Chapter 42 – A Rooftop Serenade

"Two down," I sighed as I left the factory. "This is a lot more work than I signed up for, you know, Gemgem." "You signed up for power, and magical girls as your toys," Gemgem's voice replied flatly in my head. "Managing your assets is part of the deal. Stop complaining. The results will speak for themselves." I looked at my watch. "Miki should be at dance practice. Let's go see her." I made my way to the glass tower that housed Starlight Productions. The lobby was one of those painfully modern places, all white and chrome, full of people in sharp suits rushing around. I felt like I needed a tie just to breathe in there. I nodded at the receptionist, who knew me as "Kyoko's special guest" and waved me through. I followed the sound of pop music to a large dance studio. Through the one-way glass, I saw Miki. She was in the middle of a brutal rehearsal, dressed in simple leggings and a crop top, her hair tied back. Her face was slick with sweat, her usual bright smile replaced by a mask of grim determination. She was surrounded by a team of professional dancers, and a sharp-looking choreographer was shouting out corrections. "Again! From the top!" the choreographer yelled. "Aoyama, your turn on the bridge was half a beat slow! You wanna look like an amateur out there?! Again!" Miki looked dead on her feet. As they started the routine again, her eyes flickered toward the observation window and locked with mine. Her eyes widened. The exhaustion on her face was replaced for just a second by a look of pure, desperate hope. I gave her a wink and a little wave, signaling her to keep going. My presence seemed to light a new fire in her. While dancing for the choreographer, she was also performing for me. Her moves became sharper, her expressions more vibrant. She hit every beat perfectly. "So that's what it looks like," I thought, slumping into a chair to watch. "This is my first time watching her idol training. I always figured she was just a natural, that her magic did all the work. Guess I was wrong." "Her power is an advantage," Gemgem noted in my mind. "It lets her charm an audience, make them adore her. But it can't teach her muscles the moves. It can't perfect her timing or build her stamina. That part, she has to earn." "Her dark gift makes her a star. Her hard work will make her a legend." I watched for another hour as she was drilled into the ground. She never messed up again. Finally, the choreographer clapped his hands. "Fine. That's enough. Be here at 6 AM tomorrow. Don't be late." He stormed out, leaving Miki and the other dancers panting in the middle of the floor. Miki grabbed a towel and a water bottle, her chest heaving. She gave me a weak, exhausted, but triumphant smile through the glass before heading to the changing rooms. A few minutes later, she emerged, showered and dressed in a cute sundress, but she couldn't hide her exhaustion. There were dark circles under her eyes. I waited for her outside. "Still practicing this hard right before the big fight?" I said with a wink as she came out. "That's my Miki." "Master!" Her face lit up. The second she was close enough, she just collapsed into my arms, burying her face in my chest. "I'm so tired," she mumbled into my shirt. "Kyoko-san is killing me. I haven't had a decent night's sleep in a week." She looked up at me, her eyes wide and pleading. "But then you came. Seeing you watching me... that was the only thing that got me through it." She pulled back a little, her expression turning serious. "The big fight will be in two days. The Aegis of Light are professionals; we have already witnessed how strong they are." "Are we... are we really going to be ready? I want to win, Master. For you, for us. But I'm still scared." It was a rare moment of real vulnerability from her. I saw the old Miki in her eyes, the lonely Magical Heart Princess I'd first met. "I don't have an answer for you," I said softly, taking her hand. "So, let's go back to where we first met." "And remember to put on a face mask. Can't have people seeing the famous Miki Aoyama walking around with a shady guy like me." I giggle. She looked confused but was too tired to argue. She pulled a black mask from her purse and slipped it on. I led her out of the agency and back towards a familiar, grimy part of town. The rooftop of the Himawari Department Store was exactly how I remembered it. Same gravel, same low ledge, same killer view of the city lights. Miki stood at the edge, looking out at the city. She took off her mask, breathing in the cool night air. "...This is where it all started," she whispered. "I was so pathetic then, wasn't I? Just a little girl playing dress-up, desperate for anyone to notice me." She turned to face me, the city lights reflecting in her eyes. "You found me here. You gave me everything I wanted. My fame, my fans, our team. You gave me a real dream, Master." "You forgot the part where my tentacles tied you up and I corrupted the shivering Heart Princess," I said, hugging her from behind and kissing her cheek. A deep blush spread across her face. She leaned back against my chest, her body going soft in my arms. "I didn't forget, Master," she whispered, her voice breathy. "I remember every second. The fear, the pain, and then... the pleasure. It was terrifying. And it was the best thing that ever happened to me!" she whispered. "You put me back together. A better, stronger, and more honest version of me." She reached up and touched my face. "That little girl, Magical Heart Princess, she would have lost to them. She was weak and alone." "But I'm not her anymore, am I?" A new confidence started to burn in her eyes, chasing away the fear. "I am Dark Heart Princess. I am one of the Fallen Stars. And I am your idol, Master." "Yeah, you're my Miki," I said warmly. "My idol, the first one to join the team, the first contact in my phone." I winked and sat down on the gravel. "So... as your scouting fee, I demand a private concert. Right now." My words were the perfect medicine for her bruised confidence. A dazzling, genuine smile broke across her face. "A private concert? For my scouting fee?" She giggled, a light, musical sound. "That's a hard bargain, Master, but I think I can pay my debts." She didn't need a stage or a sound system. The city was her backdrop. She stood before me, took a deep breath, and began to sing. It wasn't one of her pop hits. It was a simple, quiet ballad, just for me. Her voice was pure and clear, filled with a raw emotion that hit me right in the chest. As she sang, I could feel her magic, not as a wave of adoration or despair, but as a gentle warmth that wrapped around me. As if she were sharing a piece of her soul. When the song ended, she stood in silence, her eyes shining in the city lights. "You know," she said, her voice quiet but steady, "Aoi gave me a special job for the fight. It's my job to hold back Valkyrie with my magic, to get inside her head and keep her off balance so she can't just wreck everyone." She let out a small, humorless laugh. "Sounds crazy, right? Me, a B-rank, going up against the only S-rank in the whole city." She looked me right in the eye, and the fear that had been there before was completely gone. "But I'm not scared anymore, Master," she said, her voice firm and clear. "Let them come. We'll be ready."