Chapter 208: A Real Magical Girl
Chapter 208: A Real Magical Girl
A soft chime echoed. The elevator stopping off at the floor to John’s former man cave down in the basement. The elevator doors opened and Rin walked out, muttering, “I still can’t believe that’s Mister John…”
Asako walked out next, rubbing her temple. “Please don’t bring it up. I’m only just starting to be able to think of that person as someone else… I think my brain will melt if I don’t.”
“Jenny” giggled, delicately covering her mouth with her right hand as she did. After that, she walked out after Asako. Lowering her hand, she smiled and said, “I’ll remember to give you a warning first next time, Asako.”
Asako glanced back and then shivered. “Freaking crazy bastard…”
Alphy walked out last and giggled, just like “Jenny” did. “Be careful Papa. You’re too beautiful and elegant like this. Mama might get jealous.”
Jenny spun around, twirling her white skirt and smiled. “Well~ I’ll just have to teach your Mama how to pretty up too. Then we can have a fun night out on the town and mess with some people.”
Asako rubbed her face and said, “You are having way too much fun with this, John.”
Jenny- No, John laughed. Even so, he didn’t break character and let out a girly laugh as well. Cute, sweet, and charming.
Rin stared at John with wide eyes and said, “I knew Mister John was amazing at acting… but Mister John. You’re suuuper amazing at acting like a girl!” She looked at Alphy and said, “If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you were Onee-chan’s mom and not her dad.”
John laughed and then tucked a strand of his curled hair behind his ear. “Of course~!” She let out a bright smile and said, “If you’re doing something like this, you have to all in, Rin-chan. Otherwise, things get awkward. You know?”
Asako glanced back at John, looking at his chest and then skirt and muttered, “You certainly went all in, alright…”
John winked and then flashed a victory sign.
Asako froze and then looked away, her ears a bright red. “Aaaargh. Why is everyone in your family like this?”
“Ah.” John blinked and lowered his hand. He rubbed his left arm and muttered, “Sorry, Asako. Old habits die hard.”
“Why the hell is that even an old habit?!”
John let out a nervous laugh. “Long story. A very, very, very long story.”
Alphy nodded. “Mmhm… And one we should tell when my Aunties and Mama are all together, right?”
John froze and then let out a deep sigh. “That’s right… Hopefully Yue doesn’t get into anything weird after she hears about ‘that.'”
Asako frowned. “‘That’, Mister John?”
“Nothing~!”
Rin stared at John and then carefully said, “Mister John.”
“Yes, Rin-chan?”
Rin tilted her head and said, “I’ve been wondering about this since you started teaching me how to dance… But were you secretly a super star pop idol in the past? I think you’re even more idol-like than all of us put together right now.”
John winked and said, “Now, now. A lady’s got to keep some secrets, you know?”
Alphy giggled. Looking at Rin, she said, “I’ll tell you later, Rin. It’s a really funny story.”
“W-Wait!” John turned to Alphy and said, “You can’t go spilling my secrets like that, Alphy! Even if you have a crush on Rin!”
“E-Eh?” Alphy blinked. “A crush? On Rin?”
John blinked. “…You don’t?”
Alphy paused to think about it.
Rin’s eyes widened. “O-Onee-chan?”
Asako groaned and said, “Enough of the comedy show.” She looked around and said, “What are we doing here? And why is it so dark?”
A wide open space. A few lights in the four corners of the room prevented it from being pitch black, but they didn’t stretch to the center of the room, leaving that cloaked in darkness. At the same time, the place had been emptied out.
John hummed and placed a finger on his chin. “Well-“
Before he could say anything else, floodlights turned on. One, two, three… all of them, shining straight in the middle of the room. And standing beneath those lights was a man. A familiar man with slicked back black hair and a pristine white lab coat.
And the moment his appearance was revealed, music started playing.
The sound of a bell, quickly joined by drums and a synthesizer.
The man- No, Titor spun around, causing his lab coat to flutter. At the same time, he held out his arms and said, “Welcome, my MirAIs!” He swept his arms down and then slicked back his hair, smirking. Looking up into the lights, he said, “At long last, the worldlines have converged. The message to the past has opened Pandora’s box and created the genie to grant the wishes of the future!”
Asako blinked. “…What?”
Rin gasped. “So cool!”
Titor raised his hand towards the lights, looking up with a solemn expression. “The Holy Grail, the gate of Steiner… None of those are needed. With our own hands, we shall seize the destiny and break free of those chains on our own will!” He swung his arm down, causing his lab coat to flutter again. After that, he looked at each of the members of Project MirAis and said, “My idols! The innocent young women from a ruined future!” He stepped forward and held out his right hand, facing his palm up. “Take my hand, and let us shatter this cruel world order! Together, let us sever the threads binding you to a cruel ruin!”
Alphy giggled and glanced at John. “Mister Titor seems to be having a lot of fun, Papa.”
John sighed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have left all the setup to him…”
Rin didn’t respond, too awestruck by Titor to say anything.
As for Asako… “What the fuck?”
Titor grinned and then closed his hands. And the moment he did… the floor started to rumble. A glowing gold grid spread throughout the floor, tracing out a stage. And then the floor started to rise, along with Titor.
“W-What’s going on!?” Asako staggered as the floor beneath her sank a bit to form stairs.
Alphy grabbed Asako before she could fall and said, “I’ve got you, Asako.”
“Thanks Alphy.” Asako flashed her a quick smile and then turned towards John. She opened her mouth to talk, but before she could say anything, John was already walking up the stairs towards Titor.
Taking a look around at the stage and the perimeter around it where a crowd would normally stand, John shifted his gaze back to Titor and said, “You really went all out, didn’t you Mister Titor?”
Titor grinned and crossed his arms. Turning up his chin, he said, “Of course! For the sake of my beloved daughter and those who I was entrusted, I will do everything to ensure we reach the best possible outcome… Especially if the mythical Jenny Smith has returned from the annals of lost history.”
John stepped onto the stage and giggled. “True~ If it’s like this, we have to make sure it’s a big spectacle. Though…” She stopped at Titor’s side and turned around to look at the room. Specifically, at the walls that had turned into giant monitors, giving the illusion of a concert hall in the distance. Turning back to look at Titor, he said, “I don’t think the world is ready for the two of us.”
Titor let out a mad cackle. “So be it! If the world is not prepared, all the better for us to overturn its order!”
“Okay, what the hell is going on here!?” Asako stepped away from Alphy and started storming up the stairs. Waving her arm around, she said, “I thought we were just having a concert, not… doing whatever the hell Titor is talking about. And who the hell even are you?!” She pointed at Titor and said, “You’re not John. And what the hell do you mean, ‘your’ MirAIs?”
Titor tilted his head and smirked. “What’s wrong, oh great Blue Dragon? Has the princess never seen such wonders before?”
“Quit with the-!”
Rin gasped and pointed to Asako. “Aneue! Your hair!”
Asako paused. “My hair?” She turned back around to Rin and said, “What are you- W-Wait, what?!” She pointed at Rin and said, “Hana!?”
“Huh?”
Shimmering light. A hazy distortion in the air. With it, while the three girls from Project MirAIs were standing there, they also looked different. No, instead of looking different, they looked like the ‘true’ members from Project MirAIs.
Rin stood at the foot of the stairs, her light brown hair now a bright orange color. Her eye color had changed as well, matching her hair. At the same time, her face was a bit different. A bit younger and more innocent.
Next to her, Alphy was there. She looked mostly the same, but her black hair had turned an ashy gray. At the same time, her crimson eyes had dulled a bit, turning a burgundy color instead of the usual ruby hue.
And then there was Asako. Compared to the others, her change was the most drastic… mostly because of her color scheme. Her long black hair had turned an icy blue, with the rare white highlights, as if it was frosted. At the same time, her eyes were a glowing blue and let off a faint shine. Like the other girls, her face had changed as well, making her look like the cold beauty matching her hair and eyes.
Asako blinked and then quickly looked at her hair. When she saw the change, she looked back at John, her eyes wide in shock. “John… What the hell is going on?”
John tilted his head and winked. “Well, isn’t it every girl’s dream to be a magical girl once in their life?”