Magical Lily.
The name alone told Moeka everything she needed. Magical girls in this country were, for some reason, always named after flowers. And since their number was in the hundreds, the flowers were also diverse. The Federation did not allow overlapping names, and only after one retired did their handle become available to others.
It was common knowledge that the higher-ups reserved the most popular flowers for the more powerful and influential magical girls. By name alone, one could gauge a girl's strength in an instant. And 'Lily' belonged to the top category as one of the most recognizable flowers to the general public. In short, another high-caliber magical girl who likely came from the capital city had shown herself.
Moeka took a careful look at the girl before her—long, lustrous silver hair, deep purple eyes, and a doll-like face, further accentuated by a meticulous lolita dress. At every angle, she seemed like the perfect young lady of some noble household.
''Miss Aikawa,'' Moeka nodded, extending her hand, ''Nice to meet you.''
Yurika caught it casually, ''Likewise, Miss Kisaragi.''
For one reason or another, Moeka felt a bit intimidated by this girl, who was nearly a head shorter than she was. Unlike Himeko's or Fumiko's, her Alpha pheromones were more... aggressive. It was as if it would try to devour Moeka at any moment. Even this brief handshake was suffocating for the Omega.
'...Wait, did I tell her my real name?'
Moeka did not.
Yet, Yurika acted completely naturally as she posed herself with confidence, ''I came here under The Federation's instructions to meet you, Miss Kisaragi.'' She said, ''I must say, it is refreshing to see a magical girl who does not superciliously expose their smelly pheromones. Yours is much softer and sweeter.''
''...Thank you?''
''Am I right to assume that you already know why I'm here?'' Yurika asked.
The girl was quite talkative, as she continued cheerfully once Moeka nodded, ''I looked at your photos online, and I must say, I really do like your aesthetic, especially your chest.''
''...''
Moeka was somewhat stunned. It was not every day that she encountered a person as transparent as Yurika. Normally, this would count as sexual harassment, though considering both of them were in the same project together, and the fact that most magical girls had a weird side, Moeka decided to look past it. She only needed to do her job...
'...Wait a second.'
''Miss Aikawa, how old are you...?''
Before Yurika could answer, Himeko, who had been glaring at the girl behind Moeka since the beginning, spoke, ''She's one year younger than me.''
''So... eighteen?'' Moeka questioned, sounding skeptical. If she had to guess, Yurika looked like a junior high-schooler at best, if not younger. She had to make sure not to get herself into trouble.
''Indeed.'' Yurika nonchalantly showed her ID, then finally glanced at the blonde, ''Isn't this Miss Haruno? It seems you are one step ahead of me, hm?''
''Grrr...'' Himeko growled.
Standing between the two, Moeka could feel the sparks in the air. But in the end, she and Yurika exchanged contacts, and Yurika left in good spirits, like a girl who had found a new toy, saying she would text Moeka later.
''What's between you two?'' Moeka turned to her junior as they walked into the lab.
''Mhm...'' Himeko pondered, ''Well... our families are kind of close. Business-wise. That's why we've known each other since we were children, but we just can't seem to get along.''
''Why is that?''
''That girl is a pervert.'' Himeko flatly remarked, ''A degenerate, even. And she's really mean.''
''...''
''Ugh... I didn't want it to happen, but now that she's here for your relief, I'm afraid you'll be bullied, senior...''
Seeing the girl genuinely worried for her, Moeka could not help but feel a little nervous. Nevertheless, she decided to put that matter aside for the moment. The two then proceeded into the facility, where Himeko's eyes were practically glowing as she poked around the place. Soon enough, they arrived at Fumiko's lab.
As soon as they opened the door, the heavy scent of solvent compounds and disinfectants hit. In the corner, a purple-haired woman in a lab coat stood, pondering over some papers. Aloe was nowhere to be seen, presumably hiding away so as not to alert outsiders like Himeko.
''Miko, I've brought lunch,'' Moeka called.
Fumiko turned around, her gaze softening as she spotted her childhood friend, ''Got it. Let's go outside.''
After tidying herself, Fumiko exited the room and accompanied the two deliveries to the nearest balcony. As it was somewhat late for lunch, everyone was starving. So, they chose to talk while eating.
''My name is Haruno Himeko. Nice to meet you, senior.'' Himeko bowed politely.
''You must be Marigold.'' Fumiko nodded, ''Moeka told me about you. I'm Hibiscus. Call me however you want.''
''Yes, senior!''
Fumiko then glanced at Moeka, ''You met that girl, right? The silver-haired one.''
''You know her?'' Moeka raised an eyebrow.
''She came here this morning to greet me. Then she asked about you, so I told her to wait outside.''
''So that's what happened.''
The casual talk continued for a while, with Himeko and Fumiko gradually opening up about everyday topics. Moeka sometimes chimed in, making the scene seem quite harmonious.
That was, until Fumiko called Moeka, ''Hey, about the job you've taken.'' She said, looking somewhat vigilant, ''Tell me more about it.''
After an ounce of hesitation, Moeka replied, ''...It's exactly as I mentioned in the texts. Until the suppressants are available, I'll take care of the other magical girls so they don't go berserk.''
''...''
Fumiko did not look happy. In an instant, the atmosphere felt two or three degrees colder. Even then, she never raised her voice, only asking back, ''Are you sure about this?''
Moeka sensed genuine concern from her friend, which she greatly appreciated. Still, she saw no other options for this case. She was the only Omega magical girl, and her 'clients' were people the government immensely valued. It was hard not to agree.
So, she nodded, ''It's fine. Not like I'm selling my body or anything, and I'll only be doing this until you finish the suppressants.''
''It could take a while,'' Fumiko sighed, ''Even the base version is complicated enough, but it could even be ineffective against magical girls.''
''Is it?''
''Yeah. Wherever magic is involved, things are chaotic. And... by the way, did your pheromones get stronger?''
''Huh?''
Moeka unconsciously sniffed herself. Of course, she could not smell her own pheromones, but now that she paid some attention... it did feel as though hers were a bit more potent.
''Did something happen?'' Fumiko pursued the question.
''No... I mean, I did get marked once...''
An abrupt yet tense silence descended on the place. Fumiko's blood red eyes were sharp, and she immediately deduced the suspect—the blond girl fidgeting with her hand with flushed cheeks on the other side.
''...I see.'' Fumiko murmured.
Both Moeka and Himeko felt the weight of those two words, which were uttered in such a cold tone that the air itself seemed to freeze. In that short instance, a million thoughts went through Fumiko's head. She had been buried in research these days, neglecting the matters concerning Moeka. She did not expect them to get this far in such a short time.
If so, she had to act more decisively.
''...Moeka, stay at the lab later. I have something to tell you.''