Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku - Volume 10 - Chapter 11

An Interview with Swim Swim

—Today we have an interview with Swim Swim, a newbie magical girl of some remarkable accomplishments. It’s a pleasure to have you here today, Miss Swim Swim.

“Thank you.”

—So let’s start off with the first question: What do you think of your magical-girl form?

“I screwed up.”

—Huh?

“I screwed up.”

—What do you mean…you screwed up?

“I’ve got too many accessories, so they often get caught on narrow doorways, and even though I’ve got wings, I can’t fly in the sky, and I get told that I’m unbalanced ’cause I’m too big, and since my costume’s white, I stand out at night, so it’s hard to hide.”

—That’s really…a bit much, huh?

“I get that a lot.”

—I see… Well, conversely, is there anything about it that you like?

“It’s cute.”

—Be a little more specific, if possible.

“What does specific mean?”

—Like, your cute hair or your cute smile.

“My cute hair and my cute smile.”

—…Huh? Uh, okay. So that’s what you like.

“I like it.”

—I see. Right. Thank you very much for sharing that with us.

“You’re welcome.”

—Let’s ask a new question. I suppose I should have asked the, um, more basic questions first, huh?

“Uh-huh.”

—Well, then, please tell us what led to you becoming a magical girl.

“Magical Girl Raising Project.”

—Magical Girl Raising Project?

“The game.”

—Right, the game.

“I was playing Magical Girl Raising Project, and then Fav came out, and I became a magical girl.”

—When you were playing the game, a mascot appeared and you became a magical girl… Is that what happened? Um, I get the feeling there’s…more to the story, somehow.

“I became a magical girl through Magical Girl Raising Project.”

—Ahh, right. Well, then, let’s talk more about that. So the reason you started Magical Girl Raising Project must have been an interest in magical girls, then?

“Not really.”

—Huh? You don’t like magical girls?

“I like princesses.”

—Ahh, so that’s your preference.

“There was an ad saying you could combine avatars and costumes to become a homicidal maniac or a pit babe or a potter or a princess. And that it didn’t cost money.”

—Yes, princesses are nice, aren’t they?

“Uh-huh.”

—They can be so pretty and cute, huh?

“Uh-huh, uh-huh.”

—Wait, but your costume doesn’t seem very princess-like.

“Because it’s just the game’s default avatar.”

—Ohh, I see… Huh? But you started Magical Girl Raising Project because you were drawn by the ad saying you could become a princess, right? So then couldn’t you make the default avatar a little more princess-like?

“There were reasons.”

—What sort of reasons would those be?

“White is a princess color, so the biggest reason I chose this is because it was the whitest option they had.”

—I see, so that’s the origin story of this unique costume’s creation.

“I also liked that it had the special effect of raising magic defense for the whole party.”

—Ahh, so you were making sure to take the gameplay into account, huh?

“Permanent buffs are strong.”

—I-is that right…? Well, then, let’s move on to the next question. Could you share if there’s anything you keep in mind during your regular magical girl activities?

“To obey the orders of the leader.”

—The leader? Are you in a team?

“Uh-huh.”

—They say that magical girls often operate alone, so it’s unusual to be in a team.

“If you pool your strength together, you can defeat powerful enemies.”

—I see, that’s very appropriate for someone who became a magical girl through a game.

“Not really.”

—Do you all get along well?

“Not really.”

—What? You don’t?

“Uh-uh.”

—I-I see… Well, I think being able to stay together as a team even when you don’t get along is actually pretty amazing. Normally teams don’t work out when the members don’t get along well.

“It’s thanks to our leader.”

—You’ve really been emphasizing the leader here, huh?

“Her name is Ruler.”

—Huh? Is it okay for you to be bringing up her name?

“She told me to bring up her name if I got the chance.”

—Ahh, okay.

“When I told her I was getting interviewed, she said I have to give her name and emphasize that we have the leader to thank.”

—Ruler ordered you to do that?

“Uh-huh.”

—Uh, I feel like you shouldn’t say that.

“Then I won’t.”

—It’s kind of too late now, though… What other kinds of people do you work with on your team?

“Twin angels and a dog.”

—That’s a combo like the last chapter of A Dog of Flanders. What are they like?

“They’re all useless whiners.”

—Uh.

“That’s what Ruler said.”

—Ohhh… Were you ordered to say that, too?

“No.”

—Then perhaps you should keep that to yourself… Please tell us what you, Swim Swim, think, not Ruler.

“They’re all nice girls.”

—That sounds like an empty compliment… Let’s try asking something else. Umm, now that you’re a real magical girl, have you experienced any change in consciousness?”

“Change in consciousness?”

—Even something minor is fine.

“Okay… My magic is to be able to go through anything.”

—Ohh, that sounds convenient.

“When I first became a magical girl, I used my magic to go through all sorts of places.”

—How nice. Sounds like fun.

“And after going through lots of places, next I figured I’d go through a mountain.”

—Oho, a mountain, huh?

“I thought it’d be fun.”

—It’s big enough it seems like it’d be a worthwhile challenge, huh?

“I swam and swam and kept on swimming through the mountain, but I couldn’t get outside. Because the mountain was way bigger than I’d thought.”

—Were you okay?

“I wasn’t okay.”

—Sorry?

“I figured going sideways through the mountain wouldn’t work, so I decided to go up. It hurt, and I wanted to breathe, but I couldn’t, and I felt dizzy, and my chest hurt, and everything went black.”

—That sounds really bad.

“I didn’t understand what happened then, so I looked it up afterward. I understood that I went unconscious. So that’s a story about a change in consciousness.”

—Uhh, that’s not what a change in consciousness means. So, then, Swim Swim, what happened? If you’re here now, then you must have survived.

“I came out in a mountain cave halfway through.”

—Ohh, that’s how. What a relief.

“I survived. I gave up trying to go through the mountain so I could get out.”

—I think that was a good idea. You shouldn’t be doing anything so dangerous.

“Uh-huh.”

—Conversely, could you tell us how your magic has been useful?

“I scared people on Halloween.”

—I see, and what else?

“One time, I figured I’d take a shortcut and went into a wall, and there was someone right close by, and I scared them.”

—I’m not sure that counts as being useful.

“I scared the people who were getting together inside the temple, and drove them out.”

—Forgive me, but if you could please give us something besides scaring people…

“I found out what going unconscious is.”

—That’s what you just talked about, isn’t it? Not that—isn’t there anything dramatic, like, say, you were able to help someone out, or had a narrow brush with death, or something?

“…I’ll try my best from now on.”

—Ahh…yes, that’s wonderful. I’ll be cheering you on.

“Thanks.”

—Let’s move on, okay? Tell us if you have any special skills aside from your magic.

“I’ve learned how to swim.”

—Ohh, swimming, because you’re Swim Swim.

“I wasn’t sure what to go with in English, so I just went with swimming.”

—It was a good choice.

“I’m also good at running. I’m the fastest in my class.”

—You’re actually quite athletic, huh?

“My punches and kicks are strong, too.”

—Oho, I see.

“When Tanaka said princesses weren’t violent, I hit him and scratched him to make him shut up.”

—I get the feeling Tanaka had a point there.

“Royalcy must learn how to fight in order to protect the nation, such is their obdigation. That’s what it said in a book. A princess is royalcy, right?”

—Well, uh, maybe that’s true, but still.

“I also beat up Miyazawa when she told on me for hitting Tanaka.”

—Let’s not create an endless cycle of violence here.

“That’s what Ruler said, too.”

—Sounds like that’s the first good thing Ruler has said.

“She taught me that unlike a knight or general, a princess doesn’t fight directly. Sordid schemes, stratagems, and Machiavellianism in the court are the path of a princess.”

—I retract my previous statement. All right, next question. Tell us if there’s a magical girl you admire.

“Ruler.”

—Whoa, whoa, whoa, I wasn’t expecting that name to come up. I think it’s pretty amazing for you to mention her after all that’s been said.

“Ruler.”

—Yes, I hear you.

“Ruler is a leader to be respected.”

—Yes, I see. Could it be that you were also ordered to say this?

“No.”

—Right, very well. I won’t press the issue any further. What sorts of things do you admire about Ruler, Swim Swim?

“How she’s strong and gentle and cool and cute and pretty and knows everything and teaches me anything.”

—Did she tell you to say that, too…?

“No.”

—Ahh, all right. Let’s leave it at that.

“Also, that she’s a princess.”

—Is Ruler a princess?

“She’s very princess.”

—Very, huh. Come to think of it, you’ve been very into princesses all through this, haven’t you, Swim Swim?

“Because they’re princesses.”

—You’re really fixated on princesses, huh? Is there any sort of special reason?

“Ever since I was little, my mother has always read me picture books, and I liked the ones with princesses best.”

—I see, I see. So it comes from picture books. So when it comes to anime, do you prefer princesses over magical girls, too? Like Snow White and Cinderella?

“I’ve seen them all.”

—Of course. Oh, but there are also princess magical girls. Like how Magical Daisy is the princess of the Flower Kingdom.

“Magical Daisy… I dunno that one.”

—Then you’ve got to check it out. Magical Daisy is fascinating. I recommend it.

“When’s it on TV?”

—The broadcast is over now, so you’d rent it on DVD…

“I can’t rent it.”

—Huh? Why not?

“Because I can’t get a membership card.”

—Well…that’s a problem, huh.

“Lend me yours.”

—Huh? Mine?

“Lend me yours.”

—Hmm…I think the whole series is probably in the PR Department’s storage, but…

“Lend me yours.”

—You’re a tough customer. Well, fine. Personally, I’m happy if I can make a new fan of Magical Daisy. I’ll send it to you later.

“Thanks.”

—Now, then, the last question. What is a magical girl, to you?

“Ruler.”

—Ahh, yes. Ruler. Your leader.

“Uh-huh.”

—Were you also ordered to say—

“Uh-uh.”

—Ahh, yes, of course.

“Uh-huh.”

—I wonder… This interview feels a bit more like it’s shining a light on Ruler’s humanity instead of yours.

“Write good things about Ruler.”

—Ah, well, I’m not going to write anything too nasty about her.

“Ruler says she knows someone who’s a lawyer.”

—Uh, I’m really not going to write anything nasty, you know… Generally speaking, an interview with a magical girl is something you can’t send out into the world unless you edit and censor some things, after all… So we’ll be careful with anything about Ruler. Mm-hmm.

“Thanks.”

—Well, then, Swim Swim, one final remark, please.

“Team Ruler is recruiting new members. Experience not necessary, newbies welcome, inquire for hours of labor. Since we’re magical girls, there’s no pay, but our leader can help you build your skills. To all magical girls seeking a place to flourish, won’t you move on to the next stage with Team Ruler?”

—I was wondering why you had a notebook. So that’s what you had written there.

“Uh-huh.”

—Ruler told you to advertise?

“She did.”

—Good work, then.

“There’s more.”

—More?

“‘Since this is an interview with a new magical girl, I’ll yield it to Swim Swim this time; however, the most excellent magical girl, the one who should properly be interviewed, is Ruler.’”

—Ahh.

“‘Next time you need an interview, contact here,’ it says.”

—Understood. Thank you very much for all your effort.

“It wasn’t really an effort, though.”

—Thank you for today, Swim Swim.

“Thank you.”

—Good evening, Musician of the Forest, Cranberry.

“Good evening. I’ve heard you’re interviewing a promising new magical girl for an article for the Magical Kingdom’s PR magazine.”

—I am.

“That’s rather odd. I oversee that girl, but I’ve heard nothing about your article.”

—Is that right?

“Indeed it is. And also, that girl, Swim Swim, is still a magical-girl candidate and hasn’t formally passed through the exams to become permanently appointed. She may have the makings of an excellent magical girl, but right now she’s still merely a temporary licensee.”

—Huh? Really?

“Yes.”

—I’m very sorry. I think there must have been a miscommunication somewhere…

“It may be that my mascot has been careless in his work. That was a close one. In any case, I shall be taking all the materials related to this interview. This project is over. I can’t have you sticking your nose in things any further. The Magical Girl Resources Department is carrying out this project in absolute secrecy… Are you listening?”

—If she’s still only a temporary licensee, then there’s no helping it, is there…? It seemed like it would make an interesting interview, though.

“And this is everything?”

—Yes, that’s everything.

“You’re not hiding anything, are you…?”

—Nothing. I’ve always been bad at hiding things.

“That’s good, then.”

—So, if I could ask just one thing…

“What is it?”

—Since the interview with the newbie was a dud, now we have some space in the magazine. So…I was thinking, why don’t we just replace it with an interview article along the lines of, “Asking the master examiner! This is what’s important in becoming a magical girl!” Anyway, Cranberry, I would love it if you… Hey, Cranberry, I’m not done! Cranberryyyyy!