In this universe, there is so much we take for granted. So many things that we have the ability to do and yet, we never stop to appreciate and think about how versatile and adept we are as human beings. We're capable of feeling things, things as simple as happiness and things we can't even fathom to express in words. Over so many years, we have been able to adapt to face up against the obstacles of the universe. We're ever-changing, forever and always adapting. Forever and always, learning.
Another thing we have admission to is all this knowledge uncovered through out thousands and thousands of years. Be it stored away in an encyclopedia or exposed as a shocking revelation to mankind. Everyday, we're growing and evolving, modifying ourselves to suit our surroundings, whether it's learning how to preform a task with a more efficient method, or disciplining ourselves to act in a certain manner around others. Whatever the situation, wherever the location, we never stop learning. With all this knowledge and all this intelligence, we become more aware of things such as worst-case scenarios and the concept of failure. A thought no one likes to brood over, but for some it just can't be helped. But, at one point or another, everyone will face this desolating experience. What most don't know however is, it's not the failure that matters, it's how you overcome it.
Somewhere, far off into another realm a world with an abundance of knowledge exists, a world where revelations from the future have already been discovered, a world where everyone is practically a scholar. Where murals are excerpts from textbooks, where knowledge is absolute power. Where text books are read to children as if they were bed-time stories; Where every student aspires to possess an IQ on par with the Headmistress, the leader of this land. This land is Univer City, and it's fully dedicated to cultivating and harboring all the knowledge mankind has to offer. While this land is very much rich in wisdom and appears to be centuries beyond the human world academically, it does happen to share some similarities with the human world. Regular humans populate Univer City. They're normal for the most part, but what does set them apart from humans of the human world is their devoted obsession with intellect and their constant urge to learn more. Everyone here has some subject they're constantly working effortlessly to know more about until they've learned everything there is to know about it. Sounds strange doesn't it? Everyone here devotes themselves to a subject here and vows to learn anything and everything regarding said subject. Though a little odd, it does sound somewhat familiar right? Of course, this land undoubtedly has a plethora of differences from the human world. People here are able to do things like memorize the lengthiest of text books pages and encyclopedia passages all for the sake of bettering themselves. Yes, this world and the human world are both so alike yet so different that it makes you wonder, how is it that places like this can even co-exist? No one knows.
The Headmistress is a brilliant, beautiful woman who is acclaimed to be the smartest in the land and therefore, she's the leader. But it may actually be because she was born into this 'royal' family and therefore the title was passed down to her, along with the fact that this title also gave her the honor of protecting the Book of Omnipotence. The Book is what brought Univer City into existence and it has enough power to do just as much harm as good. Which is actually something that worries the Headmistress immensely. In the possession of the Headmistress, it does just what it's supposed to do. It sits under a small glass dome on a pedestal and collects the knowledge and historical events from years to come along with the maintaining and remembering the facts from years that have past. Everyday, the book gets a little bigger. In fact, the book itself is actually the size of an average encyclopedia that only has two thousand pages. So, ultimately, the writing within the book is very, very small. Anyone whoever gets the chance to see the inside of the book usually feels under-whelmed after looking at it, but they know the book is so much more than your average encyclopedia.
As knowledgeable as the book is, it does have some weak points, if falling into the wrong hands counts as a weak point. Normally, that never happens. It's actually never happened, so when it nearly did, everyone was in absolute fear of what would happen to their beloved land.
It was a very much average day, not one for the books. Everything went as accordingly. The sun rose at five on this last day of summer and the wind returned to chill the civilians of Univer City that summer was just about gone. Another very normal thing for this land was for every kid to be ridiculously excited about going back to school. Never heard of that? Well, welcome to Univer. Today seemed pretty run-of-the-mill for the most part but for some reason, the Headmistress seemed on edge and she herself couldn't explain why.
"Well if that's the case, should we alert the guards?" One of the Headmistress' nobles asked.
"I'm not sure..but I suppose that's the only thing we can do right now." The Headmistress responded. The noble nodded slowly and as he went, a very shrill scream was heard. The Headmistress's face fell, she knew whatever she felt coming had already made an appearance within her castle. She sprang off her throne and ran off with the noble in the direction of the scream.
The two found themselves in the court yard where a woman with snow white hair and burgundy eyes was seen holding a golden-blond teenaged girl by the neck.
"Headmistress!" The girl choked out.
"Kin..." The Headmistress said between clenched teeth.
"Who is she?" The noble asked sounding truly puzzled.
Before the Headmistress could respond, the woman went off on a tangent about who exactly she was.
"Who am I you ask?" The woman asked with a devious giggle that quickly transformed into a powerful cackle. She dropped Kin on the ground, the girl now passed out against the grassy pasture.
"I am what your society of intellect absolutely detests. I am the desire to erase and eradicate the world of all that once was and that will be. I am the need to disappear, never to be seen or heard of again. I am the temptation to stop everything and obliterate anything that comes in my way. I am Temptasia!"
"Erase everything?" The Headmistress repeated with an unsure scoff.
"What do you mean by that?" The noble asked.
"I mean..." Temptasia began as she materialized the Book of Omnipotence into her hands. Impulsively, the Headmistress charged towards Temptasia but the white-haired woman was untouchable. An invisible barrier kept her and the Headmistress apart and so, the Headmistress stood hesitantly; waiting for Temptasia to explain herself.
"..Destroy this book!" She cackled as she held one part of the book in both of her hands. The Headmistress ran up to her again, this time holding her fist out in an attempt to punch through the barrier Temptasia had created. Suddenly a man wearing a worn-out and tattered military uniform appeared and held together the barrier as Temptasia tried to rip the book apart.
"Just who are-?" The Headmistress spat before she figured out who it was.
"...No, you couldn't be."
"Think you can hit me now?" Temptasia jeered, still attempting to split the book in two.
The Headmistress banged her fists against the barrier madly in hopes of breaking it down. Meanwhile on the other side of the barrier, Temptasia's patience was wearing thin with the book.
"Why won't you rip in half?!" Temptasia questioned, appearing to try and tear apart the book with all her might. Suddenly, the book glowed a blinding light and everyone in the vicinity was forced to shut their eyes.
"What's happening?" The noble asked as he attempted to squint a glimpse of the book.
And all of a sudden, the book vanished. Everyone was speechless, unsure of what just happened and just how exactly to react.
"The book..." The Headmistress whispered in devastation.
"..You monster!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Temptasia gave her a wink upon hearing that.
"Well then, I guess whoever finds it first gets to become it's rightful owner. In the mean time, we'll just check and see how well the humans from the other realm react to having their Inner Scholar ripped up to shreds."
"I don't care if you have a problem with me, just don't involve their world.." The Headmistress demanded impatiently.
"No can do, 'cause chances are..the book is somewhere in there." Temptasia snickered as she and the boy disappeared.
The Headmistress lunged for Temptasia but with no avail. She looked down at her hand listlessly for a few moments.
"Am I really this weak?"
The noble, who had been calling her for the last three minutes, was now shouting her name to get her attention.
"Headmistress, you and I both know that not all hope is lost."
"Well, you know I can't put my trust in a myth." The Headmistress said as she stormed off back into the castle.
"Headmistress!" The noble cried in a pleading tone as he went after her. As he caught up to her, he began to speak.
"Now, I know that nobody has ever proved them to be real, but no one has ever proven that the Pretty Cure are just a myth either!" The noble attempted to reason nervously.
"Forget it. I'll just look for the book here myself." The Headmistress declared with an icy tone.
"And suppose the book actually did wind up in the human realm. Then what will we do?" The noble questioned.
"And let's not forget about all of those innocent humans Temptasia will corrupt one-by-one." He added.
"So what do you want me to do?" The Headmistress finally shouted.
"What you know you should do."
"But-"
"If you don't send someone to look for the Pretty Cure, then who will?" The noble finally asked.
The Headmistress looked up toward the noble with her doe eyes and a small pout carved onto her mouth.
"They're our only hope." The noble concluded.
The Headmistress immediately summoned a fairy she knew she could trust to perform this task. After the fairy had arrived and she explained the situation, she sat on her throne awaiting his response anxiously.
"I understand if you aren't comfortable with going to the human realm, but..out of of everyone in Univer City, you're the only one who I believe can do this." The Headmistress confessed.
Renny took a moment to think about this. Currently, the fate of Univer City and the human realm would lie in his hands (along with the Pretty Cure) if he accepted this task. But there was so much at risk; the lives of said Pretty Cures, his own life. Ultimately though, if the Headmistress trusted him this much, how could he say no?
The Headmistress gazed down at the orange little bird, awaiting his response while internalizing how nervous she was becoming.
"I'll do it." He finally replied. The Headmistress felt a wave of relief come over her, finally, she stood a chance against Temptasia!
"But..." The Headmistress began,"..Chances are, Temptasia isn't working on her own. So, keep record of every rival and subordinate from Temptasia, we need to find a way to get rid them, but we need to know just what exactly we're up against."
"I understand." Renny responded with a quick nod.
"Then come this way," The Headmistress said softly as she walked down the long hall just outside of the room. Renny flew along and as soon as he caught up to her, they already arrived to their destination. In front of them was an enormous door made of oak and adorned with small crystals along the frame. On the center of the door was an old-fashioned handle used as a way of knocking on the door. The Headmistress knocked four times and the door had called out,
"State your desired destination."
"The human realm!" The Headmistress cried out in a triumphant door then swung open, revealing a kaleidoscope hyperspace that assumedly led to the human realm.
Cautiously, Renny touched the hyperspace with the tip of his wing, and then dove in.
"Be careful!" The Headmistress called out.
Renny landed in a bush and was caught between some leaves. After breaking out from the bush, he examined his surroundings to try and determine just where he was. It seemed like a very average area, a terrain that definitely belonged to the human realm. Nothing too spectacular, but one thing did catch his eye.
"Is that a school?"
From within a house the same morning, a feminine voice could be heard yelling,"Renge, are you awake or-?!"
"Yes!" The girl, Renge gasped out as she sprang up from her bed. It felt unnatural, she'd never done anything of the sort. It seemed as if she answered in her sleep, but she yelled? Maybe her mom had developed a method to infiltrate her dreams and nag her even while unconscious. Renge exhaled a giant breath and looked down to her bedspread. Today was likely going to be a very bittersweet day. But, she was pretty sure that was normal considering it was her last first day of school. High-school, at least. It made her feel uneasy but at least it was only September.
She was also uneasy for another reason. She glanced over to her closet and let out a massive sigh. She winced at the thought of what she was supposed to wear today, but..she really didn't have a choice. It was her own fault anyways.
Unwillingly, as she put on her glasses she walked over to her closet and took out all the articles of clothing she planned to wear today. Her school was pretty relaxed in regards to things like uniforms. Of course, you had to wear it, but if you wanted to pair a cardigan, or wear the summer uniform during winter, or vice-versa, it was ok. But for some reason, the third years always got a little more leeway when it came to this uniform affair.
Hesitantly, Renge took out a red and black sweater-vest, along with a raspberry coloured tie. She reached for a pair of maroon coloured boots residing in the corner of her closet and placed them in front of her door so she wouldn't forget to take them on her way downstairs. Next, she slid a lacy choker over her head and adjusted it so it felt comfortable. Finally, the best part came. She looked at her reflection in her closet mirror and parted her ebony and salmon-at-the-ends hair. Wounding them up into twin tails, she then twisted them into buns and used this method she found from an internet tutorial to spike them up a bit. She groaned as she placed a dark pink and silver bow on each bun and felt herself growing even more hesitant to step outside of her room.
Eventually, she walked out of her room and went downstairs, her boots in her hand.
"Good morning, Reng-" Her mother took a pause as she gawked at her daughter.
"You look very nice today." She said in a tone that actually sounded genuine. Renge raised her eyebrows at this response. So, she actually dresses like a complete punk and she gets a 'you look very nice' but the second she put on two rings, she gets called a punk then? Her mother was wired in ways that Renge couldn't even begin to comprehend.
"Hikaru! You need to get up, you can't be late on your first day!" Renge's mother shouted. Her mother then received a loud grunt that came from upstairs and her mother simply sighed in response.
"I knew he couldn't get up at this hour." Renge's mother moaned," Do you think you can get him out of bed?"
Renge shrugged but before she could do anything more, Hikaru was already downstairs.
"Honestly, your first day of high-school and you treat this morning like any other average morning?" Their mother scolded as Hikaru came into the kitchen,"Renge, make sure he doesn't get lost."
"Bleh." She blew a raspberry to him as he stared down into his toast.
"Renge, sit down and have breakfast ok?" Renge's mother instructed, pointing with her chin to a waffle on the kitchen.
After breakfast, the two took the bus to school, a ride that only took twenty minutes but included a transfer of buses four stops into the first one. It wasn't like taking the first bus was even all that necessary, but..walking ten minutes to a bus stop didn't sound so thrilling at this hour in the day for the two of them.
"Now, have you memorized your timetable?" Renge asked her brother as she began to walk ahead.
"No?" Her brother responded, sounding rather confused,"What kind of freak does that?"
Renge stopped in her tracks and looked him dead in the eyes," I did on my first day."
"I don't see why you need to memorize it when it's right here." Hikaru stated as he held his timetable in his hands.
"You know what? Never mind. Just be positive and make friends." Renge advised. Suddenly, a group of what seemed to be first year boys walked past them. Renge didn't really notice them, meanwhile Hikaru's gaze was now fixated on them.
"Ok, bye." Hikaru said as he sped up and walked away from Renge.
"And text me if you get lost!" Renge called out. As she mentioned her phone, she then realized she hadn't turned it on all morning. She did just that immediately and checked to see if she had any new texts or emails. Her Aiphone was held within a Mellow Kitty case which was held within her hand. All she had was one email from the class president, Miki Maizawa.
"Good luck on your first day guys! Remember it's the first day of our last year!" The email read. It was sent to everyone in third year, an impressive feat that Renge deemed impossible and questionable.
"Is she stalking us online or something?" She questioned as she pushed her tongue against her cheek. She then turned off her phone and walked into the school. Many kids who appeared to be first years were unintentionally turning their gaze to Renge. This newfound spur of attention made her want to wince and rip off the sweater-vest and the buns. But, if she didn't acknowledge their stares, they'd think she was a confident senior, their ideal of a third year. So she did just that and she walked with a cold expression crafted onto her face along with graceful steps. Once she cleared the path that was once obscured by the group of first-years, she could hear them snickering at something, or rather, someone.
"Is she in our grade?" One girl asked.
"Well, she gives goth a whole new meaning.." Some boy from the group remarked with a chuckle.
"Guys, guys come on. She's an emo kid, nothing more to it." Another boy declared, causing the group to burst into laughter.
"Well, this is already starting out to be some day.." Renge said to herself with a very unimpressed voice. If her thoughts were any louder, she may not have heard the next comment regarding her outfit.
"She looks so cool!" She heard a girl whisper to the other girl beside her. Renge's head instantly shot up. Were they, talking about her? She spun around to confirm her guess and as she did, the two girls smiled and waved to her.
"I like your outfit!" One of the girls called out.
"Thanks..." Renge responded with a small wave back.
Maybe dressing like this wasn't all bad, but for now..dressing in a more normal matter would've been preferable. She entered her homeroom and when she looked at her classroom, she found a few very familiar faces and other faces that were, recognizable to say the least. There didn't appear to be any new students at all this year, and that did make some sense, since no one usually switches schools in their final year. On the chalkboard in front of the class, there was a seating arrangement drawn out. Renge was seated on the far right of the room, fourth column, third row. Not too bad of a spot, but then she noticed the desk beside her was empty. She looked over to check and see who was going to be seated next to her. When she did, she realized that desk was probably going to remain empty for the rest of class, maybe even for the next few days. She rolled her eyes at the thought and within a matter of time, class began.
"Hello students, some of you may know me as the teacher of 3-7; My name is Ms. Yamamoto and this is your final year of high school. That's right, after this..." The teacher began,"..the rest is all up to you!"
Her voice boomed within the classroom, and it was hard to tell what actually startled the students more; how loud she was or how painfully true her words were.
"You're all going to find and etch out your own paths after and during this year. You will all hopefully know where you'll let the rest of your life take you by the end of this year." Yamamoto lectured. The idea of life after high-school was something that Renge wasn't too fond of thinking about, but she knew this speech was going to come eventually.
"You'll all realize this world has countless opportunities, it's all just a matter of finding out which opportunities work best for you."
The idea of 'countless opportunities' was something that both intrigued and worried Renge. It was great to know after this year she would no longer have to be bound to high-school. So that meant, no more younger kids crowding her space, no more boundaries well, at least not as much. However, life was so simple right now, it was very much a stable lifestyle with her biggest worries involving, am I going to finish this project before the deadline? During summer, she spent a lot of time thinking about how simple high-school could really be at times. She also realized how much she was taking these fleeting days for granted. Her time was running out here, she knew that all too well so during the final week of summer, she promised herself that this would be her most successful school year, academically and socially. Because, in a year from now, she may not be able to enjoy life like she will now.
Just before homeroom had drawn out to an end, Yamamoto handed out slips of paper to each student regarding after-school clubs. She began to read out the paper with little interest, but after the first paragraph, she cut herself off and instructed the class to read the rest of it on their own if they really wanted to. She knew by now most of the students in her class had seen this paper already, maybe one too many times.
Renge glanced down at the sheet as she listened to a few students chat amongst themselves about the clubs. Without needing to think, Renge filled in the bubble beside the Art club and was now trying to think of a second club. Seinori had a few unique traits that made the school appear a little unusual compared to other schools in the district. Students were given the choice to have two clubs, alternating each day and some clubs actually required a second club for admission.
She zoned out as she glowered down to the sheet. Art club was one of the clubs that did require a second club for admission and now, she had to pick something to fill up the space. But of course, she had a few options in mind that she had taken a year ago. Maybe Graphics? No,it was a little too similar to Art, plus the class was usually filled with first-years. Perhaps Drama, yeah that seemed like a good enough fit; she needed a place once more to let go of her pent-up madness without seeming like an absolute freak. With a simple, nonchalant shrug, she filled in the bubble for Drama.
As soon as she completed filling out the sheet and signing her name on it, she handed to Ms. Yamamoto as she left the classroom.
"Now, let's what class I have now.." Renge thought aloud as she crowded by a swarm of first-years. She scanned through her memory as the rest of the students scrambled to their next class.
"Ah, that's right...I've got Gym." Renge said in an unearthly calm fashion.
The rest of the day was a very relaxed one for Renge but of course, their wasn't a single class that didn't involve drilling the idea of 'final year, make it count!' deep into every students' brain.
"I want you all living happy, healthy, active lives after this year you know!" Her Gym teacher reminded at the end of class.
"You know, everything that you're going to learn in this course is going to benefit you in the future. It really will, so..try not to fall asleep or fail?" The math teacher attempted to reason after a enormous textbook was handed out to each and every student.
"Remember guys, this class is going to be the practical foundation of your intellectual prowess for those of you thinking about University." The Literature teacher had said. It was during that class what really made Renge start thinking about the future in a somewhat abstractive way. There was so much time left, yet in the long run..more than seventy-five percent of her school life was over. Time really did slip through her fingers and she hadn't even realized it. It was like it was just yesterday when she was in middle-school, fretting over her final year and her next year in high-school. Thinking about all these time gone made her feel almost, regretful? But...that didn't seem right. Why would she feel this way when she had no way of preventing this? Time just went on, she told herself that. Sometimes too quickly, other times..not quick enough.
She began to hope this school was going to be the latter of the two so she could simply just indulge in these moments and wouldn't have to worry about what would come next. Thinking about the future when it was both so near and so far was...a thought that should've been reserved in her head mentally for when she was going to sleep. Or maybe, that wasn't the best idea, it could've stressed her out so badly that couldn't sleep! Maybe first thing in the morning instead, then she could channel some positivity into these thoughts and let it act as a motivator for her through-out the day. But to motivate her for what? To survive the rest of the school-year?
Renge was sitting on a bench on the front-lawn of the school, after-school clubs weren't going to start until tomorrow. Renge exasperated a hefty sigh; all these thoughts piling up in her head wasn't doing her any good. The harder she thought about it, the more anxious she felt.
It was only the first day, and it seemed becoming a third-year just about did her in.
"Excuse me, but would you know where the academic warriors of aptitude may be?" She heard a voice that sounded like it came from no where within the vicinity asked.
"Eh?" Was all Renge could manage.
"Oh, um..down here." The voice said, causing Renge to turn her direction towards where the voice came from. Looking up at her, perched of a broken twig lying on the grass, was a small orange bird with the sweetest hazel eyes Renge had ever seen.
"Hello, I'm Renny!" The bird chirped.
"Um...I..can't..I really can't believe this..." Renge trailed off, turning ghostly pale as she froze in position. That's it, she decided she was never going to think this hard again, otherwise who knows what else she'd start seeing?
Renny frowned a small frown, unsure of as to why Renge was acting like this. Then he remembered; this place may have shared a few qualities with Univer City nut it was most certainly not Univer City.
"I am so sorry for freaking you out like this but don't panic! I'm actually here! I'm real and I've been sent from Univer Ci-"
"It's a demon bird!" Renge blurted out, hoping very desperately that no one was around to have heard her say that.
"Demon bird, really?" Renny said sounding slightly unimpressed," Anyways, I'd appreciate it very much if you'd hear me out."
"Absolutely not!" Renge blurted out again, clamping her mouth shut quickly after to avoid shouting any more.
"Why not?" Renny countered.
"Well..you're either a creature that just magically appeared from my imagination because I'm clearly thinking too hard right now. Or, you just a bird and I'm hearing voices." Renge defended, trying her hardest to sound like everything she was saying made perfect sense.
However, it made little-to-no sense for Renny. He simply looked at her with a concerned look on his face.
"Is there a reason as to why you're thinking so hard?" He simply asked.
Renge flinched for a moment. Would a voice in her head or a creature from her imagination ask something like that? Maybe, if they were really sharp, or if she was really sharp psychologically. But maybe that really wasn't the case. She checked the area once more to see if anyone was around. There was no signs of anybody.
Briskly, she took a deep breath and motioned the little bird to sit down beside her.
"My final year of high-school got me feeling things. Things I feel like I shouldn't be feeling right now." Renge confessed as an apprehensive look was engraved into her face.
"Like what?" Renny asked.
"Um...like anxious and extremely stressed out. And a week of school hasn't even passed yet."
"Maybe you should just try to relax for a bit and take time to think about these things. If you go at your own pace, you won't have to overwhelm yourself.." Renny suggested.
"My own pace huh..?" Renge repeated.
"Well, you heard me out..and now it's my turn to hear you out." Renge declared as she crossed her legs, waiting for the bird to begin. Renny looked to her, surprised and grateful that she was willing to listen to him, despite calling him a demon bird.
"Alright, well...I'm not from your planet, or realm.." Renny began, sounding a little hesitant, seeing if Renge was still going to be on board with him.
"That much seemed obvious." Renge deadpanned with a smirk," So if that's the case, where exactly are you from?"
"I come from Univer City!" Renny squawked with sheer glee,"It's a very...scholarly place, and it is a very special place to me.."
Renny looked down for a moment, relishing in memories of the kingdom when everything was in order. He was thankful he didn't have to see his beloved homeland in shambles, but as this rate with the Book of Omnipotence missing, it was unfortunately a possibility.
"So how exactly it is scholarly?" Renge asked.
"Well, the realm is very much dedicated to education, we all cherish the gift that is knowledge." Renny explained with traces of pride in his voice.
"So, you all like..study all the time..?" Renge said, trying to piece together how Univer City functioned.
"What? No, yes we're all big into studying but we don't spend our entire day doing it. We all believe that we have a calling and to achieve it, we need to do every possible to do so. It fuels the inner scholar." Renny explained.
"Ah, I..see." Renge said in an unsure manner.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, Hikaru had bursted out from the doors of the side exit just to get some fresh air and clear his very muddled mind. It was bad enough none of his friends were going to Seinori with him, but did his outdoor shoes have to get stolen from his locker too? Luckily, the teachers found the culprit; the culprit didn't exist, actually. Hikaru simply mistook one empty locker for his own, causing a big scene and some indecent attention. Barely a day in and high-school was already going awfully for him. It wasn't anything like middle-school was and he had to start from scratch, with no friends and barely any knowledge regarding high school.
He glanced over to the doors he just escaped from. He simply asked to get a drink of water but then, out of pure impulse, he dashed out of the school as if he possessed the intent to never return again. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Or he could just go back to middle school. If only he could, he thought. Suddenly, there was a vibration from his pants pocket.
He flipped out his phone to see who it was. He smiled a small smile reading the name that appeared on the lock screen of his phone. It was Keiji, his best friend from middle school. He unlocked the phone, reading the text that Keiji had sent.
"Can't make it after school today, sorry man. My club starts today."
His hand started shaking violently, and he couldn't understand why. Keiji always did to him, despite being his best friend this always happened! And if he did decide to show up, it would be three or four hours later. Usually, he never got this worked up about it. So, why did it sting so much now?
"Oh, goodness gracious! Has somebody been drained of their motivation? Have you given up on something?" A feminine, unsettling voice asked from behind him.
Hikaru spun around, and came face to face a very strange looking being. It or, maybe she, had a slender figure and was sporting a turquoise asymmetrical dress with gold trimming. She also wore a bunch of wrist-watches down her arms, they all ticked very loudly too. But the most strangest thing about her was her face masked by what resembled a straight-up clock.
A little petrified in fear, Hikaru stammered out a sentence followed by an attempt to retreat,"I-I-I sh-should really head back to cl-class..."
The woman let out an enormous gasp as if she was in fear,"You absolutely can't!"
"Wh-what? Why not?" Hikaru sputtered.
"Because, there's absolutely no time!" She screamed and so, with a swift raise of the hand, she was able to knock Hikaru out cold. She then conjured up a metallic blue clock face and she pressed it again his chest. Then, with a flick of the clock hands, she opened a hole with a white light emitting from Hikaru's chest. She reached in and grabbed a small creature that looked somewhat human.
"So these are what the inner scholar's look like..." The woman said in complete amusement and bewilderment as the creature thrashed between her fingers,"Now then..."
She grasped Hikaru's phone through some form of telepathy, conjured up a pair of what appeared to be hands from a clock and shouted the words," Run amok, Delinquous!"
Hikaru's phone grew in size at an instantaneous rate and it became animate, the pair of clock-hands spinning wildly from the back of it.
"Delinquous!" The beastly phone roared.
As Renge and Renny were chatting, they heard the cries from the Delinquous. Renge was confused, meanwhile Renny was remained perched on the bench, frozen with downright fear.
"Renny, do you know what that was?" Renge asked calmly, hints of fear were creeping up into her voice.
"The first attack, Temptasia has attacked." Renny trailed off desolately.
Now it seemed evident that Renny didn't tell the entirety of his tale. Come to think of it, he didn't even tell Renge why he was here!
"I'm sorry, attack? As in...?" Renge trailed off in hopes Renny would continue for her.
"Follow me!" Renny chirped as he flew off a few feet above from where he was sitting.
"Ok, but first could you tell me where we're going?" Renge called out to the bird in aviation.
"Just follow along!"
Renny and Renge stopped running when they found Hikaru's monster phone pillaging the court-yard of the school.
Renge was already in absolute terror, but to make things worse, Hikaru's was unconscious right in front of her.
"Hikaru!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She shook him intensely in hopes of awaking him, but with no avail.
"I'm afraid he can't wake up, his time is, up unfortunately." A voice crooned from above them. It was the woman who took Hikaru's Inner Scholar and created the Delinquous. Renge took a step back and blinked rapidly, hoping the woman, or figure she just saw didn't actually look like what she thought it did.
"Where's Temptasia?!" Renny shouted up to the woman.
"She said she couldn't make it, and that she wasn't going to waste her time here while she needs to search for the book. Such a shame took because not only is it super easy..." The woman thought aloud.
"...It's hours of fun!" She cheered as the Delinquous ripped down a tree.
"Renny, do something!" Renge shouted as the two of ducked while the Delinquous swung around the tree. Clearly he had something to do with this, so why was he just standing, er hovering around?!
"I can't! My job was to find the ones who could stop these creatures and this person and Temptasia. Not fight myself!" Renny yelled as the two ducked once more. Come to think of he it, he did mention some academic warriors of aptitude.
"So where are those academic aptitude warriors you were talking about?!" Renge shouted as the Delinquous tried to grab Renge and Renny.
"I don't know! I wasn't given any form of directions as to where they may be!" Renny cried out in defense. Renge stopped dodging the swings from the Delinquous for one moment to look Renny in the eye.
"Are you kidding me? You've been sent to a whole other realm to find some warriors and you don't even know where or who they could be?" Renge said with her voice full of both disgust and doubt.
"Don't judge me!" Renny squawked as he proceeded to dodge the blows from the Delinquous.
The woman rested her head on her fist and let out a sigh," Delinquous, let's get out of here. I may as well be eating one of my watches because this heist is consuming more time than needed! Besides, we need to make you stronger, considering you were probably made from the weakest Inner Scholar on this side of the universe." The woman lamented. Renge then glared up to the woman, her blood boiling as her eyes made the woman.
"I know you aren't talking about my brother like that." Renge said between clenched teeth.
"Was I being too specific? I suppose so. Considering the fact that Temptasia said something about all humans being easy to manipulate and powerless. So you think this job would be easy, but it really isn't when I'm getting stalled by a girl and her pet bird!" The woman yelled in tone that sounded both frustrated and fretful.
Renge shook her head, not liking what she was hearing at all," I don't know who the hell this Temptasia person is..but whoever they are have a pretty inaccurate and twisted view of humans.."
"I'm not sure...it seems kind of right. I mean just look at this kid." The woman said as she pointed to the unconscious Hikaru.
"If I can do this to a teenaged boy in a matter of seconds, this of all the other worthless humans I preform this on.." The woman said," Plus, there's no one to stop me.."
"What are you talking about?" Renge asked in a most bitter tone asked she looked down," Humans are such a powerful specimen. There so capable and so diverse, there's more potential in us than in any other kind. So..please.."
"...Don't you dare to talk us down!" Renge shouted passionately.
Suddenly, a flash of red and pink lights flourished around Renge and blinded everyone within the vicinity.
Renge, encased in the lights, found a pen within her hand and instinctively cried out,
"Pretty Cure, study session!"
Within the lights, Renge twirled around and her uniform was replaced with a red and pink dress that featured cap sleeves and three bows down the center of the top area. The skirt was frilly and decorated with hearts. Her outfit actually looked somewhat like a school uniform but with a whole lot more personality. Behind her a giant bow appeared around her waist. Her glasses then disappeared and her eyes flickered from brown to carnation pink. Her hair then spun around and changed from black to salmon pink. And as she clicked her heels and tapped her wrists together, a pair of mahogany shoes and glovelets appeared on her feet and hands, respectively. And lastly, a golden headband materialized onto her forehead.
She jumped backwards and struck a pose," The subject of awe-striking writing and powerful empathy, Cure Literature!"
Cover image drawn by Deency on Deviantart