Chapter 20: Ran, Make a Contract with Me and Become a Magical Girl!
Ran's hand reached for Kyubey. In her mind's eye, she saw a flash of smiling faces: her dad's, her mom's, Sonoko's, Shinichi's... and the faces of the children bleeding in front of her, fighting to protect her.
"Ran-neechan!" Conan screamed, a raw, desperate cry. He saw the shift in her eyes, the flicker of doubt hardening into... resolve.
He lunged forward, trying to grab her, to stop the irreversible future from unfolding. "DON'T!"
But he was too late.
Ran looked directly at the terrifyingly calm white creature. Her fingers closed around its soft fur.
"I've made my decision."
Kyubey's ruby-red eyes were as placid as ever. "Oh? Even if it costs you your soul?"
Ran took a deep breath. "If that's the price for saving everyone..." her voice was steady, "then I accept."
Conan's hand froze in mid-air. He was helpless. No... it wasn't supposed to be like this... Ran...
Kyubey tilted its head. "Then, state your wish, Ran Mouri. What kind of miracle is your soul worth?"
Ran closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they held nothing but pure, unwavering determination.
She spoke each word with perfect clarity.
"My wish... is for the power to protect everyone I hold dear!"
[Contract with a primary character from the Detective Conan world has been established. 3000 units of Contract Energy harvested.]
The moment the words and the system notification sounded, an explosion of pink light erupted.
The light was shining.
The light was roaring.
It enveloped Ran like a warm tide. For a moment, the warped, grotesque Labyrinth seemed to calm, bathed in the gentle glow. Pink particles of light swirled around her, deconstructing her casual clothes and reweaving them into a new form. It was a perfect fusion of her tough karate gi and the light, protective armor of a guardian, both practical and beautiful.
And on her chest, a brilliant, cherry-blossom-pink Soul Gem slowly materialized.
This was... Magical Girl Ran Mouri.
[Non-Human Beings Chat Group]
SpongeBob SquarePants: WHOOOAAAA! PINK! IT'S MAGICAL GIRL RAN AND SHE'S PINK! THIS IS THE BEST! SHE'S TOTALLY GONNA BEAT THAT WITCH!
Tom Cat: [Cat_Clapping_Enthusiastically.jpeg]
When the light faded, the newly born magical girl stood there, feeling an unprecedented power coursing through her. She felt like she could shatter mountains with a single punch, crack the earth with a single kick. But the power didn't corrupt her. Her first act was to look back, confirming Sonoko was safe.
Then, her eyes fell upon her father.
Kogoro Mouri just stared, his mind reeling. Her new combat uniform, the pink Soul Gem... Shock, disbelief, and a dozen other emotions warred on his face. Why... why did it have to be you? He knew Kyubey had some ulterior motive, but he could never have imagined this. He had wanted to keep her out of this damned magical world more than anything.
"Dad," Ran's voice brought him back. "Now, it's my turn to protect you."
There was no time for sentiment. The Witch's final, desperate attack was already upon them.
Ran took a single step forward and threw a simple, straight punch. Pink magical energy coalesced around her fist.
BOOM!
The torrent of energy, powerful enough to rip through steel, was utterly dispersed by her one punch. The shockwave blew outward, causing the already crumbling Labyrinth to shudder.
"She's... so strong..." Mitsuhiko gasped. The raw, pure power was unlike anything they had ever seen. Was this the power of Ran's wish?
Conan watched her, his heart a tangled mess of relief and despair. She's safe... but she's a magical girl now. She's stepped into the very world I wanted to protect her from.
"Ran..."
"Dad, Mitsuhiko, Haibara, you guys rest," she said, her back to them. "Leave the rest to me." She turned to face the now-enraged Witch, a lone pink figure charging into the darkness.
"Wait, Ran-neechan!" Mitsuhiko cried out. "You can't go alone!"
"We can still fight!" Kogoro agreed.
Haibara nodded, already focusing a weak sliver of healing magic on Kogoro and Mitsuhiko's wounds. "She's right. We'll leave it to her... but she won't be alone." She looked at Kogoro. "Mr. Mouri, can you still analyze?"
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to be calm. His daughter had made her choice; he couldn't afford to wallow in regret. He gripped his wand, and the amber "Eye of Truth" flared to life once more. "Its core... it's inside that crystal ball! Her last attack was strong, but it didn't hit the weak point!"
A new strategy formed on the fly. Four people, four different abilities.
Front Line Assault: Ran. Using her karate instincts and incredible strength, she became a whirlwind of pink-streaked kicks and punches, forcing the Witch onto the defensive.
Flank and Harass: Mitsuhiko. Enduring his pain, he teleported around the battlefield, disrupting the Witch's movements and creating openings for Ran.
Rear Support: Haibara. She focused her remaining energy on stabilizing Kogoro and Mitsuhiko's injuries while preparing one final potion.
Tactical Command: Kogoro. Pushing his "Eye of Truth" to its limit, he analyzed the Witch's attack patterns, searching for the fatal flaw and relaying his commands telepathically.
"Its left tentacle has a delay! Ran, now!"
"Mitsuhiko, blind it!"
Their teamwork, born of trust, was seamless. The Witch staggered back, its logo-barrier shattering under Ran's relentless assault.
"NOW, HAIBARA!" Kogoro yelled.
Haibara was ready. She hurled her last anti-magic potion, a streak of silver light. At the same instant, Ran leaped high into the air, all of her magical energy, all of her will to protect, focused into her right leg. She came down like a meteor in a devastating axe kick.
The silver potion struck first, piercing the Witch's final defense. A split second later, Ran's pink-infused kick slammed directly onto the exposed crystal core.
CRACK!
The crystal ball shattered. The Witch's massive body froze. The gift boxes and shopping bags that formed its body began to disintegrate, and the Labyrinth groaned. A few seconds later, the giant Witch dissolved into a cloud of black ash, leaving behind a single Grief Seed.
Almost before it hit the ground, a white figure darted out, swallowed the Grief Seed, and then scanned the four exhausted magical heroes. Its gaze lingered on Conan and Ran for a moment before it turned and vanished.
The Labyrinth began to collapse. The distorted scenery peeled away like shattered glass, revealing the ordinary food court once more. The unconscious patrons began to stir, groaning as they awoke from their nightmare.
The battle was over.
Ran deactivated her transformation and rushed to Sonoko's side. Haibara followed, giving her a quick check. "She'll be fine. No life-threatening injuries. She just needs rest."
Kogoro and Mitsuhiko, supporting each other, limped over.
"Ran-neechan," Conan said, his voice unusually grave. He glanced in the direction Kyubey had disappeared, then looked at Ran.
"About the Soul Gems... I think we need to talk."