I'm in my room, staring at the ceiling.
A white ceiling.
D…nis…, her voice echoes in my head.
A lit lightbulb.
Denis! Are you listening to me? says her angry voice.
Shit! I say to myself. I'm still thinking about her. Lena.
I leap to my feet and look at one of the posters of Mimi that adorn my room.
Mimi, my idol.
Mimi, my virtual goddess.
Mimi, the “catgirl magical girl virtual idol”!
I'm crazy about her.
I have all her albums and merchandising.
Posters, manga, figurines...
She's cute, says Lena's voice.
I wanted to have a girlfriend who looked just like her.
What's her name? She asked me.
Then I met her. Lena.
Mimi? How cute, she said.
As soon as I saw her, I fell under her spell.
Lena had a perfect face and body, like Mimi.
However, her hair was black, and she wore glasses.
Mimi doesn't wear glasses and her hair is pink.
But then, those are details, aren't they?
I started out by becoming friends with her, and then we became a couple.
We spent a lot of time together.
She liked me a lot. At least, I think she did.
I wanted her to look so much like Mimi that...
I was very, *very!* insistent that she dye her hair pink, wear cat ears and Mimi’s cosplay costumes.
She accepted, without flinching.
I could never get her to take off her glasses.
But then, that's just a little trifle, isn't it?
We had been together for 6 months and she broke it off, after an argument.
It happened in a restaurant.
I had invited her to a restaurant.
Or did she invite me?
I can't remember.
Anyway, in the middle of the meal, an argument broke out between the two of us.
We'd been arguing more and more often for a while, but I never expected her to break up with me.
According to her, I was only thinking of myself.
I was manipulating her, “forcing” her to become Mimi, a machine I was addicted to.
She'd agreed to look just like Mimi because she'd fallen in love with me.
A burning love, even stronger than my feelings for her.
But, in her words, I'd gone too far.
She never wanted to see me again.
Since that day, I've been moping around. My life seems to have lost all meaning.
I try to forget her, but I always think of her.
Even when I'm looking at a poster of Mimi.
Averting my gaze, I see the full moon from my window.
Well, I thought, it's a full moon tonight.
It reminds me of a legend Lena told me.
Lena... She may accuse me of being addicted to Mimi, but she's no better with her fairies.
She has a collection of figurines and books on the subject at home.
She believes in their existence, even though she's 17.
I'm 18 and I think it's ridiculous!
I told her so, during our last argument, and she turned red with rage.
Anyway, the legend goes like this:
500 years ago, in the Melianie Forest, fairies lived. It's near our town, called Ani.
There were fairies of Fire, Water, Earth, etc., and they had control over an element of nature.
They were not to come into contact with humans.
This was a sacred rule issued by their queen, Neomiya, to protect them. From what? The legend doesn't say.
But on a spring day, a Light Fairy appeared at the sight of a human. Another version of the legend says it was "an autumn day".
A man. A hunter.
That day marked the beginning of the end for the fairies.
Hungry for their powers, humans began to hunt fairies down.
Many fairies were killed and others captured and sold to the rich.
The fairy who had broken the Queen's rule was also captured.
Queen Neomiya, seeing the horror of fairy hunting, sank into the darkness of despair and became a Dark Fairy.
Ixelda, the Cursed Queen!
Another version speaks of “the Devil's darkness”.
Seeking revenge on the humans, she transformed the surviving fairies (those who had not been captured) into Dark Fairies. The Cursed Queen gave them only one order: Kill any human who enters our forest!
Only a pure-hearted child, accompanied by his/her Light Fairy, manages to stop Ixelda, trapping her in another dimension with the other Dark Fairies.
However, they may return if someone utters these words on a full-moon night: “I don't believe in fairies, I deny my existence, and I curse your name, Neomiya!”
I wonder if... Should I go to the Melianie Forest to speak the words of the legend? After all, it's only a story.
I decide to go to Melianie Forest.
As soon as I reach my destination, I take several paths, and recite the words of the legend.
"I don't believe in fairies, I deny my existence, and I curse your name, Neomiya!"
Nothing happens.
What exactly did I expect?
Suddenly, the face of a white-haired fairy appears in my mind.
"Human. What have you done?" she said mentally.
"Wha--?"
"My name is Idolia. I'm a Light Fairy, the one who broke Queen Neomiya's rule 500 years ago."
"I-it was you?"
"Yes, my soul has haunted this forest ever since. It was also I who banished Ixelda to another dimension, but now that you've spoken the words, she's back, along with the Dark Fairies! You've got to stop them..."
"Me? No. I'm going home!"
"IDIOT! If no one stops them, the Dark Fairies will kill other humans who venture into this forest!"
"But--!"
"YOU. WILL. STOP. THEM!!!"
I sigh with discouragement.
"Ok, ok!" I say mentally to the fairy Idolia.
"Good. What's your name?"
"Denis."
Idolia smiles at me.
She's pretty, but she doesn't beat Mimi! I thought.
"Who's Mimi?" suddenly asks Idolia.
"Shit! Uh... Mimi is..."
"Human!" said a small voice, interrupting the conversation.
I see a fairy wearing a black dress. Her hair is black with red streaks and her eyes are violet.
"Violet eyes. Black hair with red highlights. Is she a Fire Fairy turned to a Dark Fairy?" I asked Idolia.
"Correct. The color of a fairy's hair corresponds to her element. Red for fire, dark blue for water, pale blue for ice, white for light and so on. Since they've become Dark Fairies, their hair is black, but their original element remains, which explains the streaks. Our eyes have always been violet."
"You shouldn't have come here," says the Dark Fire Fairy. "Our queen wants us to exterminate all humans who enter our forest!"
"Firstly, I already knew that," I retort. "Secondly, isn't ‘exterminate’ a bit strong a word?"
"Enough talk! Prepare to die!"
The Dark Fire Fairy utters a magic spell in an unknown language and fireballs appear above her head.
I stay where I am and, strangely enough, the fireballs pass by me to ignite three trees.
The Dark Fire Fairy looks surprised, then just laughs.
"Ha ha ha, you're lucky, human!"
"Yeah, lucky you can't aim!"
"SHUT UP!"
She starts to create more fireballs when a Dark Fairy with dark blue streaks arrives to extinguish the burning trees with her power over water.
"IDIOT!" she shouts at the fairy with the red streaks. "Do you want to burn down the whole forest or what?"
"No. I just want to fry this human!"
"A human? Where?"
"Denis, don't just stand there! Run!" Idolia says in panic.
"Why?"
"I can give you access to my powers over light, but you'll never be able to fight them both!"
"I'll prove you wrong!"
"I'm here, you moron!"
"How dare you call me a moron!" said the Dark Water Fairy.
"TAKE THIS!" said the Dark Fire Fairy, hurling her other fireballs at me.
I avoid them and prepare for battle.
After the fight, where I use Idolia's powers against the two fairies, they fall to the ground, lifeless.
"It's incredible." Idolia said. "You've defeated them..."
"So, are you impressed?"
"Very much so! I was only thinking of sealing the Cursed Queen and the Dark Fairies a second time with your help, but... you might be the one to defeat her once and for all."
"Is that supposed to encourage me?"
Suddenly, three more Dark Fairies arrive. One of Earth, one of Wind and one of Ice. Seeing the two dead fairies, they become enraged. They launch powerful attacks at me and I can barely protect myself with a light shield.
"DIE, FILTHY HUMAN!" yell the Dark Ice Fairy.
"AHHHHH... you're the one who's going to die!"
I throw light stingers at her and she's pierced through and through, killing her instantly. Seeing their companion collapse, the two remaining fairies pounce on me. Let the second fight begin!
Later...
The fairies die and Idolia tells me I must find the Cursed Queen to defeat her. I set off in search of her.
During my search for the queen, other Dark Fairies try to kill me, but I'm always victorious. I also have a chat with Idolia. I learn a lot (way too much!) about fairies. For her part, Idolia discovers my passion for Mimi.
"How can you love something that is not real? It's not healthy!"
"Hey! Mimi's real! Well, not "real" real, but..."
"What about Lena?"
"Lena... Idolia, I never told you about Lena!"
"I know, but my soul is connected to you. I can see into your heart. Do you still think about her?"
"Yes."
"Do you still love her?"
"…"
"If so, when Ixelda is destroyed, you should go and see her. Talk to her."
"I should, but--"
Suddenly, Idolia tells me she has sensed the presence of the Cursed Queen. She's coming our way!
The Cursed Queen arrives and I can't help but open my mouth wide. Unlike the other fairies I've met, who were all tiny, Ixelda is the size of a woman, and what a woman!
"Wow, she looks like a model."
"Denis?"
"Idolia, did you see her chest? It's HUGE! I wish Mimi had breas--"
"DENIS!!!"
"Human."
Ixelda's cold, sharp voice snaps me out of my trance. I close my mouth.
"I don't know how you managed to survive my Dark Fairies, but your little adventure ends here! TO BATTLE!"
The final battle begins!
Later...
Although I won the fight, Ixelda is still alive.
"Idolia. What's going on?"
"I don't understand. How did she survive your attacks?"
"You... did you really... believed... you could defeat me... human?"
Ixelda casts a spell and I find myself trapped in the darkness. I can't move and I can't hear Idolia's voice. My body goes cold.
I... Am I dying? I thought to myself. No! I've got to concentrate on getting out of here!
For that, I think of Lena.
The good times we had together.
I run out of air.
I call for help and the darkness disappear.
"Denis!"
"Idolia! Wha--?"
I receive a punch in the face and fall to the ground. My vision blurs.
"OUCH! Who did this?" I asked, getting to my feet.
"YOU STUPID BASTARD!"
I recognize that voice.
"L-Lena?!"
"You jerk! How could you free the Cursed Queen?"
"I--"
"I do NOT want to hear your excuses!"
My sight returns and I see her. Lena, with her glasses and her hair, not pink, but black. Strangely, she has streaks of red, dark blue, green, and yellow. Her eyes are wet.
"She cried for you." Idolia said to me.
"Lena, I'm... I'm glad to see you."
"I hope so," she said, "after I've come all this way to find you!"
"Your hair..."
"The streaks? That's because I inherited the powers of the Dark Fairies I defeated along the way. One of Fire, one of Water, one of Earth and one of Wind."
I can hear Ixelda cursing.
"You've defeated fairies... how? Did you have the soul of a fairy to help you too?"
"No. Unlike you, I was on my own, but I believe in fairies and I'm strong-willed. This gave me great powers, enough to defeat any Dark Fairy who dared to slow me down. Speaking of powers..."
She turns to Ixelda.
"It's over for you, Cursed Queen!"
The Cursed Queen lets out a howl and Lena effortlessly destroys her.
"It's over... My soul... I can finally leave for the afterlife."
"Idolia?"
"Good-bye, Denis."
Son visage disparaît de mon esprit.
"Idolia..."
"I would have liked to talk to her," says Lena. "Did you notice... on your brown hair? There were some white streaks and they've disappeared."
I hadn't noticed them. It means I no longer have Idolia's powers over light.
"But... Wait a minute, you've still got your highlights!"
"Yes. It seems I've become a real magical girl!"
We burst out laughing and look at the full moon.
With the death of the queen, all the other Dark Fairies die and Melianie Forest is once again serene. Lena tells me she must return home. I insist on going with her and she agrees.
On the way, I try to talk to her about anything and everything, while avoiding anything to do with Mimi, but she quickly interrupts me.
"Look, I know what you want to tell me. You still love me and you want us to go out again. I... I love you too... but I'm not ready, and neither are you."
"NO! I'm ready!"
"Really? What about your Mimi?"
"What's Mimi got to do with us?"
"EVERYTHING! The costumes you made me wear, the pink dye in my hair, the cat ears. I want to be YOUR Lena, not your Mimi, do you understand?"
"I... Mimi--"
"You see? You're not ready, because Mimi takes up too much place in your heart."
Lena arrives in front of her house. Strangely, it's foggy in town...
Before entering her home, Lena told me I could see her again when I'd made my choice.
"My choice?"
"Who is your muse, your goddess, the love of your life? Mimi or me? Think carefully, Denis."
3 days later...
I'm back in my room, staring at the ceiling.
A white ceiling.
I've made my decision.
The love of my life is... Lena.
I remove all Mimi posters from my walls.
I put all the figurines, manga and other merchandising in boxes.
And I go to Lena's to ask her to be my girlfriend again.
She agrees.