Magical Girl City: Empire of Ice

I sighed. Arms crossed. I was standing before the corpse of the lesser magical girl, a lesser fox specifically. That girl who made spears appear, that almost killed me on the blood moon. She never gave me her name, but it was highly likely she didn’t even have a name.

I thought of the other lesser magical girl, the one due to visit when her citizenship gets processed. Then there was the one that died, split in half by the bronze minotaur that had once stood before the Taurus building. And finally, the last one that had fled instead of aiding her superior.

A large part of me wanted to bring the fox back as a familiar. An undead revenant, partially out of a desire to increase my strength, but also as a means to avenge Cobalt and his death.

Cobalt, my first knight. I had carved him out of ice with my own two hands, given him life with my own magic.

Diva’s words still rang in my ears. Reminding me, that in a way, these creations could be considered my children. I couldn’t quite disagree with her. As stupid as it sounded, a part of me actually liked the idea of them being considered my children. A thrum would run through me, a thrum of pride seeing them fight and push forward, burning their very souls to press onward with unwavering conviction.

It was simple minded. It was stupid, yet I envied that. In some ways, I envied the simple office worker, the humble work horse that plowed the fields. The man that was content with what they had, their lot in life. Someone that lacked the abyssal hunger that I had.

I needed to be under the spotlight, I needed to be seen, to stand above everyone else. It was my purpose, my state of being. Like how a sunflower shifts and turns to face the sun, I was much the same. Without the spotlight, I would wither and die.

Perhaps… A wiser person would have sought out a therapist. A friend I could talk this over with… unfortunately, I wasn’t so wise. I was committed to this path, for good or ill, only… Once again, I stood at a crossroads.

Before me sits not just a corpse, but a potential gold coin. A coin that can grant me a wish, of sorts. The possibilities, were near endless.

If I wished it, I could bring my family here, not that I would. Not now at least, someday, I hoped to bring them here, just so that I could show my true value. Show them that I wasn’t just a waste. That I was so much more. Perhaps even my sister. For much the same reason.

I could use the coin for greater power. To strengthen myself, my weapon, or my uniform. A tempting prospect, a somewhat smart prospect, to be honest.

Another option, would be to harvest the coin and imbue a knight with power. Perhaps even bring back Cobalt. Yet, I felt unsure of that option.

Lastly… perhaps the most frustrating, was that I could regain my masculinity. With a single coin, I could go back to being a man. Such a use would be… wasteful at this juncture and yet… It held an inescapable allure.

At the same time… did I even deserve that? Six months in, and… I was beginning to accept my new lot in life. In a lot of ways, being a woman has changed my perspective on things. How I did business, how I’m forced to approach others.

In every interaction, I often find myself at a disadvantage. Like I’m always playing second. As a man, I suspect, a lot of the challenges I face, or would face in the future could easily be surpassed. It wouldn’t be difficult in some ways to get people to fall in line, to listen.

Yet, another part of me relished the challenge, even if… even if it also feels like I was undercutting my original purpose. Only women could inherit in my family. Which is why my sister was chosen over me. Though… that feels like a bit much.

What if I had been a woman originally? A daughter, instead of a son? How different would my life have been?

Such questions, such thoughts, such concerns rattled in my skull. It felt like I was nowhere near my answer. If anything, it felt like I was slowly losing my sense of direction. Instead, I grasped for something different.

“Usagi, what do you think I should do?” My words, echoed back. Not a sound, not a peep could be heard from my surroundings. Yet, I felt it. A presence. That crawling sensation that told me that I wasn’t alone.

“It’s been awhile, Pyon! How have you been, Pyon, Pyon?”

I look over at the rabbit, one of the five mascots that oversaw us magical girls. It spoke, yet, it looked like a rabbit. Their fur glowed like the full moon, their eyes aglow, just like that fateful night.

“Not well.” I admit. “I’ve been enjoying my new life and yet, I can’t help but compare it to my old life. Even now, it feels like everything I had done was so pointless… That none of it truly matters.”

I had no idea why I was sharing these emotions with what was essentially my kidnapper and savior, all at once.

“I still don’t even know why I was chosen, or why I’m here.”

I had an inkling as to why Usagi chose me, or rather, their criteria, but I still didn’t understand the why of it. Entertainment? Just because? Was there even a purpose?

“That will come with time, Pyon! For the time being, focus on yourself and just yourself, Pyon!” So it said…

“Yeah, sure…” I say, not quite believing its words. “Now, how about my issue? What should I do?”

“Up to you, Pyon! But, you will always get more coins, you’ll always have more chances, after all, Pyon! You’ve already earned a gold coin before, haven’t you, Pyon?”

“I have… and you’re not wrong, but…” I pause to formulate my response. “It also feels like, the more time passes the less likely I am to choose to regain my original form.” And that was the truth of it…

I knew how I thought. I understood how this rat race went. The longer I go without changing back, the less important it becomes. The less I want to spend a coin on it, not when I have an endless number of things I could spend them on instead. At some point, I may even completely disregard using a coin to regain my masculinity.

“It feels like a lose, lose, regardless…”

“Does it even matter, Pyon? I mean, when you get a platinum coin, you can return home, Pyon.”

And there was that… it felt sinister. More like a tool to keep people hooked. People would think, I need a gold coin to regain my original form, or to do this or that, but when they actually receive one, they think, I’ll get another. So, they spend it on increasing their power, and inevitably, they forget why they originally wanted the coin.

And if they despaired, well, get a platinum coin, return home. Isn’t that a form of conditioning as well? After getting so many coins, it was unlikely someone would spend the platinum to just leave. After all, after so long, they’d have developed bonds, grown stronger, and who knows what else. Would it even be worth returning to your old life? Perhaps if someone valued that more… maybe, but those were outliers.

In much the same way… what did I value more?

I didn’t want to keep doing this with every gold coin I received. I didn’t want to be stuck between staying as I am or going back to how I was. Constantly delaying this decision would just make my life so much worse…

“You lot are real pieces of work…” I sigh. “This system, the way it’s laid out, it feels like a method of keeping people reeled in. Endlessly chasing coins, constantly pushing themselves for a reward, they themselves keep passing over for the chance to gain more rewards down the line.”

I waited a beat…

“Can you really not tell me why it is, that you chose me? Why it is, you mascots choose us?”

Usagi looked up at me. I could almost feel something shift. “I cannot, Pyon. Not because I, or we don’t know, but because it isn’t yet time, Pyon, Pyon! If the city were further developed, Pyon, then you’d know almost immediately, but as it stands, Pyon, if everyone immediately knew, this city would cease to exist, Pyon, Pyon. If you truly wish to know now, Pyon, the city must have a mayor, Pyon. Which it doesn’t, Pyon!”

“How does that happen? The city getting a mayor?” I ask.

“A platinum coin, Pyon.”

“Of course… And when will it be time?”

“When its time, of course, Pyon, Pyon!”

Just as expected… It almost felt like a carnival ride. Must be this tall to enter, except, in this case it’s tied to a coin. With the current state of the city’s politics, I doubt we’ll be getting a mayor anytime soon. When it does happen, it’ll be over a bloody civil war. Just how bloody… I couldn’t begin to fathom. The only two factions I knew of were the police and the Dragon Gang. Neither of which I fully understood.

But that wasn’t the real issue. Sure, I could sit back and wait, possibly survive the civil war, but that doesn’t resolve the greater issue.

Did I want to go back? And honestly… I wasn’t sure I did. In the same vein, going back to my old body would be, in a sense, reclaiming a part of who I was. Did I want that though?

No… I really didn’t. In a way, being a woman is forcing me to think and consider my options more. Making it, just a smidge easier to stay on that narrow path I had devoted myself to.

Not only that, but… I was no longer the man I was. No, I was Prima Belle. And if I hesitate for even a moment, or question my path forward at a crucial moment, I’ll never be able to reach the stars. Not in a million years…

So… “I’ve decided.” I say, and glance over. Usagi was gone. In its place, was nothing. Leaving me alone with a corpse and dolls. A sad state of affairs, truly…

Regardless, I knew what I needed to do now…

My first stop, was the flower shop. The place Grim took me when we beat that Alraune so many months ago… That really did feel like a long time ago. The store, couldn’t simply be categorized as a flower shop though. More like a garden center.

It sold a wide variety of plants and flowers. The entire alley was occupied by them. Allowing the plants to soak in the natural sunlight. People milled about. The place was rather busy, being in the Commercial District, even if it was located on a side street.

Inside, at the counter, was a familiar face.

“Amanda?” I say in surprise at meeting her.

“Ah, Prima! This is a surprise!” The glasses wearing woman with plant-based magic said, a beaming smile was on her face, the tarnished gold ring on her ring finger glinted in the light. “Did you come to buy some flowers, a plant?” She continues.

“Well, I was actually wondering if you could help me with this.” I hand over the note I had prepped. “I need this for a project.”

“A project? Well, let me see…” She trails off, her smile becomes a thoughtful frown. “This is an interesting list you have here. I don’t know what all of them do, but… Some of these ingredients look like items for body refining powders.”

“I haven’t heard of those before.”

“You haven’t? I mean, well, that does make sense… I’m not too sure myself, but some of these plants are frequently ordered by certain clients we have, and I was told by a few seniors that they make body refining powders. It’s a strange powder you mix with water to strengthen the body.”

“Do you think we could benefit from that?” I ask her.

“Well, I think so, but everyone said it generally wasn’t worth it. Growing the plants and prepping the powder is an expensive product. For normal people it can be a big deal, but we naturally get stronger to a good degree. In some ways, using gold coins to improve our physique is the better option… Though, some of my seniors mentioned making the powders can be better for mass use.”

I nodded along. “I suppose that’s because of the involved process of setting up the supply chain so that someone could reliably boost their strength?”

“Probably?” She says with a squint. “Honestly, I’ll need to ask, but… I think we have most of these items, just… You mind waiting here a moment?”

“I can do that.”

She then hustled off into the back, leaving me alone in the store. As I stood there, I felt eyes on me. A few probing glances, and a few lingering ones. Unperturbed, I focus on taking in my surroundings and looking about. My eyes, catch on something, a particular plant.

Just then, the door opens back up.

“I have good news and bad news.” Amanda starts with. “Goods news, is that we have those plants you want. Bad news, is that we don’t typically sell them.”

“Typically?” I ask, focusing on that word.

“Normally, we sell exclusively to anonymous clients. I wouldn’t know who they are, much like with the body refining powders, but from what I understand, they buy this stuff in bulk to refine into a wide variety of magical items.”

“Alchemists then?” I ask. She nods. “And you don’t know who they may be?”

“No… I don’t.”

I couldn’t help but frown… “And you won’t sell to me?”

“Normally, no, but… well, we’re friends, right?”

An odd question. We were colleagues, we fought together, but friends? “Sure.” I say instead of my actual thoughts.

“Well, as my friend, I can sell you some of our stock at a slight discount. Of course, the plants alone aren’t very useful if you don’t know how to process them.”

“I know what I need to do.” Question was, if I’d mess up or not.

“That’s good, then I can gather up your items, but I will need payment first.”

“How much?” I ask.

“Well, for this, it won’t cost money.”

A pause. “Coins then?” I ask, catching on to what Amanda was suggesting.

“Yes, for these, we’ll take bronze coins, but I’ll need five.”

Five coins? That was a rather steep price and yet… Before coming here I’d done a quick check of the coins exchange. Finished goods were rather inexpensive. Products like the doll bodies or weapons, but… they were all mundane in nature. Not just that, but basic resources cost more than finished resources.

A gallon of water costs as much as an Olympic swimming pools worth of soda or pop. A ton of ore costs exponentially more than an equivalent in ingots. It didn’t help that even if I wanted to exchange for these herbs, the best I could do was exchange for the seeds and grow them on my own.

“I’ll buy them… Oh, and I’ll buy that plant over there.” I point to the plant that caught my eye earlier, it wasn’t much, but it was a simple cactus. Easy to care for, resilient, a good plant to brighten up the atmosphere. Also, a good early addition to my new condo when I move in.

I was also going to have to plan for furniture and the like, a proper bed and such, but that could wait.

With the coins exchanged, and some mundane cash, I now had a bunch of potted plants in my hands. Back at the warehouse, I set them aside and headed right back out.

A quick run to a department store and pharmacy for the peripherals and tools I would need, followed by a final stop at somewhere completely different. The Industrial District, sitting beyond the Business District to the northwest, beside the Warehouse district which was sandwiched between the Industrial and Port districts. Here, I entered the side of a larger factory.

The factory itself, and the whole district was alive. It was eerily similar to the district I had moved through, back during my first full moon, the first event. The factories towered into the sky. Smokestacks pumped out grey clouds that blocked out the sunlight. Pipes ran along the sides of the roads, dripping and hissing in tune.

Each of the factories were built like castles of old, with arched windows. Gargoyles and angel statues standing on the ledges, perched or bowed in prayer.

The factory I was at, had a side entrance that I took. The main entrance was a large set of double-sided doors, made entirely of iron. Trucks moved in and out, delivering goods.

Through the side door, I came into a small office. Separated from the factory floor by a wall and thick windows. Despite being able to see the factory floor from above, none of the sound managed to breach the walls. It felt surreal, making me feel like everything I was watching below wasn’t actually happening, and giving me the sense that it was a whole world away.

As I stared, my name was called.

“Your Prima, yes?” A stout man asked. He smelled of oil, steel, and fire.

“That’s me. I called ahead.”

“That you did, follow me into the back here.” And I followed him into a smaller office, a desk sat on one side, while two chairs sat on the other.

“I’m the guy that works with special orders and commissions. Name’s Gerald.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Gerald. Now, I know I gave you some details of what I wanted, but I needed to get an idea of the costs.”

“Of course, I perfectly understand, though…” He pauses, to scratch his head. “I do need to preface this consultation with a disclaimer. As it stands, our factory, and just about every factory here can’t take any large-scale commissions.”

“Is it a matter of cost?” I ask

“No, and it isn’t an issue with the lines. We have plenty of lines we can open for large orders. The issue is, material.”

“Explain.”

“You’re probably unaware, but the current state of the city’s supply chain is, questionable at best. We import most of our raw material from outside the city. This of course drives up prices, but that’s not the point, the point is, that the ports are currently at capacity. We do get some imports via truck from outside the city, but nowhere near enough to match the port’s capacity.”

“A supply chain issue then?”

He nods. “Yes, as it stands, we barely have enough to run our current lines at what they are, but that does leave us with a lot of inactive lines.”

“So, if I provide the raw material, you’ll produce for me?”

“Yes, at a discount at that. We lose money for each line not running.”

I nod at that… Though, that was quite the pickle…