Through the Looking Glass (Into a Magical Girl setting)

[X] "Just a helpful passerby. Can you tell me about the other girl and the monster?"
[X] Carry her.

"Sorry, but I don't think I'm anyone's guardian angel." You smile kindly to the girl. "I'm just someone that was around that wants to help."

"But... you said you were an angel... and you said you'll help me so... that must mean you're my guardian angel right?" She is looking up at you with wide hopeful eyes.

"Well... while I get you out of here I'll be your guardian angel then okay?" She seems to think for a bit before nodding with a tiny smile. "Okay then, let's see if we find a way out, come on, I'll carry you" You crouch down and give your back to her, which she climbs a bit too eagerly.

"By the by... you said there was another girl right?"

"Mhmm." She nods. "I couldn't see her well... she was kind of red..." Kind of red? Probably clothing then. Should stand out with how the whole place seems black and, yellow and blue if that's the case... wait, did Mapple wear red clothing today? Darn you can't remember... no matter, you'll look for this girl. It's your best lead.

"Do you know which way she went? She may need help too."

"..." She stays silent. Could be that she's scared. Maybe trying asking something else...

"Hey... how did you end up here?"

"I don't know... I was playing with some friends and then everything became dark, and the sky turned weird..." So she has no idea uh, not that you expected her to. You have no idea how you ended up in here either. Lupin said that it just... happened... somehow.

...

And that Mapple bolted out of the place in a hurry. This is just a guess but, if you find her you'll probably find your answers as to what is going on. It's only a guess thogh, and one made just by that little piece of info you got from Lupin, but still, it is your best shot at finding out what is going on and getting out of here, whatever here is anyways.

Now, how to find Mappe...

---

You spend a while walking around while carrying the little girl. You decided to go to a bit of an open area a few blocks north of your shop. Then maybe you'll try to find some shop with more than one floor that are accesible to try and see from high ground. The girl has been silent so far, but she seems to have relaxed even so slightly.

You reach the open area, a food court, and... nothing. Empty, as expected. You sigh and prepare to continue when you feel something familiar. The same thing you felt when Fenrir had you on her claws.

There's something dangerous there.

The girl looks curiously at your face from your shoulders as you look around in slight panic. Where, where is the feeling coming from? Better get out, first come the girls's safety.

"Alright, guess we-" [!!!] You react inmediately by jumping to the side.

"AHHH!"

Lack of experience and carrying someone though means that you mess up in a way, this being the girl's grip loosening because of your sudden movement and almost falling over when you let your arms go to assume a sort of defense position by instinct.

Before you can ask Lupin what made them react that way you feel pain. Lots, lots of pain on your left leg.

"AAAAHHHHHHH!!" The girl cries louder than before, snapping you ouf of your funk and letting you grab her better. It hurts, a lot, you cry of the pain, but you've alreay been in similar pain before, so if anything you can at least do something instead of being frozen in place screaming.

Looking at your leg it seems as if a claw is keeping a hold of it, squeezing.

[!!!]

Your shadows move to cover your leg, somehow making the apparent claw loose it's grip on your leg. It then slides over the floor, as if being a part of it, and retreats, mixing with... the shadows...

[!!!] 'Yeah I realized!'

Ignoring the pain as much as you can you slowly walk towards the centre of the food court. It's the area with least things on it and with less shadows on it. If your theory is correct then you should be more safe here than near tables, chairs, walls, anything that cast a shadow that isn't yours.

The girl is burying her face on your back, scared and shaking. "It's okay... I'll protect you... I won't let it get near you..." As long as your arms resist you should be able to keep a hold of the girl while you think of something. How to get out of here now!? You're pretty much trapped, even more than before. There's no clear way without that much shadows to go through and your leg still hurts enough that you can only walk slowly. Think, think, what will-

!??

At the corner of your vision you see something strange. Something that shouldn't be. A table is flying in the air towards you as if on its own. Casting a shadow like a pillar. It's there, somehow it's moving that table!! You gotta run, but you can't run in your current conditions. You move regardless. As fast as you can with each step sending jolts of pain up your leg. Just have to get away, it's moving slow.

Maybe if you tell the girl to run on her own? No, that's not an option. Too dangerous. Who's to say that it won't chase after her, and you carried her because she was obiviously not well enough to walk. Having probably experienced a tiny bit of the pain she went through you can imagine it. She won't be able to move at all. What can you do, what can you do!!?

"-Haa!"

You turn around as you hear a young voice to see a figure in red cleave right through the thing with a deep red axe. Said figure just cut through the table to the floor, literally slicing the impossible pillar of shadow in half. You can barely hear what seems to be a screech of sorts, almost inaudible, as the shadows become smoke and the table pieces fall to the floor and break.

The figure raises its head from the floor.

"..."

"... Mapple...? What?" Indeed, it is Mapple. You recognize her face and eyes, which look troubled. She's dressed in a red loose hood, slghtly frilly red dress and white long sleeved shirt. In her hands, covered with leather gauntlets, is the axe you saw. Deep red with light brown handle and, now that you look at it, the way she's gripping it is weird, kind of like-

"Awww man, and I went through the trouble of setting this all up for some random to snatch up my prey..."

!!!

"Now I gotta search up another barrier and find another one of these things to kill. Thanks for the kill steal. Not."

The voice seems to be coming from the other side of the food court. There, standing, is yet another girl, with what seems to be a really convoluted costume. You can't make the details this far back aside from the dark colors, which don't help since they seem to blend with the rest of things.

"So you're the one that made that table levitate? Have you any idea how dangerous that was!!!?"

"Hey, it's not like they ere in real danger. This is a test after all, everything is controlled ain't it? Are you new? Maybe you missed the group explanation..."

"Test? What are you talking about!? And who the heck are you anyways?"

"Hey, don't get so angry. Geez what's up with you? Anyways I should introducec myself right? I'm Magical Girl Shadow Weaver!! Name pending change!!"

At that the girl makes a weird pose and winks. There's utter silence for a few seconds after that.

"What's up with me? What's up with you!? Again do you have any idea how dangerous, irresponsible, and downright stupid what you did was!?"

You have no idea what is going on anymore. Also it seems that, without realizing it, you have falling over your butt. The girl tahnkfully is okay, she's still with her arms around you. Seems like she fainted or fell asleep at some point, with the ligh breaths coming out of her mouth.

Gently placing her on the ground and keeping her in a seated position with your arm, you return to look at one of the weirdest things you've seen in your life. Mapple sees to be screaming at the self-proclaimed magical girl who, judging from expression, is both confused and annoyed. They seem to be having an argument now.

Just what is going on here?

[] Interrupt their discussion.
[] Stay out of their discussion.

---

I know I said it was gonna come earlier, but stuff took my time, mostly distractions, but here's the chapter. MG will start making more appearances from now.

Also Happy New Year everyone! Happy 2019!! (Though it is still 2018 as of the moment I posted this here.)

[X] Interrupt their discussion.

You shake your head. There's too many weird things going on at once and you need some explanations and answers. Gathering you voice you speak loud and clear.

"Can you two stop whatever you're doing and tell me what is going on here!?"

That seemed to have catched the attention of both of them, as they turn their heads to stare at you. Mapple is having that kind of troubled expression on her face, while the other girl seems to be... confused?

"Uhhh... why are you awake?" What. "Aren't the random passerbys supposed to fall asleep after the fight? Wait, OH! You're part of this barrier thing! Of course, that means you both are monsters in disguise! You can't fool me!" She nods at herself and then does some kind of dramatic pose thing.

Seriously, what.

Before you register what is going on Mapple is right in front of you, leg extended, and the other girl is on the ground some distance away with... an incredibly big scythe of pure black.

"Ack!... I... I knew it! You all are just more monsters of evil to be eliminated! You may have gotten me by surprise, but that won-" While in the midle of their speech some kind of cloth suddenly wraps around their abdomen and pulls them upward.

*BANG*

Was that a gun...? Where... Mapple's axe head has smoke coming out of it... is that thing a gun?

"WHA-HEY!!! I wasn't done yet! What are you doing!?" The self proclaimed magical girl looks up and you follow. Up there floating in a broom is... yet another girl. This one fits the idea of a witch with their looks, what the pointy hat, brook, dark clothes, etc. They briefly eye all three of you on the ground before speeding away. "WHAAAAA-" with the screaming girl with them.

"... I have no idea what that was..."

"... those are my words you know." You breathe down to calm yourself and decide that you need answers. "Mapple... that's you isn't it?"

"..." No answer. You don't know what happened, and you may be getting yourself into something that isn't and shouldn't be your bussiness. But you want answers.

"Mapple... what just happened. What is going on. Why are you carrying some kind of axe-gun and what is this place!?"

"..."

"Please don't give me the silent treatment. I know it is you. Just, explain to me what happened here, why this girl was attacked and, at the very least just tell me that we can go back."

"... this isn-" "Don't come at me with that 'this isn't your bussiness' crap. I got dragged here, found a very hurt girl on the ground, was attacked by some shadow pillar thing, and if I'm right I was probably almost killed by some self proclaimed magical girl."

"Actually, what I was gonna say was 'this isn't how I expected my day to be'. I was hoping to solve this all before you woke up from that game thing."

"... so you really are Mapple..."

"What, didn't you say that you knew it was me?" They turn around to facec you, a dumbfounded expression on thei face.

"Well, I was hoping it was you, otherwise it would have been a really awkward moment."

"I think this already is really awkward..."

...

"... sorry you got dragged into this. I will tell you what is going on, you're already involved so no use to hide things. First, we have to get out of here, but not here."

"What."

"I mean not in this place, let's go back to that coffee shop and go back there. These barriers don't last long if they don't have anything supplementing them with magic, it should break down and send us back soon enough. Come, better start walking." At that Mapple starts going back towards the shop.

"H-hey don't just leave like that! What about this girl? She was in so much pain before, and my leg got hit by that thing too. I'm not sure I can walk fast while carrying her..."

"Shouldn't be a problem. If I'm right all the 'wounds' and their effects are gone."

Huh? You feel your leg and sure enough, it feels normal. There's no pain neither a bothersome feeling. What about the girl?

...

She's still out, but... all of those marks on her are gone...

"That thing didn't physically hurt you, just made you feel pain. Now that it is gone whatever effects it had are gone."

"... you need to explain to me how you know about this later."

"Yeah... later though." She looks at you for a bit, as if searching for something. Deciding to ignore that you carefully pick up the girl and start carrying her on your back. Should be the same as before.

"Alright, this should be okay now then. Let's go." And with that you start walking.

"..."

---

After a silent walk you finally reached the shop.

"Just in time it seems."

Huh? What do they... oh. The sky seems to be twisting, a lot, and sort of cracking. That can't be good.

"We better get in, we don't want to suddenly appear from nothing do we?"

She's right. Quickly you go back towards the break room. As soon as you get in and close the door you feel some kind of tremor, then the whole place seems to vanish or become transparent slightly, giving way to how things normally look. You place the not yet concious girl on the sofa and turn to look at Mapple. She's still wearing that getup.

"Okay, I think it's time for answers."

"Not yet, that girl, what are we gonna do with her?" She points at the sofa with the sleeping girl. You nevver asked her name now that you think of it. "I wonder why she was in the barrier, but it's better to leave that alone and take her somewhere safe. Maybe tell some security guard that a kid is lost and play the whole thing as a dream of hers."

"That... that won't work, and I don't exactly aprove of it." Before Mapple can say anything you silence her with your stare. "She was hurt, badly, I doubt that she will think about all that as a dream. Also just leaving her with a guard doesn't sits right with me. I won't leave her alone until she wakes up. I can't leve her alone after what happened there."

Mapple looks at you. You look back at her. This continues for a while, until she sighs and drops her shoulders. "Haaa, alright, we'll wait till she wakes up and talk to her. I wil not say that what she experienced wasn't a dream though. That's on you."

"That's okay. I just feel it would be worse to leave her like that after what happened."

"Yeah, I kind of feel the same, but we can't help everyone you know." Afterwards Mapple turns to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To the bathroom, I gotta get out of these clothes before anyone notices. We probably won't have much time alone afterwards, so I'll only be able to answer a single question probably." And with that they indeed leave, leaving you alone in the room with the sleeping girl.

"Haaa... what a day this has been..." [...] 'It's okay, I'm just a bit tired.' [...?] 'We'll wait till she comes back and then I'll ask her some questions... or a single question if she's right about time.' [... ]

The problem here is, what to ask? You have a lot on your mind. Who is she really, what was that place, what happened there, who was that girl, just what happened ugh...

Haaa... well... may as well make the question worth it.

What will you ask Mapple...

[] About who she really is.
[] About the weird place you ended up on.
[] About that self proclaimed magical girl.
[] About what will happen with you and the girl.

---

New chapter, took me a bit to get it started. I've been busy with real life stuff so I've been leaving this quest aside for a while, but I decided to finally write an update today. Tomorrow is the day I will most likely get my university degree so I'm way more focused on that for now.
Anyways, choose just one option here. Also if you wanna talk about possible magical girls stuff here go for it, discussion is good to get creativity going.

Anyways, laters.

In a sparcely single room in a humble 2 story house a young man was lying on bed while patting the head of what appeared to be a plushie with the form of a tiny dragon.

"Yaaawwnn... man... these days have been crazy..."

"Sorry..."

The young man just pat the tiny dragon on the head and smiles. "Hey it's not your fault. It's just a lot to remember. Still, you sure about this? Sticking with me?"

The tiny being moves a bit to lock eyes with the young man. "I promised that I'd be your partner. Even though apparently that wasn't necessary... it was so embarassing to have my seniors laugh at me like that...!" Their white scales take a bit of a red color in their face. "But... I'm happy I can stay with you. You're a really nice person! I'm glad that we can be partners..."

The young man sighs, a small smile on their face. "You don't have to repeat that every day... I'm glad you're here to help too." In the few days they had spent together the two of them became rather close. Because of that, it was a shock to both of them to learn that the whole partnership bond made by the dragon was completely on them. They weren't supposed to do so at all, just provide a bit of power for magical girl, and then monitor them from affar.

"You know... I'm surprised they let you stay with me. I mean, sure they think I'm just another of those girls that played that game but still, to let one of them stay with one, and as partners by contract nonetheless..."

"I asked them to let me stay with you. I wanted to make up for my mistakes, and I wanted to be a partner to the magical girl, err, person that I found such an affinity with. I think they didn't like it, but I stayed my ground and told them that it was what I wanted, regardless of it being an acciddent. I was about to cry a bit at the idea of having to go though..."

"That may have helped..."

"Uh?"

"Nothing. So, what are we gonna do now, Deirdre?"

The dragon's name was Deirdre. They were a being tasked with finding and awakening magical girls. Due to their overenthusiasm and them being a pretty new adition to the system they instead awakened a boy as a magical girl, creating an unknown that shouldn't be. Despite that, they decided to trust their heart and stay with the boy, both to make ammends and to help them make sure the other contracted girls were safe.

"Well... we could go and meet up the other magical girls that have been contracteed. Being a magical girl you should be able to enter the app on your phone if I recall correctly... the manual said that there is a hub area within it for contracted magical girls. By the way, if you decide to meet them you'll have to go with your magical girl name, Naosie."

Naosie was the young man's name. It was a rather unique name, but it held no deeper meaning than being the name chosen by the boy's parents. And as the dragon said, they had another name as a magical girl. Every magical girl contracted by the app had been given a name based on their ideal of a magical girl. At least, that would be the ideal. Truth being told, the name of the [game characters] they had were given priority as their magical girl names.

The young man, Naosie, made a troubled face. "Ughhhhh... I doubt I'll feel comfortable being called that way, or at least I won't get used to it for a while. But, if not now then I won't do it ever. May as well go." Picking the little dragon and setting them aside, the young man stood up and held their phone to their chest, closing their eyes. In an instant, a pillar of light engulfed them and dissapeared. In less than half a second in place of the young man was a young woman, no older than 17, with quite the formal dress covered in little bits of armor. Their long purple hair ended in small half-drill like manner. Opening their eyes, these were a golden color.

A second passed, then the young miss threw themselves in the bed, looking at the ceiling with the same troubled expression the young man had earier. "Mnnggg...."

"Okay, just select the app and a [common lobby] option that wasn't there before should appear. Just click it and you'll be there." After looking at the young miss face, the dragon added in a small voice. "If you want to... we could leave this for later."

"It's okay, the sooner I do this the better. Just, won't initiate conversations and won't say anything too personal. Alright, let's go, Deirdre."

The little dragon cuddled in one of the girl's arms and nuzzled them. "Ready when you are."

The girl opened the phone app they were talking abou earlier and, sure enough, a new option was there. Hovering their finger over it for a while, they spoke. "Hey... it's okay to call me by this form's name if you want."

The dragon ears twitched. "Are you sure?"

"Have to get used to it." They took a deep breath, and smiled a little. "Well, here goes."

"I'm with you all the way, Vira."

And witha little touch, they were gone.

---

In a room at the edges of their reality, a small looking girl appeared. If anyone were to look at her, they may say that she looked like a princess, but not one from fairy tales, what with their armor and sword on their back. Also the tiny dragon resting on their head.

The room the pair found themselves in was like a mishmash of different things. There was a bit with a tea table in a corner of it, on another side there was a little cauldron with ribbons around it. There was what seemed to be the entrance of a cave or another type of dark place in another part of the room, as well as little castle walls or towers. In the middle of it all a patch of grass covered the whole area, pillows and the like all over it.

The pair blinked once, twice, to make sure they weren't seeing wrong. The place was, surprisingly, empty.

"... did we come for nothing?" The small girl said.

"Why don't we wait a bit over the pillows?" Said the little dragon.

The young girl wasn't sure about staying, but decided stay rather than leave. So tey sat down in a pillow while looking around. They stood there quietly for a few minutes before boredom got to them. However, as if to answer that boredom, a loud beep and a sudden message symbol appeared in front of them.

"It's a message from another magical girl!" The little dragon said, making the little girl panic more than they were at the sudden image in front of them. "Ah! Sorry! Don't worry it wasn't directed at you! Or rather, it could only been directed at you if it was directed at everyone else, given that no other magical girl know your name."

"Please say that first the next time, I was worried for a second there." Tapping on the message bubble thing, it opened to reveal a piecce of text that said:

{Urgent: everyone come to the lobby, we need to talk and fast!!- Ribbons}

"Ribbons...? What is-"

Before they could finish their sentence a number of lights appeared around the room. They were more girls, each one with a distinct appearance. Some of them went to talk with each other while some waited by themselves. Seems they didn't inmediately notice the girl in the middle of the room, sitting on a pillow with a dragon on top of their head.

"Is everyone here?" Said a voice from the left-back of Vira. "Seem so, I don't see an face miss-whoareyou!!?" Another voice screamed from directly behind Vira, who was making their best effort to not move or fidget in place.

"Calm down, she's just another magical girl. Remember that one that didn't appear here at all? That must be her." A different voice from the first one said from the said direction as said voice.

"Umm... are you... could you be a magical girl too?"

"Girls introductions later, I have somthing extremely important to say to everyone. Could everyone look here?" A voice from the right of Vira said.

Turning her head around, Vira saw a girl in what looked like witch gear, holding a girl in a convoluted dark purple outfit by the ear.

"We have biiiig trouble on our hands..."

[X] About what will happen with you and the girl.

Thinking about it, you ended up with what seemed like the most important question at the time, namely what will happen to you and the girl now. Shortly afterwards Mapple returned, wearing the same clothes she had before this whole thing. You decided to waste no time and just ask the question.

"So... what will happen now? To me and the girl I mean..."

"To be quite frank, I'm not sure either." Mapple said with a sigh. "You two came out of that fine, but the problem now is that you saw all of that. And with what you said making her believe it was a dream is out of the question. It wasn't a great idea either way..." She scratched her head sighed again. "Here's what will happen. We'll all meet with the person I'm waiting for, we will explain what happened, and you'll stay out of it for your own sake."

You were about to ask what she meant when she started talking again. "Before you interrupt me, we will also keep a look out for you two. You is kind of easy, you work here after all. I'll have to pul some owned favors for the girl though probably... regardless, I'll explain after we're in a more private place."

You couldn't really say anything as for that moment the girl started stirring. "Mmmm... uh? Ah!!" As soon as she woke up she looked franctically from side to side, before her eyes locked on you two. At first she was incredibly stiff, but when she saw your face she relaxed a bit. "Ummm... where am I...?"

"You're back home. Well, not your home but rather the normal everyday mall. We're out of that place." You told her with a small smile.

"I'm... I'm back...?" She was shaking slightly aas she was saying that. "Thank you! Thank you mister angel!" And then she tackled you into a hug, throwing you into the ground.

"Angel?"

"Hey now, it's okay, you're safe. Though... I wasn't the one that saved you at the end. It was her, who saved us both." You said pointing to Mapple. The girl looked at Mapple, just looking at her for a while, unsure of what to do. So you patted her on the head. "She's a nice person, don't worry. Thanks for saving us, I forgot to say it before."

"... thank you." Said the girl in a low voice. Seems like she's a little afraid of Mapple for some reason.

"It's fine, I'm just glad that is over. Also... angel?"

"Mister angel here promised to protect me in that weird place."

"... an angel uh..." Mapple was giving you an incredulous look.

"I told you before I'm not an angel, that's just my name." You told the girl again, who still remained on top of you.

"I thought your name was Mi..." Mapple's gaze became dead and screamed 'really' towards you.

"Both names are my names, what's so wrong with that?" You told her. You don't relaly get why that look.

"... I guess it is a name after all... I've heard weirder before, why is this bothering me?"

You still don't get it, your name is Michael, but you introduced yourself as Angel to the girl. A simple mistake, you will simply have to say that both your names are Michael Angel and... and... oh.

Oh...

Now your gaze is the same as Mapple's. Thankfully she can't see it. Why didn't you realize it before? It's such a dumb thiiinnng!

[...?] 'It's nothing, just... realized something kind of obvious I never saw before just now.'

"Mister... what happened...? I remember you being hurt... and nothing else..." The little girl hung down her head as she said that, she sounded like she felt guilty for some reason. Also what do you tell her? Don't want to scare her for life after all.

...

The answer is really simple. "I kept us away from that monster, and yeah, I saw it. Then Mapple here appeared and defeated it in one single hit. It was pretty cool."

"Mapple...?"

"Yeah that's my name. I know it isn't common, but it is my name. By the way what's yours?" You remembered that you haven't asked the girl for her name yet. If you weren't on the floor you'd probably hang down your head in shame at youself for forgetting that.

"Ah, my name's Melissa. Ah! Ummm..." After saying her name the girl seemed to realize that you were still on the floor and got up. "I'm sorry mister! You're not mad? I don't want to make an angel mad..."

Mapple snorted slightly at the girl's worries while you groaned lowly. "I'm not mad, it's fine. And I told you, I ain't no angel. Is just my name... well, yeah it is my name..." You sat up, don't wanna lie on the floor all the time.

"Still... you promised to protect me mister, and you did! You helped me when I asked for help, like a guardian angel! So..." Mapple was trying to hold back her chuckles, making the girl, Melissa, embarassedd if her reddening face was any indication. You've dealt with kids before so you aren't really bothered much by this.

"It's fine, it was no problem. I'm just glad you're okay." You eventually got up, dusted your pants off and got ready for the important part. "So! What now?" You asked at Mapple. Said girl took out a phone, looked at it for a bit, nodded, and then adressed you both.

"Well, my friend is waiting for us now, so we better go. She's at the riverside, so it's just a few minutes walk. We can discuss things there." She turnet from you to Melissa. "Melissa right?" The girl in question nodded. "We're gonna go meet up with someone to talk a bit about what happened to you both. It's important so you have to come with us. If you need to go home my friend can take you there or if is there someone waiting for you here..."

Melissa looked at you, she seemed a bit unsure. "It's okay." You told her. "I trust Mapple, and if she says that her friend's an okay person, then I'll believe it." You hoped that helped ease her a little, and thakfuly it did, based on her nodding at you.

"Okay... but I have to go home soon..." Oh, right. It's kind of getting late actually.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to your home if it gets too late okay?" You told her. This seemed to make her feel more at ease with going with you.

"Alright, let's head out then and, oh right, Melissa, you and I are gonna go out first. Can you talk to the lady here that I left without her noticing? Thanks." And just like that she took Melissa's hand and left, not giving the other girl a chance to talk back. Well, nothing else to do other than leave. You'll thank Leona for letting you stay in this room, and for the game which you just remmebered. That game is a whole other can of worms to open and you're gonna have to deal with that, too, eventually. The Wonderlands, the game, what happened today, just what happened to your every boring normal days?

...

It doesn't relaly matters does it? Complaining about it isn't gonna do a thing. First you'll figure out what just happened today, then you'll think of what to do next. Getting ready you picked up the game, placed it on a pocket on your jacket, and left the room. Leona and Raphael seemed to be absent, the one around was coffee girl aka Nina, whose name you forgot for a bit and now feel bad about. Gotta comit these names to memory...

Walking over she seemed to be listening to music while working on cleaning tables. She seemed to notice you coming out of their break room and waved. You waved back. "The boss and Raphael had to left early. Once I finish up here I'll leave too, so we'll close early today. By the by, who were those kids that just passed by? Yours?"

"I'm not old enough to be a dad. But to answer, I'm just looking after them for a bit. So, both Leona and Raphael had to leave uh... bummer that I didn't saw them to say bye. Can you tell them that I said bye? Kinda have to go, got places to go."

"Gotta follow your rainbow uh?" Ughhh. "Hahaha, don't be like that. Remember to also talk to me the next time you pass by, I feel kind of left out after today. Anyways, see ya!"

"I'll keep it in mind. Laters." You waved each other off and then you left. Mapple wasn't in sight but you knew were to go. The river wasn't far and it as pretty open and empty around here. And so you left.

...
...
...

A bit of a walk later you got to the river. As expected, no one is around. There's nothing here aside from the greens of grass and the park with a few games for kids. THe bridge is far away so you should be fine discussing things here. Looking around you caught a glimpse of what seemed to be Mapple... yep, that's her, looking at you all serious. Melissa is there fidgeting nerviously and besides them is another girl whom you're sure you've seen before somewhere... anyways, you walk over to them. "Hey, so... introductions?" You asked reffering to the unknown girl. Melissa inmediately went and hid behind your back, which made the new girl frown and Mappl e chuckle. The new girl seemed to be wearing comfy looking clothes, a puffy jacket, boots, stockings and a skirt were what you saw with a simple glance. Her hair was straight blonde and she had green eyes.

"Alright, I'll make it short since from what Mapple here told me." New girl pointed at Mapple. "Apparently this is serious and a to the point explanation is better. So! Don't freak out and be calm about what is about to happen. Oh and you may call me Luka." Once her piece was said Luka clapped her hands and suddenly a giant circle with a strange geometric design inside appeared below all of you. It inmediately blinded you with a flash before you felt things... shift, for lack of a better word.

First thing you noticed wasn't that the light had faded. It was the shift in what you were feeling. Mostly how it went from something you're used to to something you're only getting used to.

Of course this all relates to this place... you don't need to open your eyes to know that you're in a Wonderland. This may or may not make things more complicated for you. Well, may as well face the music as they say and... wait, you're in a Wonderland. Your body changed. Oh crud.

Opening your eyes you're inmediately greeted by a very close and personal meeting with the end of what seems to be an axe-gun, in the hands of Mapple, who is giving you a murderous look, not as strong as the others you've felt in these places though.

Fenrir's was a few levels above it, and it wasn't as forced. Wait now's not the time for this, gotta explain fast.

"Explain, now. Who are you and why are you here. What have you done to him." Mapple grasped her axe-gun more firmly as you stepped back a bit, holding your hands in front of you.

"H-hey, easy now. No need to point that thing at me, hehe... ummm... can you please not point that at me? I feel that you may shoot me or slice me at any moment."

"I said explain."

"Uh..." Before you could gather your thoughts a figure suddenly stepped in front of you. Oh, oh no. You're back in a Wonderland, Lupin must have separated from your shadow from that. Quick think. "Lupin, it's okay, Mapple here was just surprised." You could feel her tighten her grip on her weapon. "Lupin... please, it's okay. Let's just sit down, I'll explain and everything will be okay." You could feel Lupin's worried gaze on you, rather than just hte gaze you could feel it, their worry and fear. So you sat down, patted the spot by your side, and looked at Lupin in the eyes, telling them with yours to belive you. Eventually, they sat down besides you, still tense but it's something.

You haven't paid attention to Melissa and the new girl, Luka, you remember. You hope they aren't freaking out much right now. You suck in a bit of air and decide to start explaining what is going on, from your perspective.

"Okay! Ummm... Mapple?... it's me, Michael. Though I have picked to be called Angel while looking like this."

"... and how are you him?"

"Well... we were at the riverside, new girl clapped her hands, then this weird circle appeared below us. I am sue you were aware of what was around us since I'm pretty sure you don't want anyone else to see a group of people suddenly dissapear in what I assume was some magic circle. I didn't move anywhere, I just... changed."

"..."

"I've actually been like this since before meeting you. Umm... we were gonna talk about what happened today, in that weird other mall, and about that strange self proclaimed magical girl right?" You heard a voice mumbling to themselves something about a magical girl but you didn't pay attention to it. "Let's see... I left you on a cafe today in a very rude manner, sorry for that once more. I bought you lunch as apologies, I got gifted a game... what else..." You cup your chin thinking. For some reason, you don't feel as much tension or danger as you feel you should. As in, for example when Fenrir hold you by the head and, well, gave you a bit of painful literal reminder, back then you felt real danger. Now though... there's something lacking.

"You've been by my shop lately, my shop is a manga shop by the by, and I first met you when you were looking at a magic-"

"Okay that's enough shut up bookman." Mapple moved her weapon away. She seemed to be blushing a bit for some reason. "You're you. Just... I ddn't expect this, why were you asking what was going on when you knew?"

"Okay, first, what kind of nickname is bookman? Second, I didn't knew what was going on. I was still human back there remember? Regardless I have a lot of explaining to do on my part don't I?" At that Mapple sighed and shaked her head, holding a hand over her eyes. Her weapon was gone, you have no idea where she put it or when.

"Ummm... excuse me but, what the fuck is going on?" Said a girl's voice. Turning your head back you saw both Melissa looking at you with big eyes and what could only be described as a dragon girl in casual clothing. Assessing the situation, you quickly know what yo say.

"Language, there's a little kid here."

This day just got more messy...

---

Sooo I need some help with designing some magical girls so I'm asking anyone reading this if they want to make one! I'll place a sort of guideline using Vira from my sidestory here.


Something like this basically. Anyone is free to come up with magical girls of any kind and just post them in a spoiler bracket. I feel this may help making this quest more than just a fiction with little reader imput.

The MG group that appeared in the last sidestory, counting Vira and the last two mentioned girls, consist of 12 girls. Though I won't limit the setting with just that amount. Again feel free to come up with your own idea of a MG and post if if you want to. That as well as feedback on this quest are really appreciated!