SB: Introduction

Author's Note: This is a simple story that is used to help me figure out what I need for the prologue of Magical Girl Ava and the Cursed Harness. There will be sections in here that will be different based on the player's choices.  They'll be marked with []

{Fade in from black.  Focus on the interior of the shuttle, Meghan is sitting on a seat.  She is the only person on the shuttle.}

It was a bright and sunny day, I would love to say that, but I was on a shuttle down to the planet and it was night. I had been delayed at the space ring, and I could do nothing about it.  It was a new life for me, coming here for tertiary education and maybe college. I had no connections here, which was both good and bad.  No one knew who I was, but then again, NO-ONE knew who I was.

Who am I?  I’m glad you asked.  I’m Megan Higgins.  Who’s that? Well, no one really, she’s no one, but you might also know me as Magical Girl Ava.  Yes, that’s right, it’s me.  The savior of Calibran planet.  Proud defender of justice and defeater of the demon horde.

That was all behind me now.  Now I just wanted to be a regular girl, go to training school and then maybe university afterward.  I’m nineteen now, and I’ve been fighting demons for ten years. Ten long years until my youngest sister took up my wand.  I did keep some benefits.

“Almost there Mylo.”  I said quietly to the fox that lay in my lap.

“I can see that Megs.  I’ll be glad to breathe real air again.”  The thoughts came directly into my mind. Mylo was one of the benefits I kept when I left my home world.  Every Magical Girl needed a mascot.  Mom thought she was an angel; Dad said she was an alien.  Mylo didn’t tell us but I agreed with Dad.  Not that I was talking to them anymore.

See I didn’t exactly tell them I was leaving, and I felt guilty about leaving my sister my wand.  It’s complicated, but to make a long story just a bit shorter, I ran away from home and came here to start a new life.  Mylo insisted that she was coming with me.

Not that I minded.  Mylo’s white fur was soothing to touch, thick and plush, and I could run my fingers through it over and over again.  The shuttle we were on, was the last step in our trip. Juentual Three was our destination. The third mining colony of the Juentual coglomotrate.

A newish colony, it had only been here for three quarters of a century.  Past the third stage of colonization.  It even had it’s own orbital ring, where all the the families had moved to after the recent boom.  No-one was on planet now but the miners, support staff and students like me.

Yes, I’ve come here for tertiary training, and to start a new life.  That’s right, these are the adventures of Perfectly Ordinary Girl: Megan Higgins… Roll Credits.

Touch down was at 1:30 am.  I’d love to act surprise that there was a 1:30 in the morning, when most people were dead to the world.  But I often had to fight demons when they were the strongest… But never on a school night…. Who am I kidding, I failed tests because of the early morning battles.  Including the entrance exams that I had studied for.  Maybe I was a bit mad afterwards…. But they deserved it really.

The shuttle was mostly empty, not many people wanted to take the red eye flight to the surface.  Especially when those delayed were given the option of staying in a luxious hotel.  Mylo and I decided to come down now, we’ve been in those hotels before part of my old life and I really wanted to get away from it.

I gathered up Mylo onto my shoulder, one of her favourite places to perch by the way.  She liked to watch people’s reaction as they realize she’s not a fur coat, but a real fox.  The passenger shuttle, was just a mining shuttle fitted with a typical passenger bay. No windows, basic seats, no amenities. There wasn’t even a cockpit on this shuttle, everything was automated, including the doors, and seatbelts.  We had the pick of seats, Mylo was my only companion.

When we pitched up at the customs and immigration desk I was able to use my brand new passport for the first time. Since I wasn’t stopping on the orbital ring I didn’t have to present it there.  During our planet hopping trip from Calibran through the alliance, I just needed my citizenship card.  Juentual wasn’t part of the alliance.  Which means that no-one back home would know I was here.

The customs person, officer, er man looked irritated when he took my passport.  An old man looking to be at least thirty-five, maybe even older.  Might be because I was the only one in line.

“Do you know what time it is?”  He asked me as I handed him my passport.

I tried not to be sarcastic, “It’s 1:50 am, sir.”

“Bah, don’t you know most people-“. He started as he opened up the passport.  His face went slightly pale as he looked at it.  Then back to me, and then back to the passport.

“Please put your hand on the biometric’s scanner, ma’am.”

I tilted my head to the side, confused, but did as instructed.  His tone had changed from the harsh old man grouch to a much more neutral tone.  My hand found the scanner, I never liked these things.  Everyone said I was over reacting, but every time I touched one I got a shock, and it felt like something was trying to push my mana out of the way.  I did my best just to grin and bear it.

“Oh…. What brings you…. To the planet?  Your Excellency?”

Excellency?  Where did I hear that title before?  Was he trying to ask me out or something?  I know I take care of myself, and magical girls are pretty even in their untransformed state.  It comes from, nevermind where it comes from, it’s just normal.

“Umm, oh, yeah, I’ve come to attend the tertiary school, the pre-university course.”

“Oh, yes.  History and culture, and all that.”

“Umm, yeah.”  That’s it, no I’m here for science and technology.  They have this interesting energy crystal, only found here.

“Do you mind me asking why your excellency is coming here at this time of day?  The chief wants to make sure to greet foreign dignitaries from the alliance properly.”

Foreign Dignitaries?  What is he talking about?  What did Rex do?  I just asked him for a passport, so I could attend school outside of the alliance. Rex was my friend in the state department.  He’s known me as both Meghan and Ava for at least five years.  When I helped save those diplomats from Seti Nau IV.  He really helped me keep from putting my foot in my mouth.  Can you just see a fourteen year old saving the ambassador and his daughter from the wrath demons, and not even knowing how to address them…. Oh shit!

I quickly had to cover things, “Oh I don’t like the pomp, if everyone knew that someone like me was coming to school, would they still be friendly?”  Yeah that’s right.  What did my passport say.  Class A(c) or something like that.  Rex said it was normal for students.

“That makes sense, but I should still get the chief, he’ll know what to do.  Just follow me to the VIP lounge.  It’s not manned right now, but it’s more comfortable than these chairs.” He grabbed my passport and led me behind the booth towards a hallway.

The room he led me to was definitely posh, I think that’s the word.  With overstuffed leather couches, that felt so good to sit on when he left.  Mylo had kept quiet all this time, and I looked over to her.

“I think Rex gave me the wrong passport.”

“No, I think he gave you the one he thought fitted you best.“

“But why?  I don’t want to be an ambassador.  They’re the only ones who get called ‘Your Excellency’.  What about the current ambassador?”

“There isn’t one, remember?  You didn’t want to go to an alliance world remember?”

“But don’t they have to go through all sorts of paperwork and get permission and all that?”

“Yes, they do.”

“But… I don’t want that!”

“Would you rather be listed as a strategic weapon?”

“I am not a strategic weapon, Mylo!”

“Not since you—“

“Gave up my wand!  And even before then I was not a strategic weapon!”

“You definitely were.  It’s why you left.”

“Look, this isn’t getting us anywhere, Mylo.”

“You always try to change the subject when you’re losing.”

“No I don’t!  What are we going to do about this?  An ambassador is going to have her movements tracked by the local people, she’ll be driven everywhere.  Given special treatment.”

“And you don’t want special treatment?”

“No I don’t.  It means I have to…”

“Be reliable?”

“No, fight again.”  I could feel my emotions spiraling into the dark hole again, no I had to stop it.

Mylo quickly tried to cheer me up. “Well what do you want to do? Run?”

“Yes.  That’s a good idea.”  My fox mascot just sighed at me.  “Think we can get past the cameras and to the metro station?”

“That’s not a good idea Megs!”

“Why not?”

“You’ll leave your luggage and passport behind.”

“That’s the point!  I don’t want to be special.”

“Fine.  But I don’t think it’s a good idea.”  Mylo muttered, but I could still hear her clearly.

“It’s decided.”  I went over to the door to the lounge and had a look down the hallway.  There was a ladies room there that I could use.  At least that got me out of the lounge.  And there were signs pointing towards the tram station.  That would be easy to follow, but there were cameras. And we’d have to sneak past them.

“Up for some sneaking Mylo?”

“If we must.”

The first stop was the bathroom.  No peeking now.  I had a look at myself in the mirror, and I could see what the first impression was.  I looked nineteen, and not the most affluent person around.  I was wearing a comfortable half T-shirt over my ample breasts, and a comfortable set of gym shorts.  I looked slovenly at best.  But it was comfortable.

My only foot wear was the sneakers I was wearing, not even socks.  My underwear? That's private.

The first camera was fairly easy to sneak past, the patrol zone it set up went back and forth, and while it was pointed away from us I just stood under it.  Why do people think that fewer cameras are good for saving money, when fixed cameras would be better?

The next few cameras were just as easy to get past, but then came the hallway towards the metro station.  It was fairly large, and there were cameras everywhere.  It might not be as easy to sneak down.

“What do you think Mylo, think we can sneak past?”

“If we went up, we probably could. Go from arch to arch.  But that means j umping, and without your magic I’m not sure you can do that.”

That was a problem.  I swore off using magic again, and I would keep to that promise.  I’m not going to break it just because it would be convenient.

[Player's Choice: PrologueEscapeDirection (PrEsDi)]  Which way should I go?

[Choice: PrEsDi.AirVents]  I'll take the air vents

[Choice: PrEsDi.

Then my eyes saw the air ducts. One was right over a set of seats, and I should be able to get in there.  They were set up to feed large rooms, so they should be big enough to get through.

“Let's go up there, Mylo!”

“They look dusty and not cleaned.”

“Well that means they probably won’t look there then.”  I was convinced and I was going to do it.  I got up on the couch, and moved the air vent out of the way, and let Mylo hop up first.  You’d think it wasn’t my first air vent.

Those air vents were dusty, but there was nothing we could do about it.

.

Introduction

Enter hotel before dorm

Discovering the demons

Rescue roommate

Find out about the zombies

Asking for Opinions.  I had an idea for a new storyline.  Mixing some supernatural elements into a sci-fi setting.  There's a newish planetary colony, been around at least a hundred years.  Started out as a mining colony, minding a strange crystal that produces energy that can be harvested.  There's a profit above all cooperation who has the claim on mining the crystals. The typical ones that hush over any disappearance or anything else that might be dangerous.

The corporation has decided to expand their portfolio, and besides just energy products, they're looking into other techs that can use the crystals.  So there's a research lab there, and a university.  What they don't know is that the crystals are powered by mana/magic. And is there to act as the seal over a demon realm.  Enter the MC. Who's family knows all about the crystals and demons and have been fighting them for centuries.  The mana/magic build-up has a way of corrupting/zombifying humans, so the MC must find a way of surpressing her own mana and the increasing mana caused by the mining operation.

I'm calling it 'Magical Girl Ava and the Cursed Harness'.  Since one of the things she runs into that is actually helpful is a cursed harness that is 'powered' by her mana/magic.  The setting will be focused around the university, research lab, and mines. Does this sound like an interesting story idea to you guys?

Samsa57 — 03/05/2023 12:23 PM

I think the premise is DEFINITELY interesting for sure! I have a few questions tho, is it the act of practicing magic that turns people into zombies? If so why doesn't the MC turn into a zombie? And does the corporation call her in to deal with the demons or is she already a student at the university who just happens to have all this expertise? Also how many crystals need to go before all the demons are unleashed?

Aridecan — 03/05/2023 12:53 PM

The Ambient magic/mana causes the zombies.  Using Magic reduces the mana effect, but as you use mana more is released into the area around you.  So basically you can use mana and not become a zombie, but leave an area where zombies could occur.  The harness uses mana so wearing it would help her keep from becoming a zombie, and also not release mana into the environment when she uses mana.  The corporation doesn't care, and doesn't know about her.  She goes to university as a bit of undercover work.  (yeah I know that's Leana's type of thing too)

katie — 03/05/2023 1:49 PM

You had me at 'cursed harness.'

Perhaps some of the miners are involuntary workers...female criminals serving a sentence or who failed to follow the strict rules of the colony and the corporation.  And interns.  Definitely interns.

Samsa57 — 03/05/2023 2:31 PM

Lots of fun concepts for sure!

And there's nothing wrong with being a snoop at a university for sure

Aridecan — 03/05/2023 3:41 PM

I'm thinking about two different harnesses. One that is white and that could serve as the basis of a straitjacket.  And the other one a pony girl harness.  And you never know @katie , there might be a whole bunch of electro-magnetic inteferance in the mines and someone has to pull the carts out of the mines

Good to see you,

brockjax

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— 03/05/2023 7:28 PM

Aridecan — 03/06/2023 9:11 AM

Been thinking of the first ‘villain’.  A short succubus (I’m not short I’m fun sized!). About 148 cm tall (4’10), still properly adult figure (B->C cups still look large on that frame) using the gothic-lolita style.  Carry’s a parasol (active shield) and an overly large Scythe named Rupert.  Always talks in Third-person.  And has conversations with Rupert.  Just need to come up with a name for her.  Has a personality much like the Queen of hearts from Alice in Wonderland.  ‘Off with their heads!’.  Gets real upset when things don’t go her way, that type of thing.  Pointy ears, vampire like fangs.  Not sure about horns.  She’s naive, and gullible too.  But also makes overly complex plans that fall apart easily.  OF course MG: Ava gets caught easily too

katie — 03/06/2023 9:17 AM

Welcome @brockjax ! Have a look around!  Hope you find everything you're looking for!

Aridecan — 03/06/2023 9:17 AM

katie — 03/06/2023 9:19 AM

A 'fun size' succubus!  😝

Aridecan — 03/06/2023 9:19 AM

Oh and I forgot the wings.  I think small/cute wings are good for her normal appearance. In her ‘final’ form I think large bat like wings would be good.

katie — 03/06/2023 9:20 AM

Name:  Karen.

And everytime someone calls her that, she gets agitated and screams, 'Don't call me Karen!'

"well what should we call you?"

"I don't care, just not Karen!"

Aridecan — 03/06/2023 9:22 AM

That could work.

“Who are you?”

”I am the great, the powerful.... Karen.”

Oooo, I can get out the ‘list of lines a villain should never utter’.  And the clique list of things a villain should never do.  :). Monologue anyone?

“... and that’s why you heros never — Hey what’s that?”

“An armbinder”

“Why is it so tight?”

“I haven’t finished putting on all the straps.”

“As I said, that’s why you heros will never—- mmph!”

Menchi — 03/06/2023 10:24 AM

fun sized succubi, does that mean fits into a luggage case 🤔

Menchi — 03/06/2023 10:24 AM

Aridecan — 03/06/2023 10:30 AM

Yes, but the luggage would need a deep and complete search at the Airport.

Menchi — 03/06/2023 1:02 PM

always got to play it safe