Magic Resilient

by Kayla Bashe

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Someone less experienced might charge in without a plan, but you’ve totally got this.

  Upon opening the door, the first thing you do is rise into the air so that you can press yourself to the ceiling. Moving softly, quietly, you hover through the house. The students don’t even register your presence, so you get to eavesdrop on them!

  Two girls whose costumes feature three-quarter sleeves and calf-length skirts are talking about a new kosher restaurant that just opened in Magi Town, and a girl with pink hair is telling a girl with blue hair about a cute student at the Academe-“Seriously, they are adorbsies.”

  It’s just like sneaking past monsters when you were rescuing people during the siege of Castle Vestri.

  Like when you rescued the baby that the monsters stole from its parents just so they could watch it cry, for example. You held it in your arms the entire way back to the castle, using a warren of back routes between the old buildings, praying to Maona that they wouldn’t find you, hardly daring to breathe and trembling with nerves—

  With a sharp intake of breath, you push your thoughts down other paths. Focus on the here and now, Verdie Vestri. Show everyone what you can do.

  You manage to find the “stricken” woman before anyone notices you, and by then, it’s a simple matter of ripping the wall open with your powers and diving through it, tossing the woman out first so you can lower her to the ground with your magic. You land in a crouch and rise to a standing position.

  “Okay, how’d I do?”

  “I believe that could have been accomplished without the property damage. However…excellent work, creative use of powers. Well done, Miss Vestri. Well done.”

  You’re glowing with pride for the rest of the day.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Before entering, you fly around the house, peering in through windows, inspecting every room—and there, in what seems to be a bedroom, is the young woman playing the damsel in distress. She lies on a bed with a wrist clasped to her forehead in a classic swooning posture, moaning and twisting theatrically.

  “I’ll save you!” you joke. You gather a handful of wind and twist it until it’s as strong as a hurricane, then send it through the window as if you’re throwing a punch. The glass shatters, allowing you to enter.

  There are footsteps outside the door, but you know they won’t be able to catch you. Once you’ve got the woman in a fireman’s carry (it’s a little uncomfortable, but it’s only for a few seconds, ) you use wind magic to rip a hole in the wall. As you exit the room through your unconventional door, you’re walking on air. Literally.

  Pretending to descend an imaginary staircase, you lower yourself to the ground.

  “Okay, how’d I do?”

  “Somewhat unconventional, but…very clever, Miss Vestri. Extremely clever.”

  “Verdie,” Shani tells you in a whisper, “you’re a genius.”

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  You read a book—a true story, in fact—about a group of Magical Girls who lived in an extremely backwards town on one of the most monster-infested planets. In spite of the misogyny of their society, they’d developed a close friendship, and they all discovered their powers at about the same time. When one of the townspeople saw them transforming, he told everyone that they were witches who’d made a contract with the devil. The girls barely escaped being executed and had to flee their town. Through luck, cleverness, teamwork, and help from a few kind-hearted individuals, they were able to get a message off-planet, then travel across the country towards a “safe zone” where they could hitch a ride off-planet. Although one of the girls died in a conflict with superstitious hunters, the rest were able to escape the planet safely, and they wrote a book about their experiences and dedicated it to her memory. Reading all of that really makes you appreciate all of your friends and think about how much they mean to you, and reading about the difficulties they went through makes you truly appreciate how good you have it.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The rumors are true: a group of girls who are really interested in science got together and made a giant mecha! They’re storing it on the soccer field, so you grab your coat and run outside to see it.

  The mecha’s scuffed bubblegum-pink paint is ornamented with daisy decals. Although it’s only six or so meters tall, when you’re standing in it, you feel like the queen of the world. By the end of your turn, you’ve figured out how to get the right amount of spring in your step to pick up speed without tipping, to synchronize your legs and arms so you can stay upright, and even how to turn around! It’s just as cool as you imagined it would be.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The monsters that attacked your town were more interested in rounding everyone up than playing head games, but according to your classes, some monsters will try to mess with the thought patterns of magical girls. You read a book with strategies on what to do if one of those attacks gets aimed at you. Some of the tactics that you bookmark are:

  -hold your breath, then breathe slowly (it keeps you from hyperventilating)

  -count backwards from one hundred by threes or sevens

  -sing one of your favorite songs all the way through

  -eat a piece of chocolate

  The chocolate one seems like an especially good idea.

  * * *

  the next day you train with your mentor

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The next day, you have a learning period. There’s a whole bunch of things you could do today…what do you feel like doing?

  * * *

  Read a dramatic true story about real people in different circumstances

  * * *

  Pilot a mecha

  * * *

  Read a book about protecting yourself from monster attacks

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The next day, you have a learning period. There’s a whole bunch of things you could do today…what do you feel like doing?

  * * *

  Read a dramatic true story about real people in different circumstances

  * * *

  Pilot a mecha

  * * *

  Read a book about protecting yourself from monster attacks

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

&
nbsp; * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  Three and a half weeks later, it’s Mentor Weekend! That means that for two days, your mentor will be in charge of you. You wake up and get dressed to go train with…

  * * *

  Aya

  * * *

  Kione

  * * *

  Sophia

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  You read a book—a true story, in fact—about a group of Magical Girls who lived in an extremely backwards town on one of the most monster-infested planets. In spite of the misogyny of their society, they’d developed a close friendship, and they all discovered their powers at about the same time. When one of the townspeople saw them transforming, he told everyone that they were witches who’d made a contract with the devil. The girls barely escaped being executed and had to flee their town. Through luck, cleverness, teamwork, and help from a few kind-hearted individuals, they were able to get a message off-planet, then travel across the country towards a “safe zone” where they could hitch a ride off-planet. Although one of the girls died in a conflict with superstitious hunters, the rest were able to escape the planet safely, and they wrote a book about their experiences and dedicated it to her memory. Reading all of that really makes you appreciate all of your friends and think about how much they mean to you, and reading about the difficulties they went through makes you truly appreciate how good you have it.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The rumors are true: a group of girls who are really interested in science got together and made a giant mecha! They’re storing it on the soccer field, so you grab your coat and run outside to see it.

  The mecha’s scuffed bubblegum-pink paint is ornamented with daisy decals. Although it’s only six or so meters tall, when you’re standing in it, you feel like the queen of the world. By the end of your turn, you’ve figured out how to get the right amount of spring in your step to pick up speed without tipping, to synchronize your legs and arms so you can stay upright, and even how to turn around! It’s just as cool as you imagined it would be.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The monsters that attacked your town were more interested in rounding everyone up than playing head games, but according to your classes, some monsters will try to mess with the thought patterns of magical girls. You read a book with strategies on what to do if one of those attacks gets aimed at you. Some of the tactics that you bookmark are:

  -hold your breath, then breathe slowly (it keeps you from hyperventilating)

  -count backwards from one hundred by threes or sevens

  -sing one of your favorite songs all the way through

  -eat a piece of chocolate

  The chocolate one seems like an especially good idea.

  * * *

  the next day you train with your mentor

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  You read a book—a true story, in fact—about a group of Magical Girls who lived in an extremely backwards town on one of the most monster-infested planets. In spite of the misogyny of their society, they’d developed a close friendship, and they all discovered their powers at about the same time. When one of the townspeople saw them transforming, he told everyone that they were witches who’d made a contract with the devil. The girls barely escaped being executed and had to flee their town. Through luck, cleverness, teamwork, and help from a few kind-hearted individuals, they were able to get a message off-planet, then travel across the country towards a “safe zone” where they could hitch a ride off-planet. Although one of the girls died in a conflict with superstitious hunters, the rest were able to escape the planet safely, and they wrote a book about their experiences and dedicated it to her memory. Reading all of that really makes you appreciate all of your friends and think about how much they mean to you, and reading about the difficulties they went through makes you truly appreciate how good you have it.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The rumors are true: a group of girls who are really interested in science got together and made a giant mecha! They’re storing it on the soccer field, so you grab your coat and run outside to see it.

  The mecha’s scuffed bubblegum-pink paint is ornamented with daisy decals. Although it’s only six or so meters tall, when you’re standing in it, you feel like the queen of the world. By the end of your turn, you’ve figured out how to get the right amount of spring in your step to pick up speed without tipping, to synchronize your legs and arms so you can stay upright, and even how to turn around! It’s just as cool as you imagined it would be.

  * * *

  >>

  * * *

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn back a page

  * * *

  * * *

  Please turn forward a page

  * * *

  Magic Resilient, by Kayla Bashe

  * * *

  The monsters that attacked your town were more interested in rounding everyone up than playing head games, but according to your classes, some monsters will try to mess with the thought patterns of magical girls. You read a book with strategies on what to do if one of those attacks gets aimed at you. Some of the tactics that you bookmark are:

  -hold your breath, then breathe slowly (it keeps you from hyperventilating)

  -count backwards from one hundred by threes or sevens