Chapter 2: Be careful of the fine print in contracts.

"Haru-chan, are you listening to me? Oh come on girl! I already apologized to you. How long are you going to continue ignoring me? – Eight hours, eight damn hours had passed since my fateful encounter with that chubby tabby cat and the unfortunate woman continued to follow me even in the school hallways.

My classmates have been avoiding me for a while and I can't blame them, my face cannot hide my expression of boredom at the incessant harassment of that talking cat that only I could see. Had the blow I got when I fell off my bike made me an idiot? It was the only reasonable thing at the time, or How could you explain to people that you are not talking to yourself?

- "Yoshino-san, take one and pass the rest to the others" – Natsume Ichikawa, one of the few friends I had in high school. With his serene face that always radiated an aura of tranquility, that day he had an expression in his eyes full of concern when he saw me.

- "Are you really okay Yoshino-san? If you want, I can ask the teacher for permission to let you go to the infirmary."

- "He, he, he. Don't worry Ichikawa-san, I just have a slight headache that hasn't left me alone since the morning. But I'll be better soon" – Diverting my gaze a little towards the ground where the cat was, the expression in my eyes looked like I wanted to kill someone. Making Ichikawa salivate a bit as he turned around to refocus on the class.

- "Haruka-chan, I am a very patient astral entity. It's not for nothing that I am considered one of the best avatars by the celestial body of magical girls. So don't think I'll let you go so easily. "I have already told you, you have been chosen as a candidate to become a spiritual guardian."

- "Shhh, please. Could you just be silent for the rest of the hour? Even my best friend is thinking about taking me to see the school nurse."

- "Understand, brat, that everything I have told you is something extremely important! The fate of humanity could depend on our meeting."

- "And how would meeting a round ball of hair be the turning point of the fate of the world?" – Already finding myself at my limit, I exploded in a scream exclaiming all this before the mocking looks of my classmates. While the teacher hit the desk hard, indicating with his index finger for me to go out into the hallway, punished.

- "Ho Ho Ho. You really have a bad temper Haru-chan, it surprises me how you have managed to survive all this time with that bad temper that you carry. If you continue like this, you will become an old woman before you turn twenty" – Holding a mop bucket in my arms as punishment, I gnashed my teeth trying to ignore the cat that kept hovering around me as if it were a balloon. helium.

My knees still hurt from the scratches I got when I fell off the bicycle, while my right wrist gave me slight discomfort when trying to firmly hold the bucket that I felt for moments was about to come loose from my hands.

- "Ugh, I really wish I hadn't left the house today."

- "I think that is a somewhat mediocre thought for a student on his first day of school" – Without making the slightest noise as he approached, Kotaro Yamamoto, the president of the student council, approached me and took the bucket in his hands, placing it on the floor. As he gently took my right hand, rubbing his fingers over my wrist.

- "Yamamoto-san!" – My face blushed at the chivalrous gesture of Kotaro, who held his gaze on my injured wrist, while he took a roll of cloth from his jacket bag and proceeded to bandage my wrist.

Yamamoto was a student with impeccable academic performance and good at sports; With his charismatic face and strong countenance, there wasn't a single girl in school who didn't want to be his girlfriend. Even I myself used to fantasize about him in my free time. Even knowing that due to our difference in social classes we could not become a couple.

- "Yoshino-san"

- "Yes, tell me Kotaro. I mean, Yamamoto-san." – Biting my tongue out of nervousness, I lowered my face in shame while Kotaro grabbed my chin and raised my gaze to meet his.

- "Have you thought about what I told you before going on vacation?"

- "Yes, I thought about it Yamamoto-san. And I'm really lucky that you see me that way, but…"

- "But?" – With a sad tone in his voice, Kotaro kept a brief silence while I tried to get the words out of my mouth, trying with all my might not to hurt his feelings, although I knew that was impossible.

- "I am really sorry. But I can't reciprocate your feelings."

- "Yoshino-san. No, Haruka. Have my intentions not been clear? I really like you. And I don't care if you're poor, that's something I never considered when I fell in love with you."

- "Yes, I know Kotaro! I know that your feelings for me are pure and that you don't see me through the glass of social classes. But have you thought about what your family will say?"

- "Haruka-chan. It does not matter"

- "Of course it matters Kotaro! Maybe you don't see it that way now, but the family ends up prevailing in these kinds of relationships. I know that perfectly well, it is not something that is foreign to me" – Biting my lips, enduring the tears that wanted to flow from my eyes, Kotaro looked at me one last time, sighing. At the same time he left without saying another word, leaving me alone in the school hallway again.

- "That was very hard, don't you think so, Haru-chan?"

- "Please I beg you. This time, just be silent, I beg you" – Sitting on my haunches on the ground, I brought my face to my knees and covered my face with my arms, crying silently. With that chubby cat snuggling next to me as if trying to comfort me.

When classes came to an end, as usual I grabbed my things and headed to my part-time job at the convenience store. Due to my mother's sudden absence, I was forced to take two part-time jobs to cover my living expenses.

Despite having a scholarship thanks to my academic achievement, the money that the government provided me was insufficient to cover things like the rent for the apartment or the debt left by the medical expenses insurance generated by my mother's stay in the hospital. hospital.

Just for a brief moment of desperation, I thought about seeking help from the Watanabe family. But when I remembered all the infamies my mother had to endure from Makoto, my pride burned brightly again and I cursed them from the bottom of my heart.

- "Two onigiris stuffed with salmon, a pack of menthol cigarettes and two cans of beer. They add up to a total of 1,800 yen. Would you like something else, dear client?" – Holding my cordial smile, I tried to hide the mixed emotions that still remained in my heart due to the rejection of Kotaro's confession.

For a few hours while I was checking out at the cash register, the thought kept running through my mind that everything would have been different if I were still a daughter recognized by the Watanabe family. If so, that difference in economic position would never have existed and possibly the relationship with Kotaro would have been official.

- "Haru-chan. Don't think about that anymore, you're still young and you'll meet other kids."

- "Could you stop reading my thoughts Luxfera?" – During the course of the day, I had ended up accepting the company of that spiritual entity. Through telepathy, we could communicate openly without the problem of avoiding the inquisitive glances of people around us.

- "Yoshino-san, you can leave now. His replacement has just arrived."

- "Thank you for your hard work Akiko-san" – The manager of the auto service store was a mature woman in her forties; With the mien of a homely housewife, Mrs. Akiko was a boss who cared a lot about her employees.

When he found out about the situation I was in, he gave me that job vacancy without the need to fill out the authorization documents from a guardian. Even if that could get him into trouble with the district labor commission.

- "Yoshino-san, take this. Some of these bentos are a week away from expiring, but they can still help you so you don't get up so early to make lunch for school."

- "It's very kind Akiko-san, I really appreciate it" – Thinking that I wouldn't notice, Mrs. Akiko used to relabel some fresh grocery products with expiration dates that didn't correspond. Trying to give me quality food without me feeling guilty about it. In a way, in that woman I remembered my mother. Feeling embraced by his warmth that I felt undeserved.

- "Haru-chan, is that uramaki sushi?" "That lady must love you very much."

- "Yes Luxfera. Akiko-san is a good woman." – Sitting on my right shoulder, that cat looked like a bird resting as if it were a pirate. Making me laugh for a moment as I walked down the street barely lit by the street lights.

The clock was already past nine and the night breeze felt a little chilly when it touched my face. Walking down a secondary street, the sounds of my steps echoed against the walls of the fences of the houses in the solitude of that scene.

- "Urgh. Argh" – A few steps away in a corner, a series of moans could be heard apparently from a woman. The lights seemed to flicker intermittently, causing a series of dark shadows that little by little made my nerves fray with every step I took.

- "Luxfera, can you hear them?"

- "Yes, of course I hear you Haru-chan. It looks like they're coming from around that corner. Let's check it out!"

- "Are you crazy? How do you think we would do something like that?"

- "Haru-chan, it may be someone who is injured. Don't you feel sorry for her?"

- "Yes but I have fear."

- "Do not worry child. I have told you that you are destined to become a magical girl. With that power you will have no rival." – Earlier during the lunch break at the store, Luxfera took my cell phone and cast a spell on it to show me the supposed magical girl contract.

At first when I read it it seemed completely crazy to me, even more so as I turned the pages as if it were the EULA of a mobile phone gaming application.

Without considering that it was something serious, I accepted that contract just to humor Luxfera. Who barely saw me accept the terms of the contract, had a slight malicious smile on his face that he soon began to hide.

Feeling my heart beating faster and faster as I approached the corner, the moaning sounds began to fade until they were finally silenced by a loud thump accompanied by the sound of sizzling fluids.

Around the corner, lying inert on the ground, a woman lay completely lifeless bathed in a pool of blood that completely soaked her clothes. Mature in appearance, wearing an office suit, the corpse of that woman continued to have slight spasms while a human silhouette remained sitting on her chest playing with her face.

- "No, it can not be. "What the hell is happening?" – Putting my hands to my mouth, horrified by what my eyes saw, I took a few steps back when suddenly my heel collided with a soda can that was on the floor. Making me fall on my buttocks , drawing the attention of the sinister silhouette that was above the woman.

- "Khe, khe, khe. What a beautiful young lady, you are really very pretty. Your skin is as pure as the snow of the first days of winter. Your face like that of a palace maid, is truly wonderful." – Moving towards me, that sinister figure began to take on a feminine appearance with long hair. With half of her face covered by a veil, her barely visible eyes had a blank expression as if she were devoid of life.

Crawling backwards unable to stand, terror took over me making my legs feel heavy. Not a single sound could come out of my mouth, even though I tried with all my might to scream in panic for help.

That spectral figure approached step by step, slowly as if trying to play with me and my emotions. Until my eyes were perplexed by the harsh reality that was in front of me, by the appearance of that monstrosity under the dim glow of the street lighting.

Holding a pair of rusty scissors in his right hand, while in his left he carried the decapitated head of the office worker with her lips cut off, that specter laughed lightly while keeping his penetrating gaze on me.

- "Tell me, young lady, am I pretty?" – Coming from ancestral folklore, that creature that I thought was only about grandmothers' stories to scare their grandchildren; materialized before me threateningly, making my heart almost stop for moments.

- "Luxfera, are you there?"

- "Yes, Haru-chan. I'm with you" – With that furry and fluffy body completely bristled, the avatar had a worried expression on his face while he hit me with his paws on the shoulder to make me react.

- "Haru-chan, it's a Kuchisake"

- "Yes, I already realized that! Thanks for the warning, but what the hell do we do?"

- "Get a grip Haruka! Think clearly and breathe deeply. Do you remember how I told you that you can transform?"

- "Is seriously? Do you want me to do that?" – I was barely arguing with Luxfera because of how embarrassing it was to shout those words at the top of my lungs, when Kuchisake jumped on me, sitting on my chest, holding me tightly by the neck while holding the scissors.

- "Well girl, if you don't want to transform, there is also the option of having them make you smile from ear to ear" – With the edge of the scissors rubbing my cheek in a threatening way, I inhaled deeply and closing my eyes, I gave a deafening scream in that silent alley.

- "Multicolored light, come to me!" – Bathed in an immense light that illuminated the dark alley for a brief moment, my body repelled the Kuchisake, throwing it through the air, while my silhouette was covered by an outfit that in no way resembled the common attire of a magical girl.

Usually in animes you can see colorful transformations with multicolored outfits full of ruffles and girlish paraphernalia. But on the other hand, in my case, my clothing was everything possible except the stereotype of what a magical girl was supposed to be.

Covered by a black cloth suit that resembled a swimming suit, that clothing made the silhouette of my body so visible that it seemed like I was naked. As the seconds passed, piece by piece metallic elements appeared that resembled combat armor like the one used by samurai during the era of the shogunates, mixed with the appearance of Western armor from medieval times.

- "Purple Astral Guardian, in action" – I really wanted the earth to swallow me when I said those last words during the transformation. I honestly wanted to die of shame and even more so when I realized that that last line was a mere invention of Luxfera. Who was rolling on the floor overcome with laughter to the point that tears came out uncontrollably.

- "Ha, ha, ha. I didn't think you'd say it, but you did! Ha, ha, ha"

- "I'll settle accounts with you later! Now tell me how I defeat that thing. Do I do a ritual like a damn Miko or what the hell?" – Without giving me any respite to distance myself from her, Kuchisake rushed at me with her scissors in a violent manner, chattering my teeth with that mouth torn across her cheeks.

- "You still haven't awakened all your power as a magical girl, my dear Haru-chan. So improvise a little."

- "Improvise? What are you talking about?"

- "You hit her girl. Give him a bare-knuckle beating like old times."

- "Are you kidding? "Is that your amazing advice?" – While trying to keep my distance from the spectrum, I realized that my body felt light compared to the moment before my transformation. As if my agility had increased exponentially.

Taking into consideration Luxfera's stupidity, I clenched my right fist tightly and launched a blow against the face of the Kuchisake, who was projected with great speed against one of the walls, breaking the structure with her body.

- "You see, I told you so! You're already getting the hang of your powers Haruka" – Emerging violently from the rubble, the yokai gave a scream similar to the howl of a beast as he ran furiously to meet me, throwing his claws against my body. Projecting forceful blows against my armor, launching me through the air of the night sky while we were followed in the distance by Luxfera.

- "Haru-chan, try to fight back."

- "What do you think I'm trying, you idiot? This damn bitch not only changed her appearance, but also her speed and strength increased." – With each blow that connected the spectrum, the combat armor that wrapped my body began to creak, revealing small cracks that little by little began to release fragments that shone in the moonlight.

When I put my arms in a guard position to prevent him from continuing to land blows against my chest, the forearm protectors collapsed, leaving them exposed. Making me feel the hard impacts of that monster, which little by little began to grind the bones of my arms.

- "Kyaaaaa." – Submerged by intense pain, I had not realized that our fight had taken us to a more populated part of the neighborhood. Falling against the ground in the middle of a crowd that barely turned to look in the direction we were facing.

- "Damn Luxfera! People are watching us. They are watching us!"

- "Don't worry Haru-chan, they are unable to see them"

- "What are you saying?"

- "Your transformation is on the same wave threshold as that of the spirit you are fighting against. As long as you maintain your magical girl form, people won't be able to see you."

- "Hang on a minute! So no one can see us? And how the hell did you tell me that I would become famous if I became a magical girl?

- "Oh yes, you will be famous. Well, among our guild of course it is"

- "Luxfera! "You damn lying cat, you're going to pay me for it" – Just as the avatar said, the people around us couldn't see us as we threw each other into the fight. They could only see slight swirls of wind where we were projected, as if it were a strange meteorological phenomenon.

With my armor almost destroyed, the fight continued to the point that we reached what looked like a clandestine garbage dump.

Barely holding myself up with my body almost exposed, every muscle fiber and bone felt like it was about to fall away from my body as my breathing became labored as I coughed up small clots of blood.

My vision was blurring and my concentration was about to collapse, while the opponent in front of me seemed to continue with momentum as if my attacks were ineffective against her.

- "Luxfera, the Kuchisake is still as fresh as lettuce and I look like a juicy steak that has been hit with a mallet to tenderize it. "I can barely stand, this is not working."

- "Haru-chan. Do you trust me?"

- "No, believe me not."

- "Oh how bad you are. "I did trust you, you seriously break my heart."

- "I would like to break your face, you damn traitorous cat. But I will have to take that regret with me to the next life" – Falling on my knees unable to support myself with my strength, my arms collapsed while I raised my face with my gaze resting on the immense moon that bathed us with its light.

- "Mother, I will soon join you" – When I closed my eyes to receive the final blow from the Kuchisake, a voice resonated in my head with the tone of a digital telephone assistant.

- "The double edge combo combat utility has been fully loaded. Do you wish to summon combat weapons?" – As an act of divine intervention, at the moment the yokai was about to launch his thrust against my neck, a katana and a wakizashi materialized in my hands. Which moved by reflex, blocking the Kuchisake's hand, which flew severed through the air amidst the yokai's heartbreaking screams of pain.

- "I knew you would make it! Go ahead Haru-chan, defeat that trash" – Invaded by the fury of emotion in my chest, I stood up from the ground holding the swords in my hands in a cross guard position extending my right leg a little.

- "It's time to go to hell. See you never, damned idiot" – Pushing myself with my left leg, I launched myself at full speed, holding the swords in front of me in a cross-cut position; crossing the silhouette of the Kuchisake, who dropped her head to the ground while her body began to burn in the middle of a blue flame.

After an hour of combat in which my body felt like it was being destroyed at every moment, the enemy that I thought was invincible was defeated by my hands. Making me scream euphorically with joy at that triumph.

- "Luxfera did it! I was able to beat her! I did it myself" – As I raised my arms holding my weapons in victory, the sound of the tendrils of a monk's staff rang in the silence of that landfill.

When I was about to turn my face to locate where that sound was coming from, a strong pain was felt from my back to my chest. When I looked down, I could see how a Buddhist staff had crossed me from side to side. Making me spit out blood while in my ears I could hear the rumble of my heartbeat stopping.

- "Luxfera?"

- "It's a shame darling. "Even I didn't see it coming, I'm really sorry." – Feeling how consciousness was leaving me, my body fell to the ground while my vision darkened with the sensation of the cold of death enveloping me.

- "Warning: The spiritual guardian's vital signs have completely ceased. The requirement for definitive transformation has been met." – Plunged into the darkness of death, that same voice that was heard when my weapons appeared the first time, echoed in my head again announcing an ominous message.