Chapter 5:What Do You Stand For?

"The outfit and appearance of a magical girl reflect who they are, their ideologies, and how they perceive the world."

Shizuka remembered Stella Comett's words vividly, echoing in her mind from the days when she used to watch and idolize magical girls as a child. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror IXX had conjured, a faint smile playing on her lips.

A black Gothic Lolita dress, her hair a cascade of black with streaks of white... What did she represent?

The question lingered in her mind as she delved into deep thought, her reflection staring back at her with an air of mystery. But before long, she shook her head softly. Perhaps the answer would come to her in time.

"IXX, thank you,"

Shizuka said, turning to face the black bunny with a warm smile.

"It's good that you're satisfied with your new appearance,"

IXX replied, nodding its head. Its crimson eyes swept over Shizuka from head to toe, studying her intently.

"Now that the transformation is out of the way, I'll teach you how to untransform. But first, you'll need a wand."

IXX floated around Shizuka, examining her new form with a critical gaze. Once satisfied, the black bunny began chanting again, its voice low and rhythmic. Shizuka glanced behind her and noticed the mirror IXX had conjured earlier beginning to melt. It dissolved into a shadowy sludge, which then seeped like liquid toward IXX.

The bunny's chant grew louder, more otherworldly, its voice deepening into something almost demonic. As the chant intensified, IXX began to glow with a dark, eerie light—how that was possible, Shizuka couldn't fathom. It wasn't blinding, but it was undeniably unsettling, casting an unnatural aura.

When the chanting ceased, a glowing object materialized in front of IXX. As the light from both IXX and the object dimmed, Shizuka could finally see what had appeared: a sleek black umbrella with a golden handle intricately designed to resemble dragon scales.

"An umbrella?"

Shizuka murmured softly, reaching out to gently grasp the floating object.

"Shouldn't wands be... well, wands?"

she asked, inspecting the umbrella with a mix of curiosity and confusion.

"Do you want one of those cutesy little sticks?"

IXX retorted, its crimson eyes narrowing as it scrutinized Shizuka's taste. The black bunny hovered closer, its gaze piercing.

"No, no! It's beautiful—I was just surprised, that's all,"

Shizuka stammered, waving her hands defensively as she took a small step back. She truly hadn't expected her wand to be an umbrella. It wasn't that she disliked it—it was stunning, after all—but now she felt like some kind of ojou-sama, the daughter of a wealthy CEO or a duke. It was embarrassing... but also undeniably cool.

Shizuka had never seen a magical wand quite like this before. From what she could recall, even the original magical girls wielded those cutesy, glittery wands to fight off evil. Yet hers was different—unconventional, even. It was intriguing, to say the least.

As Shizuka stood there, lost in thought, IXX cleared its throat, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Glad you like your wand," IXX said, its tone matter-of-fact. "Now, let's get to the point. To transform, just press the button at the bottom."

The black bunny floated around Shizuka as it delivered the instructions. Shizuka raised her umbrella, inspecting it closely. A typical umbrella only had one button—to open and close it. But hers was different. There were two buttons: one near the end of the handle and another slightly lower.

Curious, Shizuka pressed the bottom button. Instantly, a puff of smoke erupted from the umbrella, forcing her to shut her eyes and cough involuntarily. Jesus! What the hell is this?! she thought, waving a hand in front of her face to clear the air. She wanted to curse whoever designed this ridiculous feature, but as the smoke dissipated, she realized she had changed back into her previous outfit—black turtleneck, pants, and all.

What the...? That was it? No dramatic transformation? No sparkles or glitter? Shizuka couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"It's as simple as that?" she asked, glancing at IXX with a mix of disbelief and mild irritation.

"Well, yes,"

IXX replied, its tone as bored as ever.

"The Nemesis faction prioritizes precision, functionality, and order. As part of this regime, you're expected to embody these ideals. That means no flashy, drawn-out transformations like the magical girls of Astra."

The explanation made sense, grounding Shizuka in her new reality. She was a magical girl now—but not the kind she had always admired. No, she was part of an evil organization, and her tools reflected that.

"I see,"

Shizuka said, her gaze shifting to the black bunny floating before her, its shadowy tendrils trailing behind it.

"It would be a pain if I got caught mid-transformation by the magical girls."

"You nailed it," IXX replied, its voice dripping with disinterest.

"Uhm, IXX... what's next? I mean, I already know how to transform and untransform... so, what do we do now?" Shizuka wasn't entirely clear on the current agenda, so it seemed better to just ask.

"Ah, right... hmm... right, right. Let's start by looking at your abilities. So, you'll want to transform back into your Nemesis form."

IXX floated around Shizuka as it spoke.

Shizuka glanced at her umbrella and pressed the bottom button again. This time, instead of the usual puff of smoke, shadows began to envelop her, blocking her senses and vision. It was strange, but not unpleasant—unlike her first transformation, which had been painful. This felt comforting, almost warm.

After a few seconds, her vision cleared, and her senses gradually returned. As she regained awareness, she noticed she was back in her gothic lolita dress—but now, it carried a pleasant, freshly laundered scent. The crisp fabric and lingering fragrance made her instinctively bring the cloth to her nose, inhaling with quiet delight.

Seeing that Shizuka had successfully returned to her Nemesis form, IXX nodded in satisfaction as it hovered around her.

"Excellent. Now, let's explore your abilities."

IXX began chanting, and Youmas started appearing on the barren field. However, they didn't move an inch.

"These will be your test dummies,"

IXX declared.

Shizuka stared at the black bunny, dumbfounded.

"Excuse me?"

"You are excused."

"No!! I mean—Youmas? I thought they were the Nemesis' allies!"

Shizuka glanced at one of the Youmas, then back at the floating black rabbit. "Yes, they are. But they're also expendable. Easy to create using mana."

Shizuka couldn't help but glance at one of the youma again. So that's why they poured onto Earth like a flood—they were easily created by mana.

"But how do you know if you even have mana? Let alone use it?" Shizuka turned to IXX, her voice tinged with curiosity. The black bunny nodded sagely. Of course, Shizuka was new to this whole magical girl business. She had no clue about the inner workings of mana, and this was IXX's moment to shine.

"Ah, how could I forget?"

IXX began, its tone patient yet enthusiastic.

"Mana can be sensed in various ways. The most common method is to close your eyes and meditate. Try to relax your body and let the wind brush against you. Once your body enters a trance-like state, you'll start to feel a warmth—a sign that mana is flowing within you."

Shizuka nodded, eager to try. She closed her eyes and followed IXX's instructions, but no matter how hard she focused, she felt nothing—no warmth, no relaxation. If anything, the lack of sensation was starting to irritate her.

"Nothing's happening,"

Shizuka muttered impatiently, her eyes still shut.

"It doesn't feel warm at all. This is pointless."

"Bullshit,"

IXX retorted, floating closer to her. The black bunny placed a paw on her back, attempting to channel a bit of its own mana into her. But as soon as IXX's mana touched Shizuka, it was forcefully repelled.

"Hmm..."

IXX's red eyes narrowed, its expression growing serious.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

Shizuka asked, her eyes snapping open as she turned to look at the bunny. The gravity in IXX's demeanor made her stomach twist with unease.

"This... isn't supposed to happen,"

IXX said slowly, its voice low.

"You don't just lack mana—you repel it. Completely."

Shizuka's eyes widened in shock. She repelled mana? And she had none of her own? But how could that be? A magical girl without magic wasn't a magical girl at all! What did this mean? What was she supposed to do now? 

It was then when a thought came through her head

"What if I'm not meant to use magic at all?"

Shizuka raised a critical point, and IXX couldn't help but fix its crimson gaze on her. Indeed, her resistance to magic rendered most of a magical girl's attacks useless. She was a formidable deterrent. But if she couldn't wield magic to defend herself, what could she possibly do?

"You have a point,"

IXX murmured, lowering its head and placing a paw under its chin.

"But what can we do about you having no mana at all?"

Shizuka was just as lost as IXX. Yet, unlike the black bunny, who seemed to slump in hopelessness, Shizuka remained undeterred. She wasn't one to wallow in despair. Instead, she pondered deeply, considering the possibility that her magic resistance might be compensated by something else entirely.

Her wand, shaped like an umbrella, and her gothic lolita dress—a modern take on Victorian-era aristocracy—hinted at a unique aesthetic. Perhaps there was more to her than met the eye.

Shizuka paced the barren wasteland, staying within sight of the floating black rabbit. Being resistant to magic already gave her an edge against her future foes, but if her aristocratic-inspired attire was any indication, maybe she had something greater to offer.

As her eyes fell on the youmas, an idea sparked in her mind. She turned to IXX abruptly. "IXX, can I test something with one of the youmas?"

The black bunny snapped out of its thoughts, its red eyes narrowing slightly.

"Sure,"

it replied, though its tone betrayed a hint of skepticism. IXX wasn't sure what Shizuka had in mind, but it braced itself for something that could either be pathetic, humiliating, or—though unlikely—impressive.

Shizuka stepped closer to one of the youmas, her heart pounding. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through her mind. Could she possess a special skill? Perhaps a domination ability, where her words alone could enslave any rational being? But that thought was quickly dismissed by the harsh reality: she had no mana. Whatever she had left, it had to be something entirely different.

Now standing face-to-face with a youma, Shizuka finally saw one up close—not through the distant lens of a TV screen. It was humanoid, with dark greenish skin, pure black eyes, and a small pair of horns. Though the youma stood motionless, it was very much alive.

Shizuka closed her eyes, drew a deep breath, and opened them again. This was training, yes, but also an experiment. She knew she would likely commit more horrifying acts in the future—after all, she had joined an evil organization. But for now, discovering the true extent of her ability was the most crucial task.

Steeling her resolve, Shizuka clenched her fist and pulled her arm back. She had no formal training in martial arts, but she could clumsily mimic what she'd seen in movies. With another steadying breath, she aimed a light jab at the youma. But just as her fist was about to connect, time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Shizuka's perception remained sharp—she could turn her head, observe her surroundings, yet the movement of her fist had slowed to a near halt. IXX, floating far behind her, appeared frozen in place.

Strange, she thought. Her gaze shifted back to the youma. The instant the skin of her knuckles grazed its surface, Shizuka witnessed the slow, deliberate disintegration of the creature. It wasn't just a hole she had punched—it was complete obliteration.

The youma's very molecules seemed to unravel and collapse inward, leaving nothing but emptiness where it had once stood. The force of her punch didn't stop there—the youma behind it was reduced to scattered fragments, and the ground itself warped under the crushing air pressure unleashed by her strike.

Shizuka stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded. She couldn't process what she had just done. Her mind raced, but the reality of it all was too overwhelming to grasp immediately.

"That was... amazing!"

IXX zipped toward Shizuka, the black bunny's glossy eyes shimmering with excitement. Its tiny form hovered in the air, radiating an almost childlike glee.

"Your physical abilities have become far superior than I anticipated,"

IXX remarked, its voice tinged with awe. The black bunny then darted toward the column of youmas, scanning the devastation left in Shizuka's wake. The ground was torn apart in a cone-shaped pattern, as if a meteor had struck.

A single punch. That's all it had taken.

For context, a youma—if it were to punch another of its kind—could easily tear a hole straight through its opponent's stomach. But Shizuka? Her punch had done that and then some. It was as if her strength had been multiplied by the power of the sun itself. The only entities capable of such destruction within their organization were mascots like IXX or the black bunny's higher-ups.

Oh no.

A cold shiver ran up IXX's spine. This was unprecedented. It might have to report this. And if it did, there was a good chance it'd be scolded again. The thought made IXX's ears droop slightly.

Shizuka, too, was caught off guard. She hadn't expected her physical abilities to be enhanced to this degree. She had assumed that her lack of mana and her resistance to it would be compensated in other areas, but this? This was beyond anything she could have imagined. If she hadn't been right about her strengths, it would've been a disaster. Defeating magical girls through sheer wits and magic resistance alone would've been... well, really shitty.

She stared down at her hands, still trembling slightly from the force she had unleashed. With this kind of power, she could truly shake the world. She could force the stagnant, complacent world to remember why they clung to magical girls in the first place. The thought sent a thrill through her.

Realizing the extent of her newfound strength, Shizuka threw herself into training in the barren wasteland. At first, she hesitated to obliterate the youmas, but IXX assured her they were expendable—mere tools for the Nemesis, nothing more.

As she trained, Shizuka paused mid-punch, glancing over at IXX. "By the way... why is our headquarters a barren wasteland?" she asked, wiping sweat from her brow with a small white towel she'd pulled from her school bag.

IXX hovered closer, its ears twitching. "Ah, that. The headquarters can change its appearance quite easily. It's designed to adapt as needed."

Shizuka raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"The main agenda for today,"

IXX continued,

"as suggested by my superiors, is for you to undergo a transformation ritual. We need to fully understand your powers and what you're capable of. That sort of thing."

Shizuka nodded, finally understanding why the "headquarters" was this vast, empty expanse of dead plants and dry soil. In her initial excitement about becoming a magical girl, she hadn't paid much attention to her surroundings. But now it made sense. IXX had clearly thought ahead, creating a training ground where her destructive power wouldn't risk damaging the actual headquarters.

Shizuka grabbed her umbrella, pressed the lower button, and transformed back into her usual form. She glanced at IXX, her expression a mix of exhaustion and curiosity.

"Uhm, since our agenda for today is done... can I go home? How many hours did I even spend in this place?"

She couldn't help but sigh, but IXX hovered closer, its shadowy form bobbing in the air.

"Don't worry. This realm is different from Earth. Time stops on Earth while you're here."

Shizuka blinked. Time stops?

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Exactly what I said. No time has passed on Earth, even though you've been here for about an hour or two," IXX replied confidently, its black bunny ears twitching slightly.

"That's insane, no matter how you think about it," Shizuka muttered, almost looking disgusted by the revelation. IXX, however, couldn't help but grin at her reaction.

"Well, can I go now?" Shizuka asked, sighing again.

"Yeah, sure. Ah, but I'm coming with you," IXX said, hovering beside her.

"Makes sense, since you're my mascot," Shizuka replied dryly.

With that, she grabbed her phone and bag from the ground. Shadows began to swirl around her and IXX, engulfing them completely.

When Shizuka opened her eyes, they were back in the dark alleyway.

"We're back," she said, glancing around. Yup, still the same gloomy alleyway. She pulled out her phone and checked the time: 5:40 PM. IXX was right—time hadn't moved at all on Earth.

"See? I told you time doesn't move on Earth when we're in the realm," IXX said, hovering around her as if mocking her disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah," Shizuka rolled her eyes, though a small smile crept onto her face as she watched the shadowy bunny try its best to annoy her.

"Let's go, IXX. Mom might nag me if I get home any later," Shizuka said, stepping out of the alleyway.

"Take the lead. I don't know where your house is," the black bunny replied, floating beside her as they emerged onto a less crowded street.

Meanwhile, atop one of the alleyway buildings, a familiar figure stood watching. The same golden curls, the same woman who had been observing them earlier. Her gaze followed Shizuka and IXX as they disappeared into the small crowd.

"You let them get away. Again," a high-pitched, gentle voice chimed in.

"It's not my problem anymore. I have another job to take care of... besides, this isn't my fight. I'll let my juniors handle it," the woman replied coolly.

"My, my~ You've certainly changed. Back then, you wouldn't have hesitated to bring justice. Yet now, you turn a blind eye to these sorts of things," the voice teased, giggling softly.

"But perhaps you're right. You have a family to take care of now, and the others are off doing their own thing."

The blonde-haired woman laughed gently, her tone tinged with nostalgia.

"Yeah, whether the Youmas or Nemesis bring terror again... it's not my responsibility anymore. Now, my role is simply to watch from the sidelines. The days when I was a star people looked up to, like the stars in the sky, are over."

She gazed up at the darkening sky, where the first stars were beginning to appear, then back at the distant figures of Shizuka and IXX, now lost in the crowd.