Bridget had taken to unceremoniously eating the macha cake from its pan—clutching it close to her as to keep Valoria and I from it.

“Come now, lady Bridget. You’re going to be crumbs everywhere.”

“I don’t care!”

“You know, you could try acting like the adult that an ageless being technically is.”

“I don’t wanna hear it from either of you! How could you do this to me?!” Bridget continued to lash out while crying into what was now her cake. I was kind of looking forward to it, too.

“Please, lady Bridget. I honestly didn’t know it was you.”

Bridget simply hissed at Valoria. Quite frankly, I like docile cats more. “I bet Kyrie is laughing it up beyond the seal! She planned this, didn’t she?! She never told me she was related to the Mundo family, and I bet she left you this instruction, didn’t she!”

Valoria gave a nervous laugh, betraying future me’s ill intentions.

“I’ve been wondering about that. Should both of you be able to sense each other and know immediately?”

Valoria politely shook her head while Bridget just sighed.

“Magical girls can sense one another because of their Crystals. I don’t even use magic, so it's not possible for either of us to detect each other’s presence.”

“If it were, her Majesty would have undoubtedly rained heavenly retribution down upon this entire star.”

“Okay, so what’s the difference between magic and what you do?” I said while glaring down Bridget, who was still clutching the cake pan.

“What I do follows the rules of the universe. The very foundation that I established before even creating the Crystal of Light. You girls cheat.”

“The girls have to follow their own rules, still. If anything, lady Bridget is taking advantage of her own position.”

“Yeah, rules like how a guardian with their tattered soul and lack of ego can get married to someone, have a nearly identical human body and talk. I’ve never even heard you speak until today!”

“It’s a new development for me, as well. But Lawrence was able to make it work.”

“Seriously? Not even Kyrie could replicate a soul. She’d have an easier time just having more children.”

“Wait, I have kids?”

“Well, it's not without sacrifice. Now that her Majesty has seen Kyrie’s crystal whole, it wouldn’t be hard for her to find it.”

“I have kids?”

”As such, Lawrence gave me one-fifth of his crystal.”

Valoria and I summoned the four parts of the Crystal of Triumph. Each one was now a different color. Red, Black, Blue, White, and Yellow.

I gave Valoria the blue one.

“H-how did you even manage this? It took everything I could just to shatter it into eight parts.”

“Can we not ignore the fact that you said I have kids?”

“Vinna. The Sword of Decisive Victory.”

Bridget let out an exhausted sigh. “I guess it's fine. Not like it can’t be put back together.”

“Excuse me, but I would really like to know who my kids are!”

“And I would like to know what you’re doing with a Mundo family pin!”

“Extended family on my Mother’s side. Hardly any of your business.”

“And Kyrie’s kids aren’t yours yet. So don’t worry about it. Can’t ruin the timeline after all.”

“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit. Valoria already told me that’s not how it works. Even Roselle seemed pretty confident that you’ve been lying to me.”

Bridget clicked her tongue. “So, you know.”

While Bridget and I were having our stare-off, Valoria collected the empty cake pan from Bridget, along with the other dishes.

“I wasn’t lying to you. But it's true. Kyrie, the one I know, exists outside of time and this reality.

My Crystal of Light summoned a champion from a potential future. A possibility. Something that didn’t exist until Kyrie had cast the first spell. She wasn’t pulled from the future. She is a flight of fancy made real.”

“What does that make me, then?”

“You were the person my crystal saw when she summoned Kyrie. The Kyrie in your heart. Your ability to become a magical girl isn’t the result of some time loop. Rather my crystal chose you to be the embodiment of the concept of hope.”

Honestly, hearing that kind of made me happy. But it also scared me. I wanted to hide and ignore my feelings.

“Alright, now tell me how you know the Mundo family.”

“No.”

“Did you use their connections to forge Valoria’s identity?”

“What? No. There are legal ways to get someone documentation, you know.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true. The state allows for the adoption of adults who don’t have identification.”

“You adopted and married your own daughter?!”

“What? No! I adopted her into the Mundo family and married her so we wouldn’t have any problems living together.”

“So you married your sister.”

“Cousin, technically. Which federal and state law have nothing against.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“I didn’t realize this was meant to make you feel better.”

“After the traumatic experience you forced me through, everything right now should be to make me feel better! Turn into Kyrie right now! I wish to comfort myself in the gentle embrace of your overwhelming bosom!”

“Could you please stop saying things like that? It's embarrassing.”

“Quite you! Life is hard! Tiddies are soft!”

I begrudgingly transformed. My body shifted while Valoria set another round of snacks and drinks on the table.

“Wha—what is this? Have I truly walked the worst timeline?”

“Could you please stop exaggerating? Valoria taught me how to control my transformation.” I was a few inches taller, and my bust only measured out to a B-cup.

I could even transform straight into loungewear rather than changing my clothes after transforming. I still needed to be wearing the clothes between transformations, though. Where are they stored? Probably the same place as that sword.

“There is no justice in this world. Valoria, how? How could you betray me like this?” Bridget started to tear up once again as she looked up at Valoria with a pleading face of hurt and betrayal.

“Kyrie said that it was becoming very embarrassing for her. So I taught her how to change her appearance.”

Bridget looked at me aghast. I couldn’t face her as I looked away to hide my embarrassment.

“Kyrie! You can’t give in! Be proud of your bazongas! Do not give into the shamings of jealous women or the men who would make you feel less because you have something other women do not! That big bang of yours is the passion of many who are willing to support you!”

“I mean… you say that, but I’m not even a real girl, remember?”

“Yes! You have something others do not! A gift, a talent! Something the have-nots could never take from you! Do not let them hold you back!”

“You need to stop saying these things. Keep in mind that I’m the legal adult who would be in trouble here.”

Bridget continued for a while longer while I enjoyed the cake and tea Valoria made especially for me. It was delicious.

“If you wish it, my queen, I’ll do yuri things with you. I am your wife now, after all.”

“Tarnish Kyrie’s purity, guardian, and I share end you personally.”

My cake was finished, and I breathed a tired sigh before finishing my tea. Early grey tasted nice, but maybe I should try other flavors like oolong or the Jasmine we have.

“Why me? What makes me special?”

Valoria and Bridget paused for a moment.

“I’m sure there are others who are far more hopeful while being just as disillusioned. Someone who wishes to become a magical girl more than I do. Someone who deserves—”

“It’s not about who is more deserving. You are special just for being you. You are special even when you feel alone. But that’s not why you were chosen.”

“My queen… You shouldn't think like that. We do not choose to be born into this world. Just as parents cannot choose certain things about their children, the Crystal of Light did not choose you specifically. She reached out, and you were there.”