10. The Wicked Plan *Slap!*
"Ugh!" What the hell is that supposed to mean? You wanna fuck Tyranno? No... I want to say it loud and proud, but honestly, I can't deny it. Of course I want to fuck him! Duh! Who wouldn't want to fuck that arrogant little shit?
I figure anyone who knows the sheer bliss of shoving your pussy down on a bratty little punk and giving him a proper education gets it. But I can't. Even if I want to, there's an ironclad reason I absolutely can't touch him.
"Get a grip. Hey. Tyranno's a minor. A minor. Got it? Touch a minor, and villain or magical girl, you're getting slapped in irons faster than you can blink. You know how strict the laws are these days?"
Messing with a minor is social suicide—no, worse than suicide. Suicide's just one and done, kinda merciful. Social suicide means suffering the rest of your life. And forget laws and public opinion—minors are off-limits sexually, period. Protecting kids is an adult's duty, right? Any decent grown-up wouldn't lay a hand on them.
But me? A full-grown adult—and a magical girl, no less—touching a minor, even if he's a villain? That's unforgivable.
"Irons? Irons, huh. Heh heh heh. Yeah, in this day and age."
Maybe because I didn't hit him hard enough, Arcade's tone shifted back to smug. His cheeks are still puffed out like a chipmunk, so it doesn't land with any menace.
"But who's saying anyone's gonna touch you?"
"What?"
"You're More Red, aren't you?"
What's with this guy all of a sudden?
"I did a little digging on you before coming here. Didn't even need much—your rep in Darkness is untouchable."
Arcade meets my eyes from his kneeling position. There's some weird heat in his gaze. Should I slap him again?
"Up until three years ago, the Darkness Korea Branch was a solid outfit. Pretty influential inside Darkness too. Then you showed up, and in two and a half years, you wiped it out. All by yourself."
Two and a half years ago—that's when I was at my wildest. Looking back, I was totally unhinged then. When I got scouted as a magical girl, I was thrilled. Thought I'd finally chase my lifelong dream: fighting for justice, helping people, sacrificing myself to protect what's right. And then, y'know, running into a super hot evil organization's cocky exec, getting railed like a bitch, and marrying him. My ultimate goal, my reason for living.
But reality hit hard. Fighting for justice? Kinda meh, honestly. I was just too strong. Villains, execs— one flick and they'd crumple, fly off, or keel over. They were so fragile I worried about them. Sure, they were "strong" by their standards, but whatever. That came later.
The real dream-killer? No arrogant little shit exec in Darkness! When I realized that, it felt like the sky caved in. My life's purpose, gone.
"Back then, you scared us villains more than anyone. The only magical girl who stormed the Korea Branch HQ in Fairy Country and razed it clean. When we got redeployed, there was zilch left—no data, no facilities. We suffered big time."
I couldn't believe there was no arrogant little shit. So I busted into Darkness HQ—where no other magical girl dared go—and beat every exec senseless till I got answers. An arrogant little shit couldn't take a knuckle flick. But nope. None.
Couldn't hold back the rage, so... yeah. Their fifteen-story HQ got reduced to three stories of rubble.
"And that's not all. You didn't stop at wrecking the Magical Girl Korea Branch—you crossed to the US, trained their girls, and in half a year, Darkness US lost a third of its forces."
Eh, same old everywhere. While training the newbies, if things got dicey, I'd mop up. I thought I was slacking, didn't know it hit 'em that hard. Why are these evil org goons so weak? Anyway, half a year in the US training magical girls, smashing villains for fun and exercise. Got paid fat stacks too—bought my luxury apartment with that cash.
"The legend of magical girls. Living justice. Suppressing Darkness just by existing. Hope for all magical girls. Who'd punish you?"
I almost bit for a second, but my conscience whispered: No, this ain't right. Not even for a magical girl.
"No. Still not right. This isn't about irons—it's my own morals."
If I picked up a Death Note and killed an innocent—cops can't catch me, so innocent? No one'd say that.
"I see. Didn't know you had such ironclad principles. Must've phrased it wrong. Let me reword."
Arcade cleared his throat.
"I'll hand Tyranno to you on a platter."
"You hear a word I said?"
Did I not hit him hard enough? His tongue's doing flips.
"No, no, not like that! Loosen that fist, please."
He eyes my clenched hand and scoots back.
"Regardless of how you feel about Tyranno, he's a Darkness exec. A magical girl needs to take him down."
"So?"
"I'll set up a situation where you're alone with him."
"Alone?"
"Yes. Alone. In a place with no one around. No people nearby. Even if you scream bloody murder, no one comes. Just you two. Then you take him out."
Arcade's grin looks like a devil from some movie or novel—tempting the hero with sweet, ruinous temptation.
"Here's the plan. There's this motel I've scoped out. Not far from here, on a quiet back road. Owner barely gives a shit, so minimal CCTV. But soundproofing's top-notch—no one hears screams or even gunshots inside. Perfect to lure Tyranno."
Hmm... smells like trouble.
"Tyranno's obsessed with getting his whip back from you. I'll pitch him a foolproof scheme: tail you as More Red, find your pad, sneak in and snag the whip."
"Hm..."
"Then I'll send some grunt villains to this park. You show up, smash 'em. Tyranno watches from afar, tails you back. You head to the motel, he follows right in. Boom—perfect locked room, just you and him. Whatever happens after—photos, blackmail—no one knows."
Hah. This trash bastard. But if I'm tempted... guess I'm trash too. No—I'm just catching a Darkness exec. I'd do the same for any of 'em.
So, for justice, I asked: "One issue... will he bite that easy?"
Arcade flashed a sleazy grin. "Finally interested, huh?"
"What? No! Just... as a magical girl, catching a Darkness exec."
"Sure. The 'magical girl of justice'."
*Slap!* Right across his smug face.
"Sorry... got cocky..."
Everything else about this guy is fine—why does he need slaps to think straight?
"Ahem. Anyway, Tyranno'll fall for it hook, line, and sinker. That arrogant little shit's got no brains. Even if he's lured to some secluded spot, whatever goes down—even if pics get snapped and he's blackmailed with 'em—he won't suspect a thing. He'll dance to your tune."
My earlier fantasies flash through my head.
-Heh, loser♥ Tying up a kid like some perv? Untie me and go jerk off at home, you trash♥
- Hey, loser♥ No other losers around? Got a perv loser right here!
-Heh heh, loser's making that pissed face♥ Untie me quick♥ I'll forgive you if you do now♥ Won't even snitch♥ So untie me, 'kay?
-Hiiik... W-what, perv loser... Why're you taking off my pants... D-don't... Don't do it, loser... Ngh... Good thing my pants are dark.
"So, you in?"
Is this what it feels like shaking hands with the devil?
"......Yeah. Let's do it."
"Smart choice."
"But remember: I'm not doing this for any weird reason you think. He's a Darkness exec, a villain I gotta take down. That's why I'm cooperating. Got it? I'd do the same for anyone."
Absolutely, positively not jumping Tyranno. Luring him somewhere deserted? Just in case of civilian casualties mid-op. Soundproof motel? Can't let Darkness find my place. Purely to catch him. No ulterior motives. A grown-ass magical girl touching a minor? Impossible. Won't lay a finger on him.
This is all for justice. Believing in what's right and making it happen. Catching a Darkness exec. For justice. So it's not wrong. No other thoughts.
"Absolutely nothing like what you're imagining. It's for justice."
I repeated it to myself a dozen times. Arcade smirked, lip curling.
"Sure, sure. Gotcha loud and clear."
"Hey, what's with that tone? Hey. Skull back in place."
*Slap!*