Disclaimer: This is fanwork based on the anime Re:Creators by Troyca. Its setting, characters and plot belong to their rightful creators. I write this only for fun and as a little writing experiment.

EPISODE 9: A MINION IN TROUBLE

I knew it! That daughter of a hyena is trying to steal my minion!

After losing sight of Magane this morning, I've spent the rest of the day searching for that psycho. I even brought Grasshopper Glasses with me. This wasn't what I had in mind when I asked him for a date, but now I'm not in the mood for romantic entanglements. We have rabid vermin to hunt. Also, he smokes. That's awfully unhealthy.

It's been long, and boring, and Grasshopper Glasses is impolite, but finally we find her.

As I feared, Magane is not alone. Sota is with her, near a cafe. They're talking, although I can't make out what they're saying. The shark girl is in a good mood, while Sota is on his knees, looking down. She sits on top of a fence and starts massaging him with her shoes, in a way that feels both dainty and mocking. Crap, she's playing the dom to his sub. I didn't expect Sota to be into that kind of thing. I should take notes for a minion management lesson… I mean, I should stop this before it goes too far. Sota is an invaluable member of my court. If he isn't around, who's going to bring me coffee?

We get closer. Now we can hear what Magane is saying.

"Watching people do what I set them up to do is really fun", she claims. "I never have negative emotions like hate and resentment. There are no bad feelings involved when I'm having fun. How shall I put it? I have a noble heart".

Magane embraces Sota with her legs and forces him to look directly at her panties. Well, I suppose it's her panties. I can't see anything from my point of view and I can't rule out the possibility that she's going commando. If she's not wearing underwear, that would explain Sota's expression of dull horror. He's either having a mental breakdown or a severe allergic reaction.

The purple-haired freak notices Sota's blue screen of death, but she seems to mistake the true reason behind it and tells him:

"Don't worry, Sota. What was her name, Aluminium Foil? Oh, Altair! I'll lay a landmine for her too and make sure it explodes!"

What. Destroying Altair is my plan! She's my rival, not yours! I'm the one who is telling people she's a danger and who is using their fear to strengthen my position. Don't steal my tricks. Also, "Aluminium Foil"? What a stupid nickname. My nicknames are far better than yours.

We have to act. Now. Grasshopper Glasses isn't very enthusiastic about it, but he agrees. I'm not the only one who finds Magane annoying.

He emerges from the shadows calmly, enjoying his cigarette for a bit longer.

"Hey, I feel bad to ask, but could you stop trying to fool Sota?"

Magane doesn't look very happy with the interruption, but Grasshopper Glasses ignores her and speaks to her prisoner instead.

"Hey, Sota. I bet they told you to listen to other people when you were a kid. But people like her, they take advantage of nice people like you. They use you until you destroy yourself".

Grasshopper Glasses sounds bitter. Talking from experience, I presume? He threatens Magane with his sword, but the psycho is less than impressed.

"That was so mean", she complains. "Watch your words, boy. Do I look like such a bad person? You hurt me and my virgin heart".

"You're not a person. You're just a laughing piece of skin hanging over a bunch of lies".

"Oh, what a cool compliment".

"Stay back, Sota!", Grasshopper Glasses shouts.

And they jump, and fight, and go away. My cue to appear. Why risk getting close to a known murderer when you have a meat shield to do it for you? Although, now that I think about it. Grasshopper Glasses is a murderer too. I read the synopsis of Exlusive Underground. It seems that he deserted his team after killing his friend and the hero's sister. Had I known it earlier, I wouldn't have been so interested in recruiting Magane. Oh, well, that's a mistake that we're going to correct today.

I descend upon my minion.

"Sota", I say in the most neutral tone I can.

He looks at me confused. He hasn't realized the situation he's in. But when he does, he immediately lowers his head and begs for forgiveness.

"Sorry! Sorry, Meteora! I did it again. Why didn't I do it earlier?", he says while sobbing uncontrollably.

I approach him. Yes, Sota, you were useless again. You should have told me that Magane contacted you. But you didn't, and I had to look for her for hours. However, this situation we're in stems from my inability to see that Magane was after you, not after me. I'm human, after all. A superior kind of human, and soon to become the supreme being of all existence, but I still make mistakes. For that, I'll be magnanimous and I'll only ask you to…

"I didn't help Shimazaki", he continues. "I felt she deserved what she got".

What? Did he say "Shimazaki"? Like Shimazaki Setsuna, the Creator of Altair?

"Shimazaki hadn't changed at all. I wanted Shimazaki to… But it wasn't true. I was just frustrated that I didn't measure up. I made her die!"

It's difficult to understand him with all his sobbing, and I lack data and context. But if what I fear he's saying is true, if Shimazaki Setsuna, Altair's author, is dead, we have a very big problem. I need him to calm down and talk coherently.

"That time, I knew there was something you were afraid to talk about. I thought I was being kind by not asking you about it", I mutter. Well, that and I thought my pep talk was good enough and I didn't need to worry about the mundane problems of one of my minions. "But I was foolish. I was careless".

"No!", Sota protests, crying in my arms. "I'm the one who was careless! Not only Shimazaki. I… Even Mamika!"

Wait. Has he said 'Mamika'? My cute Magical Slowpoke Mamika? Does he mean she's dead?

No.

No!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

She can't be dead! I refuse to accept it! I was going to make her change sides, to turn against her comrades and become my exterminating angel in pink! With her raw power, my victory against Altair was assured. And now… now… I must think of something, quickly. Where's her body? Necromancy isn't my forte, but with my Magic Book there's no spell I can't learn. I don't know if a zombie Mamika will be able to use the "power of smiles" or whatever her magic source is called, but I need to try.

As for Sota, I'd like to squeeze him until he spills all the beans, but he's a sobbing mess and I'm afraid he will break if I push him further. Also, there's the matter of Magane. I need to make sure the fight is going according to plan. But I'm not leaving without telling him what I think of his pathetic performance.

"Sota. If you are aware that it is your fault that you hurt someone, then you must not forget about it. You must not use pleasant words to forget about it. Do not look away. Continue to ask yourself what you can do. In other words, that is the reason for your living".

Never forget, Sota, that you live because I allow it. You failed big time and now you'll have to make up for it. Don't you dare run away from your responsibilities. I won't tolerate any memory lapses, or convenient distractions, or willful omissions. When I go back, I expect you to man up and prove your usefulness to me. If I deem your words insufficient, you better start looking for new ways to be useful. Otherwise, the punishment will be grim.

"The world requires choice and resolution", I insist. "Embrace it, and face it".

Fortune favors the bold. And I favor resolute minions, not worthless crybabies.

Sota stops crying and nods. He gets it. Good, perhaps there's still hope for him. Having to punish minions is bad for morale.

Now, let's see how Grasshopper Glasses is doing.

00000

Pitiful. Grasshopper Glasses hasn't hit her even once. What, is she a superhuman too? An athletics champion? An Olympic gymnast? Or is Grasshopper Glasses just that bad at aiming?

"This is no match for me", Magane mocks him. "What do you think, bad boy?"

"I'll show you! I've never met a girl who was fine after getting hit with this!", he claims. Well, yeah, but your problem is that you have to hit her to begin with.

Grasshopper Glasses uses his sword to create a shockwave that devastates the parking lot. Surprisingly, this time Magane doesn't try to avoid the attack. She stands there, with her arms folded, and mumbles something. When the shockwave reaches her, she's unharmed. Around her, however, the pavement is destroyed.

"What did you do?", an angry Grasshopper Glasses asks.

Magane bursts out in a roar of laughter.

"Yes, yes, that's it, that's it!", she says and points at Yuuya. "You like like a cat that's been run over. I just love seeing that look on your face. You're as stupid as you look".

She's certainly right. I expected better from Grasshopper Glasses. He was present when we told Kikuchihara about Magane's power, the Infinite Deception of Words. But he probably didn't listen. Sigh. Personally, I'd love to see Grasshopper Glasses being taken down a peg, but this shark girl is a wild card who tried to steal my minions from me. She must die.

"Be careful, Mirokuji. Her power is to reverse cause and effect by making the person under her spell deny what she asks", I deign to inform Grasshopper Glasses.

Surely, he won't fall for the same trick again. Right?

He smiles.

"I see".

"Come on", Magane invites us to attack.

This time, Grasshopper Glasses doesn't speak. He just sends another shockwave with his sword. To his surprise (and mine too), that daughter of a hyena keeps smiling. The attack is a complete failure, despite not using her power. Or perhaps it's already active? I think I understand. And I don't like it.

"Once laws have been bent, they stick", I mutter.

What a problematic power. What is the limit of it? Could she just tell someone that she's the Empress of Japan, and when they deny it she will make it true, regardless the laws of causality? Please, tell me that's not the case. An overpowered Mutated Mop is enough.

"Meteora!", someone shouts.

Sota? What's he doing here? Oh, yes, I told him to be more proactive. Silly me. 10 points for the spirit, but right now he's a liability. I don't have time to play with him. Grasshopper Glasses and I must think of a new strategy to take down Magane.

"Attacking Magane with Kuronagimaru won't work anymore. Probably not until Magane dies", I tell him.

"No way!"

Of course, if Magane dies, why would Grasshopper Glasses want to attack her? Well, it would make sense if he was a sadistic necrophiliac, but I don't think that's the case. Or is it?

"I hate it. I don't like spoilers", Magane complains jokingly. "Whenever I see someone having fun giving away the secret behind a magic trick, it spoils the fun! I hate it when people do that".

Cry me a river.

"Hangaku!", Grasshopper Glasses summons his warrior ghost.

Sadly, the ghost's attacks are as accurate as her master's. You know, I'm starting to suspect that Magane has already used her power with him to make him fail all of his attacks. Otherwise, I can't understand how come the guy who faced Blitz Talker, Mamika and Alicetaria at the same time is incapable of landing a single hit on that shark girl.

Magane jumps so high she lands on top of a near building. Ok, not even I can do that without spells. Where does that agility come from? I would have some very strong words with her author, had she not killed him already.

She ignores Grasshopper Glasses and looks directly at me.

"What do you think, nerdy girl? The plan I gave Sota fell through. But instead, how about making a deal with me? A project for destroying Altair. It's a bargain!"

Nerdy girl? Me? I'm the Sage of the End of the World! The Seeker of a Thousand Miles! I'm not 'nerdy'. I… Wait, she's trying to make me babble like a fool. That's how she tricks her victims. If I stay silent, I win.

And I'm not interested in making deals, thank you very much. You had your opportunity to swear allegiance to my cause. Now it's too late… for you.

"Hey! You don't want to talk to me?", she complains. "Or are you scared? You don't want to lose an argument with me? Even you, Meteora, the Seeker of a Thousand Miles?"

She knows. That damn psycho knows that my arguments are not as solid as I boast. She probably learned about them from Sota. If I give her a cue, I fear that she may unravel the castle of deception and lies I've been building since I met Princess Tomato and the others.

"Provoking people and taking advantage of their vulnerabilities, it's your same old trick", I retort. No, I won't fall for that trick. Not me. I'm Meteora the Unperturbed, the Undaunted, the Deadpan.

Magane sighs.

"Oh, well. Trying to destroy each other would have been fun. But I hate forcing things. People should live freestyle. Or else they won't become happy!"

Grasshopper Glasses doesn't find it funny.

"That trick bag is so full of herself", he grumbles.

Magane ignores him again.

"Oh, that's right, that's right. Meteora, I know I just said that it's too bad that you won't play with me. But it looks like there are other people who want to play with you too. See?"

She points to the sky. There's a sonic boom, a missile falls from the sky and lands in front of us, raising a cloud of dust and debris. And in the middle of it, a very angry-looking Alice In Wonderland appears riding her horse and ready for battle.

"I have been searching for you", she says. "Meteora!"

This is going to hurt, isn't it?

Author's notes:

A quick update, since watching a new episode is good for inspiration ^_^;

-The series never explained why Meteora and Yuuya managed to find Sota and Magane there. Were they following Sota? Were they on patrol? Did the government call? Perhaps the extra material explains it, but that's yet another plot hole of canon. Here, after Meteora's mistake in the previous chapter, Magane becomes her most urgent target and spends hours looking for her.

-I planned at first to have Meteora hear all the conversation between Magane and Sota, but after rewatching the episode I noticed that our beloved evil overlord was surprised when Sota informed her that Mamika had died. Thus, at best she could have heard only the final part of the conversation.

-Why would an evil overlord be so kind to a failure of a minion like Sota who almost betrayed her? Well, between Mamika's fate and the reveal that he knows about Altair's author, Meteora can't let him die so easily. Not until he explains himself. Yet again her pep talk sounded a bit darker than the usual fictional variety. Incidentally, this also will explain why Meteora tries to put Sota out of harm's way in the next episode… only for him to risk death yet again. Perhaps she shouldn't have encouraged him to be more resolute.