***(Sariel)
How did I get here? I lived a relatively normal life in a relatively normal neighbourhood. In the age of abundance, there is virtually no crime, but it's not devoid of it. Crime simply learned to be more discrete, more insidious. People learn to flout the rules. There is always a darker side of society, and I simply thought myself fortunate to avoid it. I'm going to study hard, to get a normal degree, to get a normal job.
That's when I became a magical girl. I respected the seniors that came before me, and fully intended to be a mentor to the juniors after me. It was like a side job, a lot more dangerous, but it would affect my life as much as joining a club would. At least that's what I thought. Being on the forefront of fighting supernatural disasters boring on humanity, is not something I foresaw.
The soft light bounces over the streets, the chilly night air caresses my hair and gives my a skin a frigid lick. I'm not the most reliable senior, my juniors quickly surpassed me. I watched Lastia grow inexplicably stronger each time a heavenly king is defeated. I watch Arin unleash power she had been hiding from the start, revealing that she might not even be a junior. My life turned on its head, I am now the weakest, the most useless. I hate it, I despise it so much.
Some might say being weak is good. I have less obligation to put my life on the line, I can rely on my friends instead of risking my own neck. I can go back to human life much easier without coveting supernatural power in the future. Some day I will be 'normal' again. That's the plan for everyone, isn't it? We can't all be magical girls forever, some of us will retire, start a family. Live mortal lives with our loved ones, rather than persisting like those ghoulish husks they call sentinels. They've lived for so long they've become disassociated from the perspective of others.
I'm going to retire, I going to live a normal and fulfilling life! I'm going to have nothing to do with any of these dangers after all is said and done! I don't have some mysterious past like Arin does, I don't have some imperceptible stakes in these fights! Only the basic concern of survival. So why...
Why are my feelings so worked up? Why do I hate that tree? I want Lastia to be back... I want everyone to be smiling together, I want the world to be happy and shining again. I've worked hard thus far so everything would be back to normal... To preserve the status quo... My wishes haven't changed, only the approach has.
It's early December, Arin's small breaths seemed to condense into mist, reminding Sariel that they were both still breathing.
"... It seems you've calmed down. Why question me at this point?" (Arin)
"I... I was afraid of the unknown. The secrets you hide, we all avoid it for fear that our daily lives would come crashing down. Lastia hasn't had much life experience, since it's all wiped by the curse. I don't have much either of interacting with friends or treasuring them.
We're all afraid. But the worse has already come to past. Lastia has turned into that tree again. Humanity is periodically facing explosions of unknown origin. After we left that building, the news has been flooded with various points of attack...
People are already correlating it to the artillery attacks. " (Sariel)
" What did you hope to gain? To sate your curiosity? Is it okay now that Lastia is gone? What if she came back? " (Arin)
"... I realised why I was so afraid. What if I said I just wanted to know you better? What if I just didn't want to let you disappear? " (Sariel)
Arin froze for a moment, her eyelids widened at a loss on how to react. She held her breath for a short moment before forcibly swallowing air. Her throat hurt a little, but it was okay as long as she didn't let out a painful groan. As long as she kept her dignity. Her cheeks grew slightly warmer with colour, especially visible under the street lamps of winter.
"... Did you really have no experience with close friends? You sure know how to make a girl happy." (Arin)
"You still haven't answered..." (Sariel)
"Everyone has a little secret or two. It's better for everyone if it remains buried, and we continue on with our lives like nothing is wrong.
You want Lastia to return, don't you?" (Arin)
"... Haa~ damn right I do." (Sariel)
" Isn't our future more important anyway? You have a lot more ahead of you to be caring about the past. " (Arin)
Specifically, Sariel has a lot longer to experience life. Did that mean Arin wouldn't live for long?
'After all, I've been through too much for a single lifetime to matter.' (Arin)
They resumed walking away from the government office, a single branch office situated in a commercial zone in close proximity to multiple A zones. Taneda has too many offices she can access to call any single one her 'main office'. She mostly worked on the ground.
"Then, do you know what we should do next? Enlisting the government's assistance was a dead end, they'll take too long to get us results." (Sariel)
They had hoped the government had some sort of magic tool or magical girl that could instantly identify and locate the enemy. Naturally they were hoping for too much. The government has no magical girl forces other than the sentinels, the sentinels watch over the entire planet on their own. They mostly inspect the residential zones where they can protect the majority of the population.
"You've found more points of contact on your own, haven't you? Without my knowledge, you're already moving ahead. After some good rest tonight, let's investigate those other explosions.
Unlike the first place we reached, these might be points where the next heavenly king deploys their army. We need to prepare, and coordinate with the local magical girls to watch these points. " (Arin)
"... I have {Swap}, yet I didn't think to use it to check every location. I'm very grateful that you're here to set us straight. I haven't been very composed, at least not enough for decision making. " (Sariel)
" I'd be at a loss too if I didn't have you to help with transport. Your skill is exceedingly rare, and according to Lastia's final words, it will make the difference in this war. So chin up, you're far from useless. " (Arin)
Sariel ended the day with a warm feeling in her heart.