Squad 0

"What the hell's Squad 0?" (Jack)

Diana stepped up. She handed a pamphlet to Jack, Yaku, Emma, and Vlad.

"The Special Magic Force is disbanding as of today. And I'll be officially stepping up as the North American's Divison's Captain." (Diana)

Emma stood stunned.

"Wait, Diana, your gonna be a First-Class Captain?!" (Emma)

"Yes, and Bob's coming with me, so you should all say your goodbyes before I leave." (Diana)

"But... But what's this Squad 0 thing?" (Jack)

Vlad stood in the back next to Yaku, they both read the pamphlet slowly and carefully.

Diana pointed at Jack's pamphlet.

"It says everything that needs to be said... Anyway, I have to go. My duties don't allow me to spend that much time with you all anymore... So... I'll miss you... Especially you Emma." (Diana)

Emma started to tear up.

"I'll miss you two!" (Emma)

Diana left with Bob. The two disappearing up a long staircase, leading to a helicopter.

"So what now?" (Jack)

Yaku slowly walked away.

"Read the pamphlet it explains everything." (Yaku)

---

As of the decree of the Grand Sorcerer and the council. The Special Magic Squad is officially disbanded and demolished from the Magic Force. This news may not be surprising, but it is still news and news that needs to be addressed and discussed. I (Grand Sorcerer) have taken the liberty of adopting you four Special Magic Squad Sorcerers, Jack Pelli, Yaku Tanoki, Vlad Popov, and Emma Turner. And I will be admitting you into a new force of Sorcerers. A force specifically made to wipe out not just X-Class Monsters, but a new threat that has come to our attention. The Competitor.

"The Competitor? Really? Do we even know where it is-" (Jack)

"Keep reading." (Yaku)

Your new squad will be called, none other than Squad 0. A squad specifically run by me (Grand Sorcerer) and another Sorcerer by the name of Toby. In addition to this new change, I will officially be creating a new title. A title specifically for you Sorcerers with out-of-the-ordinary magics. X-Class Sorcerer.

"X-Class Sorcerer!" (Jack)

"Yup. We're now X-Class Sorcerers." (Vlad)

He looked out on the empty room. White walls on every side with a single opened door swaying in the summer breeze.

"This is a lot of news in one day." (Jack)

Emma stepped up.

"Speaking of news. Did you hear back from the doctors yet. About the girl you guys found?" (Emma)

Yaku turned to Jack. Jack turned to Yaku. They stared at each other.

"Not yet? I don't think? You hear anything back from them, Yaku?" (Jack)

"Not a word." (Yaku)

"Then I guess I should check up on her. See how she's doing..." (Jack)

Emma stared blankly, her soft cute smile undercut by her short dyed pink bangs that sat on her forehead.

"Ummm... Well... Wanna come with?" (Jack)

Emma's eyes shot up.

"Yes!" (Emma)

---

At a Monster Victims Care Center in New York City, Chil sat in her bed, her eyes blank as day, the moments repeating, over and over again. Like haunting nightmares in reality. Non-stop. Her family, her friends, the monsters, the magic.

"The Monsters!" (Chil)

She suddenly heard footsteps in her room. She looked in all directions, freaking for her life, like another monster would-

A man in a patched-up face, stitched together. His trench coat and bloodied arms hung to his sides. His eyes... Purple. He slowly walked toward Chil.

"Are you!" (Chil)

The man stopped.

"Are you a Monster!" (Chil)

The man slowly leaned forward. His eyes peering like portals to the other side.

"Yes, I am! I am the villain of this story. And I want you to play a specific role for me little girl. In one minute, two Sorcerers will walk through that door. You can not tell them of my existence, for I am in your head." (Frankenstein)

"You're in my head?" (Chil)

Chil couldn't believe what she was seeing. None of her hallucinations ever talked to her. But maybe she was going insane, maybe this was the next step to her death, to her trauma. She then realized her past, her present, her future, what future she had left...

So she accepted it.

"And before she knew it the purple-eyed man was gone. His presence disappearing from the wind. Like a figment of nothingness, a hallucination of the end.

"Am I actually going insane? I just saw a man? He..."

Thirty seconds later the door to Chil's room swung open. A woman and a man in black walked in. Their faces covered in sadness and pity. They walked up to her.

"You... The future? Am I...?" (Chil)

"Hey! It's me, you remember me?" (Jack)

Jack pointed to himself, his face soft and relaxed, trying to make the fifteen-year-old girl feel better. Emma stood in the background her smile sweet and heartwarming.

"You, your voice... Are you! The Magic Man! Magic Force!" (Chil)

Emma quickly jabbed Jack in the back whispering secretly.

"You told her about us. People shouldn't know that we are from the Magic Force." (Emma)

Jack looked down at his black uniform.

"Well, we do wear these uniforms. It should be obvious." (Jack)

Emma looked at her uniform, her blue flower pin, its unique design.

"Actually, yeah that is a bit weird..." (Emma)

"Anyway, Chil... Chil is your name right?" (Jack)

"Yes." (Emma)

"Well... I'm sorry... If I hadn't... I should have been there before the monster... It's all my fault. I don't want you to blame yourself for this... So put all the blame on me!" (Jack)

Chil looked at her cut-up legs, her scratched-up hands and arms. She sighed. Her mind clear of soundness insanity, madness, revenge. She sat up in her bed. Her brown eyes fierce and determined.

"I know it's not my fault, Mr. Magic Man. I know it's not your fault either. I know it's nobody's fault but one. It's the Monsters fault. I want to kill all the Monsters and uncover the secrets of magic. I want to... I want to join the Magic Force!" (Chil)

"You want to join the Magic Force?" (Jack)

Emma leaned over again whispering.

"Jack, I feel bad, but you can't tell her yes... She's too young and she doesn't have magic. It's in the codebook, we can't bring in new recruits unless we are First or Second-Class Sorcerers." (Emma)

Jack looked at the girl defeated.

"I'm sorry but you-" (Jack)

Chil leaned forward with an even stronger determination.

"I can use Magic! I can! I... I think I can see... Ghosts! I can... A ghost told me that you were coming. And you... You came!" (Chil)

"Ghosts...?" (Emma)

Jack watched as her face grew from determination to desperation. her face sad and lost in her past, her present, her future. Not knowing what to do. Where to go. Like him. In that forest. Mindless. killing. Was it for revenge. For his mother. For a past, he couldn't remember. Was this girl falling down the wrong path?

"I... I don't have any family left..." (Chil)

"You're in!" (Jack)

"Really?!" (Chil)

"But... Jack...!" (Emma)

He turned with a smile.

"Remember. We're not Third and Forth-Classes anymore. We're X-Class. Above A-Class. Doesn't that mean we have the same privileges as them?" (Jack)

Emma smirked at Jack's smirk. her flushed shy face turning happy.

"Yeah... That's why I love you." (Emma)

"Huh? You say something?" (Jack)

She turned away, talking under her breath.

"It's nothing." (Emma)