Sam studied the trembling girl in front of her. The girl had been standing with one group of magical girls. But she was far enough away that it looked like she didn’t want to be there. That make him curious. It was the only thing that kept him from shooting her. He still might. It all depended on how she satisfied his curiosity. He kept one gun pointed at the girl.

“Why,” he asked. At the girl’s blank look, he continued. “Why were you standing away from them?”

“I, I didn’t like what they were doing,” the girl stammered.

“And why not,” Sam coldly asked.

“W-w shouldn’t be fighting the other magical girls,” came the stammering response. “They’re a-are t-too many m-monsters for us to do that.”

Sam stared at the girl for a long moment. “Remember that,” he said. “I won’t be so forgiving next time.” He then holstered his guns and walked away. He had been hoping to shoot someone else, but he knew he shouldn’t shoot her. Not everybody can stand up to their friends when they’re doing the wrong thing. He ignored the girl as she collapsed where she stood. He also ignored the ones who had been standing separate from the others as they had their guides with them.

He still wanted to shoot something. Shooting those girls didn’t do a thing for him. Maybe, if he was lucky, he’d run into the monsters those magical girls were chasing. He knew it wouldn’t make things better, but it would make him feel better.

“Maybe now they’ll start to listen,” Selene asked.

Sam looked down at the cat. He did not know when she had gotten there. The last time he had seen her, she was under his bed. He frowned as this reminded him of his doctor’s appointment. “Maybe who’ll listen?”

“The magical girls,” Selene replied. “They have been warned several times that they needed to behave appropriately.”

Sam grunted in response. As there was nothing else to do here, he was looking for a place to change back to normal. He didn’t want to stay dressed as he was longer than he needed to be. He also did not want any record of his change. It may not be happening now, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the more violent of the magical girls start hunting him down.

It wasn’t too much longer that he found a place to change back. After making sure there was nobody around and that there were no cameras, he changed. He looked around for a moment then started walking. He did not want to go home right now. And he didn’t want to spend more time with his sister or girlfriend. He just wanted some time alone. To think. He didn’t notice that Selene was following him. Sorrow was in her eyes.

Chelsea fell to her knees as Hollow Point walked away. She didn’t want to believe how close she came to being shot. She had gotten into a lot of battles since becoming a magical girl. But that was the first time she had actually felt threatened. Usually all she felt was the thrill of excitement. This made her think. If Hollow Point was here to stay, then, maybe, it was time to quit being a magical girl.

Chelsea looked up as a group of girls ran up to her. She recognized Of the three, she only recognized Stacy. Of course, she was dressed in her Valkyrie costume. The other two girls looked like strippers. Chelsea didn’t even look twice at them.

“Chelsea,” Stacy cried as ran up to the kneeling girl. “I thought she was going to shoot you!”

“Me too,” Chelsea shakily said. “I’m glad she didn’t.”

“Why didn’t she,” one of the other girls asked.

Chelsea looked at the girl. She was a brunette, standing a little taller than Chelsea would have been. She was dressed in a very skimpy blue bikini and diaphanous cloth. “Who are you?”

“That’s Dream Warrior Blue Fire,” Stacy said. “The one in pink is Dream Warrior Pink Ice. They’re okay.”

“If you say so,” Chelsea said uncertainly. She hoped the costumes they wore were not their choice.

“So, why didn’t she shoot you,” Pink Ice asked when Chelsea didn’t say anything else.

Chelsea shivered as she thought about what just happened. “She didn’t shoot me because I wasn’t standing with the others,” she finally said. “But I could tell that she wanted to. She had that look in her eyes.”

“What look was that,” Blue fire asked.

“That she was just looking for a reason to shoot me,” Chelsea said. She looked at Kyubi. “Are you sure she’s one of the good guys?”

“Yes,” Kyubi said as the others turn to look at him and Subiya. “The elders did choose her. Didn’t any of you notice the cat her feet? I don’t know her name, but she’s obviously a spirit guide.”

The girls looked at each other. “I don’t remember seeing a cat with her,” Stacy finally said.

“Trust me, she was there.”

“You can believe him,” Subiya said. “I saw her as well.”

“But what does that mean,” Stacy asked.

“It means you had better start doing your jobs,” Subiya said. “Or else you’ll face her.”

“How can we do that,” Blue Fire protested. “Neither of us has a full team right now.”

“You’ll rebuild your teams,” Kyubi said. “Replacements will be found. Until then, kill the monster and the ones who send them.”

“And don’t fight the other magical girls,” Subiya added.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Chelsea said. “I don’t want to face that girl again.

Sam was walking aimlessly. After turning back to normal, he didn’t want to find his sister or girlfriend. He wanted some time alone. He knew that they only wanted to help, but right now, he just needed to be alone. Life was not being very kind to him. Making him look and sound like a girl wasn’t good. If he had been transgendered, he’d be over the moon. He’d only need one surgery to get what he wanted. Of course, that’s the last thing he wanted. In fact, if he knew of some way of making his dig and balls larger, he’d do that. Make sure there was no mistaking what was between his legs. Of course, if he did that, he’d attract more bullies than he already did.

Why couldn’t he be normal? Or, at least, be allowed to live in peace. He’d rather be normal though. Just about all the boys in the world were normal. Why couldn’t he? He didn’t know what he wouldn’t do to be normal. He just knew it was a lot.

“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

Sam almost jumped out of his shoes. He had forgotten that the cat was with him. Just why was she still there, he didn’t know. “Don’t what?”

“Whatever it was you were thinking about,” Selene said. “I’m not telepathic, but I can read your emotions. And they had gone to a dark place.”

“And what would you know,” snarled Sam. “You’re the one who did this to me!”

“I know that if we don’t’ go somewhere private, people will think you’re crazy,” Selene answered back. “You are talking to a cat in public, you know.”

Sam looked around. Sure enough, there were people giving him wary glances. He immediately straightened and resumed walking. He did his best to ignore the blush heating his face. He could feel the eyes of several people following him as he walked. It was something he was, reluctantly, getting used to.

As he continued walking, Sam couldn’t help but stew over his situation. He was a boy who looked so much like a girl that girl’s clothes fit him better than boy’s clothes. For some reason, his girlfriend likes him like this. Why? He didn’t know and he didn’t want to find out. He might not like the answer. The bullies at school refused to believe that he did not want to be this way. They picked on him and told anybody who’d listen that he was sneaking hormones. Fortunately, Rebecca was fighting against that. How, she never said. He only knew that by the end of the school year, several girls were staring at his crotch. When he asked, they never said why. Just blushed and hurried away. Something told him he needed to talk to Rebecca about that. And the cherry on top of this mess was that he was a magical girl!

Sam growled as he remembered that little fact. Just because he looked like a girl a magical cat slapped a magical bracelet on his arm. And now he had to fight the magical girls in the city. That cat didn’t even ask him if he wanted to do this! Sure, it needed to be done. Somebody had to take those girls in hand. It just didn’t have to be him. And speaking of the cat. Sam glared down at the Selene who was walking near his feet.

“If you wait a few more moments, we can talk,” Selene said after glancing up. “We’re almost there.”

“Where,” hissed Sam.

“The park. Where else?”

Startled, Sam looked around. Selene was right. They were near the park. At first, Sam didn’t know why Selene led them here. Then he figured it out. People talk to their pets all the time in the park. One more wouldn’t make a difference. He could wait for a few minutes more. When they arrived at the park, Selene continued to walk until she found a small secluded area.

Once the two were alone, Sam found that he didn’t want to talk. Instead, he sat down against a tree. He knew he was depressed and that he shouldn’t be alone. But being around his friends and family hurt. And he was so tired of hurting. And pretending not to hurt. He just stared at nothing, trying not to think about anything.

“There might be a way to help you,” Selene said. “Possibly make you look like a boy.”

Sam’s head snapped up. He gave Selene a fierce look. “What did you say?”

“That there may be a chance for you to look like a boy,” Selene said. “I’d have to ask the elders about it. Even then, they’d probably have you continue being a magical girl.”

“You’re not just saying that, are you?”

“No,” Selene solemnly said. “This is not something one should make light of. I’ll ask the elders tonight. Now, I can’t guarantee an answer tonight. They’ll mostly likely take their time thinking about this. But they will answer. I just can’t say what the answer will be.”

Sam thought about it. On one hand, he might get cured. But that would mean spending time as a magical girl. He didn’t want that. But as a magical girl, he could work out his frustrations shooting magical girls. He knew those girls would give him plenty of opportunity to shoot them. On the other hand, there was no guarantee that the elders would or even could cure him. The doctors said it was genetic. He didn’t think magic could affect genetics.

“Okay,” Sam said. “Do it. Ask them. The worst they can say is no. And I really have nothing to lose.”

Selene nodded. “Now that that’s settled. Could you go back to your sister and girlfriend? I’m sure they’re frantic over your disappearance. You did go missing during a magical girl attack, you know.”

With a sigh, Sam stood up. “I guess so,” he said. “But I don’t think I want to do any more shopping today.”

Selene watched as Sam walked away. She could only hope she did the right thing.

In the mall, a figure watched from the shadows as the police gathered up the ex-magical girls. The rumors going through the magical community were true. This Hollow Point did have the ability to remove a magical girl’s power. This could be good news.

When the figure was sure nobody was looking, it left. It had plans to make. Plans concerning the magical girl.