It took no time at all for Emi to float back up to her window, flying inside before closing it shut.
She shut her eyes, releasing a shaky breath as the anxiety slowly left her body.
"...That was terrifying." She whispered as Lumi floated in front of her.
"And you still stood your ground!" He said proudly. "You protected someone you love. That's the heart of a Magical Girl."
Emi stared up at her ceiling before turning around, placing both arms on the window's edge to look outside.
"...I just didn't want him to get hurt." She said innocently.
She looked at the Silver Key in her hand, then clenched it as newfound resolve slowly replaced the fear she had in her heart moments ago.
"...If there are more of those things, then I won't run away if it means protecting other people."
Lumi smiled widely as ever.
"Welcome to your new life, Emi!" He said, nodding his head. "This was only the beginning, there are things out there that you don't understand! And they're dangerous. Far more dangerous than that Formless Spawn you just defeated!"
"...More dangerous?" She said, tilting her head.
Lumi shifted from his usual playful demeanor to a solemn one as he floated closer.
"Yes. The Formless Spawn are the least of your worries, trust me. There are things that can enter this world that exist beyond human comprehension. Beings of unfathomable power! Nobody in this world can stop them, except for Magical Girls. That's where you, and many others come along."
Emi slowly turned away from the window, hugging the key to her chest.
"There are plenty of others like me, right now?" She asked, staring at the magical tool before glancing back at the Star Spirit. "If you really mean what you say, Lumi. If there are other bad things out there, then why are Shadows so common? I see them everywhere I go in Hoshikawa Town."
Lumi widened his eyes, seemingly hesitating to answer.
"...That's what worries me."
Her heart skipped a beat at his reply.
"Huh?"
"This town... it's very odd. For something like that to appear so openly is extremely rare, you know? Even if they're invisible to human eyes." He looked down in thought. "That has to mean that something else may be nearby. Something big enough to spawn them."
Emi tensed her shoulders, thinking of it in a way that any other kid would.
"...Like a boss?" She asked.
Lumi blinked multiple times at her question.
"...Uhh, that is a disturbingly accurate way to put it!"
"I-I'm not ready for any boss fights!" She shook her head.
"Hey!" Lumi protested. "That was still impressive! First transformation, first fight, zero casualties! That's way above average!"
"...What do you mean by 'above average'?" Emi asked, widening her eyes.
Lumi coughed.
"L-Let's not focus on that part!"
"If you say so."
Emi smiled innocently at him, now standing up from the window ledge.
"So what now, Lumi? Do I just... wait for another Shadow to show up?"
"For tonight?" Lumi shook his head. "No, you definitely need some rest. Your Soul Root needs time to stabilize after a Reload. Overusing magic right away can make you exhausted... or worse."
"...Worse?" Emi asked cautiously.
"You'll pass out dramatically!" He said as if it was some big deal. "Usually face-first!"
"...Oh."
"But!" Lumi quickly added, floating higher. "From tomorrow on, we train!"
Emi widened her eyes before stiffening up her body.
"T-Train?"
"Yup! We'll do some flying practice! Magical control! Emotional focus! Magical Girl basics!" He struck a heroic pose midair with his starry body. "We'll start with things like simple magic constructs before moving on to bigger techniques."
She stared at him for a few seconds, quiet as ever before answering honestly.
"...I still have school."
Lumi froze midair.
"...Right."
"And homework."
"...Right."
"And chores."
"...This planet is cruel!"
Despite the countless other things to do tomorrow, Emi giggled at his response.
"Even though I'm now a Magical Girl, there are many things I have to do in my daily life as well!"
She could feel the tension finally breaking.
Walking over to her bed, the youth sat down, resting the Silver Key across her lap—though all of a sudden—her magical outfit started dissolving into sparkles of light, causing her to widen her eyes in panic.
"H-Hey!" She yelped out loud. "My outfit! Something's happening!"
"Relax." Lumi said calmly. "It's the transformation time limit, you're just reverting."
In a gentle glow, her magical dress unraveled into ribbons of light, reforming into her normal clothes.
"I-I have a time limit?" She asked, a bit disappointed.
"All Magical Girls do! But you're special, Emi." Lumi reassured her with a smile. "Once you learn how to use your Magical tool more efficiently, you can constantly stay in your Magical Girl form by borrowing the positive emotions from other realities, and turning them into fuel."
The young girl blinked multiple times.
"C-Can I really do that? That sounds like cheating!" She said, completely baffled by all of this.
"Well, you just happened to get a super, ultra, omega powerful magical tool! So you're extremely lucky!"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
Jumping up in her bed, startled, Emi glanced at the door.
"Emi! Are you alright in there?"
Standing up from the mattress and throwing her Silver Key on the pillow, she immediately ran to the door, swinging it open to see her worried Father.
Emi froze for half a second—then quickly plastered on the biggest, brightest smile she could manage.
"Y-Yeah! I'm fine!" She said a little too fast.
Her father leaned forward slightly, peering past her into the room.
"I heard a loud noise earlier up here." He said in concern. "Then someone was also trying to break into our house. Unless it was some bad prank pulled off by that Moon Scar gang!"
Emi laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head.
"Ahaha... I, um... I tripped! Really hard!" She puffed her cheeks. "I totally forgot my backpack was on the floor and went boom!"
She even mimed the fall, throwing her arms out dramatically.
Her father stared at her for a moment.
"...You tripped?" He said, lifting his brows.
"Mhm! Super clumsy me!" Emi nodded way too many times.
Her father sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You really need to be more careful. You could've hurt yourself."
"I know! I know!" Emi replied. "I'll be careful next time, promise, Dad!"
He glanced around one last time—at the open window, the slightly ruffled curtains—then back at his daughter.
"Well, I need you to stay in your room. Your big brother is out right now, so I can't have him babysitting you. I'm gonna call the cops and report this. Make sure to close your windows and lock your doors until I'm done, understood?"
Emi nodded with a nervous smile.
"I understand, Dad!"
After a pause, he finally relaxed
"Dinner's also almost ready. Just give me twenty minutes."
Her eyes lit up instantly.
"Okay, thank you Dad!" She said, running to hug him around the waist.
He chuckled, ruffling her hair before turning to head back downstairs.
"Alright, do what I said."
Emi stood there for a moment longer before slowly letting out the breath she'd been holding.
"...That was way too close!" She said, shaky as ever. "I'm really bad at lying!"
She gently shut the door, turning the lock with a quiet click, then leaned her forehead against the wood.
Behind the youth, Lumi slowly floated toward her with his tiny hands gripping the sides of his starry body.
"Moon Scar gang? That was his first assumption?"
Emi turned around, relaxing her shoulders.
"Dad worries a lot about those bullies because I'm always getting involved with them."
Lumi tilted his head, hovering a bit closer.
"I see. Then maybe we can use those guys as an excuse whenever something like this ever happens again." Said Lumi, smiling sadistically. "But still... for Shadows to be this common. That's freaking bad
Emi could see his worried expression and decided to keep hers masked.
"...Lumi, you said Magical Girls are the only ones who can stop those things, right?"
"Yep!" He replied without hesitation.
"...What happens if we fail?"
Lumi went silent, staring her in the face.
"There is something you have to understand, Emi." His voice suddenly shifted into a more serious tone. "Formless Spawns have a purpose; they're guardians and protectors of secrets. They're known to lie motionless for years on end, acting like some dark pool waiting to be disturbed by the unwary."
Emi widened her eyes, feeling shivers trail up her spine.
"They're abstract entities, created by an accumulation of magic that only comes from powerful mystical artifacts, or beings of unfathomable power, whose name I dare not say."
"So they only exist to protect secrets?" She asked, trying to wrap her head around all of this.
"Mmm!" Lumi nodded. "Formless Shadows represent those things; guardians and protectors of secrets. That's what they embody by nature." He looked a bit worried. "That's why, if you see so many of them, then that could only mean they're trying to protect something precious. And that precious 'something' is here, in your town!"
"T-Then why did it try to attack me?!" She asked, stepping forward.
"Because you're a Magical Girl." Lumi replied. "It despises your kind. It knows you have what it takes to destroy them and stop whatever it is that they're guarding. Because it cannot be good!"