The Red Hand

Chapter 225 – Mr. Noodle.

"Woah! Woah! Woah!" Mixu tried to desclate the situation. "Time out! Hold up!" She turned to Superbia. "Think with your head not with your sword, Superbia! You hurt the cat and we're going to have a lot bigger of a problem than an unknown Magical Girl."

{I do not want to find out what happens if we start punching the cat! Akagi might throw US into whatever hell she created for Armalthy!} (Mixu)

Superbia clicked her tongue. She wanted to fight Chloe, but understood that it might not be worth the risk.

"Oh, don't worry about that." Chloe let out a small laugh. "I'll make sure this stays between us. Myaster won't mind if I tell her it was my idea, so lets get to it!" She beckoned Superbia to move, and mocked her with a bit of taunting. "Unless you're scared? I thought you were an Oni, not a chicken?" She knew just how to rile the Oni up, and was enjoying getting under Superbia's skin.

"Ohhhh you son of a bitch. If that's the case, then don't be angry when I send you back to your master, bloody and beaten." Superbia's body began to flicker with pink fire.

{I guess we're going to add a new way to skin a cat!} (Superbia)

"Seriously?!?" Mixu cried out. "Superbia, are we really doing this right now?!? Are you crazy?!?" She was not thrilled about this development, since it wasn't apparent that they could win a confrontation against Chloe.

"Are you saying I can't win?" Superbia glanced at her, irritated with her insinuation.

"I have no fucking clue at this point! But Chloe did beat Merkyul and Sabia in a 2v1, so at this point it's possible that she'd kick your ass!" Mixu really didn't want a fight to break out, and was sure that it wouldn't be easy, even if Superbia was stronger than the cat.

{No. No. No. No. No.} (Mika)

Just as things were about to kick off, and an epic duel was about to commence, Mika spoke up.

"It's me, Mika!" She ran in between the cat and the Oni, putting her arms out to separate the two women. “Please don't go fighting!”

"M-Mika?" Superbia was stunned by this revelation. "S-Seriously? You're the Magical Girl?!?"

{Why am I not surprised?} (Superbia)

"I didn't want to tell you about it, but I really don't want you and Chloe to fight for no reason." She hung her head in defeat. "Just please don't tell anyone. I want to remain anonymous..." She was distraught that she'd already been outed only a few weeks into her time as a Magical Girl.

"I...uh... HOW?" Mixu was equally surprised by Mika's sudden reveal.

"Akagi and Imp..." Mika said quietly.

"FUCKING IMP!" (Mixu x Superbia)

"Akagi is understandable, but why the hell was Imp involved?!?" Superbia growled as she put her blade back into its sheath.

{I'm going to skin that stupid Imp alive when we get back!} (Superbia)

"I can't believe she wasn't the first person we interrogated..." Mixu pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, since she figured that should've been the first person they spoke to. "That idiot..."

{She's getting drank tonight!} (Mixu)

"At least we know what's going on, but now I'm not sure how to proceed." Mixu sighed. "What the hell are you doing running around like that anyway?" She figured Akagi put her up to it.

"I always wanted to be a Magical Girl, so I asked Imp and Akagi to make me one!" Mika smiled. "I get to be a hero and save the day, and I like it! It so much fun to run around like this, and people seem really happy when I help them." She'd been enjoying herself over the last week, and had fully committed to the Magical Girl routine. It wasn't perfect, and she had much to learn, but she was confident she could become the Magical Girl she always dreamed of.

"You do know how dangerous this is, right?" Superbia shook her head. "You could get hurt or-" She was cut off by Mika.

"I know very well what kind of danger I'm putting myself in, but that's fine." Mika said with complete seriousness. "People need help, and I want to be the one to give it. If it's a bit dangerous, then I'll just have to put up with that. All I need to do is make sure I'm strong enough so that it doesn't matter."

{Besides, it not like there's some evil organization that I need to fight. Most things are just petty theft or saving people who are in danger. The actual threat to me is actually pretty low, when you consider this is the real world and not one from a Magical Girl anime.} (Mika)

"Well if it's Mika running around as a Magical Girl, then we really can't do anything, Superbia." Mixu looked over at her. "Akagi would flip if we messed with her like we planned, so let's just report back and tell Aoi to leave her be." She figured Akagi would not take too kindly to them basically kidnapping Mika.

"Aww. But I wanted to fight the Oni." Chloe gave a playful laugh. “I guess its understandable that she wants to run away though.” She smirked.

"I'm still game if you are, cat!" Superbia glared at Chloe.

{NOT AGAIN!} (Mixu)

"Wait!" Mika interjected with an idea. "How about this? Rather than slugging it out in Kyoto and causing a mess, you both enter the tournament that Akagi is having. If you do that, I'm sure Akagi can make it so you two fight. That way it will be a fair match and won't end in someone dying!" She didn't want to see these two go to blows in the middle of Kyoto, since that was liable to get messy.

{I have no idea if Superbia would even stand a chance agaisnt Chloe, but I don't want them to start flying around and breaking buildings!} (Mika)

"Is Chloe even allowed in that torney?" Mixu asked. "I thought it was just Spirits and Returnees?" Akagi had indicated that her clan members would likely not be allowed to participate, since that might make things unbalanced and unfair.

"I'm sure if I asked alongside Chloe, Akagi'd allow it." Mika replied. “Besides, she never said that they weren't allowed, only that it was unlikely.”

"Well, I was thinking of joining." Superbia's lips curved into a wicked smile. "But if the cat is going to be there, then I've got no choice but to join." She was already salivating at the chance to knock Chloe's teeth down her throat.

{I'm gonna make sure you regret making fun of me, cat!} (Superbia)

"Ohh." Chloe's eyes lit up. "I can't wait to knock that smug look off your face."

"Funny, I was just thinking the same thing." Superbia laughed.

{Oh great... Now I need to babysit the Oni...} (Mixu)

"Mika, I'm gonna hold you responsible for this." Mixu groaned.

"I'm sorry?" Mika didn't know what she apologized for, but did it anyway.

{Did I goof?} (Mika)

"Anyway." Mixu tried to move things along. "Come on, Superbia." She grabbed the scruff of her kimono and started pulling the Oni away before things started now. "Let's get you back to Tokyo before you get yourself killed."

"Hey, wait! I wasn't finished yet, Mixu!" Superbia cried out in protest as she was dragged away. "Remember this cat! I'm going to kick your ass! So don't get knocked out in the first round, and don't go crying to your master when I make you eat dirt!" She yelled as the vampire leapt away with her.

"She's funny." Chloe smiled. "I can't wait to make her squeal."

"Despite everything, thanks for showing up Chloe. Though they still found out my identity in the end." Mika sighed. "What's that on your head anyway. I didn't notice it until now." Atop Chloe's head sat the small tsuchinoko that she'd made her pet.

"Ain't he cute, nya!" Chloe squeed as she picked him up and held him out to show Mika. "He's a tsuchinoko! I acquired him from the Tomogawa estate! His name is Mr. Noodle! Just look at his little eyes and tiny feet,nya!" She gave a big toothy grin, and the tsuchinoko gave what Mika assumed was a smile.

{I'm not a reptile person, minus dragons, but I guess he's kinda cute.} Mika was unimpressed, but played along.

“He is very neat.” Mika gave a wry smile.

"He even comes with me on missions and is a very good boy, nya!" Chloe put him back on her head where he snuggled in behind her ears.

"Out of curiosity, could you beat those two in a fight?" Mika asked something she was curious about. "You seemed confident in your ability to win, but they're players. Aren't they on a whole other level to you?" She knew a bit bout the NPCs getting stronger, but not the specifics of their strength.

"I could probably take 'em." Chloe nodded. "Superbia would be the primary issue, since I could kill Mixu almost instantly. The vampy is slow and weak, nya. While the Oni is speedy and dangerous." It would be an interesting contest, though it would likely end up in a defeat for the two players.

"Is that so? I've heard Superbia is the strongest member of the RRT, and she's even comparable to Hishya." Mika commented.

"Maybe old Hishya. But as she is now, Superbia won't stand a chance against the Dragon, nya." Chloe crossed her arms in an X. "The lizard has grown far too powerful, and I'm not entirely sure I could win against her, nya."

{I think the lizard would fry me before I could even get close if she went all out.} (Chloe)

"I wonder if she'll ever get stronger than Akagi." Mika asked. "Don't dragons get stronger as they age?" She'd read about that in fiction, but wasn't sure how accurate it was in reality.

"True Dragons do get a bit stronger over time, but not enough to actually eclipse myaster. Besides if that was possible, myaster would've killed her already, nya." Chloe's words surprised Mika, who didn't expect to hear that Akagi would kill her longtime friend.

"R-Really?" She didn't know if this was just Chloe being Chloe or real.

"She never told me it herself, but knowing how myaster operates, if someone who has the potential to defeat her appeared, she would kill them, nya." Chloe nodded. "No one is permitted to rival her, and myaster doesn't want to live in a world where she takes orders from someone else, nya."

{Akagi really can be ruthless sometimes, can't she?} Mika gave a nervous laugh inside.

"Are you going on patrol, nya?" Chloe asked. “Or are you going to head home after this, nya?”

"Yeah, that was the plan. All this did is delay me a bit." Mika smiled. "Magical Girl Star Guardian is needed in Kyoto!"

"Then have fun!" Chloe smiled as she turned away. "And be careful, myaster would be sad if you got hurt. She likes the pets you give too much to lose you, nyahahah!" She laughed as she jumped away, disappearing across the rooftops.

"Well, at least Akagi likes me." Mika giggled. "Wait! I shoulda asked her to let me scratch her ears! I'm sure she'd let me do it now..." She pouted at the missed opportunity. "Oh well, it's time to save the town from the evil that infests it!" She laughed as she flew into the air. Not much evil happened in Kyoto that day, though Mika did have fun playing with children in the park. They really enjoyed getting to fly and her ability to make a colorful light show with her magic.

Once she was finished, Mika headed home, transforming at a secluded location up the street before entering her apartment.

"I'm back!" Mika called out to her parents as she entered.

"There's my superhero." Her mother's voice could be heard giggling from the living room.

"Is Dad home yet?" Mika popped around the corner. Her mother was sitting and watching T.V. while drinking tea.

"No, he got stuck at work." Her mother sighed. "Apparently, his boss got ill unexpectedly, and he was forced to take up the project management until a supervisor could be called in tomorrow." This had happened a few times, so it wasn't surprising.

"Owch." Mika sat next to her. "Whatcha watching?"

"Just news coverage of the Magical Girl saving Kyoto." Her mother poked Mika in her side. "I can't believe you're actually flying around like that." Her mother had spent most of the day hugging her when she revealed her Magical Girl form, and apparently she'd been a big fan of them as a kid herself.

"Didn't I always tell you when I was a kid that I wanted to be a Magical Girl." Mika gave a wily smile.

"I think every girl says that." Her mother shook her head. "I did, and some of my friends certainly did. It's just that it's not supposed to be real."

"But tell me, are you upset that I ended up making the dream into reality?" Mika smirked.

"How could I be? My daughter is going around saving people like a superhero. Not to mention your grades have gotten much better over this last year." Her mother laughed. "The only thing left to complain about is how much food you eat, but I think that's a trade I'll make if it means your life is getting better."

"The last year has been a wild ride, that's for sure." Mika rolled her eyes. "First I meet the mysterious sister of Kana who was trapped in FWO, then we find out she's a Demon Lord, I get to watch her do all kinds of crazy things, and now she made me into a Magical Girl." It was truly one crazy thing after another.

"Not to mention you got those two girls all over you." Her mother poked fun at her. "I bet they love the cute appearance you can take."

Mika went red. "I... No comment."

{I have a sneaking suspicions that I won't remain 'pure' for much longer.} (Mika)

"Should I be expecting magical grandkids soon?" Her mother burst out laughing as Mika bopped her on the head.

"I swear, you just love teasing me about that!" Mika was flush from her mother's comment.

"It's what mothers do." She continued to laugh. "But in all seriousness, don't make me a grandma yet. I'm too young for that." She was only in her mid forties.

"I think the fact that I am too young is much more important!" Mika growled.

“Yeah, being a teen mom wouldn't be a very good idea, even if you aren't the one the baby comes out of!” Mika's Mom roared in laughter, as Mika turned bright red again.