Ooh, massages.

(She continues to do messy things, but the fecal transplant seems to be helping.)

Kyra slips into the nurse's office smelling faintly of wood.

"So. What's her prognosis?

She's stable now, but it was incredible luck to survive an aquatic absorption of that size. Can she fight sea monsters now? Can she still fight cat monsters?"

"I've been talking to the Magical Girl Solidarity Council, and they all seem quite sure that Alia fighting just about anything bigger than a magic housefly would be a death sentence. They're happy to let her enjoy her retirement and do what they can to care for her, and I'm sure that they'll do their very best to make her life as painless and dignified as is even remotely possible. I and those she has rescued thank her for her service, and we'll all do everything in our power to take off all the weight we can off your shoulders. We'll care for her; you won't have to worry."

Alia is not going to accept that.

"Surely she can work on a team and make sure someone else takes the killing blow? She's got to be pretty powerful now, and the monsters keep getting bigger...

Also, she's my responsibility. While I of course appreciate your help - I'm not a doctor and can't be awake 24/7 - I'm never going to stop taking care of her.

Sorry. That's probably not what you were implying. I'm just stressed. Sorry."

"No, not at all. We said you won't have to worry, not that you won't do it. We're sure she means the world to you, but we'll be able to always be at her side. And Alia can happily be on a team, avoiding striking the killing blow! I should have said killing a housefly, rather than fighting it; I didn't meant to imply what I implied. Just... she might have to kill a monster in self defense, and she wouldn't make it if she did. Also, she'll be near the front of the line for a heart and a lung transplant; it won't be too many days before someone healthy in those parts accepts early cryonics, and the relevant authorities have made up their mind that powerful magical girls like Alia are to receive priorities for all transplants. She will be able to live without the heavy machines, and she won't have to wait long, either. It's very much an 'all for one' situation, here."

"Oh, good. Sorry."

"So is she the most powerful Magical Girl in the world now, do you think? That squid was huge!"

"Quite possibly! She's really near her limit when it comes to how much power she can handle; anyone more powerful must have gotten super-lucky to be alive after absorbing that much energy. I'll try asking the Solidarity Council; they'd absolutely know about that. Anyway, has Alia needed to take any pain meds? How's she feeling, these days?"

"No extra pain meds, but I don't think we'll be tapering off the daily ones anytime soon. I think she knew this was going to happen eventually but is still adjusting to it being real now."

Alia presses the call button. "I have a leg cramp. Massage?"

She could get used to this level of pampering.

The nurse nods after hearing Kyra speak, then walks in to Alia's room, taking rapid steps. "Yes, we'll all pamper you into bliss, miss." She carefully lifts Alia's leg, moving it a bit while massaging it to help get better circulation and resolve Alia's cramp. "Are you a light sleeper? For heavy sleepers, I like to change their onesies at night, so they wake up in the morning in fresh clothes without ever feeling the discomfort of being undressed. But obviously that won't work if I wake you up every time."

"I wake up easily and fall back to sleep easily!"

"Ahh, sounds like I won't be disrupting your sleep too much. We'll try it once or twice, then? Is there anything else I can do for you, miss? Perhaps you'd enjoy a buffet of pastries and biscuits in the Magical Girl tradition? I can also get you a particularly excellent caramel macchiato, if coffee is to your taste."

"Ooh, biscuits? Something crunchy? And maybe a decaf caramel macchiato?"

"Yep, I'll get you some of my favorite pastries, together with the best decaf caramel macchiato in the city, just you wait." It doesn't take long before a charming cargo robot arrives, carrying a truly huge portion of delicious pastries within its cargo compartment: biscuits with and without chocolate, donuts, croissants, brioche, churros, and so many other options. It's a proper smorgasbord. And there's also a metal cup, with a sealed lid on top, containing a caramel macchiato with the most amazing aroma, as the lid gets taken off. "Sure is fantastic, isn't it?"

"Yep!"

Munch munch.

It's not too long until the next Event, and Alia's health issues finally fade as she transforms. Alia receives the instructions from her handler the moment event 29 starts.

"You attacking just about any creature now would be a death sentence. We're wanting you to stay in reserve, as your recon powers remain useful and we're unwilling to risk you being forced into attacking something if you join in a support role. You're far too powerful to risk losing, unless it's against something that only you would be able to stop. Please don't risk yourself."

She rushes to disconnect her tubes and leaps out of the wheelchair. She lashes her finger-tentacles. "I bet I could saw through a giant ground-sloth with one hand!"

Holding her breath, she jumps out the window and bounds through the yard, using her finger-tentacles to push off the ground and keep herself aloft. Ooh, she's strong! And fast.

She lets out her breath - she can measure that capability later - "Where's the transport?"

"We were hoping that you'd be happy to explore your powers and enjoy your health. We're unwilling to risk you ending up absorbing the power of any creatures, and want to keep you in reserve in case of a dire emergency. We're not going to refuse your demand for a transport, but we would ask you to attempt to stay well away from any monster attack at present. Hence, we felt no need to prepare a transport."

"Not even cats?"

"With the way you're doing untransformed at the moment, it's a miracle you're not dead already. Anything could tip you over the scale; it would need to be something truly deadly for us to accept the extreme risks involved. Please, explore your powers and enjoy your good health; we'll call you in if there's an emergency worth risking your life for."

"Well I'm still going to help. From afar. Even if I don't attack anything at all, I can deliver bombs. I'm really fast now!

Kyra, where should I go?"

She checks her phone... "There's an evacuation in Wilton but it's probably handled... I'd wait for now.

Can you hear the big monster from last time?"

"Nope. Guess it was what made the big plume."

"Or it was responding to the squid.

How about we go look in that forest? You can carry me with you." And Alia won't risk fighting anything while holding Kyra...