Loud knocking woke me up. Despite wanting nothing more than to just keep lying down and doing my best impression of a dead fish, I couldn’t just ignore the person at the door. Not when they keep hammering away at my door.

  “This is the Purgatory Police Department, please answer the door.” Especially when they were the police…

  It didn’t help that the voice sounded very familiar. With a groan, my entire body protested the movement. My entire body crackled with the motion, and with a sharp exhale, I finally got my feet under me in what felt like hours.

  Opening the front door, I saw a face I didn’t expect to see this early in the morning. Tall as always, towering even, was…

  “Oh, Grim… Didn’t expect to see you this fine morning…” I said between a stifled yawn.

  She glanced down at me with a quirked eyebrow. Her eyes drifted to the bandages, my arm that was tightly wrapped, and the copious number of bloodied gauze and cloth piled in a corner of my room.

  “I can see you had an eventful last night.”

  “You could say that.” I replied back, ruefully.

  “Well, I assume you know something about this?” She points to my neighbor’s apartment. The trail of blood, the marks on the wall, the shattered door. All of it was being swarmed over by police.

  “Depends… am I going to be in trouble for it?”

  “No, you’re fine. We just need some information…” She pauses. “If you want, we can do this somewhere nicer, a café, or diner. I’ll buy?”

  I considered and nodded after a moment. I was starving and I needed a good warm meal. Even if I felt like I was going to keel over at any moment… The ice kept me standing at least, that and my new, sturdier biology.

  “Let me get dressed really quick.” I didn’t wait for her to agree and shut the door. Within a few minutes, I was dressed, shoes on, and wearing my coat. After that, we quickly moved to a diner nearby where I went ahead and ordered what I wanted, with extra portions.

  I barely paid her much attention until I was full and done.

  “Feeling better?” Grim asked, she had a cup of coffee and a bagel.

  “Much…” I admitted. “Last night was…” I thought of the party, everything I had learned, then the monster attack… “Not fun.”

  “I imagine it wasn’t, do you think you’d be able to answer some questions?”

  “I can.” So, I did. I told her about my night, roughly, skipping over the party, but mentioning that I had been somewhere and got back late. To me waking up late in the night to the sounds of fighting next door and everything that led up to me killing the monster in the laundry room. I ended it with what happened when I took the coin and Grim went quiet.

  The whole time, she had taken notes, but kept quiet, letting me speak, but…

  “Tell me, Grim… Are the shades in the sewers and waterworks, people?”

  She hummed. Tapping her pen against her notepad.

  “Technically, they are.”

  “Technically? What do you mean by that? I know that monster was my neighbor!” I was a bit too loud, and a few heads turned towards me, but otherwise, nothing. I took a moment to calm myself and breathe, during which the waitress came back and refilled Grim’s coffee.

  Grim took a long sip of her scalding coffee and then, she spoke. “Tell me, what do you think of this city?”

  I blinked, not quite getting it. After all, she’s already asked me this question.

  “Look around. Tell me what you think of our fellow diners, our waitress, and the cook that you can see occasionally through the serving window.” She said, all too calmly.

  So… I did. I looked at them. Really paid attention to them. Everything seemed fine, but…

  “Not seeing anything. They look normal enough.”

  “They do, don’t they?” She returned with, which, was not a good thing. “The people in this city are…” She pauses, not for effect, but it may as well have been. “More or less, echoes. They exist, they are people, but also, they aren’t quite. If you talk to them, they have names, families, histories, and if you follow them around, all of it will check out. For all intents and purposes, they are real people.”

  “But?” I asked. “What makes them not real people?”

  “It’s not that their, not real people.” She started and pursed her lips. “I’m not exactly sure of the how, but I do know this. They both are and aren’t people.”

  “It would be better to explain that as refuges, of a sort.”

  “Refugees?”

  “Yes. You’ll understand a bit better when you take on your third and final tutorial event, but the people here are more or less outsourced, to a point. They have their lives, children, and all that. But at the same time, they have certain restrictions placed on them. Restrictions like their lack of awareness concerning certain topics. Unintentional uses of magic go unnoticed, nor does the inexplicable strength we can show off, and they tend to outright ignore certain topics, such as magic, Magical Girls, or such. Unless it’s related to certain media.”

  What she said, made me think back to my own experiences. Especially during my first month here, or rather, the latter part of the month when I was literally turning the whole division into a cold storage room. There were comments, but nobody noticed it was me… though…

  “Someone noticed though.”

  “Were they a magic user?”

  I thought to Mr. Torres, and the foci he had. “Yeah, they were.”

  “Magic users and mages are the exception, not the rule. They tend to make up the power structure of the city, well, before our kind move in and take control.”

  “Alright, but… how does this make them not human?”

  “I didn’t say that, but… mm… You know how everyone avoids the dark?”

  It wasn’t hard to agree with that statement, though…

  “When the sun falls, miasma, or rather, concentrated magic comes to the surface. It changes and twists the city. This effect shifts and changes with the phases of the moon. It tends to be at its lowest during the new moon, and highest during the full moon. Contact with miasma, or high concentrations of magical energy, changes them. Again, I don’t know the how of it, or really, why they change. Only that they do.”

  I thought of Billy, how he had changed. The brief instant, the reflection in the water…

  “Which is why I say they are both human and not.”

  “Is that why…” I thought aloud, before pivoting. “And, is that how my neighbor changed? Contact with miasma, or…” I trail off, that magical energy I had sensed from his boxes, how he reacted.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “That’s why we’re interviewing you. The man, was a debtor, but he also worked with the dragon gang.”

  “Dragon gang?” Sounded familiar.

  “Yes, the premier criminal organization of this city. More specifically, they don’t do anything, they just act as the financiers for other criminals.”

  “Isn’t that illegal?”

  “Technically, no. It’s not their fault that they lend money to criminals who then turn around and do illegal acts. Nor does it matter that all the criminal infrastructure within the city is in some way owned or managed by the dragon group through a twisting network of debts and favors owed.”

  “And the police have done nothing about them?”

  “Whenever a criminal group arises, we deal with them.” She said in lieu of a response.

  “And don’t they just get back out? Surely the dragon group pays for lawyers and all.” I followed up with, and she gave me a hungry grin.

  “I assure you, those that do survive our efforts, they don’t tend to be in any condition to continue their work.”

  A chill went down my spine. “I imagine that has had… some effect?” I try to pivot, at least slightly.

  “An incredible effect. Our reptation helps to keep the criminal gangs within the laws, if only just. The greater issue is the extra-legal activities the dragon gang takes. There is nothing wrong with financing gangs or controlling and operating countless loan sharks throughout the city. Nor does it matter that they work with the bank, since it is a public building, and we have no capability of restricting who works with the bank.”

  She took a moment to sigh, clearly frustrated with the innerworkings of, politics of all things.

  “The issue is, recently… Mm, remember when we went into the sewers, looking for whatever was causing the disappearances?”

  “I do… I also remember that it wasn’t what we were looking for, and it ended up being a lost sheep or something. Speaking of, was that ever resolved?”

  “It was, we were able to locate the magical girl with the help of another sheep and even managed to rescue her from her predicament. As of now, I’ve heard she’s helping to provide us with intel. Oh, and the city apparently has an observatory now, so there is that.” She said, almost flippantly.

  “Oh, that’s… good?” I say, though… I had no idea where to even begin parsing out that final statement.

  “Interesting, isn’t it? Anyway, that wasn’t what I was getting at. Remember when we were attacked and had the face off?”

  I thought and… “Yeah, the people with the feathered wings, and who shot the arrow at you. You were confronted by the leader and, well, I don’t remember much.”

  “They were part of Tartarus.” She said calmly. “Tartarus sits far below the city, at the very bottom. Below the depths, which is the deepest point. It exists as an autonomous zone, where magical girls and, mistakes, gather.” She said ‘mistake’ with a lot of distaste. “It acts as a marketplace for magical goods and items, plus, it grants access to the dungeons below. A vast, infinitely vast place filled with magical creatures and monsters.”

  I listened intently. Nodding as she went.

  “Normally, goods from Tartarus stay in Tartarus. However, recently, it has been discovered that the dragon gang has begun to trade with Tartarus. Which means, we’ve been seeing a steady flow of magical goods and items on the market. For the most part, the trade isn’t illegal. Especially since it grants magic users the ability to purchase items, they couldn’t normally get their hands on.”

  “But that isn’t the issue?”

  “No, it’s not. The greater issue is that these magical goods are finding their way to normal citizens, and when exposed to these magical items...” She trailed off, giving me a look I knew all too well.

  “They transform…” I finished for her.

  “Exactly, the trade in magical goods, as I said, isn’t illegal. What is illegal is letting it get into the hands of normal citizenry. So, we’re trying to trace the source down. And more specifically where the leak is coming from.”

  “I can get that, but… my neighbor, he, he turned into a silver rank though. Is that normal?”

  “To be honest? I have no idea. This isn’t exactly a new problem, but we’re still trying to gather information. We had received information that your neighbor, as stated was a known debtor and a man with a history of working for the dragon gang. We received a tip, not long ago that he had spirited away a fairly valuable magical item and ditched his employer.”

  “Sounds convenient.” I say, knowing full well, that likely wasn’t what happened.

  “It does, doesn’t it? Nominally, we can’t do anything about it. Other than applying additional restrictions to make sure these magical items do not fall into hands of the citizenry. But, we still need to investigate incidents such as this, since they could easily blow out of proportions, especially when a full moon happens. Which is why, I’d like to express thanks for handling it before it could become an issue.” She bows her head slightly.

  “Not like I had a choice, but… thanks.”

  “Of course and feel free to keep the coin as payment. I wish I could offer more, but… Mm…”

  “Yes?” I ask after seeing her fall silent.

  “Well, perhaps, you do know that at the end of this month is the blood moon, yes?”

  I nod. “I do.”

  “Well, we’ve received reports that this month we’ll be facing a tribulation. Which means, either a powerful monster will appear, a monster wave, or an invasion. Regardless, if you wish to participate, I would heavily suggest you work on preparing for it.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that… though, just how serious is it?”

  “A monster wave usually has a number of gold ranked monsters appear, usually scattered throughout the city with plenty of silvers and bronze ranks to fill in the numbers. Not to mention the countless unranked monsters. With a singular leader leading the pack, typically at Platinum. Though, they tend to be of the weaker variant, for a platinum at least since they have gold ranked guards.”

  “Sounds terrifying.”

  “It can be. A powerful monster appearing, usually means something like a kaiju or something.” She pauses at seeing my confused face. “A giant monster, typically of platinum rank. They tend to come with a large army of monsters at their beck and call, though, their ranks tend to be lower in exchange. Finally, an invasion is typically marked by a literal invasion, be it a tiger, or just another smaller realm moving in on ours, in the hopes of taking over the city.”

  I nod, but… “Those do sound difficult, but… what would be the worst-case scenario?”

  “A tiger or kaiju. Tigers are platinum ranked magical girls. They come accompanied with a small army of magical girls, countless minions, and typically have a home base of sorts. Whereas the Kaiju is a singular, extremely powerful opponent with some additional support. The real issue though, is the platinum coin. Our city is in a precarious position, politically speaking. The three largest groups vying for dominion are the dragon gang, the police force, and the wizard gang. Though, the wizard gang has shown no desire for supremacy, their numbers and power mark them as a potential threat.”

  “And how does this affect the city?”

  “It’s simple, really. On killing the leader of the monster wave, the kaiju, or the tiger magical girl, they will drop a platinum coin. With that coin, they could make themselves the mayor of the city, otherwise known as the ruler of the city. That, or they could bolster their power, making them the strongest member of the city with a snap of their fingers.”

  “Is that so… I’ve heard as much, but… I also heard a platinum could take you back home?” I asked.

  “I’ve heard much the same, but nobody knows if that is true. The mascots say it is, but we have no real evidence of anyone using a platinum coin for such. Well, mainly because every coin up to this point has gone into the city.”

  A worrying little tidbit.

  “So, blood moon means a big threat, which means I need my ducks in a row, and I need to be ready for trouble. Assuming I want to participate?” I sum up the important points.

  “Yes, if you don’t just stay in your room, You’ll be fine, well, so long as you don’t go wandering when the full moon is out.”

  “Will I really be protected?”

  “Yes, the mascots make sure of it. Whenever a full moon rises, a veil is thrown over the city to protect the inhabitants, and those not participating… though, this veil isn’t absolute from what I’ve been told.”

  I didn’t want to rely on that, but… “Alright, thanks for the information. But I do have a question on the earlier topic, if someone transforms, do they disappear or die?”

  “From what I know? Technically, no. We don’t have any real cases of noted individuals going missing, even when they have traveled after dark. So, you shouldn’t have to worry about anyone close to you turning, well, typically.”

  “Typically? Even if I were to give them a magical item or something?”

  “I wouldn’t know to be honest. Only, that there are protections in place by the mascots to prevent certain abuses. Continued abuse will see the mascots putting a bounty on your head, and if you continue, well, I’ve been told they can simply remove you if necessary.”

  I couldn’t help but hiss at that. “Really?” And then I had a second thought. “Is that why éclair was allowed to hunt that sheep?”

  “I’ve only heard stories. And I don’t have definitive proof. As for éclair… Her circumstances were unique at the time. I’d suggest, when you get the chance you ask her yourself.”

  “I’ll have to do that… and what were you thinking of doing next?” I asked, noting the midday sun.

  “Well, I have this report to turn in, and I have to look into a few other leads. Our resources are spread rather thin, with what the dragon gang has been doing. If this keeps up, we might have to do something, but as it stands, we’re stuck putting out fires.”

  “Is that so? Well, I wish you luck, and thanks for breakfast. I really did need that.”

  “You looked like you did. Now, don’t go pushing yourself Prima, I’d hate to see something happen to you.”

  “I feel the same, thanks again.”

  We separated. I went right back to my apartment. Sure, maybe I should have gone to the hospital, but at the moment all I wanted to do was keep resting. Stepping back on my floor was a trip. Seeing all the damage from the fight still present, was something to behold. Especially when I arrived at the scene of the crime, my neighbor’s apartment.

  Police tape was covering the entrance. The interior was wrecked, with most of the boxes either ruined or hauled away. The patio door had plastic taped over where the glass had been shattered. Still, a bit of cold air blew in.

  I looked at it. Thought of what I needed to do, what I wanted to do, what I had to do…

  In the end, I sighed and left. Deciding to forgo sleep entirely. Aiming for the wizard gang headquarters, there was work to do. A blood moon to prepare for and so much more.