Magical Girl Mechanical Heart

Well, this artifact sure is taking its sweet time. I guess I didn't really expect it to keep sprinting and boosting away like its shiny butt was on fire after I offered peace, but I can't help but wish it wasn't taking so long leading me through the Dark World. I don't like this place at all. At least that makes it easy to keep myself topped up on power, though. It's scary as heck here.

It's been several years since I've been to the Dark World. Back when my old team was alive, we'd be sent on missions into a portal every few months or so, usually to scout the possibility of follow-up invasions and check for dangerous artifacts. My atmosphere bubble trick was one my team and I always used to breathe a little easier, but I never expected it to be this important. I've never seen a fragment of the Dark World this choked by miasma. I can only imagine what might have caused it.

My heart hammers in my chest as the occasional monster screech rings out of the darkness between the thunderclaps. For all I know I'm being led into a trap, about to be torn to shreds. I'm ready to cast at any time, and ready to summon one of the vials Uma'tama gifted me if needed. But despite my fear, I float after the eerily silent robot, letting it lead me wherever it wants. I'm pretty sure it doubles back on itself a couple times, even. Stalling, maybe?

Without warning, it suddenly leaps. I panic, but it's not leaping at me so I do my best to chase after it… only to find it intercepting a flying monster out of the air, grabbing it by the neck, and tearing its head off before it lands back on the ground. The instant brutality of it takes me by surprise, the remains of the now-dead monster dissolving between the artifact's fingers.

I know we just saw it fight, but it still creeps me the hell out.

Same. Very much same. But Uma'tama was right. It's only been fighting monsters, as long as we don't provoke it.

Provoking it is sort of our job, though.

Maybe. I guess we'll see. Hopefully we can just talk this out, right?

I have no idea where that optimism comes from. You're on your own for this, Minerva. I don't have the slightest idea what I'd say to these people, except maybe 'fuck you.'

W-well we're definitely not saying that! This is a diplomatic mission! We might not be trained for diplomacy but I know better than to curse at people!

Yeah, yeah, you don't like my 'potty mouth,' I know. Head on a swivel now, Minerva. It looks like we're here.

Oh! Gosh. In front of us, barely visible as a shadow in the night, sits what looks like a giant building. As we approach, my bubble of clear air and natural glow allows me to see an enormous, imposing set of double doors—the kind of entryway that by its mere existence requires the building attached to it to be considered a castle. It's almost like a fairy tale.

And we're about to meet Maleficent.

Fulgora, if you're not gonna be helpful then hush! I'm gonna need all the support I can get not freaking out here, okay?

Right. Yeah. On the job. I'll back you up how I can.

Thanks. Gosh, those are big doors. The artifact pushes them open and steps inside, forcing me to zip in after it to not be crushed as they close. A little rude, but from the way the black mist started pouring through the entryway, they probably just don't want to keep the doors open any longer than they have to. Within the building, the air is relatively clear, and the black mists quickly dissipate into invisibility.

As more proof that I've just stepped into a castle, the room I've stepped into is some kind of grand entry hall, with a massive double staircase curving up to a second floor balcony where the people who live here can look down at those who enter. And that, it seems, is exactly what they're doing: Nanaya, Amalthea, Melpomene, and Anath all wait for me at the top of the stairs, only the last of which looking at all happy to see me. I guess it makes sense. One of them probably controls the artifact remotely somehow, so it's only natural they'd see me coming.

"Well, well, well," Melpomene greets me with a sneer. "Never in a million years did I think—"

"Fulgy!!!" Anath shrieks with delight, clearly no longer able to contain herself as she leaps down from the balcony, clearing the entirety of the stairs to crash into the ground in front of me. I shriek as she lunges directly at me, summoning my incarnate weapon—

Diplomacy and shit!

—and not hitting her with it, but instead using it to block whatever attack she's going for. She ends up smacking straight into my staff head-first anyway, both arms stretched towards me for… a hug?

"Anath!" Nanaya growls. "We specifically agreed you wouldn't do this."

"I'm not fighting!" Anath insists. "I'm not, I promise! Aaaaah, I'm just so happy you're here, Fulgora!"

She pushes past my guard while I'm dumbfounded, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and squeezing hard enough to break a human's spine. Ow ow ow ow ow, she's so pointy!

"I-I'm not Fulgora!" I blurt. "Put me down!"

"You're not?" Anath blinks, as if that wasn't completely obvious somehow!?

Oh my god do NOT tell her I'm here.

"I totally feel her!" Anath insists, lifting me up by the armpits and checking underneath me for some reason!?

"Please let go of me!" I beg, about a second away from electrocuting her as my first official act of diplomacy.

"Anath!" Nanaya snaps. "Up here. Now."

"Oh! Oh, I get it," Anath says, thankfully letting go of me. "Well, she's listening, right? She's not trapped in there, is she?"

Oh my god just shoot her.

I can't shoot her!

I'm begging you to shoot Anath in the fucking face. Right now. In her goddamn Disney castle in front of all her evil friends.

"Aww, she wants to fight me back!" Anath coos, and I start to see Fulgora's side of things all of a sudden. "Well, bring her out! Let's do it, let's go!"

Anath starts shadowboxing the air, but before I can respond Melpomene's voice once again rings out through the room.

"Artifact," Melpomene snaps. "Get Anath up here. Now."

The artifact swiftly steps between us, leans over, grabs Anath by the waist, and hoists her over its shoulder.

"Wh—!? L—er, wait, um… cease! You, uh, you infernal machine!" Anath demands, flailing around a bit. The artifact doesn't react at all, though, walking up to the staircase and leaping up to the balcony rather than ascending them, dropping Anath at Nanaya's feet.

"No snacks for the rest of the day," Nanaya declares. "And no dessert."

"What!?" Anath whines. "But that's evil! That's the most evilest!"

"You agreed," Nanaya says. "You broke your word. Your actions have consequences. Go."

"But—"

"Go. We will talk later."

Anath deflates, turning and leaving the room, the rest of the Corrupted watching her with various expressions of irritation and embarrassment. I… am mostly feeling dumbstruck. There were several ways I imagined the start of this meeting might go, and that wasn't any of them. I'm more than a little flustered—definitely not a fan of being grabbed and shook around like a toy—but there's also the whole thing where she somehow figured out Fulgora and I's deal. Again. I… honestly don't know how to feel about that.

Annoyed? Concerned? Murderous?

Honestly, I was thinking 'validated,' but most of that feeling is negated by the fact that it comes from Anath of all people.

The hell do you mean 'validated?'

I dunno. Someone could just tell without us having to explain it to them. It's evidence that we maybe aren't crazy.

Okay but it's Anath, who IS crazy, so it actually isn't.

I guess? Maybe? I definitely wish it was literally anyone else, I'll give you that. I—oh! Melpomene just cleared her throat. I should definitely pay attention to the scary powerful lady.

"…Apologies for that," the woman manages to growl out. "That is… not how we intended to start this off. But since the mood is rather ruined, I suppose I'll just cut to the chase: why are you here? I certainly hope you aren't foolish enough to think you can take us down by yourself?"

"Um, no, definitely not," I assure her, unsummoning my incarnate weapon for good measure. Peaceful, peaceful, peaceful, let's stay peaceful with the woman who ignored my entire Catharsis! "I, um, I came here to talk, actually."

"To… talk," Melpomene repeats, disbelief obvious in her tone.

"Really truly!" I assure her. "Just talk. Um. Uma'tama is concerned about you, and—"

"I'm sure she is," Melpomene grumbles.

"A-and is wondering if they might be able to mend a few bridges, I guess? I, um. I mean, I've noticed you've actually helped us fight monsters a few times—"

"After which you have always attempted to attack us anyway," Melpomene points out.

"—and okay yes we've certainly, uh. I'm so sorry, I'm not very good at this."

"We can tell," Melpomene agrees flatly. "Minerva, was it?"

"Y-yes'm."

"What is it, precisely, that the Preservers want from us?" she asks. "Why did they send you here?"

"Right. Um… okay, let me explain," I ramble. "Uma'tama is worried about you because they think the Dark World is trying to turn you into monsters. They're scared that it's… doing things to your mind as well as your body. But you all don't, um, seem to be monsters? Which is apparently weird. B-but good! Very good. We don't want you to be monsters, we want you to be, um. People. But, uh… we're not sure what you want."

They stare at me. Geez, I really should have like, practiced what I was going to say to them in the mirror or something. I can feel my face turning redder and redder by the second.

"What do you mean you don't know what we want?" Amalthea asks incredulously.

"Uh… we don't know what you want!" I repeat helplessly. "Like, why are you doing all of this? Why do you live out here and scavenge for artifacts and stuff?"

"Oh my god," Amalthea breathes. "Oh my god, you don't even know? All that stuff you destroyed was just… uuuugh!"

Melpomene puts a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, seeming to try to calm her down.

"They're Earth Guardians, dear," Melpomene tells her soothingly. "You can't expect them to think for themselves."

Wow, what a bitch.

"I suppose it is probably about time to start making our group's objectives clear," Nanaya says. "What do you think, Melpomene?"

"…I suppose she has asked politely enough," the disgust mage concedes. Gosh, I can't even imagine. A disgust mage. That must be so awful. "Very well, then. Our organization's goal is simple. We wish to free humanity from the tyrannic control of the Preservers."

Huh?

"…Tyrannic control?" I ask. "You mean like a dinosaur?"

"What," Amalthea blinks.

"We mean like tyranny," Nanaya answers flatly. "An oppressive governmental rule enforced arbitrarily by a specific group or power onto another."

"Uh… but the Preservers don't interfere with governments at all?" I point out.

"Yes, they do," Nanaya says. "They plainly do. They enforce upon humanity ironclad rules about what they are and are not allowed to do with Dark World portals, even when those portals appear on our world in our land."

"Well, the Dark World and the liminal zone isn't owned by any human authority," I point out. "So the things in them aren't humanity's to take."

"And who decided this?" Nanaya asks. "Because I assure you, it wasn't any of the human governments."

"Well that's… it was never theirs to decide in the first place!"

"Why not?" Melpomene presses. "Do the Preservers own the Dark World? Because it seems very clear that was the absolute last thing the people who actually lived there wanted. Even the Preservers themselves will tell you that much, and they're practically allergic to sharing any relevant information on anything."

"They're hiding that information for humanity's own protection!" I insist. "Of course they have to do that! Just look at what happened to the Dark World! Just look at what unchecked access to magic can do!"

"Oh, we're looking," Melpomene says coldly. "We're looking very, very closely. And it makes us wonder: who or what is checking the Preservers? If this is what magic can do, if this is what happened to the last species they went to war with, what does that make humanity? What are we to them? Not what they say we are. What are we really?"

"'It is for your own good.' 'We know better.' 'We just want to protect you.' It is a rhetoric that has been used by the powerful to abuse the weak since the dawn of language," Nanaya nods. "If they truly wished for humanity to be safe, they would not be restricting us from learning about magic. They would be teaching us. They would show us, in ways we can understand, how to protect ourselves from the threats we are facing."

"Well how the heck are they supposed to do that!?" I snap, throwing my arms up into the air. "I mean seriously, I know most of you have met Uma'tama. They barely even understand what clothes are!"

That seems to catch the Corrupted off-guard for some reason, which… what!? Seriously?

"…They are a highly advanced multidimensional super-civilization," Melpomene says slowly. "I am sure they understand the basic concept of teaching."

"Are you kidding me?" I ask. "Look, I don't know about the other Preservers, but I remember asking Uma'tama for help with my chemistry homework one time, and they just glanced at my textbook, said 'oh, I suppose I can see why you think it works this way,' and then floated off! Most of our training is given by other Earth Guardians, not the Preservers themselves. I mean, Melpomene! You're old! How did you figure out how to use magic?"

Oh my god Minerva don't call people old when you're trying to be diplomatic!

Oh shoot! I'm sorry! I forgot! It's not really an insult among Earth Guardians…

"I… well, the transformation stones are clearly designed to be used with minimal understanding of the underlying mechanics," Melpomene answers me. "They spent far more time telling us when and on what we were allowed to use our powers, and relatively little on how."

"I know, right?" I agree. "They're all total weirdos. None of the Preservers I've met seem to have any idea what they're doing. And come on, can you really see Uma'tama of all people being part of a plot to destroy or control humanity? They love humanity! Just the other day Veritas was complaining that they wouldn't shut up about Friends while she was trying to do homework. Like, the TV show!"

"…Yeah, that sounds like Uma'tama," Amalthea of all people agrees softly. "But being quirky doesn't mean they don't do bad things. I mean, you'll take our transformation stones if we just turn ourselves in, right?"

"I…" I blink. Well, yeah, I mean, I guess we will be doing that. "You broke like, all the rules, so…"

The thought of it doesn't sit right with me. I know they're bad guys, I know they've nearly killed me and my team, but I've been nearly killed plenty of times before. I'd rather be killed than get my transformation stone taken away, honestly. I like my incarnate form. A lot. Using my human form is fine sometimes, and I'm plenty used to it, but the knowledge that my real self is just a few words away is most of what keeps it tolerable.

Not to mention, well… if I'm not an Earth Guardian, I'd be nothing at all. It's my whole life. I honestly can't imagine what convinced all these people to leave and do their own thing. I don't understand what else there is to be. We exist to use our magic to protect the world from monsters. I've spent ten years working to be as good at that as I can be. More than half my life. Basically all of my life that I can actually remember. I gave up my future for this. I gave up most of my family. And I've never regretted it.

I haven't.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Not even when I lost everything.

"They won't even let us try to learn," Amalthea says, "and they take the most important thing we have away if we disobey. There's no good reason for that. Even if there is, we have a right to know it."

"I don't see why we do," I say. "I mean, people who know better not teaching things until someone is ready to learn… that's just normal, isn't it?"

"It is for children," Melpomene says. "Is that all the Preservers think of the entire human race?"

"Are they wrong to?" I counter. "Are we ready to have the kind of power that destroyed the Antipathy's entire universe? Should every single human in the world have the ability to vaporize buildings? Should we be able to do it without supervision from a group that can guide us? I don't think I'd be using my powers responsibly if not for Uma'tama's guidance."

"Well, I do not think you are using your powers responsibly now," Nanaya growls dangerously. "Responsibility means doing more than the bare minimum. And that's all the Earth Guardians do: keep humanity in a holding pattern, refusing to take even a single step towards a better future. It's nothing but human sacrifice for the sake of the status quo. And that is what we cannot abide, Minerva. This… this laziness. We can do more. We can be better!"

A laugh bubbles out of me before I can even recognize it. I cover my mouth as quickly as I can, knowing I shouldn't laugh, not even really understanding why I am, but I still end up curling up into a ball and giggling desperately, floating in the air and shaking as I try to regain control of my own breaths. Why is that so funny? Oh gosh, why is that so funny?

It's not really funny. But what else can we do other than laugh?

"I do not see the humor here," Nanaya says, her eyes narrowing along with the rest of the Corrupted.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I just… ahahahahaha!" I giggle, trying desperately to meditate enough to get myself under control, but how am I supposed to do breathing exercises like this? "I just, I just… you were Earth Guardians, right? Do you just not remember?"

"Oh, I remember," Melpomene assures me coldly.

"Then do you seriously, actually think that the problem is that we aren't trying hard enough!?" I almost shout at them. "Are you serious? You're the ones making it so hard! N-n-none of my teammates have almost died except when we get into fights with you! I had to-to-to beg you—beg you—not to kill the sweetest ten-year-old girl I've ever met in my entire life, and you're telling me I'm doing the bare minimum!? I do nothing but try to save the world! Nothing! What else do you want from me!? Just quit acting like evil jerks and we won't have to fight you!"

"Now listen here, you little—"

"Melpomene," Nanaya cuts her off, and the disgust mage whirls on her.

"Don't interrupt me!" she roars. "I am not—"

"Melpomene!" Nanaya interrupts her again anyway, staring her down. "Please. If I may?"

The three-eyed woman glowers in a way only she can, eventually turning away and motioning for Nanaya to continue. Nanaya nods in thanks.

"…Minerva," she says. "Please accept my… apologies for both my actions and my words. I made an error in judgement that day. Please also accept my gratitude for giving me the opportunity to correct my mistake before it was too late."

Oh good, we're not getting killed.

"I… she really almost died," I say. "You almost killed her. I don't want to be here. I don't want to argue with you about whether or not you're turning into a monster. I don't understand how it isn't obvious to you."

"It would be hypocritical of me to blame you for this," Nanaya says. "But I must once again note that we rarely initiate—"

"Are you kidding me? Anath won't leave me alone! My brother and I get attacked by her like every month!"

"Anath is… struggling with her self-control issues," Nanaya hedges, as if that excuses a single dang thing. I'm starting to get mad now.

Hell yeah.

"You talk about all these ways the Preservers are holding back information and that means they could be dangerous, they could be abusive, they could be evil, but you're the ones actually attacking people in the streets and killing kids whenever the other monsters can't do it themselves!" I accuse. "Y-y-you're all talk! I wouldn't even care if you live in your stupid castle and go crazy if I didn't think it'll make you even more dangerous!"

"I won't deny my sins, but who do you truly think is responsible for more harm to children between me and the Preservers?" Nanaya asks.

"You!!!" I shout back. "Obviously! The Preservers! Don't! Hurt people! They don't hurt us! They never hurt you! We chose this! I chose this! And when my team dies out there again it won't be the Preservers' fault! It'll be mine!"

Emotion fills the room, enough of it to herald the start of a fight. But it's almost all the wrong colors for the people here. No red, or green, or yellow. It's almost all blue.

Blue and purple.

"Are you quite done?" Melpomene asks.

"…As a matter of fact—" I start, but my words get cut off as a swirling force of raw disgust seizes my throat, starting to choke me.

"That was rhetorical, dear," Melpomene says. "You Earth Guardians never were the best at basic social graces."

Well then. Here's that fight we were expecting.

"W-wait," I wheeze. "I'm sorry, I…"

"Oh you're sorry," Melpomene rolls her eyes. "You're sorry you barged into my home and started screaming at me for not agreeing with you. Well, if everyone else is done cutting me off, I have a few things I'd like to say myself. One: you are a hypocrite who nearly killed Thea after she tried to talk you down, so your little outburst means nothing to me. Two: we do have actual evidence, because we've spent years exploring Antipathy ruins, translating their language, learning their culture, and piecing together what happened to them. Three: you don't get to argue that the Preservers are too stupid to know how to teach us things and so advanced that they get to decide what we should learn. They do not get to be afforded the patience due to children and the wisdom presumed for the elderly. They are either morons who have no business deciding what's best for us, or intelligent beings who know full well the consequences of keeping us in the dark and like us better that way. And both options are unacceptable. Is that clear?"

I don't respond, altogether too busy clawing at the power currently crushing my throat. Even with all my power put to the task, I can't take even a single breath! But I'm not out of options. Uma'tama prepared me for this. Putting one hand behind my back, I summon an LCI into my palm, preparing to use the sudden burst in strength to break myself free.

"Mel, stop!" Amalthea interjects, stepping between Melpomene and me.

"Thea, what are you doing!?" Melpomene snaps. "She hurt you."

"I don't care, just stop choking her!" Amalthea snaps. "Like oh my gosh, why are you doing that!? You don't… you aren't supposed to choke people just because they're upset with you! It's not like she's attacking us or anyth…"

She trails off, turning to stare at me in shock as Melpomene drops me to the ground. I land on my butt, coughing as I try to get air into my lungs.

"…What is that," Amalthea demands. "Where did you get that?"

"What?" Oh god, the LCI. "It… I…"

They shouldn't know what it is, right?

"It's nothing," I lie.

"It's not nothing," Thea insists, jumping down from the balcony and approaching me. "Did you steal that from us? How did you get into my lab?"

"W-what!?" I gape, clutching the injector close to my chest. "Steal from you!? No! What? That doesn't even make sense!"

"What doesn't make sense is why you're suddenly holding an Antipathy artifact," Amalthea says. "Were you actually about to attack us?"

"Of course she was about to attack us," Melpomene says. "It's what they do."

"Y-you were choking me!" I accuse. "I thought I was going to die!"

"Seriously, where did you get that thing?" Amalthea demands. "Give it here!"

"No!" I say, hopping back into the air. "L-look, I didn't come here to fight. I've clearly made a mess of things, so I can just go if—"

"What, and ambush us again the next time we go out?" Melpomene asks. "Try to steal our things after we use them to help you do your job? I know our artifact never shot at you until after you attacked it. No, I think it's clear that if we let you go, you'll never return the courtesy."

Well, you've done it now. We're fucked. Turns out the girl with no social skills can't negotiate very well with a pack of crazy half-monsters. We probably should have just declined this mission.

If we declined, who else would have done it? Aurora?

Well, she probably would have done a better job, but… point taken. We can't let that happen.

We can't let things end here, either.

If we try to teleport away, they'll be on us before the spell ever finishes. We're doomed.

"What exactly do you plan on doing with them, Melpomene?" Nanaya asks, crossing her strange, overlapping arms. "I'm all for establishing a deterrent, but I was recently talked out of murdering children and I don't plan on being talked back into it."

"She's not actually a child, you know," Melpomene says.

"She is an Earth Guardian. No matter how old she is, she is a child."

Melpomene bites her tongue but doesn't object, which… well, rude, but something tells me it's probably a bad idea to object in this circumstance.

"Perhaps we could tie her up and throw her into the mists for a while," Melpomene suggests. "Grow enough crystals on her and Uma'tama won't risk sending her back here."

"Mel!" Amalthea objects, turning on her. "We can't do that! That could seriously hurt her!"

"I'm sure Nanaya could make sure nothing grows too deeply inside of her," Melpomene dismisses. "Besides, it might teach her a thing or two about us 'Corrupted.'"

"No, Mel, she doesn't deserve that!" Amalthea continues to defend me, to my continued disbelief. I'm really not sure what is happening right now.

I mean it seems pretty obvious. What's happening is that you were right.

Huh? What do you mean?

You were right. They're not completely evil. They can be reasoned with. Hell, we don't even need to 'reason' with them at all for them to demonstrate basic morality. They probably aren't going to do whatever we say just because we ask them to, but…

Where's this coming from, Miss We're Doomed? I thought you didn't want to talk to them at all!

I don't, but I was wrong. You were right. Even I can figure that out if I get my ass saved enough times.

"She's a brute, a bully, and a thief," Melpomene accuses. "She certainly deserves something."

"Uh, I-I-I'm not a thief!" I manage to stammer in my own defense. "I don't know what you think this is, but it's not an artifact and I didn't take it from anyone! Uma'tama gave it to me! And… I'm going to put it away now."

Are you serious?

It's the only thing I can think of. I take a deep breath to steel myself, check one more time that the air around me isn't full of poison, and end my incarnate transformation. The weight of my human form coalesces around me all at once, my limbs now too long, my clothes too dull, rough, and practical. Why has this started to feel so much worse lately?

"I'm sorry," I say, my voice just the slightest bit not right, not me. "I really, honestly did not come here to fight you. I'm sorry I yelled."

Slowly, so they can see what I'm doing, I carefully take out the case Uma'tama gave me and slot the injector back into it, the Corrupted watching all the while. Amalthea, in particular, stares with deadly intensity at the contents, as if she could disassemble it with her gaze.

"Like I said, I'm here because Uma'tama is worried about you. They're worried about the consequences of living long-term in the Dark World like this. They want to make sure everyone is okay and see if there's any sort of… compromise we can come to. That's all."

There's a beat of silence as everyone seems to think about that, though it is ultimately broken by Melpomene. She lets out a derisive scoff.

"A compromise implies that you are willing to make concessions," she sneers. "That you have any interest or ability in changing even the slightest facet of your policy of ultimatums. I find this rather hard to believe."

"Yeah, I don't live here for fun," Amalthea says. "We're in the Dark World because you guys attack us on sight and it's the only good place to hide!"

"Well, that's…" I trail off, doing my best to rapidly think of a way to describe it. A consequence of their actions? Probably won't go over well. My job? I don't think I'll get much sympathy with that card.

Really, really scary?

Because it must be scary for them. I know it's scary for them, Amalthea told me she got a good chunk of her power from it. They've lived alone for a long time, and… yeah, it's at least a little bit because they're evil jerks threatening the safety of Earth and stuff, but I guess it's still kind of messed up that they have to live out here. It would be like knowing I'd get attacked by monsters every single time I leave my house, convergence or no. As a result, they've been stuck here alone for years. No wonder they hate the Earth Guardians.

This is awful. I can't believe we're starting to empathize with these assholes. What did they think was going to happen? They broke all the rules, abused their power, and regularly send one of their own members out to track down my brother and beat me to a pulp. They deserve this and you know it.

Okay, then. Think about it another way. Isn't compromising with them going to make all of them a lot weaker?

I'm listening.

I mean, their total soul capacity will obviously stay the same, but just look at their colors. Purple, red, and green. If they're powering themselves with all the nasty emotions they get out of blaming us for their problems, they aren't going to be able to fight as hard if we're nice to them. They won't have the same staying power.

…It might make Anath stronger.

We can take Anath. We almost beat her the last time we fought, and we're way, way stronger now. Next time she comes after us, we're gonna wipe the floor with her.

God, I hope so. I really need that.

Are we in agreement, then?

Go for it, you crazy little munchkin.

"…what if that didn't have to happen?" I ask.

"Excuse me?" Melpomene asks.

"What if we start over?" I ask. "I mean, I'm going to have to try to stop you if you guys break the rules or put anyone in danger, but what if the rest of the time we just… don't? We leave you alone on Earth as long as you're not hurting anybody."

"Is that actually something you can even promise?" Melpomene challenges. "Your attacks against us were motivated by Preserver policy, were they not? I doubt you have the authority to overturn it."

"Well, I guess I can't do anything about any Earth Guardians in other cities, but I am the seniormost active member in mine. I mean, Su-san might be older than me, but this isn't her city. I can get her to leave you alone. Probably."

"…Are you truly serious?" Nanaya asks.

"I… yeah," I confirm. "Yeah, I am. It's probably not the best look if I keep declining missions, but I think I can make it work. I know my team will listen to me, even though Veritas won't be happy about it. And Uma'tama… I don't know if they can support this plan officially, but they'll approve. They really miss you, you know."

Melpomene scowls, an expression that only intensifies when she notices Amalthea nodding in silent affirmative.

"What could you possibly gain out of this?" Melpomene demands.

"Uh… more chances to convince you all to be good guys? I guess?" I respond.

"We are the good guys," Melpomene insists.

"Well then, I guess you'll have more opportunities to convince me, too."

"We will not be stopping our Dark World excursions," Melpomene warns. "We will continue to do as we always have."

"Well, if I catch you in the act, then we'll throw down," I answer, crossing my arms. "I'm not going to let you all do whatever you please. But… we don't have to be jerks about it, right? Even bad guys should still get to see the sun."

Her stare does its best to drill through me, but I hold her gaze, refusing to back down. It's the only thing I can think to offer, but maybe it'll be enough. My most important job, the whole reason I'm an Earth Guardian, is to fight monsters. The Corrupted might be bad, and they're definitely dangerous, but at the very least they aren't monsters. So the less I have to fight them, the better.

Except maybe Anath. I want one more time with Anath. Just one.

Yeah, well, somehow I don't think we're going to need to wait very long for that. There's a reason I'm not just agreeing to leave them alone while they're on Earth altogether.

"…It does not seem as though we lose anything by agreeing," Nanaya comments, turning to Melpomene. "It is a well-considered peace offering."

"Please say yes," Amalthea begs. "Please?"

Melpomene's expression gets more and more irritated at first, but then she glances Amalthea's way and her face softens, the fight leaving her all at once.

"Oh, very well," Melpomene allows. "We shall agree to your truce. Now get back into your incarnate form so I can safely escort you out of my home."

Man, she sure is grumpy about this whole agreement despite the fact that it's exclusively beneficial for her.

Yeah, Melpomene is definitely the scariest one out of all of them. We'll have to watch out for her. And… well, probably talk to Castalia about her. I go ahead and do as she asks anyway, of course, more than happy to return to my true body and gather the air around me to shield against the mists. Melpomene breaks a record by being the first person so far to actually use the stairs, leisurely descending the artful architecture as I float up in the air to not have to completely break my neck looking up at her when she approaches.

She wastes no time walking past me and shoving open her double doors, walking out into the choking mist without a care. I float after her, keeping her in my air bubble so she can breathe a little better, but I immediately feel a flash of annoyance when I do, like she was looking forward to inhaling more of the mutagenic smog that causes crystals to grow into your stomach and split open your liver.

Although, I suppose her crystals are surprisingly artful. The majority of them grow out of the back of her massive tail, reminding me somewhat of a dinosaur in the way they'd definitely be able to be used as a weapon. The crystals growing in place of her fingernails have to be trimmed and polished to so perfectly stay in the shape of claws, and likewise the crystals framing her cheekbones are remarkably symmetrical for something that never seems to grow that way on anything else. Most striking of all, of course, are her horns, emerging from her temples and curved forward like a demon's, faintly glowing with a contemptuous purple hue.

A rustling sound on her back swaps my attention to her wings, deceptively easy to miss the way they're folded carefully up behind her back. They throw me for a loop, for a moment. That's like, a whole other pair of limbs, right? It must be wild having that. Having just… more things you can move with your mind, because they're your body.

It sounds annoying and uncomfortable.

It made Nanaya pretty terrifying, though.

I guess. Definitely not something I'd like having on my body, though.

I don't know if I'd like it, per se. I just think it's interesting.

Soon enough, we make it to a patch of extra-dark mist that my atmosphere bubble can't move, and I can tell it's the portal. We pass through and reenter the familiar, comforting night of the liminal space, lit by endless rows of infinitely repeating streetlights.

"And here we are," Melpomene announces. "Don't come back."

"Um… is there a better way I can get in contact with you, if needed?" I ask.

"No," Melpomene answers flatly. "And Minerva, do remember what I told you, hmm?"

"Um… which thing, exactly?" I hedge.

"Ah. I was afraid you had forgotten."

The pressure that was just recently choking the life out of me returns, but this time it's not centered on my throat. It's the very air I breathe, the entire surrounding atmosphere, crushing me from every possible direction at once. I can't move. I can't even twitch a finger.

"I do not care what your excuse happens to be, understand?" Melpomene says. "I do not care what agreements we've made, I do not care who strikes first, I do not care what acts you catch her in the middle of. Play with Anath all you like. Get beaten by Nanaya more if it pleases you. But if you hurt Thea? If you touch a single hair on her head? You die. Don't forget it a second time. Understand?"

I try to answer, but I can no more push air out of my lungs than I can pull air into it.

"Good," Melpomene says, and then she turns and steps back into the portal. The moment she's gone, the air returns to normal. I gasp in a few desperate breaths, collapsing onto the ground to center myself. How is it even possible to control that much magic at once? How do she and Castalia do it?

Hey. Calm down. We got what we came here for, right? Let's just go home.

Not going to suggest training, for once?

Will it even make a difference at this point?

Well… yeah. Of course it will. It has to. She might be an impossibly high mountain but I still intend to climb it. The fact that she's that strong just proves that it's possible. That we can do it. The two of us, together, can do it. I believe that.

I thought you were hoping to turn them good.

I'll happily take that victory. But even if I never have to fight her, someday I want to look at her and say that I could. Someday, I want to believe I can win. That's what we're working towards.

I won't settle for anything less.