Why couldn't they just leave her alone?! She wasn't even known in public. Her Talents weren't good enough. Her parents practically gave up on her being anything but some political pawn. Sure, belonging to the family that was the face of an innovative weapons company put her in a certain, permanent, danger. But so were the four older siblings before her! So why was it that even on this sunny day. In this comic book store. Wanting to be a normal girl with a normal dear friend. They had to be close? An adult man and a woman. Trying to be subtle while wearing matching suits. As good as the suit was looking on the female it was nonetheless totally out of place. When Raina finally managed to convince her mother that she didn't need anyone around her permanently when going outside she was overfilled with joy! If only she had known that it meant they would rather watch from afar than literally standing besides her. And right now? Well, here they were. Far, yet close. Christina, the female body-guards name, even went so far as follow to any public restroom! No wonder that Raina ended up more and more holed up inside playing video-games and reading and watching all kinds of media. She could really count herself lucky that there was at least one person who didn't seem to mind the permanent pair of walking clothes in the background. Wendy, the girl Raina was waiting for right now, was truly a soul too kind for this world. With or without the Suits however, Raina was rather fond of the collection of this store. Not only had they all kind of western stuff like Marvel and DC but also quite a great collection of Asian works. While Manga had become more and more popular over the past years the store had also a respectable size of Manhua and Manwha in its collection. For Raina, however, it was all the same. It didn't count whatever country it was from as long as the content was right. And just like the girl that Raina was supposed to meet in half an hour here she, too, loved the Magical Girl Theme and similar. In the end the wannabe-justice-hero even managed to forget about the Suits on the other end of the room as she started getting into a particular manga called Yuuki Yunna is a Hero. @Magi Heart
School's out! Yay! The bell rang and Wendy hurriedly got together her things and not forgetting to say bye to the teacher, headed out of her middle school. Wendy was in a hurry today for sure. Why? Because she was going to meet a friend at one of her favorite places! There was a really super neato store not too far from school that had comic books, manga, why they even carried action figures and imported anime! Most things were digitally downloaded these days.. but Wendy picked up a love for the physical copies from her brother. There was a steady flow of kids exiting the school and Wendy had to be careful not to rudely push anyone out of the way. That would be really rude. Instead she took control of her excitement and headed out at a better pace. Then a voice called out to her. "Wendy? Wendy could you come here for a few moments. I need to talk to you about your proposal. It's quite nice but..." Earlier that week, there was a contest where the students could come up with ways to make the school a cleaner and safer place to learn and grow! Wendy had really went into detail on what she thought could be done and how everyone should put in a helping hand! Now though... it looked like she was needed to answer questions or something? Maybe? She wasn't sure but sadly her friend would have to wait a bit more. School was important too. Wendy quickly texted that she may be late and went to speak with the faculty. After some time she would be leaving and the school closed afterward. As she made her way down the outside steps. Wendy caught site of something in the grass. It was a USB? Gee whiz, someone lost it! "Hey someone dropped this?" She said as she bent down to pick it up. Oh gosh... she felt bad for whoever lost it, What if there was homework on it? She would have to check into it later. Maybe bring it to lost and found. She was already going to be late to meet Raina though. The school had locked the doors for the day.... So she would take of this first thing tomorrow! Wendy sometimes walked and other times biked to school. Today was a bike day! It was really cute and had pink handle bars and lots of cool stickers on it! Often other kids would laugh saying it was childish. Wendy didn't let that bother her though. It was what she liked. Getting on the bike she peddled her way to the store to meet her friend. Who just so happened to be a very powerful family's daughter. Parking her bike outside, Wendy went in still carrying her backpack. She could only hope Raina was still there. Luckily she was! There were two tall people hanging around the store that Wendy recognized. They were Raina's... guards. It was weird but her parents were really protective. Wendy felt for her but couldn't do much about it. Seeing the manga in the other girls hands, Wendy stood on tip toes to look over her shoulder for a better look. "Yuuki Yunna is a Hero.... cool beans!" Wendy said and smiled cheerfully hoping she didn't surprise her too much with the sudden appearance. "Hi Raina!" @Seigi
Urgh... . Heroes - magical girls - weren't supposed to be... like that? Sure, the story was interesting and had kept Raina hooked rather long but what the girl wanted was the run-of-the-mill good vs evil satisfying 100% happy end stuff! Still, that Raina was glued to volume after volume did not change until suddenly a voice, rather close to her ears, appeared behind her. "WAH!" Turning around Raina hit, by Reflex, Wendie's forehead with the closed manga volume. Luckily it was just a light-weight comic rather than something like a dictionary. "W-Wendy?!" Having realized what the blonde had just done she bowed. "I'm so, so sorry! I didn't know it was you. It was a reflex!" No wonder that those useless Suits let someone sneak up on Raina like that. She was her friend after all. Standing up straight again Raina now looked worried. Sure it was just a Manga and all but her parents forced her to do all kind of self-defense classes so, despite her age and being a girl, she wasn't all that weak. "Are you alright?! Shall we go to the hospital?!" Looking totally serious for a few seconds as she said that the blonde's expression soon changed into a small grin. "Or maybe you'd want to cool your serious battle scar with the biggest sundae we can find?! Hey Wendy! Glad you could make it!" Was her friend too late? Raina wasn't too sure about that but not like it mattered. "How was school today?!" She also added. It seemed like a weird question. After all, who wanted to talk about the worst part of the day in their free-time?! Alas, considering Raina was privately tutored school-life was something like a fairy tale to her. @Magi Heart
BAM! Or well more like a hard slap. Raina had hit Wendy hard with the manga she was holding. The younger girl winced but otherwise it really did not hurt. It was more from shock and reflex than pain or anything like that! Raina bowed and Wendy rubbing her head a little with a giggle also bowed. It was something you did not see in the US very much but since they were both very much anime fans, it was something they did. "It's okay! No worries! I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that! Hahaha!" The middle schooler was not really mischievous at all. If anything she was a very boring girl that did her best to follow rules and respect others. It was always awkward when she did something like surprising Raina by accident. Raina was someone she knew from a very early age. Wendy's parents just so happened to know Raina's and even though they were so different, being middle and high class families respectively. The girls got along well due to similar interests. "Oh no hahaha! Not at all! I'm fine really!" Seeing Raina's smile made Wendy smile too. It was rare for Wendy to have friends. Her immature interests and lack of interest in 'boys' made her a bore or a joke with her peers. It was only Raina and a few others that she did not feel alienated by. The talk about the battle scar though... wowzers, that was silly! "Seriously? Battle scar? Hahaha! No way Raina, battle scars hurt and make you look like a grump! But the sundae sounds really super yummy! I'm definitely up for it! ....if you can keep up with my sweet tooth?" Wendy said the last part with a faux look of challenge towards her friend. They both liked sweets but Wendy's sweet tooth was infamous. Her parents had to keep telling her how bad that would be in the future... but Wendy believed that if she just enjoyed it now. She could stop once she got older. Why not eat things as awesome as candy? So she snuck in a bit of sweets now and again... or more like a lot of sweets. It was her one weakness! "School? Oh it was great! I think my idea for the contest I entered will be accepted! You know? The one for school safety! Um... oh and I found this thing to. Someone lost it and I found it in the grass. I plan to take it to lost and found first thing when I get back to school." Wendy pulled a small black USB out of her jacket pocket. Then put it away. She had a weird nagging curiosity to see what was on it for some reason. It was not like her at all. Peoples privacy was important but maybe she would just take a peak at the file names... it was almost like a calling. Regardless, she was super excited to go get that sundae! @Seigi
"Battle Scars are the proof of being an unbeatable hero! What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." In similar fashion to Wendy, Raina was pretty big on the whole "heroism"-shtick, too. Though unlike her friend, who adored the whole 'magical girl' thing more the blonde liked "heroism" in general. Thus it was no wonder that... "Have you read this yet? Yuuki Yunna is a Hero! It gets kinda dark... I think." ... Raina wasn't all too fond of that thing. "Then again battle scars look kinda ugly, no?" She asked herself as she moved her own face closer to Wendy's, clearly thinking about something. "A scar wouldn't suit such a cute face anyways! You're right." With all that said and done Raina distanced herself as she pointed towards the exit. "Today is the day I shall claim your title! Almighty Sundae Queen!" With the Suits following in silence Raina now picked up on the conversation they had just mere seconds ago. "School safety sounds like it could get in the way of fun! And you found that USB, you said? And you think about bringing it back?! Without taking a look?!" Having come to this realization the blonde stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Wendy in full disbelief. "How could you live with that?! In your possession, a small black stick that holds infinite wisdom! The Secrets to the Universe! And you... you would just give it away, like that? WITHOUT EVEN TAKING A LOOK? Imagine waking up every morning and the first thought coming to your mind is 'What was on the USB?'. It will devour you! Corrupt you! Plague you! Day after day your ignorance as to what is on this device will gnaw on your mind, granting you a slow, and painful death! And then, I can already see it, on your tombstone: 'Ignorant of the USBs content.'! Yupyup!" That was quite...grim? Or just silly? Wendy was, after all, a super good citizen! So getting her into doing such an unholy act like peeking at said USB took certain... measures. Hopefully it would work... . "Of course, that would only happen if you decide to not look at it! So let's take a peek! No harm would be done, right? Maybe it's just some harmless homework. BUT!... Imagine if the USB holds the content to some super evil doomsday device! You couldn't leave that unchecked, could you?" @Magi Heart
"Nope! I don't think I've read it yet! Definitely on my to do list though!" Wendy said as they made their way out of the store. Raina mentioning it was kinda dark did not bother Wendy really, because even when it gets dark... that makes the wonderful happy ending even better! Nothing can beat a magical girl or any hero when they have love and justice on their side, and friends they can count on for support! "Dark smark! Doesn't bother me! I know that in the end, the heroine will beat the meanies and make everything good and bright again! They have friends to help them too, like how we have eachother!" Wendy just smiled with a barely able to maintain over the top smug look when her title was challenged. Raina was a worthy foe, but stood no chance against her sweet tooth! She broke the faux smugness quickly into happy laugh. It was just impossible for the gentle girl to make those kinds of mean spirited expressions for very long. Raina was worried that school would take away fun time? Hmmm well... "I guess.. I love school so it doesn't bother me really. It does put me behind on my manga reading though so.. maybe a little. I am a bit behind..." Then Raina did what Wendy was worried she'd do. She started to talk about the USB. Wendy knew Raina had a big curiosity and loved to try and push Wendy into doing things that well... she might not normally do. Gee whiz, maybe it was a bad idea to show her that. Oh well. "Ummm... *giggle*.... I guess I'm curious too but.. it's not right you know." Wendy made her serious adult expression. It was with both eyebrows bent inward in a worried frown. She raised a finger and began to lecture some. Wendy had no desire to grow up but sometimes she imitated her parents to make a point. It sometimes could be seen as mocking them but actually Wendy was serious when she did it. "Spying on other peoples privacy is not nice! You might see naughty things too! Which isn't good because it might give you a problem maintaining a good relationship in the future! Or... um. You know!" She blushed a little as they made it outside and she went to her bike. It was not something she did a lot and it always made her blush to talk about relationships... her awkwardness with that whole subject was better to just forget, yep! Still she could not get the USB out of her mind. Now with her friend pushing her as well... oh boy. "...Hmmm. Well, I don't know. I don't think it's a doomsday device or anything like that! Maybe a tiny peek later. I need to get to my laptop though. For now, I just want that sundae!" As she got ready to get on her bike. Wendy wondered if the body guards were going to let Raina go, seeing it was getting late due to Wendy taking so long to get here. @Seigi
"Excuses! Excuses! Excuses!" Raina already achieved what she wanted, so there wasn't all that much to add to that. Except that she would love to be around when Wendy checks the USB. "Spying on other peoples privacy is totally okay if it serves the greater good! And, as you know, true justice stands above the law!" Little Raina was already a sort of vigilante, eh? Good thing that Wendy, at least, knew that the blonde girl despised killing no matter how much one might deserve it. The Suits, who followed silently like an extended shadow, could only frown upon the girls antics. Even if they'd care, Raina would only get annoyed if they decided to barge in while she talks with her best friend. And, in the end, they didn't get paid for that anyways. "Oh! I know. I'm such a genius." Really, Raina didn't even plan that but it all fell perfectly into place! "If you're scared to discover someones terrible-but-not-terrible secret how about I take a look at it instead? As your friend and totally-authentic-hero it is my job to burden the sins of others, or something!" That said, though, the four two arrived sooner or later at 'Bob's true Vanilla'. The owner, Bob, was a true CInnamon Roll that simply wanted to bring a smile to children everywhere. Hence opening an ice-cream shop dedicated to serving ice-cream and more ice-cream as well as some cake and cookies. The Suits liked that stuff, too. "Loser pays, as usual!" Up to this day Wendy couldn't figure out if Raina was kinda smart and decided for that rule simply because she was a rich kid and wouldn't take a no to pay for Wendy's tab or if it was simply Raina being Raina. No matter Wendy was aware that Raina took these kind of contests rather serious and there was no way she'd cheat or would forgive any cheating for the sake of shifting around whoever had to pay! @Magi Heart
Wendy made a worried look as Raina, why didn't Wendy realize that sooner, went for broke and offered to look at the USB. Gee whiz, sometimes Wendy wondered who was the younger of them both! Raina had a habit of leading Wendy into these kinds of little, traps. Often to the dismay of the gentler and less adventurous girl. It was true that love was more important than anything else though... and heroes of all kinds pretty much were the ones who burdened the task of doing stuff others could not or would not do. Gosh Raina was going to get her into trouble someday! "Maybe, yeah. You're right Raina! But, I can't let you do it first! If you did and it was something bad.. I'd never forgive myself!" The two girls would end up in Bob's Vanilla. Wendy absolutely, positively, most definitely loved this place! If she was a magical girl for real, she would make this place her headquarters! The place did not really have a cute mascot or anything but it was just sooooo awesome! Raina made her usual declaration of loser pays. It was always cool with them both. Wendy was not rich by any stretch, but she still made a good allowance and it was fun to add a bit of risk to the desert eating! Especially since she was so good at it! Wendy did not hold back this time. She was kind of excited and a bit stressed over the USB, so she covered her worries in sweets! Nothing beats, Vanilla Bob Shakes, Skittle Fruit Smoothies, and Triple Fudge Mega Fundaes! "Yay! Thank you Mr. Bob! These look so good as always! Ready Raina? Super sweet loving power go!" Her sweet tooth was just watering as each laid on the counter in front of her. After this, regardless what happened. Wendy would head home first thing and discover what was on that USB. Then right to the lost and found with it! What could possibly go wrong? @Seigi
Of course, Wendy couldn't let her do it first! Still, that didn't mean Raina would just give up so easily. She already managed to crack Wendy's resolve to take a 'tiny peek later', all it took now was to keep up the assault! "Alright. I'll let you check first BUT to make one hundred percento totally righty sure that nothing badly bad is on it I will have to check, after? Regardless of the content! Can't let you save the world alone and all that! Pinky promise." With that said all that was now left to do was indulge herself in these sweet desserts. Not only did it taste good but the challenge of trying to beat a World Boss only added to the excitement! So far their score was zero to Raina-lost-count. She hadn't won a single time but... no matter how often she'd fail, as long as the blonde wasn't giving up victory was in sight! "Fufufu.... today is the day I shall finally beat you! Slayer of Sundaes! Conquerer of Smoothies! Go!" With this, their battle started! Clearly, the blonde was no opponent to be underestimated and the clash between the two was sometimes even breath-taking enough that a small crowd gathered around them; cheering each of them on for their very own personal reasons! Much to the dismay of Raina's bodyguards though. ... ... ... "GAAAAHHHHH!" Today wasn't the day for Raina to finally beat Wendy either. "Just... what is your secret?!" The blonde said every so often as she held her forehead in pain. A stinging headache of eating too much cold stuff way too fast. Just... how did the pink-haired girl manage?! Raina was supposed to be the more thick-headed one goddamnit! "Ah! Don't tell." She added a few seconds after asking, also as usual. "Victory will just be so much sweeter figuring it out myself!" Sure, looking it up on the internet was a thing too but where was the fun in that? Nonetheless, their challenge was concluded and with some small-talk here and there and Raina soon had her time used up. It was only a matter of minutes npw before her annoying care-takers would remind her of that. "Alright, Wendy. Don't forget to show me what's on the USB once you discovered its dark secrets! Better yet send me a message or something!" She looked over her shoulders to make sure the annoying suits were far enough away. "I'll try to sneak out next time!" @Magi Heart
After the dessert eating contest for the fate of the world! Or well, the fate of Wendy's wallet. The two friends separated with the promise that Wendy would show Raina what was on that USB after she did. So Wendy arrived at home and immediately was met by Jojo the family dog. She came in with a big smile. She had just had a really good day! "I'm home!" Wendy did have some trouble eating dinner that night. Way too much sweets! Still it was worth it! After homework and dog walking. She would find herself alone in her room in front of her PC. All around her were her posters. Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, Pretty Cure, all the great magical girl anime where good wins over evil and girl's fight with their hearts full of hope, love and justice! She looked at the USB card with as she wondered... was this the right thing to do? Raina thought so. Well, it wouldn't it would it? Just a little peak. In went the USB and a single file appeared. Wowzers only one file? That made this a lot easier. Just read what it is and then... It was just... well... just a bunch of letters and numbers. It really did not make much sense. There was no need to use a program to open it so she clicked on it. Her eyes widened at what she saw... Welcome, you have been invited to be a part of Terrasphere. Open this email on your VR adapter to download our client. For your personal safety, do not post about Terrasphere on social media or admit to connecting to our server online. "Cool beans..." Thus the innocent and naive young girl, Wendy Ann Quinn would begin a story that would ultimately have her meet her unexpected fate. [Fin]
