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

Midori made the first move, her blade slicing through the air with a whistle. But Ranjika was ready, deflecting her opening strike with a flick of her own weapon, her eyes fixed on her opponent. Ranjika quickly planted her stance, using her size and height advantage to her full benefit, as she countered with a flurry of well-placed heavy blows.

The sound of metal meeting metal echoed around the arena, accompanied by gasps and cheers from the crowd. Ranjika's onslaught pushed Midori back, and her katana was nearly forced out of her hand. However, she managed to recover and switched her grip. I could see her eyes dart left and right as she read Ranjika's timing, responding to her tempo with a swift downward parry.

She seized on the opening, moving fluidly as she briefly forced Ranjika's blade down and to her side with a deft flick of her wrists. But then, in the blink of an eye, Midori's blade shot towards her opponent's shoulder in a lightning-quick thrust.

I whispered to myself in amazement, "She's right past the reach and threat zone." My eyes stayed glued to the intense duel unfolding before me.

Ranjika immediately abandoned her rooted stance and shifted into a slanted half-sword position, parrying Midori's blade away. As Midori attempted a horizontal sweep in response, Ranjika expertly blocked and evaded the strike.

Midori pressed the shift in momentum, her blade dancing like the wind in her hand. Her opponent had to retreat a step and a half to regain her balance, and I noticed Ranjika's footwork was on beat. Her rhythm was composed, and she shifted from her grounded stance into an agile, circling maneuver.

I couldn't take my eyes off the fight, especially off of Midori's technique. She flowed from move to move seamlessly, transitioning from an upward slash to a parry, and then to an evasive back-step, her body effortlessly responding to the tempo and rhythm of combat.

Even with the change in footwork, Ranjika's strength was visibily evident as her strikes rattled against Midori's katana. Midori skillfully evaded a powerful attempt at a short overhead strike and attempted a thrust, only for Ranjika to suddenly duck and slam her shoulder against her, using her height and size advantage.

Midori yelped as she was sent flying across the stage and landed with a heavy impact. The crowd erupted into a collective gasp as Midori struggled to regain her balance, her grip on the katana faltering for a split second.

Ranjika wasted no time taking advantage of the opening. With a graceful and lethal swing, she aimed for Midori's side, determined to land a decisive hit.

But Midori swiftly countered the strike with a fluid, upward parry, her blade whistling as she deflected the attack. She pivoted her grip, her hands moving like they had a mind of their own. Midori then pushed forward, executing a series of rapid-fire jabs with precision, ending in a diagonal cut aimed at an apparent gap in Ranjika's defense.

The crowd gasped and cheered, the excitement palpable in the air as the caramel-skinned girl ducked underneath the slash, trapping Midori's sword with the gap in her own. Ranjika followed the momentum and exploded upward, throwing an exotic-looking kick at Midori's head that curved into a devastating, whip-like loop.

Midori pivoted deftly on her foot, leaning back and freeing her blade as Ranjika regained her grip and thrust her sword forward at Midori's exposed torso. The raven-haired girl twisted, dropping to push off her hand into a side handspring, narrowly avoiding Ranjika's follow-up strike.

Ranjika kicked off her rear foot immediately and launched herself towards Midori, who was already in the air.

Midori planted, stopping her momentum with eyes wide as the cinnamon-haired adversary raised her sword in a two-handed grip, preparing to deliver a devastating strike. Time seemed to slow down as we all held our breath, eyes fixed on the impending clash as Midori scrambled to find her base.

Then, she made a sudden, almost otherworldly movement to dive across the platform, avoiding the deadly strike that could have ended the match. Once again, they faced each other with intense determination, their breathing heavy and ragged.

"They're. SOOOO cool!" Morada hopped up and down next to me, her excitement contagious. "Look at them go!"

The crowd's cheers resonated in the air, creating a wave of energy that enveloped the entire arena.

As Midori and Ranjika circled each other once more, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to this duel than just a friendly match. An undercurrent of rivalry and unfinished business seemed to hang in the air, adding an extra layer of tension to the already intense atmosphere.

I could practically taste the anticipation as the duel continued, my senses heightened by the pulsating energy in the arena. The clash of swords filled the air, mingling with the scent of sweat and burnt rubber.

But amidst all that, an irresistible aroma suddenly wafted through the crowd—a tantalizing smell of grilled meat.

My mouth watered as I tried to locate the source of the aroma. I looked around, my nostrils twitching as I tried to locate the source of the mouthwatering smell to no avail. I couldn't pinpoint the origin of the delicious smell.

It seemed to come from every direction, drifting and teasing my senses. My attention wavered for a moment, drawing my focus away from the duel as my stomach growled.

But as I allowed my gaze to wander, I suddenly felt a jab in my side, causing me to jolt in shock. Then, I heard a high-pitched noise of a girl clearing her throat.

Startled, I glanced away from the combatants and down to see a mop of blonde hair and a beret. The girl stood there, sighing deeply with a platter of barbecued skewers in hand before she looked up and stared at me with familiar green eyes.

"Hungry?" Dior said in that raspy voice of hers, her expression unchanging. However, her eyes briefly flicked towards the arena with a glimmer of interest.

Before I could react, Morada, still glued to the ongoing match, reached over and snagged a skewer with a fluid and natural movement.

"Thanks, Dior!" she chirped without taking her eyes off the fight.

Surprised by the interaction, I turned to Dior. "Wait. You two know each other?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

Morada finally tore her gaze away from the match to answer with an enthusiastic nod.

"Yrreah!" she shouted as she chewed with her mouth full and quickly swallowed. "Wree go way bah. Diorsh meen ma go-to bestie, well ferrevah."

I blinked, trying to decipher her muffled words.

Dior, on the other hand, just rolled her eyes. "This one is her 'go-to bestie' as she says."

Morada swallowed her bite, grinning widely. "Yeah! And she's the best! I told her to come out here and check out the clubs."

Dior just sighed in response, a faint hint of a smile appearing on her otherwise impassive face as she offered the platter to me.

"Dig in," she stated mutedly.

I took a pair of skewers, still slightly taken aback by the dynamic between the two.

"Where'd you even get these?" I asked, baffled at the plate of high-quality meat.

Dior gestured towards a booth with a sign hanging over it that said 'The Gastronomy Club' a good distance away. They had stacks of steaming-hot catering trays piled on a table, giving out smoothies and food.

"Dior just joined after her last class," she explained in her characteristically detached tone.

Why did that just feel like such a Dior move?

I raised an eyebrow at her as I bit into one of the skewers, the deliciousness overwhelming my senses. It was like a burst of flavor in my mouth.

Suddenly, Midori's shout tore through the air, drawing me back to the platform.

The clash of steel rang out again as the two combatants' swords met in a shower of sparks. Ranjika's powerful strikes forced Midori back step by step, her blade snaking forward in a whipping motion full of momentum. Each swing of her sword was like a thunderclap, resonating with a power that seemed to shake the air around her.

Midori, her hair dancing in the wind, gracefully evaded her opponent's onslaught, her body twisting and turning like it was a deadly ballet. She grinned as she leaned back, pivoting to dance as she hopped back along the platform's edge.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The crowd gasped, the tension rising to a fever pitch as Midori stepped back, one foot at a time, until she was backed to the literal edge of defeat. Ranjika grunted, her muscles straining as she smashed her sword over and over against Midori's guard with a resounding crash. The force behind the blows reverberated through Midori's arms, threatening to knock the katana out of her hands.

Still, she followed the impacts with unwavering determination, yielding just enough to pass the momentum into the platform. Rai-chan's HUD flashed with warnings, analyzing the impact and stress on Midori's weapon and upper body.

Each strike sent a visible tremor down her spine, but Midori maintained her focus as she pivoted to the side, circling off the arena's edge.

My HUD highlighted Midori's arms in red circles, labeling her arms with the words 'WARNING: Lactic acid buildup critical.'

It was clear that fatigue was setting in, and she couldn't sustain this level of direct defense for much longer.

The crowd gasped as Midori's foot slipped off the platform, her body teetering on the brink of defeat. Midori quickly pivoted and dropped into a back roll, circling off the arena's edge to deflect another smashing strike from her opponent's sword. The clash reverberated through the air, echoing in my ears as I watched with bated breath.

It seemed like a matter of seconds before Ranjika would smash her guard and tumble off the platform, succumbing to defeat.

"Not good," I muttered, watching Midori teetered dangerously close to the edge. "The strength difference between them is just too much. Midori's arms are going to burn out."

"Look again," Dior said suddenly, her voice cutting through the crowd's noise. I tore my eyes away from Midori's precarious position and turned to Dior, confusion evident on my face.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

A small smirk tugged at the corner of Dior's lips as she pointed subtly towards Midori. "Watch closely," she replied, her green eyes gleaming knowingly.

Curiosity piqued, I redirected my attention to the intense duel unfolding before me.

"Zooming in," Rai-chan intoned, opening a window in my vision that focused in on Midori's upper body.

And then, I saw it - a subtle shift in Midori's body language. Instead of panic or fear in her eyes, there was a glimmer of calculating mischief.

With each strike aimed at her, Midori's footwork became more intricate and purposeful. She wasn't simply retreating to evade Ranjika's attacks. No, there was something more to it. The more I studied Midori's movements, the clearer it became—she was carefully positioning herself and leading Ranjika's momentum with calculated footwork, all the while drawing her ever nearer to the arena's edge.

Then it dawned on me.

The wind swept through Midori's raven locks as she danced precariously on the platform's edge, her katana held in a defensive posture.

Midori's eyes flashed with opportunity. She feigned a stumble in a move that left me gasping, her body swaying as if she were about to fall off the platform. The crowd's cheers crescendoed as Ranjika, caught in the heat of the moment, flourished with a wound-up overhead smash.

Sensing victory, she lunged forward and turned the telegraphed overhead blow into a powerful horizontal strike instead, her sword arcing across in what should have been the final blow.

But at the last possible moment, Midori leaned in and met the stronger girl's strike with a deft maneuver that turned the tables entirely.

Instead of trying to block the blow, Midori wrapped her blunted katana around Ranjika's sword. It twisted and caved, and Midori used the momentum to slide against the blade's edge and yank herself closer to her opponent. Pulling Ranjika's body close in a body lock, Midori's feet slipped off the edge, her body teetering precariously as she executed a daring grapple.

"An opponent is defeated when a point that is designated as a vital is slashed or stabbed with enough force to light up the sensors on both the armor and weapon, or the first to fall to the cushions below the platform," Dior explained. "A maneuver like this would not be viable in real life, but here..."

I'd realized what was going on moments before. It was a brazen and risky move, one that left no room for error but—

Midori twisted her body, using her momentum to swing under Ranjika. With a grunt of effort, she pulled her opponent off-balance, forcing them both to topple over the platform's edge. The crowd gasped in unison, their eyes wide with shock.

But Midori wasn't done yet. As they fell, she maneuvered herself, gripping the underside of the platform with one hand. Her fingers found purchase on the edge's better shape, a real testament to her familiarity with the arena. Her opponent, caught off guard, flailed helplessly as she plummeted towards the cushions below.

Midori swung herself back up onto the platform with a triumphant yell, her muscles straining with the effort. She landed gracefully, standing tall and victorious, as Ranjika's figure disappeared beneath the edge, hitting the cushions with a soft thud.

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause, the sound deafening in its intensity. Midori's stood there, panting heavily, her katana hanging loosely in her hand as she soaked in the adulation.

"Winner - Midori Tanaka!" The referee's voice boomed over the speakers, and the applause reached a fever pitch.

"Coach Roth has far too much fun reffing the exhibitions," Morada giggled.

I stared at the spectacle before me, my mouth agape in awe. "I've never seen anything like that," I whispered. "That was incredible!"

Midori's face, flushed with exertion and triumph, was split into a wide grin. She raised her katana in a salute and then bowed to a grinning Ranjika who'd just hopped back on the platform, acknowledging the crowd and her defeated opponent with equal respect.

The instructor approached Midori with her microphone and raised her hand high, announcing her victory once more to the cheering crowd. I watched as Midori's eyes scanned the audience, her chest heaving with each breath as she tried to catch her breath.

Then, her gaze met mine.

For a fleeting moment, our eyes locked, and I saw something in Midori's expression that I hadn't noticed before. It was more than just the thrill of victory or the exhaustion from the intense battle. There was a glint of gratitude in her eyes, a silent thank you that didn't need words. Her eyes twinkled in mischief as her lips curved into a small, genuine smile, different from the triumphant grin she had just shown the crowd. It was softer, more personal.

As quickly as it happened, the moment passed. Midori turned her attention back to the crowd, her smile broadening as she waved with that cheery grin.

"But... Ranjika still had balance in that position…" Dior stated mutedly. I turned to stare down at her.

Dior's eyes flickered with a hint of confusion, her brow furrowing slightly as she contemplated the match.

"It doesn't make sense," she murmured, more to herself than to me. "Ranjika is more than strong and skilled enough to break that. Why...?"

Morada, still buzzing with excitement, bounced over to us. "That was AMAZING!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Those two are full of all kinds of little tricks like that, huh?"

Dior, however, wasn't swept up in the excitement. Her expression remained pensive, her gaze lingering on the empty platform where Midori had just stood victorious. "But Ranji... she didn't have to lose like that," she said, almost to herself.

Morada's expression softened, her excitement dimming slightly as she really paid attention to Dior. "Hey, it's just a show, remember? A friendly exhibition for people that are interested. Ranjika's style... it's pretty brutal. If she had won, it might not have been the best look," she said, her voice gentle but firm as she put on a pout.

I looked between Morada and Dior, piecing together their words.

"Oh," I stated in realization.

Did Ranjika just...?

"Thank you! Thank you, everyone!" Midori called out to the audience on the microphone, her voice bright and filled with energy. The crowd responded with another round of enthusiastic applause, their cheers echoing through the open space.

"As some of you might know, our fencing team has produced some of the finest duelists in the league's history in recent years! And we're always looking for new talent. So, if you've ever dreamt of wielding a sword, or if you just want to learn a cool new sport, come check us out! We train hard, but we have a lot of fun too!"

Her eyes scanned the crowd, her voice carrying a playful note that seemed to echo her mischievous personality. "And remember, it's not just about fighting and whacking each other over the head. It's about discipline, strategy, and building friendships that last a lifetime. So, don't be shy! Join us and be a part of something amazing!"

I couldn't help but smile at Midori's enthusiastic pitch. Her energy was infectious, and I could see several students in the crowd nodding and whispering to each other, clearly considering her offer.

Midori hopped off the platform with an ease that spoke of years of training and experience. She made her way through the crowd, receiving pats on the back and cheers. Her presence was like a magnet, drawing people in with her radiant energy and unmistakable charisma.

As Midori mingled among her admirers, Morada suddenly grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly firm. "Ikki! Dior! You gotta come with me! There's this amazing spot on campus for the sunset. You'll both love it I tell ya!"

Startled by her sudden enthusiasm, I stumbled a bit as she pulled me along. "Uh, Morada, I was actually thinking about heading back soon. It's been a long day, and I—"

"Nonsense!" Morada interrupted with a bright grin, not slowing her pace. "You're new here, and you haven't gotten around yet. Trust me, it's worth it!"

I glanced over at Dior, hoping for some advice and help. But Dior just shrugged, a resigned smile on her face as she followed Morada's lead. "Ikki will get used to it," she said exasperatedly.

"Wait, what do you mean by getting used t—"

Morada's giggling cut me off, her energy undimmed as she yanked me through the crowd with surprising agility. "You'll see! It's part of the whole school experience. Can't let you miss out on that now, can we?"

Dior's resigned smile deepened, her eyes crinkling at the edges as she followed.

I let out a sigh of amusement and resignation as I allowed myself to be led away by Morada. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and despite my initial reluctance, I looked forward to whatever adventure she had in store for us.

The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. The campus was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, its gothic architecture taking on a magical quality in the fading light.

As we reached the spot Morada had mentioned, my breath caught in my throat. It was a secluded area overlooking the city with a clear view of Shoreline City's bay. The view was breathtaking, the colors of the sunset reflecting off the water and casting a serene glow over everything.

Morada let go of my arm, spinning around with her arms outstretched. "Isn't it amazing?!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling excitedly.

The water shimmered with the setting sun's reflection, creating a picturesque scene that could have been lifted straight from a painting. The sky was ablaze with oranges and pinks, the colors vibrant against the darkening blue.

"Huh," I mouthed out.

"See? Told you it was worth it," Morada said, her voice softer now as she sat down on the grass. Dior sat beside her, her usually stoic demeanor giving way to a small, contented smile as she gazed out at the view.

I sat down next to Dior, the day's events replaying in my mind. The run-in with Caroline to start the day. Meeting Natasha in history. The veritable feast I had for lunch while hearing Midori's life story. The intensity of the fencing match, the unexpected encounter with Dior and Morada, and now this moment of peace. It all blended together into a surreal experience that felt… overwhelming.

Still…

I leaned back, letting the cool grass cushion me as I looked up at the sky, now a canvas of stars emerging from the twilight. A sense of calm settled over me, the day's chaos dissipating with the sea breeze.

This part wasn't too bad after all.