Magical girls.
In modern times, they were not just teenage girls who fought against the canonical evil of the world. They were symbols of peace, a force that strongly reinforced a country's national security. Using powerful magic, they could tackle many incidents and prevent natural disasters—a feat that ordinary task forces sometimes struggled to achieve.
As a result, magical girls were seen as a special type of human resources for a nation. Many governments even relied on these girls to establish their administrations. Some had tried to wield them as war deterrents, similar to nuclear warheads, though none were successful. The Federation, of which most mascots belonged, strictly prohibited magical girls from participating in conflicts.
Thus, a magical girl's role was clear to the masses—a peace protector.
Yet, a peculiar situation had occurred in City O. With the city's small scale and the arrival of many active magical girls, the need for each and every one of them to perform decreased dramatically. At the center of everything was Moeka, the lonely Omega among the sea of Alphas.
Afternoon.
She was out on the streets with Himeko, drinks in hand, when the latter suggested they visit the headquarters. Himeko wanted to greet the manager of this city's magical girls, while Moeka needed to inform Miss Casey of her decision. As such, both of them were now in the chief's office.
''From now on, your duties will change drastically, Osbeckia.'' Miss Casey said, putting down her coffee cup, ''The Federation intends to reallocate quite a number of girls to this city. You probably won't be dispatched as frequently as before, though we'll still have to ask you to respond to emergencies.''
''...Understood.'' Moeka replied.
''Instead, we'll have you... take care of the girls in need. Is that alright? Of course, there will be handsome compensation for you. It's a lot of work for a single person, I know.''
''...''
'She says it like I'm selling my body...'
Seeing the chief's apologetic attitude, Moeka sighed. Even after careful deliberation and ultimately agreeing to the job, Moeka felt strange.
As of this moment, only a minority in the changed world could competently control their pheromones and lust. These features could easily become a hindrance for magical girls, who must perform at their best. What Moeka needed to do as one of the few Omegas who could handle powerful Alpha magical girls was simple—soothe their heat cycle.
The implication was apparent. She had to take care of their desires and let them mark her. It sounded simple, though there were bound to be problems arising from this unusual type of relationship.
Perhaps understanding Miss Casey's worries, Moeka said, ''Please rest assured. I don't plan to sleep with any of them. If it's purely to put down their heat cycle, a little bit of arousal and a shallow mark should be enough for a while.''
''That's... good.'' The chief replied, ''I don't want you to go down that road either.''
Moeka had worked with Miss Casey for a long time. She would not hesitate to praise this person as a good boss, especially in moments like this.
Nonetheless, Miss Casey continued, ''Typically, when an Alpha marks an Omega, the latter wouldn't be appealing to other Alphas anymore because she's 'claimed.' This means you need to wait for the mark to fade away before accepting another one, which would take weeks...''
''About that...'' Moeka pondered, ''Please take a look at this.''
Both Casey and Himeko's attention was on the pink-haired woman. They looked as Moeka suddenly lowered her shirt's collar, revealing a third of her impeccable, milky white chest.
''S-Senior?!'' Himeko exclaimed, her face reddening.
Meanwhile, Casey stayed composed. The Magical Osbeckia she knew would not joke in this setting.
''This one...'' Moeka softly poked at her flesh, ''This is Miko's mark.''
''Hibiscus marked you...?'' Casey's eyes widened, ''But isn't it a little... faint?''
Indeed, the mark Fumiko left on Moeka's chest several days prior had almost disappeared completely. Now, only a little red area remained.
''It's only a few days old.'' Moeka explained, ''The scent has completely dissipated, too. Maybe my special constitution caused the acceleration. The doctor said my pheromones are quite dense as well. It could have overpowered Miko's mark.''
Miss Casey nodded blankly, still processing the possibilities of this discovery.
Moeka then continued, ''I think I can do this well. And if you want a demonstration...''
Himeko, who was listening attentively from the side while enjoying the sight, was startled when Moeka turned to her. No particular sign was shown. Moeka kept a straight face as she moved toward Himeko, putting her hand on top of the blond girl's.
''Miss Haruno, what do you think of me?'' Moeka softly asked, ''Do you feel any desires?''
''I... um... w-what do you mean, senior...?!''
The air suddenly became hotter. The scents of the two mingled at a breathing distance, fueling the release of sexual pheromones. Himeko was assaulted by the Omega's irresistibly sweet fragrance, as if her world was filled with it. Past Moeka's enchanting face up close, Himeko's eyes were glued to the person's delicate collarbones, even the plunging cleavage below them.
Reasons seemed to slip away from her mind. She soon forgot where she was or what situation she was in, just that she desperately wanted to embrace the person before her eyes. To push her down and mess her up, biting into that smooth neck...
Himeko was beet red. One could not deny that she was beyond aroused, not even herself.
It was enough for Moeka to prove her point, and thankfully, having been marked by Fumiko prior, her pheromones were stable. Pulling away from the stunned Himeko, Moeka nodded in satisfaction, ''My judgment is correct, it seems.''
''...''
Miss Casey was speechless. For a while, she could not believe that the seductive girl earlier was the same ever-serious Osbeckia. Meanwhile, Himeko, having been blue-balled, felt her frustration spike manifold. She managed to calm down after a deep breath, though that sense of loss was still prominent.
She stared at Moeka, brows furrowed, ''You're so mean, senior...'' She bit her lips, ''If it were anyone else, they would've shown no mercy!''
Moeka was nonchalant, ''Apologies. I'll let Miss Haruno do it when your heat cycle arrives.''
''...Eh?''
Once again, Himeko was left hugging her flustered face. Getting all excited over those words... even her heart was racing. A cunning Omega was dangerous!
In the end, Moeka and Himeko stayed to finalize the operation until the sky darkened. Orion University was chosen to be the rendezvous location for the relief sessions, and for safety purposes, the first meetings would be monitored by a medical staff.
''Mhn...''
Walking out of the building, Moeka gave it a hearty stretch. Himeko followed her senior closely behind, appearing somewhat thoughtful.
''Senior... you were marked by an Alpha, right?'' She cautiously asked, ''How did it feel...?''
Moeka unknowingly averted her eyes, a little blush fell onto her cheeks, ''She's my childhood friend. We were both kind of in heat back then. And... it did feel good, I suppose?''
Seeing the woman recounting the experience so pleasantly, Himeko sensed a bitter lump in her throat. Was it jealousy? She was not certain. Even though they had just met today, she felt rather comfortable with this senior. A bit... interested in her, even. If only her heat cycle could arrive soon so she could do this and that with the senior—
''Miss Haruno? Are you alright? Your face is red...''
''...Eh?''
Only then did Himeko examine herself—ragged breathing, unnatural heat, and a strange inclination toward carnal lust.
She was, in fact, in heat.