Chapter 36 – Eve of War

The Fallen Stars were gathered in my apartment once more. The two weeks of frantic training and meteoric idol success were over. The air, which had recently been filled with the sounds of celebration for Aoi's number-one hit, was now tense and still again. Miki's fame had exploded, making her a household name. Aoi was a recognized, if enigmatic, public figure, praised by every critic in the country. But none of that mattered tonight. Aoi stood before a large monitor, her face grim, displaying her completed intelligence report. "The time for training and preparation is over," she announced, her voice sharp and clear. "The Aegis of Light has become more active since our mission in the sewers and that monster outburst last time." "They're investigating and hunting. It is time for us to move against them." All eyes turned to me. They were trained, bonded, and they were ready. My dark army awaited its orders. "Good. You can start with your report, Aoi," I said. Noticing how stiff and serious she was, I sat on the chair next to the monitor, then pulled her down onto my lap as she walked by. "You can give your big, scary presentation from here instead." Aoi froze for a split second, a surprised blush creeping up her neck. The entire team watched, but no one said a word. This was just part of how we operated now. Aoi cleared her throat, trying to regain her professional composure, though sitting on my lap made it significantly more difficult. "As I was saying," she began, her voice a little breathless at first before finding its steady rhythm, "my analysis has revealed their operational patterns and potential weaknesses." She used a small remote to cycle through the images on the screen. Magical Valkyrie (Leader): She's a true believer, utterly convinced of her own righteousness; her power comes from that. Her weakness is inflexibility. If we target her mind, or show her a situation that isn't just black and white, she'll break. Magical Golem (Heavy Hitter): Fiercely loyal to Valkyrie. Her weakness is loyalty. If Valkyrie is compromised, Golem will become predictable and reckless. Magical Sylph (Assassin): A thrill-seeker. She enjoys the hunt more than the victory. Her weakness is that she can be baited into being reckless. Magical Pixie (Healer): She's young, probably the rookie. Overly empathetic. Her weakness is her own compassion. Magical Oracle (Strategist): This is our main problem. Her future sight makes any ambush impossible. But her power has its limits. She sees possibilities, not certainties. We can overwhelm her with chaos and unpredictable actions. Aoi looked at the team, then at me. "We cannot fight them head-on. They are a perfectly balanced unit. The key is to dismantle them piece by piece." "We must sever the head from the body. Our primary target must be their Oracle." "But, how can we target them one by one if Oracle can predict our actions, Aoi-nee?" Akane raised her hand and asked the biggest question. Only silence followed. "Hmm, let me think," I said, turning my thoughts inward. "Okay, Gemgem, what's the endgame here? Corrupting them? Just beating them? Don't tell me we have to kill them." "Killing them is inefficient," Gemgem's voice replied, cold and logical as always. "A dead hero becomes a martyr. Our goal is not annihilation, but conversion." "The primary victory condition is the complete corruption of all five members. A secondary victory condition, if that proves impossible, is a public, decisive, and humiliating defeat. We must shatter their image." "Aoi's assessment is correct. Isolate them. Turn their strengths into weaknesses." "Geez, convert them??" I sighed aloud. "Managing five girls is hard enough. I can't imagine adding five more." I rubbed my chin on Aoi's hair, my eyes scanning the room, and noticed Homura's intense focus. "You got any questions, Homu-chan?" Homura, who had been listening in focused silence, looked up. "...Yes, Master. A question." Her voice was soft but clear, cutting through the tense atmosphere. "Aoi-san said the Oracle sees possibilities. What if... what if we show her a possibility that she cannot stop?" Homura's idea sparked another one in my mind, something even more chaotic and unpredictable. "Now I think about it, you're right, Homura. Instead of planning a sneak attack or picking them off one by one, let's do something they'll never see coming." I looked right at Aoi. "Let's send them a formal invitation. A request for a friendly match instead." Aoi froze, my suggestion so completely out of left field that her strategic mind ground to a halt. "A... a friendly match? Master, with all due respect, that is an absurd notion. They believe we are villains. They will see it as a trap and prepare an ambush." "Yeah! They'll probably just jump us!" Akane agreed. But Homura's quiet voice cut through again. "No, I think Master is right. The Oracle will see the future. If we send the request with no intention of a trap, she will see that." "She will foresee the match, seeing our honesty. And they will be confused. It's an action they can't predict because it makes no logical sense." "And Valkyrie's sense of justice will prevent them from putting up a trap or ambush over a sparing match, too." Miki chimed in. "Brilliant in its sheer audacity," Gemgem hummed in my mind. "It seizes the narrative and forces them to engage on your terms. An excellent plan." "Well, what's the worst that can happen?" I smirked. "In an official match, if you lose, you can just... try again later." "Not that we plan on losing." I turned to Aoi and Chiyoko. "I'll leave the details to you two." I then winked at Homura. "And you, what reward do you want for that brilliant idea?" Homura shrank under the sudden attention. "I... I don't need a reward, Master. I was just helping." "C'mon, Homu-chan!" Akane urged. "Ask for something cool! Like a new video game! Or a sword!" "Or a shopping trip!" Miki added. "We could buy you a pretty dress!" Homura shook her head, overwhelmed. She looked at me, her expression one of shy, desperate honesty. "If I have to have a reward, then..." Her voice dropped to a near-inaudible whisper. "Can we... can we go to the aquarium? All of us? Together? I never got the chance to..." Her request was so simple, so pure. She didn't want a thing. She wanted an experience. She wanted time with her new family. "Fine," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "It's been a while since we had a team outing. It'll help you all relax before the big match, too." I patted her hair again. "That was a cute reward, Homura." A faint, shy smile touched Homura's lips as she leaned into my touch. "The aquarium! Alright!" Akane cheered. "I'm gonna go see the giant sharks!" "How lovely!" Miki said. "A relaxing day before our big challenge!" The tense war council had suddenly turned into an excited family planning a day trip. Aoi, however, remained focused, her tablet already out. "I have found a public, untraceable channel to route the message through," she announced. "I will begin drafting the challenge now. Subject: 'Formal Proposal for a Contest of Champions.'"