Mahou Chronicles Clockside Chapter XVIII [Memory of Magi]
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Once, there was a girl born into an average, but loving family.
Father, mother, younger siblings.
She was their pride and joy.
"Wow; Minerva, I swear you're only getting better and better at this magician stuff! I can't believe someone like you could be even born in this household... It's truly a miracle."
"Hey, don't overwork yourself, okay, sweetie? To us, you're still our daughter first and foremost. Now, let's have a dinner together, it's been a while since you dined with your family."
"Sis-sis! Will you teach me how to create water bunnies?! Please??"
The family may have not shared her innate ambition - but to them, she was a treasure worth a lifetime.
And with her talents and wit, she managed to apply for Hunters of Magi Academy.
An academy that raises and nurtures future magician specialists, intent on keeping the peace all around Fabula.
Of course, given that it comes from Surgire; naturally many reject their helping hand. What they see is a tool to keep other lands in their encroaching grasp.
A means to control and dictate the world to its tune.
Yet in academy, the students are always taught to think of themselves as heroes.
And a hero always helps those in need, even if they reject it.
Of course they know better than those barbaric men who think that everything's out to get them.
The hunters themselves are responsible for peacekeeping; be it through daemonic exterminations or through detaining various criminals and their organisations. The order must be kept in tact.
"I promise, I'll change the world for the better - just you see."
And so, this girl was destined for more...
...
We've been called to special meeting and our professors had an announcement for us.
"We've partnered up with the Hone Research Facility to aid you in your duties as hunters. However, we must give you a safety lecture on how to properly utilise your future companions. They're... A volatile sort."
The lecture was quite standard - do not provoke them, do not get overly attached to them, do not expose them to damp spaces for a long time, and that our partners overall need low maintenance.
Some are, however - weirded out by the fact that our partners seemed more like pets than anything else...
The professors then made us sign the paper that states that we have indeed attended the safety lecture, but also an NDA contract - stating that everything that happened in HRF stays in HRF, regarding their incidents and potential practices.
After that, we visit the facility where we're greeted kindly and then led to the underworks of it.
As we descent on the elevator, rhe smell began to feel horrible and we had to cover our noses. It smells so acidic... And like death...
"And here we are! Now please, follow our lead. Try not to look at anything else."
With corner of my eye, I see people being extracted and reshaped into various tools. I try to distract myself with something else, but the screams and pleas are ever present.
And after walking through a long hall, we're presented with "gemstones" - a tabula rasa with purpose of recreating various substances.
Some are already used for extraction, yet the ones that we're presented with seem... More lucid than what can only be described as vivisected corpses, with only twitch of the eye being a sign of life.
"Hhhh... Hh..."
It's... Distressing... But we've already passed the "desensitisation" programme. It should be alright... Right?...
That's when we're taught about a certain incident.
"The Incident of Ley-216 Mine:
On August XXth, a rogue subject code-named E-M173 had an escape attempt, killing everyone present during their shift."
As the instructors began to brief us about this incident, I see one of the lucid gemstones, the one with blood red hair, scowl.
"Ley-216 was located in central Grinwicke; thus making timely retrieval impossible. Upon our arrival, the only subject to be recovered was R-U31 - currently present in our meeting."
So that's why they...
"E-M173 continued wrecking havoc everywhere they tread on land of Grinwicke. With our attempts of retrieval being thwarted either by them or... A certain group, we've realized that gemstones have potential capability to be used in combat.
We've selected ones that don't meet our criteria for full exploitation for material extraction to test them as combatants. Thus, since the current bunch is of your age, we would like you to welcome gemstones as your partners."
I was picked first for selection.
And I was paired with R-U31, saying they high hopes for me to utilize the "imperfect" tabula rasa.
"Um, then I have a question. I apologise for my late asking, but my magic specializes in creating plankton based constructs, as such they utilize large quantities of water. Is it alright for me to utilize such specimen."
"You'll be alright, Minerva. You've been always a careful girl, dealing with threats with unmatched elegance. We're pretty sure you'll be able to carry on your objectives with your unorthodox partner."
"..."
And so, that's how I met R-U31
...
"Yawn... How did you sleep, Rubi--Eh?"
I rose from my bed and saw that Rubi was still sleeping. Probably due to sustained injuries since yesterday.
Being able to weather through such an onslaught like that... It's commendable.
Though that unfortunately came at the price of their humanity.
Tabula rasa are humans born and raised with a purpose. They do not know parental love... Or love in general.
Some are specifically trained to be magicians without a thought. Some are repurposed into... Monstrosities that are like Rubi.
I suppose I always knew HRF were no people. I wonder how could I react to everything with a straight face. Perhaps... It's because I saw that rogue gemstone.
To them, humans are merely means to an end. Mere instruments.
And because of that, they often visit orphanages and patrol the night streets of Surgire. That's why children, no, everyone aren't allowed to go outside past the curfew.
To them, one's trash becomes treasure...
To mold to their liking.
It's a miracle that I still exist. I'm merely an ordinary girl.
With family.
And friends.
And love.
Yet Rubi... And that rogue subject... And everyone else held in that facility.... They didn't get that honour.
And as much as I wonder what was their life before HRF had molded them...
At least we're given the chance to finally build meaningful connections with them.
...
... Cute.
Their hair almost feels like candy... Shiny, glossy, and hard.
Sure, after the battle they certainly looked like a mangled corpse, but when they're recovered. So cute.
What should I call them?... A bug?
Well, they certainly look like a stag beetle... And probably the same temperament as well...
But that idea of them drinking from the sipper... Aww...
It's so dehumanising, but urgh...
Playing with those antennae sounds like lots of fun... Just them flattening them when they're agitated... Adorable little rabbit... Hop... Hop...
"What are you staring at?"
Ah.
"..."
"? Your cheeks are..."
They don't need to know.
Grabbing my pillow, I smother their face with it.
Surprisingly zero reaction.
...
"Um... Can you breathe like this?..."
"... Affirmative."
God I feel like an idiot.
"Erm... Rubi?"
"Hm?"
"Do you... Consider yourself human?"
God this was a stupid question, of c--
"Yes."
Huh?
"Then... Is it okay if I treat you as a fellow human?"
"... I suppose."
"Okay, then let me remove that pillow..."
---
"Looking at your reflection again, Émile?"
"... Yes."
"..."
"Lately, I feel like my mind is splitting in two. The one that you see now... It shouldn't be here."
"..."
"I feel like my mortality is nigh. Everything now became so jumbled and distorted. I'm now on edge of my insanity."
"Please don't say that..."
"!!!
... Right.
Still, Aden, you know that I'm in tremendous pain now, right? That battle... Even if I didn't feel any pain from the outside...
My inner organs... They were piercing. Screaming. I'm living on a timer. I'm not a human after all."
"..."
"... Hey, Aden."
"Huh?"
"May I... Tell you a secret?
Promise me that you won't tell anyone."
"I mean of course! We're best buds! What is it?"
"It's about [__■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
...
...
"Is that what you believe you saw?"
"Yes, it's unmistakable."
"Then it doesn't matter. However you say it, to me you're all people."
"?!"
"Human, non-human... It's all garbage. I mean have you seen Carmine? She would even barely qualify as a living person at this point; and yet she's here. She's always been here. Don't be ridiculous."
"But..."
"You know I was treated as a monster by my own people, you know? Something so beneath being a human, being a child even. And yet everyone now disregards me as a regular human. Don't have a talk to me about this crap."
"..."
"As long as you don't act like one, you're not a monster. None of us are monsters."
To be continued...