10 individuals are randomly chosen, granted the powers of a magical girl, and dropped into a massive and deadly labyrinth. Five girls on one side, and five on the other, the two teams are told to reach the center and that the team with the most surviving members will receive a great reward.
"Some of you will die here, pon!" Their digital referee, Faa, tells the groups in its oddly monotonous chirp. The game also has a time limit, he tells them, and whichever team is deemed closest by the end of three days will be declared the winners.
"That's all for now, pon! I'll have an upgrade available in 12 hours, pon!" And the magical phones fell silent.
Team A*
Sunrise Shine started at the now dark phone, every gear in her brain grinding at once. Around her, four other magical girls bore similar expressions, until the one in green suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs.
The girl had a leprechaun theme, with green shiny shorts and striped socks with buckled green shoes. Her top was a green waistcoat with puffy sleeves, and a cloud of four-leaf clovers floated in the air around her.
Immediately, the girl to her left slapped her hard in the face, silencing her and shocking the others.
This girl was dressed in full, shiny red armor with a matching shield. The only indication she was a magical girl at all was the lacy ascot with a red jeweled brooch and her flowing, curly white hair.
"Don't you dare start that. We must keep a level head." She said sharply, her voice an angry hush.
The green girl sniffled and nodded, rubbing her already bruising face.
The red girl's magical phone trilled and the projection of Faa popped up again.
"Please note that you won't gain any points from attacking your own team, pon!" The cheery synthetic voice was already aggravating, Sunrise thought. The projection faded after the message was over.
"So, there's a points system..." A girl dressed like a fortune teller with pink hair rising like a spirit behind her was pacing back and forth, and for the first time, Sunrise Shine took notice of her surroundings.
The confused group had been placed in a small green field that looked almost like a castle garden. There were flowers, stone benches, even a small fountain, all of it surrounded by green hedge walls as high as they could see.
"I think we should introduce ourselves." A voice behind Sunrise made her jump straight in the air with a shriek. The fifth magical girl had materialized as if out of nowhere. The others jumped, as well, and the red girl took guard with her shield.
"Who are you?!" She demanded.
"I'm Fantasma." The ghost girl said, leaning against a tree. She had a sort of goth look, with spiky black hair, long black clothes, and boots.
"Are you a magical girl, too?" Red asked.
"I can become intangible. Slip right through stuff."
"That didn't answer my question."
"Ugh, yes." Fantasma rolled her eyes, the giant red orbs the only thing making her look remotely magical. "Like I said, I'm Fantasma. And you are...?" She gestured with her hands for Red to continue. The magical soldier's cheeks flushed slightly and she backed off her guard.
"Scarlet Shield. My shield can block anything," she took a long, shaky breath, "and honestly, I'm just as scared as you all are."
"I-I'm CloverLucky!" Leprechaun girl chimed in, still rubbing her face. "My clovers can reverse someone's luck!" Both Fantasma and Scarlet Shield looked impressed. Indeed, CloverLucky's magical ability sounded handy.
"What about you, sunny?" Sunrise jumped at her name, looking at the others.
"Me?"
"Yes, you." Fantasma raised an eyebrow. Embarrassed, Sunrise bowed hastily, then struck a cute pose with her right finger extended like a gun and her left hand held up daintily.
"I am The Golden Ray Heroine, Sunrise Shine!" She declared, feeling both proud of herself because she had practiced the move for years and mortified for having actually done it.
The other three girls looked at her and snickered.
"Wow."
"That was...special."
"Um..."
Sunrise felt her face turn redder than Scarlet's shield. She wanted to run but couldn't, partially out of sheer mortification and partially because, well, where would she go?
"You must be a little kid." Said the pink-haired girl, walking over while shuffling a deck of cards.
"Wh-what...?" Sunrise squeaked out.
"A little kid. Like, when you weren't Sunshine Sparkle."
"I-it's Sunrise Shine."
"Whatever." The girl shrugged and tucked her cards away in her hip bag. She had a long white dress with very high side slits and a purple belt and a red bandanna on her head. She even had a fortune teller's single hoop earring.
"Who are you?" Scarlet asked, stepping forward some as if to protect the others.
"Kismet. Relax, I'm on your team, remember?" Kismet smiled and sat down on a bench. She was barefoot.
"So...now what?"