Fireflame flicked her wrist toward the camera operator.
"Magmabeast Mark I, keep an eye on the hostage. And don't mess this up. Again."
The camera-holding figure nodded slowly, then pulled back its hood.
It looked almost identical to the towering magma creature beside it, only shorter and far more slouched, its cracked stone plating chipped in several obvious places. One horn was missing entirely. Its magma-glow pulsed with the weary resignation of someone who had been demoted from "terrifying monster" to "intern."
He lumbered over, still holding the heavy TV camera. When he reached Stelle, he paused and gave her a shy little wave.
Stelle blinked. "…Hi?"
He nodded eagerly and turned back to filming the street, giving her exactly zero further attention.
The creature adjusted the camera angle and leaned forward like a serious professional.
Aurora made a cool pose and pointed at Fireflame. "Your games end today."
Fireflame snapped her fingers. "Magmabeast Mark II, eliminate her!"
The towering monster let out a volcanic snarl. Heat rippled off its body in shimmering waves as it crouched, cracks along its limbs glowing brighter.
Aurora widened her stance. The red jewel on her chest flickered to life, glowing. "Citizen! Stay behind the monster cameraman! Fireflame might be reckless, but she isn't usually that reckless."
Stelle did not find this reassuring, and decided to create a shield around her body using the power of Preservation. Just in case.
The Magmabeast slammed its hands into the pavement. A burst of molten light erupted outward. Chunks of asphalt flew through the air like shrapnel.
Aurora spun her bow forward and the crystal limbs snapped open, forming a radiant crescent. "Starlit Barrier!"
A circular shield burst outward from her fingertips, catching the debris midair. The chunks bounced harmlessly off the shimmering pink surface, leaving only sparks.
Fireflame shouted encouragingly. "Magma Beast! I know you can do it!"
The Magmabeast charged.
It moved like a rockslide gaining momentum, each step cracking the street beneath it. Its mask-like face split open along that molten seam, revealing a furnace glow.
Aurora dashed to the side. A streak of glitter trailed behind her boots as she ran, light swirling around her like a comet tail, just avoiding the stream of glowing red lava that Magmabeast vomited up.
As she approached Magmabeast swiped at her. A claws-made-of-lava arc slashed through the air.
Aurora ducked, slid under its arm, and fired a burst of pink energy upward. The bolt hit the creature's chest, sending cracks of light scattering across its magma plating.
It didn't slow down.
Why is she getting in Melee range? Isn't she a bow user?
Mem shouted beside Stelle, "This is so much cooler in person than watching tv in your memories!"
The Magmabeast stomped, causing a shockwave that rippled outward like an expanding ring of heat. Aurora leapt just in time, flipping backward as the ground behind her exploded in a plume of steam.
While airborne she pulled back her bowstring. Light gathered, condensing into a bright, humming arrow.
"Starflare Shot!"
She released.
The arrow streaked downward and struck the Magmabeast in the shoulder. The impact blew off a chunk of volcanic plating in a burst of mineral shards.
The monster roared, chest glowing brighter. Heat surged through its magma veins, melting cracks shut. The missing chunk grew back.
Aurora landed with a hissed breath. "Oh no. It can regenerate its body!"
Fireflame laughed triumphantly. "Did you really think I would make the same mistake twice? Mark II can heal by absorbing surrounding rock! Infinitely! Endlessly! Annoyingly!"
Aurora shot her a glare. "I see Mark I is doing fine."
Mark I, still holding the TV camera, gave a thumbs-up. Stelle noticed that the plastic housing of the camera touching its shoulder was beginning to melt a little.
Fireflame looked offended. "He is on probation. And it took a lot of money to restore him afterwards. That's why he will make up for it with unpaid labor for the rest of his unnatural life."
"Truely evil!" Aurora shouted.
The Magmabeast lunged again.
Aurora didn't dodge this time.
Instead she planted her heel, pivoted, and raised her bow as if she were swinging a sword rather than a bow.
"Why is she using the bow as a melee weapon! Again, it's a bow! Just shoot it from a distance!" Stelle cried out.
"Isn't this way cooler! Plus, the trope of magical girls secretly being strong melee fighters is totally in right now!" Mem responded.
Aurora slid one foot back, bracing as the Magmabeast's arm slammed down. Heat splashed off her barrier, cracking the pavement under her boots.
She gritted her teeth. "Right. So it regenerates as long as it touches the ground?"
The Magmabeast reared back for another strike.
Aurora's foot began to glow, and she drew out something on the street, glowing briefly before fading out of existence.
"Magmabeast won't fall for such an obvious trap." Fireflame stated while hugging her chest smugly.
Aurora bent her knee, touched the ground with her fingertips, and a bright spiral of pink light swirled under her feet.
She launched upward like a fired missile.
The Magmabeast swung at empty air. Aurora flipped over its head, drawing her bowstring fully as she spun.
"Starlight Shot!"
She fired at the ground behind the Magmabeast. The arrow struck the pavement and detonated, pushing Magmabeast straight into where the symbol she had drawn had been located.
A wave of pink energy blasted out, launching it into the air.
Aurora landed, doing a pirouette.
"Starlight Ultimate Blast!" She shouted, as three glowing pink arrows launched from her bow, each spreading out, before suddenly speeding up and aiming themselves directly at Magmabeasts center mass.
Each struck sequentially, right after the previous one, burrowing deep into Magambeast's chest, exposing a glowing red core.
"Pochi!" Aurora shouted.
Suddenly the grey mascot-like figure entered the fight, running towards Aurora before expanding to ten times its normal size.
"Pochuuu!"
Mangabeast landed directly on top of it, and it deformed like it was made out of rubber, before launching it back up into the sky.
Magmabeast flew upward again, flailing wildly as it rose higher than the rooftops. Its molten veins dimmed even further now that it was completely away from the ground. The exposed core in its chest flickered like a dying ember.
Aurora raised her bow. Light built around her in swirling loops that spiraled up her arms. Her stance shifted, poised and elegant, as though she were drawing back the entire sky.
Aurora inhaled, eyes sharpening with determination.
"Falling Star Purification!"
The bowstring glowed a blinding white as she released. The arrow that formed wasn't pink this time. It was pure white, a spear of radiant energy that split the air with a piercing hum.
It shot straight upward.
The moment it touched Magmabeast's exposed core, the entire creature froze in place.
A single beat of silence.
Then the core shattered like glass.
Light burst outward in a spherical bloom, swallowing Magmabeast in a glowing firework. The molten armor cracked apart and dissolved into drifting motes that evaporated before they even reached the ground.
By the time gravity reclaimed what was left, there was nothing to hit the pavement except a few fading sparkles.
"That was so cool!" Mem shouted, "Falling Star Purification!"
Fireflame shrieked, "HOW DARE YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THAT ONE TOOK TO MAKE!?"
Mark I, still filming her meltdown with perfect framing, raised one rocky hand and gave Aurora a congratulatory thumbs-up.
Aurora bowed politely in return.
"Ten out of ten" Mem proclaimed.
Stelle nodded slowly. "That… was actually incredible."
Like Mem said, it's really exciting to see up close!
The street was quiet for a moment.
Then all the nearby screens flickered again, showing Fireflame clutching her hair dramatically.
"THIS ISN'T OVER, AURORA! I WILL— hey, Mark I, zoom in! ZOOM— no, too much— less— LESS— stop— STOP MOVING—!"
Mark I zoomed directly into Fireflame's left eye.
Aurora sighed. "Fireflame, please. At least maintain some dignity."
The villain screeched, her fiery tail sparking furiously.
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, AURORA! I WILL DEFEAT YOU SOMEDAY! I WILL BE PROMOTED TO THE BOSSES RIGHT HAND WOMAN!"
Fireflame then unceremoniously turned around and ran, decisively leaving Magmabeast Mark I to chase after her, still holding the camera.
Aurora hurried over, brushing dust off her sleeves as she approached. "Are you alright? You weren't too close to the blast, were you?"
Stelle, who had been quietly letting the shimmering barrier around her dissolve into thin air, tried to look casual. "I'm fine. Really."
Aurora didn't notice the fading remnants at all. She kept talking, voice warm with concern and a tiny bit frantic. "Good. That's good. I know things like this can be overwhelming, and sudden attacks near civilians are never acceptable, and if you need someone to talk to or any kind of assistance, I can arrange—"
Stelle crouched to pick up her grocery bags, relieved to find everything inside completely untouched.
Aurora kept going. "You're absolutely sure you're not hurt anywhere? No dizziness? No burns? Emotional shock? A lot of people experience delayed reactions and I don't want you to—"
"I'm really fine." Stelle straightened up, holding her bags. "Thank you, though."
Before Aurora could continue, the distant wail of sirens floated through the street, growing louder by the second. The color drained from her face.
"Oh no. Oh no no no." Aurora stepped back, already scanning for an escape route. "I can't stay right now. They always want interviews and paperwork and someone will ask me about property damage and I swear I filled out a form last week that was eighty pages long—"
She paused, looking at Stelle with a soft, almost guilty expression. "I'm glad you're safe."
Then without warning she stepped forward and pulled Stelle into a quick, tight hug.
Stelle froze instantly, brain short-circuiting.
Aurora stepped back just as fast, flustered. "Sorry— I just— anyway! Stay safe!"
She darted toward the alley, cape fluttering behind her, and disappeared from view right as the first police cruiser turned onto the street.
Stelle remained exactly where she was, groceries in hand, still frozen in place.
Then she exhaled slowly.
"I'm still hungry…"