(2025 Edit) Technomancer: A Magical Girl's Sidekick [Post-Apocalyptic][Mecha][Magical Girls]

Chapter 37



"No... no, I'm not okay," the girl whispered, her voice barely audible. "I... I n-need help."

I stopped in my tracks, surprised by her sudden openness. Something about her vulnerability tugged at my heartstrings, and I knew I couldn't just walk away. Gently, I knelt down to her level, offering a reassuring smile.

"It's going to be okay," I said, my voice filled with empathy. "I'm here to help. What's going on?"

The girl looked up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please, I... I don't know what to do."

"Pause and take a breath," I asked, keeping my voice gentle so I wouldn't frighten her. "We'll figure this out together. Why don't you tell me what happened?"

The girl bit her lip, glancing around nervously. "I... I took. From the store. I didn't mean to, but... but I was so hungry and..." Her voice trailed off as she pulled an empty candy bar wrapper out of her pocket, her small hands trembling. "I... I ate it on the spot. B-but now I'm scared, and I don't know what to do, and-"

I offered a soft, reassuring smile. "It's okay, you're not in trouble with me. But you know, it's not good to take things without paying. Maybe we can go back and explain? I can help you sort it out."

The girl's eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. "No, no! I can't go back there. They'll... they'll call the cops. Or tell my dad. The manager knows my dad. My dad... he'll be so mad."

I frowned, my heart aching for the scared little girl in front of me. "Let's take it one step at a time, then. What's your name? You can call me Ikki."

"Emily," she mumbled, clutching her teddy bear closer. "I… I know that I shouldn't steal, but I was just so… so hungry."

Emily's confession hit me hard. This young girl was scared and alone, driven to steal because of hunger. I thought of my little sister back home and how I'd do anything to keep her from feeling this way.

I reached out and gently placed a hand on Emily's trembling shoulder, trying to provide some comfort in this moment of distress. "Emily, I understand that you were hungry, but stealing is never the solution. We'll figure this out together, alright? No one is going to call the police, I promise."

She looked up at me with wide eyes, her tears glistening in the sunlight. "You mean it?"

I nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. "Absolutely. We'll find a way to make things right."

With newfound determination, Emily wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "O...okay," she said, her voice steadier now. "What should we do?"

"First," I began, thinking quickly, "Why do you think your dad will get mad at you?"

Emily looked down, her voice barely audible. "My dad... he gets angry easily. I know he loves me, but when he's mad, it scares me a lot."

She shifted uncomfortably, her gaze fixed on the ground. "He… he hasn't been himself lately. He's been dealing with a lot of things, and I don't want to make it worse for him. But I didn't think stealing was the right thing either. I know God is always watching us..."

Hearing Emily's words, my heart felt heavy. I could relate to her fear, remembering how my dad struggled with his own demons after we lost Mom. It wasn't easy seeing someone you love change like that.

"Emily, it's okay to be scared," I said gently. "But your dad needs to know what happened. Maybe I can talk to him for you? I'm sure he wouldn't want you to be scared or hungry."

Emily bit her lip, considering my words. "That's true. But I... don't think I can let you talk to him. He might get even madder."

I understood Emily's concern, but I couldn't let her continue living in fear.

"Emily," I said, my voice firm yet compassionate, "You say he hasn't been himself recently. Is he the type of person who would want his daughter to be scared and hungry? Or would he want you to be safe and taken care of?"

Emily hesitated, her brows furrowing with uncertainty. "I... no. He wouldn't want me to be like this. But money has been tight lately, and he's been so stressed. I've been eating less and less to make things easier for him, but we'd finished off the leftovers and I couldn't take it anymore."

I felt a knot form in my stomach as Emily spoke. It was clear that her family was going through a difficult time, and she was sacrificing her own well-being to protect him. I couldn't stand by and watch a young girl suffer like this.

"Emily," I began, my voice filled with determination, "You deserve to be safe and taken care of, just like any kid should be. Your dad may be going through a tough time, but it's not your responsibility to fix everything for him. He's an adult, and it's his job to ensure your well-being. It's important for you to communicate with him, even if it feels scary. Sometimes, people need help realizing what's best for their loved ones."

Emily looked up at me, tears welling in her eyes once again. "But what if he gets angry? What if he blames me?"

I reached out and took her small hand in mine, offering a small smile. "I can't promise that everything will be easy, but I can talk to him for you if you're willing to let me. I can explain what happened and how difficult things have been for you. Maybe, just maybe, it'll help him understand."

Emily squeezed my hand tightly, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "You'd really do that?"

"Of course, Emily. No one should have to go through this alone. We'll find a way to make things better, I promise."

A glimmer of hope flickered in Emily's eyes as she wiped away her tears. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice filled with gratitude. "I guess you can try. He works close by, but please be careful. He can be really nice, but when he's upset..."

"I understand," I reassured her. "Let's find a place to sit down and wait for him. You can tell me how to reach him, and I'll do the talking when he arrives. How does that sound?"

She nodded, a small sense of relief crossing her face. We found a nearby bench, and Emily hesitantly handed me her dad's contact information. I dialed the number, and after a couple of rings, a familiar gruff voice answered.

"Hello? Who's this?"

I froze, recognizing the rough, familiar accent and cadence almost immediately.

Coincidences seemed to be a regular thing in my life lately, but this was something else.

"Hi, uh. Small world, huh? It's Ikazuchi, if you remember," I said, trying to calm my voice. "I'm here with Emily. She's a bit upset, and we need to talk to you."

There was a pause on the other end. "Emily? My Emily?! Is she okay? What the bloody hell is going on?"

"Emily is fine, physically," I started, "but she's really scared. She... took something from a store because she was hungry. She's worried about how you'll react. I told her we'd talk to you together. We're close to Greene's Groceries on Pallas Road."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the other end. "I... I'll be right on over in a hop. Where exactly are you?"

I quickly texted him our location, and the call ended shortly after.

Emily looked at me, her eyes searching for reassurance. She fidgeted with her teddy bear, looking like she was about to cry.

"It'll be okay, Emily," I reassured her. "Your dad's on his way, Emily. We'll sort this out," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

Emily nodded, her small hands gripping her teddy bear tightly. "I-I hope he's not too mad..." she whispered, a tremble in her voice.

We made our way to a bench in the park and sat down, waiting for Emily's dad to arrive.

The minutes felt like hours as we sat in silence, the weight of the situation heavy in the air. I glanced at Emily, her face etched with worry and anticipation. I could only imagine how she was feeling right now

As we waited, Emily fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt, her eyes darting around.

I could tell she was scared, and I couldn't blame her.

Soon, a tall figure emerged from the distance, striding purposefully towards us. Emily's father had arrived, and I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the encounter.

As he approached, I could sense the tension in the air, his furrowed brow and clenched jaw revealing his inner turmoil. It was a tall, middle-aged man wearing sunglasses. He wore a road worker uniform, a faded and stained orange hi-vis jacket over a dirt-smudged brown shirt. His work pants were frayed at the edges, and heavy, mud-caked boots completed his attire. His face was more haggard than I remembered, lines of fatigue etched deeply under his eyes, and his bald head gleamed under the sunlight. It was clear that life had been hard on him.

"Hey there Bishop…" I smiled awkwardly. "Small world! Like I said."

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Bishop gave me one of the most deadpan stares I'd ever seen.

"Ikazuchi, was it lad? And... Emily," Bishop called out softly as he approached. His voice held a mix of concern and fatigue.

Emily shrank back, her grip tightening on her teddy bear.

"Dad, I'm sorry..." she whispered, her voice quivering with fear.

"What's all this on about?!" Bishop's voice rumbled with that familiar Northern English timbre as he stopped before us, his gaze shifting between Emily and me. He glanced at me, his eyes narrowing as he sized me up. I could see the wheels turning in his mind, trying to make sense of the situation.

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to ease Bishop's worries without belittling Emily or exposing her to his ire. "Bishop," I began, trying to keep my tone calm and empathetic, "Emily here found herself in a tough spot. She was hungry, and she made a... poor choice by stealing some food from Greene's Groceries."

Bishop's eyes widened with a mix of surprise and concern.

The lines on his face deepened as a wave of emotions washed over him. His brows furrowed, and he took a step closer to Emily, his voice softening. "Emily pumpkin... Is this true?"

Emily sniffled and held out an empty candy wrapper. "I took these from the store 'cause I was hungry. I didn't want to, but..." her voice trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes.

Bishop's expression softened as he looked down at his daughter, the lines of exhaustion and worry on his face deepening. He knelt before her, reaching out to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Help me understand, lass. You know we're in a bit of a rough patch right now... But I would never let you go hungry, you hear?"

Emily hiccupped and nodded. "I know, Daddy... I'm sorry... It was just... It was so hard to resist. I saw it, and I... I just wanted to taste it again so bad, but now I feel awful for stealing. And God is watching. I just..."

I could sense the conflict within Emily, the guilt gnawing at her.

Her eyes darted between her father and me, seeking comfort and reassurance. "It's okay, Emily," I said softly, trying to comfort her.

"I... I don't... why didn't you tell me, sweetheart?" Bishop replied, his voice laced with confusion. "I saw that you've been eating less, but I didn't know you were going hungry. Why didn't you come to me? Why did you feel like you had to do this?"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Emily mumbled into his jacket before looking up at him, her eyes wet with tears. "I didn't want to worry you. I always see you stressing about money and working so hard, and I just wanted to help. I've been eating less so you can have more."

Bishop took a deep breath, rubbing his forehead, trying to compose himself.

But regardless, something broke in the weathered man. His tough exterior suddenly crumbled as he leaned over and hugged his daughter tightly, his eyes brimming with tears and emotion. "Lord almighty... my beautiful, sweet daughter of mine. I'm sorry if I've made you feel you needed to do something like this." His voice trembled with a mixture of guilt and pain. "I love you, sweetheart, and I don't want you to worry about things like money. That's my job as your old man."

Emily wrapped her arms around her dad, clinging to him tightly. "I didn't want you to worry more, Dad... I just wanted to help."

He let out a short, sharp, choking noise as he held Emily behind the neck and hugged her tightly.

"You.... you never have to do something like this to try and help, Emily!" Bishop choked out, his voice thick with emotion. "I know things have been tough lately, and I'm sorry if I haven't been able to shield you from all of it. But you... I'll always make sure you have enough to eat. Before anything else. I'm so sorry if I've given you the wrong impression."

"It's not your fault, Daddy. You're a good dad," Emily mumbled into his shoulder, her words muffled.

"No. I'm... I've not been. Not since I took you away from England and got to Terra. It's been too much..." Bishop admitted with a pained grimace. "But that's not your problem, luv, okay?

Emily nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I know, Dad. I was just trying to be brave and strong like you. I never wanted to let you down."

Bishop gently stroked her hair. "You are brave and strong, Emily. Stronger than you know. But that doesn't mean you have to take care of me or solve all our problems on your own. We're a team, right?"

She smiled faintly at him and sniffled.

"Emily, look," he began, his voice firm yet gentle as he kissed the top of her head tenderly. "You could never let me down, pumpkin. You're my world, and I'll do whatever it takes to take care of you. If you aren't getting enough to eat, always let Daddy know. Daddy's been doing double shifts. We have more than enough to get by right now. If you do this, it's all for nothing.

Emily sobbed, her face buried in his jacket. "That's... that's the thing. I just didn't want to make things harder for you. I never see you anymore."

The look on Bishop's face shifted from sadness to realization. He gently cupped Emily's face, wiping away her tears with his calloused thumbs. "Emily, my love, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize how much this was affecting you. I thought working double shifts was the best thing for us. To make ends meet and keep a roof over our heads."

He sighed deeply, his eyes filled with a mix of guilt and regret. "I'm sorry I've been so busy, love. But I promise you, things will change. Your old man's come away with a bonus and promotion from work, and I'll be able to take some time off soon. We can spend more time together, just you and me. How does that sound?"

Emily's eyes widened with a mixture of surprise and hope. "Really? You mean it?"

A smile slowly spread across Emily's face as she clung tighter to her dad. The tension from the shoplifting incident was still there, but in that moment, it was clear that their bond was unbreakable.

As they sat on the park bench, Emily's tears began to subside. The tension and fear in the air were replaced with a sense of relief and newfound understanding.

Bishop looked up at me, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"Thanks for being there for her today, lad. I've been so caught up trying to make ends meet, I didn't see what was happening right under my nose."

I shrugged, feeling a bit out of my depth. "It's okay, Bishop. We… we all need a little help sometimes, you know?"

"Bloody right you are, lad," Bishop replied, his voice thick with emotion. "Sometimes it takes a fresh pair of eyes to see what's right in front of us. I owe ya one."

I felt awkward, but I also felt a warm glow of pride inside. "It's nothing, really. I'm just glad I could help?"

Bishop stood up, holding Emily's hand. "No, I owe you one. Give me a bit to sort this mess out with ol' Greene herself, and then I'll treat ya both to a proper meal, alright? Come right on over after you get those bags of yours put away."

I glanced at my grocery bags, realizing I'd been holding onto them the whole time. I nodded and smiled at Bishop. "Yeah... that sounds good. I'll just drop these off and meet you later, then."

"Here," Bishop reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn business card. His name, Ezekiel Novak, was printed neatly across the top, followed by his contact information. He handed it to me, his rough fingers brushing against mine. "That's my number," he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Give me a ring if you ever have a problem."

Gratefulness washed over me as I took the business card, my fingertips lingering on the smooth surface. It was a simple gesture, but it meant so much more. Bishop trusted me enough to let me into their lives, to offer support and friendship.

Bishop nodded, "Great. And pumpkin? Let's have a chat on the way back, shall we? Yabber to me about what's going on at school and whatnot."

Emily nodded, looking up at her dad with relief and affection. They started walking away, and I watched them momentarily, feeling a sense of accomplishment. I'd helped in a small way, but it mattered.

I turned and made my way back to my apartment, my thoughts swirling with everything that happened recently.

I remembered my encounter with Bishop last week when I'd first settled into the area, and the men he'd been with.

Particularly, the woman that came in after our chess game. Something about Bishop and the woman — Doberman he associated with bothered me deeply. Her presence invoked a sense of unease in me, an underlying tension I couldn't shake off.

Then, there was the cashier.

She looked exactly like Doberman, but she hadn't recognized me. If she didn't know me, she was a phenomenal actress, with an uncanny resemblance to the woman who'd been with Bishop. My mind raced with possibilities, trying to connect the dots that seemed to be scattered far and wide. But there was something about how she looked at me, the lack of even a hint of recognition in her eyes, that left me with a lingering, unsettling feeling.

"Rai-Chan," I whispered. "I'm not crazy, right? That cashier back there was Doberman from the first day I wound up here? Black hair and blue eyes? Middle-aged Caucasian woman?"

Rai-Chan's digital voice chimed in my mind, "You are correct. I shared your suspicions and ran a brief facial analysis on her. It has revealed an exact match between the cashier and the woman known as Doberman. However, it is important to consider the possibility of a doppelgänger or someone impersonating her. Further investigation may be necessary to confirm her true identity and motives. There are any number of possibilities when it comes to Terra."

I frowned, parsing that information. "What's your take on the situation with the attacks yesterday? The woman who held me hostage used the code name Hellhound, but it seems a bit on the nose that someone nicknamed Doberman of all people would use a name like that. She and Bishop are both clearly former military and the situation in our neighborhood does feel pretty desperate."

"I'm afraid I don't have any concrete answers," Rai-Chan responded, their voice soft yet firm. "However, given the circumstances, it's likely that these attacks are not random. There are probably several more that were not covered by the news, but they do have a pattern. The attacks all targeted specific businesses, including magitech labs and banks that had connections to Earth. It appears the culprits had inside knowledge and the means to carry out coordinated strikes."

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a conspiracy was unfolding before my very eyes. The timing of the attacks and their coordinated nature suggested a well-planned operation. And if my suspicions were right, Doberman and Bishop were at the center.

Bishop had mentioned a bonus from his job and a promotion...

I couldn't shake the feeling that Doberman, Bishop, and maybe even others were involved somehow. They had the military expertise and possibly the motive. But what could that be?

Rai-Chan's voice echoed in my mind immediately. "It is indeed a perplexing situation, Ikki. The connection between Doberman, Bishop, and the recent terrorist attacks is worth investigating further. However, we must exercise caution. Should there be any link between these individuals, these would be dangerous waters you are wading into."

I paused briefly, hanging onto my groceries as Rai-chan's response struck me at my core.

I was just a first-year student at St. Antonia's. My priority was and always would be to make it here on Terra and bring my family over safely.

Getting involved in a web of intrigue and danger was not part of the plan — what would I even do if it turned out that 'Morgan' or Doberman or whoever she was, was linked to these people? If Bishop was?

I couldn't deny the danger and potential consequences that awaited me if I started picking at this mystery.

Still, if there was a terrorist cell or something in Greenhaven, then I had a responsibility to protect my new home. I couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in my gut that something sinister was happening beneath the surface. The safety of the people in this neighborhood, including Emily. The safety of the city, even, depended on finding the truth.

Taking a deep breath, I made a decision. I would tread carefully, gathering information discreetly without putting others at risk. There was still so much I didn't know, but I always had a direct line to a Magical Girl.

I couldn't jump to conclusions, though. It could all just be my mind finding patterns where there were none.

Soon, I reached my apartment and set my grocery bags on the kitchen counter, my mind racing with thoughts and possibilities. Maybe I was just being paranoid after all.

As I paced back and forth in my small living room, my eyes landed on the business card that Bishop had given me.

I couldn't help but feel curious about Bishop's past, the world he'd seen, and the battles he'd fought. For now, though, he was just the gruff, struggling father up the street whose daughter I'd helped.

I'd head over after putting away my groceries and just try to push away these intrusive thoughts.

It was just a friendly meal, after all. Best I didn't go in there with my imagination running wild with conspiracy theories.


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