Magical Girl Trixie

After discussing what happened and what we would do next, Iron Maiden and I returned to her house, or rather, her parents’ house, which meant that she was basically disclosing her full identity. The two of us both transformed back into our regular selves, revealing the six and a half foot giant that Iron Maiden was underneath her outfit, complete with messy clothes and unwashed hair.

“I guess there's no point in hiding it now,” she said, running her hand through her greasy hair. “My real name is Basket Case, I'm twenty-three years old, and I live with my parents without going to school or holding a job.”

Her room was just as messy as her hair, with bags of potato chips and empty soda bottles littered throughout the room, her sheets and blankets falling off of her bed and video game cases covering her floor. As she took a seat on her bed, she motioned for me to take a seat on her desk chair as the two of us discussed some more.

“Well,” I began, “my name is Trixie Lulamoon. I'm twelve years old, and I go to Manehattan Middle School… where I was stabbed by another magical girl…”

“Hold on a second! A magical girl did that to you?! Who did it? How do you know her real identity?”

I looked away for a few seconds, but seeing as how we were now in a deathmatch, none of them were free from at least some suspicion. Taking in a deep breath, I said, “Marrow was the one who stabbed me, but she didn't expect me to survive.”

Basket Case leaned back on her bed, suddenly giving me a confused and conflicted look with her eyes. “Marrow? Why would she do something like that?”

“I don't know all the details myself, but… here's something to help you believe me.” Then, pulling out my magical phone, I scrolled down to Marrow's message and showed it Basket Case, whose shock displayed all across her face. “Her name is Lulu Lemon. She's been torturing me for as long as I can remember. Remember when Dreamdrop saved me from a girl who was trying to kill me? Remember when Marrow wasn't there when I became a magical girl?”

“This is insane! I mean, we all trusted her! Now she wants to kill us?”

“Which is why you were right in saying we need backup. The Great and Powerful Trixie trusts Iron Maiden with all her heart, so when I'm with you, I have nothing to fear. The only other girl I feel like I can trust right now is Dreamdrop, but I'm trying to keep her from entering this deathmatch. It'll mean that we all end up losing our powers, but--”

“Still better than losing our lives. I agree, but… Why me? Or rather, why did the Great and Powerful Trixie choose Iron Maiden? Why did you trust her over the other girls?”

A sheepish grin appeared across my mouth as my cheeks blushed. “Because you have a strong magic that I thought would help protect me.”

I shrunk a little in my seat, getting ready for her to be offended in one way or another, but to my surprise, she fell backwards onto her bed, laughing hysterically while kicking her feet. “I can't argue with that logic!” she said. “I guess having the ability to bend metal does have its perks. Well, do you think that Marrow and Storm Rose are the only two we need to worry about?”

“I don't know… To be honest, I just want to crawl somewhere and hide, but I don't want someone to get hurt because of me, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Discord said that we need to make a few cuts, right? Then maybe if I died, nobody else would have to get hurt.”

“I disagree completely, but if you really think that's the case, then why don't we just ask him?”

I had completely forgotten that I could speak to him any time I wanted, and without skipping a beat, I took out my phone and started searching for any tool I could use to get ahold of him. Unfortunately, though, I didn't have any messages from him, and he was nowhere in my contact list. Of course, he wasn't going to make this easy, but I knew he was watching.

“Alright, Discord,” I said in frustration, “let's try this out. As a representative of Platinum City, I hereby seek you out. Appear, o spirit of chaos! Discord!”

Suddenly, the ground beneath us began to shake, the sunlight peeking through the curtains began to fade, and with a thunderous laugh, the spirit of chaos made his way from my phone, taking up half of Basket Case's room with his enormous size.

“You rang?” Discord said, smiling at both of us.

“We just wanted to talk to you about this game we're supposed to be playing,” Basket Case said.

“Ohhh? And ignore the fact that neither of you are in your magical girl forms? See how much closer you've grown already? I knew this was a good idea!”

“This isn't funny, Discord!” I blurted out emotionally, making me cover my mouth as soon as I realized what I had just said, and just as I feared, Discord's smile vanished from his face. He then slithered his head down to my eye level, staring menacingly into my frightened pupils.

“It's amazing how much backbone you can grow after being a magical girl for one day,” he said calmly before lifting his head back up. “Normally, I would qualify that as an unmitigated success, but it seems that you're not too happy with the game?”

“Of course not!” I cried. “Magical girls are supposed to help people with our powers, right? So then why are you having us kill each other?!”

“What?” Discord said, taken aback as he put his hands to his chest in his confusion. “Me? Kill? Why, Trixie, I-I have no idea what you're saying! I never said anything about that!”

“Then why did you add weapons to Platinum City?” Basket Case asked. “Trixie told me that you added them after starting the game.”

“For your protection, obviously! I added them after Trixie here was put in the hospital, and it sounds to me like it's come in handy already.”

“But isn't there some rule against killing other magical girls?” I asked. “Paradox is dead. Aren't you going to do anything about it?”

“Unfortunately, I promised you already that the only catch would be that you all had to participate. I can't just change the rules or punish someone just because they found a loophole in the system that you didn't like!” As Discord spoke, his snake-like body swirled in circles, making a loophole and slithering through it, tying his body into a knot. “Besides, this does seem like an adequate way of making the necessary cuts to continue operations in Platinum City.”

“You knew.” Both Basket Case and Discord turned their heads towards me as I began to cry with my fists shaking in anger. “You knew the whole time that this was going to happen! You planned this!”

“I wouldn't say I planned it, but I would be lying of I said I was going to do anything to stop it.”

“Why?! Why are you doing this to us?!”

Again, the amused smile on Discord's face faded as he leaned down once more. “Perhaps we haven't met. I am Discord, spirit of chaos and disharmony. Helloooo.”

“So this is all just a game to you?” Basket Case asked, now shaking with anger herself.

“That is why it's called a game, after all. I never hid that from you. Maybe you just need to have a little fun with it is all!”

“When this is all over,” I said, now sobbing even harder, “will you bring back Paradox? Will you bring back any of the girls who died?”

“I'm afraid not. You see, life and death is something that even I have no control over. Now, do you have any more questions? I'm late for a very important bubble bath.”

Basket Case and I looked at each other for ideas, but sadly, we both comprehended exactly what this game entailed. We were going to have to kill each other just to keep ourselves safe, which meant that at any point, even someone who we considered our closest friend could turn against us to keep herself alive, which brought up one last question.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I asked, “How many cuts do we need to make before this is all over? How many girls need to die?”

“Like I said before, nobody needs to die. That's just something you girls decided on your own. As for how many…” Discord scratched his chin as he thought deeply. “How about this? There is one girl in the group whose magic consumes far more of Platinum City's energy than any of the other girls. Once you decide to eliminate her--again, by any means you all come up with, so long as nobody gives up or forfeits the game--I will immediately end the game and let all the remaining girls keep their powers, but that's all the hints you get! Now, where's my rubber ducky? Dagnabit! Anyway, good luck girls! I'm rooting for you!”

With one more flash of light that illuminated the whole room, Discord disappeared again, leaving the two of us alone to make sense of what he said. There was one magical girl that was essentially keeping the game going, but nobody was allowed to give up, which meant that until we figured out who this game changer was, the deathmatch would continue. None of us were safe unless we all unanimously voted for an unwilling magical girl to lose her powers, and even in my naivete, I knew that would never happen.

“Damn it!” Basket Case shouted, punching her bedsheets. “That stupid snake! I bet Platinum City isn't even in danger of losing its magic at all! He probably just said that as an excuse to get us to kill each other!”

“No…” I said, thinking over his words again. “Discord is sneaky and cruel, but he isn't dishonest. At least as far as I know, he has never once lied to us about anything, but…” I firmly grasped the hem of my skirt, wondering if I would regret my next question. “What if I'm the girl who he was talking about? What if this is all my fault?”

“It's not your fault, Trixie,” Basket Case said as she stepped off her bed and pulled me into a warm hug. “He was going to go through with this plan regardless of whoever became the next magical girl. I'm personally glad that I get to play this game with you, and if you really are the game changer, then the two of us are just going to have to make it to the end, then, aren't we?”

Despite having no ill-meaning to her words, I don't think she could have said something that would have crushed me worse than that. The last thing I wanted was for every magical girl to die, just to find out that I was the game changer at the very end, but there was no way I could sacrifice myself without putting a bounty on my head. Lifting my knees to my chest, I wrapped my arms around my legs and began weeping hysterically.

“H-hey! Don't feel bad! I know! Let's see if we can find backup! You call one person and I'll call one person. Sound like a plan?”

Raising my head from my knees and sniffling, I slowly nodded my head. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but if I could get at least one more girl on my team, maybe that meant that one less girl would have to die. Not only that, but I would also have to pick a strong magical girl who would help keep both Iron Maiden and the Great and Powerful Trixie alive till the end. Not to mention someone who would be there for Dreamdrop in case someone found her…

Pulling out my magical phone again, I scrolled until I found Night Seam's name, took a deep breath, and typed the message, “I need your help. Paradox is dead, and it looks like more magical girls are going to die if we don't do something. Can we talk?”

Looking up from my phone, however, I saw that Basket Case was already getting a reply. “Who did you contact?” I asked.

“Cupid Symphony. She says she trusts us and is willing to help us out however she can. Any word from Night Seam yet?”

Just as soon as the words came out of her mouth, a message popped up on my phone that read, “Who else knows about this? Let's meet somewhere tonight.”

With a smile on my face, I wrote back, “Anywhere but Platinum City. I'm going to bring Iron Maiden and Cupid Symphony. Dreamdrop knows too, but I'm trying to keep her as far away from this game as possible. If nobody knows her real identity, maybe the game will end after three days.”

This time, she was much quicker in responding. “Don't underestimate magical girls. If any of us want to know her real identity, we can easily find out by using one method or another. She would probably be safest if you brought her along too.”

“What did she say? What did she say?” Basket Case asked, peering over my phone with her long torso.

“We're going to meet tonight,” I said, reading the messages out loud. “I don't know how comfortable I am with bringing Dreamdrop into this, but if what she's saying is true…”

“It is true. Don't ever underestimate a magical girl. We have the power to end wars as well as start them, and finding out where a girl is hiding is no exception. The best place for Dreamdrop is by your side. Then you'll both be a hell of a lot safer.”

Maybe this was a good idea after all. I wasn't sure how, but maybe if the five of us could figure out who the game changer was, we could come up with a solution to end the game without any more bloodshed. I didn't know how much I could trust Night Seam, or Cupid Symphony for that matter, but I knew that if we just stood there doing nothing, somebody else would die.

Then, I quickly realized, “Shit! I'm supposed to be at the hospital!”

“Trixie…” Basket Case said, giving me a condescending look, “you can't go back to the hospital, or Platinum City for that matter. Storm Rose and Marrow will be guarding both places like hawks, especially since Marrow can essentially be in two places at once.”

“But… What about my mom? What will I do when she finds out?”

“What would she do if she found you dead the next time she came to visit you?” Her words cut me to the core, making me wish even more that I had just never become a magical girl in the first place. “We can think of something as we go, but as for right now, we just need to keep you safe, OK? Now, you just find out where Night Seam wants to meet, and we can just wait here until then.” Then, she picked up a video game controller and smiled. “Besides, it's not like you'll be bored in the meantime.”

I couldn't help but smile back.

Night Seam said that we should meet at the park by the old Manehattan Central Library, and until then, I just had to make sure everyone else was on board with the meeting. Cupid Symphony and Iron Maiden had no problem with it, and even though it hurt bringing Dreamdrop back into the fire, she said that she was on board too. Time seemed to fly by in the meantime as Basket Case and I played video games until the sun went down, but once the light faded in Manehattan, the two of us transformed into magical girls and took off towards the park.

The two of us wanted to be the first ones there, just in case anyone caught whiff of our plan and tried hurting Cupid Symphony or Dreamdrop before we could get there, but as soon as we showed up, Cupid Symphony was already there, talking to some cute boy.

“Pleeeeease? Just this once?” she said, holding her hands together and giving the boy her most pleading eyes.

“I can't, Cupid,” the boy said. “How could I say that I really love you if I can't control my own hormones?”

“But I want you to! Just one small peck on the lips?”

“Please, Cupid! Don't tear my heart out like this!”

“Uhhhhh…” Iron Maiden said loudly, breaking the conversation they were having. “Sorry to interrupt, but…”

The both of them quickly took a step away from each other, looking away bashfully as they grew red in the face. “A-anyway…” Cupid Symphony said, hinting for him to leave.

“Oh, right. I should probably get to that place I needed to go to. You will call me, though, right?”

“Only if you promise to answer.” Cupid Symphony winked and blew a kiss for good measure.

“I will, darling! I'll stay up for days awaiting your call!”

“Ta-ta! I'll miss you!” Iron Maiden and I, however, gave Cupid Symphony the dullest looks we could as the teenage boy ran away. “What? Can't a girl have a little fun in the meantime? If I get killed, I at least want to have my first kiss before I die!”

“Please don't talk about death right now,” a voice said quietly, coming from behind us. Turning around, we saw Dreamdrop approaching, waving and smiling, but with puffy eyes like she had been crying all day. “Is this the place?”

“Yeah,” I said as all eyes focused on me. “I'm sorry for asking you all to protect me like this.”

“Not at all!” Cupid exclaimed, grabbing hold of my hands. “I'm so sorry for not being able to visit you in the hospital, but I can at least promise to keep you safe! So long as the four of us stick together, we will--” Then, cutting off her words, Cupid Symphony's phone began to ring. Not her magical phone, but rather her own personal cell phone. “Sorry. Just one second. Hello? Oh, hi Mark!”

“Yeah, you'll totally protect us,” Iron Maiden said sarcastically. “So long as it's not in the middle of a date!”

“I'm sorry. What was that, Mark? I was just RUDELY interrupted and didn't hear what you said… OK… No! Really? Oh, Mark, have I ever told you how much I adore you?... Mark! You little tease! You know I can't!”

“Should we say something?” I asked, looking to both Dreamdrop and Iron Maiden, who shrugged in response.

“OK, well, thank you so much for calling me, dear. Kisses! Mwuah!” Then, sighing dreamily, she held her phone to her heart while smiling from ear to ear. “He's so perfect.”

“Good conversation, I take it?” Iron Maiden asked with a chuckle.

“Oh, you have no idea. Mark may have just saved our lives.”

As we all leaned in with curiosity, Cupid Symphony smiled mysteriously from ear to ear.

“It looks like Night Seam brought guests.”