drink? D-Drinking now?"
"What's with you?"
Should be fine? Not hot today or anything. I tilted the bottle, took a big sip of cool water... and swallowed.
Gulp.
"...Phew, ahh."
Refreshing. No sticky sweetness at all.
So my body was back to normal... zap—
"H-Hnngh—♡"
A familiar jolt shot through my lower belly. I curled up reflexively and sank to the ground.
This was definitely... from last night's dream...?
"What? What's wrong? Yuseong-ah...! You okay?"
"J-Just... a sec...♡"
Couldn't breathe right. Drinking water was fine, so why suddenly... again?
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to breathe slowly. In the darkness, far off... something. A presence.
Not unfamiliar. That queasy, churning feeling... a rift?
"Hah, ha... haa..."
I barely opened my mouth, filled my lungs with fresh air, and stood.
"Y-You... your face is super red? You sick?"
"N-No, I'm fine... it's not... uh..."
Not too close, but within range for me to sense. Definitely a rift.
What to do...? ...No. What do you mean, what to do? You're a magical girl, Yuseong-ah.
No choice here.
"Mm, actually, thinking again, I feel kinda sick. Gonna head home."
Let's go. To the rift.
"What?"
"N-No... ER. Gotta go to the ER. See you tomorrow?"
I bolted, leaving Chae-hyun with her baffled look. To a quiet corner of school with no people, I checked around.
G-Good, empty. Time to trans—zap—
"Hah, ngh—♡"
My womb twitched again. Ignoring last night's vivid dream, I refocused.
Why now of all times...? No, can't be late. The longer I wait, the bigger the rift gets.
Hurry.
"M-Magical Girl Spica... transform!"
Gripping the Spica's Jewel hard with trembling hands. Transformation went fine.
Pouring light—brilliant starlight—soaked into my clothes.
"Hah, ah... R-Ready. Flying's down pat from yesterday too..."
Fighting like this... honestly felt risky. Yesterday, at least, I'd been okay until right before battle.
But when Altair asked if I'd quit, I said I'd do it.
So go. Until the rift's sealed... or at least the fight's over.
Hoping my womb behaves, I soared into the sky once more.