"This way," Kris said, leading her to the back of the control room. Laying on her back, she slid inside of a clear, plastic tube. Within seconds, she shot off into the wall headfirst, disappearing indefinitely.

"K-Kris?...!" Kotone gasped in horror. It sucked her in! But she didn't seem too worried about it...

Choking back her fear, she slid her legs in first. Even though Kris had gone in headfirst, Kotone felt too intimidated to travel in such a direction.

Calm down... Be brave! This must be some sort of transport chute–

Before she could settle in, the tube sucked her in as well, sending her on a blindingly fast ride down a bright tunnel.

"Just... Just like a water slide!" Kotone yelled against the artificial wind, trying to calm herself down in the rush.

Before she could continue along with that thought, however, she was redirected and rocketed upside down. Her sailor cap fell off her head as she fought to keep her skirt from falling over her head.

Huh?

Pulling her chin against her chest, she saw the wide, blue sky at her feet. The clear tubing was coming to an opening. She was being launched at the sky.

"What the?" Kotone gasped, jetting up into the air. I'm not a robot! I'm not a plane! I can't fly!

Screaming at the top of her lungs, she blasted off through the blue sky at a high speed. Closing her eyes in fear, fought to keep from crying.

Don't be afraid. Sohko's voice comforted her.

Coaxed just enough to open her eyes, Kotone finally noticed Kris's distant figure. The cool girl was flying with her arms at her sides, streamlined and flying like a stuntman. Her face carried the expressionless gaze of morning train commuter.

How can she be so indifferent about this?...! Kotone hyperventilated. We're flying at 200 miles per hour through the open air!

And when I look down at the distant city below...

"Kyaaaaa!" Kotone screamed, unable to bear it any longer.

"Get ready!" Kris yelled.

"For whaaaaat?...!"

"For landing!"

Landing? Kotone's face blanked out. Their speed dropped and they began to free fall.

Kris held up her arm, revealing a hi-tech watch. "Trajectory reached," A feminine computer voice rang out.

"Come on, follow me," Kris yelled past a mouthful of wind– her long, blue pigtails whipping as she kicked backwards towards Kotone. Grabbing the frightened girl's hands, Kris interlocked her fingers with hers.

Are we praying for survival? Kotone nearly sobbed.

But... looking into Kris's calm eyes, I suddenly feel like everything is fine...

Falling for the ground, Kris pulled Kotone closer and held her hands tighter. Buildings edged past their feet as they dove for the cement. The anticipation of death ate at Kotone's heart and compelled her to scream out in anguish.

"WAAAAAH–"

Their feet hit the asphalt and sunk softly– almost as if they had landed on a giant marshmallow instead of the street.

"Eh?" Kotone emitted, opening her winced eyes. Feet... are ok.

Legs... are ok...

Spine... still intact...

Realizing that their flight and fall through the sky was only about as jarring as jumping off a swing, she was overcome with feelings of power. She looked down at the broken ground beneath their feet. It was then that she understood how she had changed.

"You're not a normal human anymore," Kris stated, letting go and pulling her hands away. A loud explosion quaked and ballooned off in the distance. Turning her back, Kris leapt up the side of a building in pursuit.

No... no way... Kotone stood, still in shock. I'm always the one who comes in last during sports festivals.

I've never gotten a grade higher than a D in physical education.

People get into violent fights whenever I'm forced to be on their team.

Unable to contain her overjoyed excitement, Kotone ran after Kris, her feet shuffling at high speed.

Don't get too excited, now! Sohko's voice echoed in her mind. He seemed to be jovially amused by her eagerness.

"Right!" Kotone agreed, cutting back on her speed and pounding up the side of a building. A beautiful view of the ocean greeted her behind the stark factories and skyscrapers. Landing on the rooftop, she finally noticed Kris leaping between roof gaps and hurrying off into the distance.

"Whoa! She's so good at it," Kotone cried, trying to keep up.

She's a parkour pro... I want to be like that, too.

Then try your hardest, and I'll help you out. Sohko urged her on.

Forcing back her feelings of alarm, Kotone raced and jumped a steep distance, her heart nearly diving down towards the street below. Scrambling and panting, she at last caught up to Kris.

"Not bad," Kris acknowledged, vaulting onto another roof. "However, you still need to learn how to transform."

"Transform?" Kotone asked.

"Hold your case close to your heart, tap the lid, and yell out 'Pretty Pokémaid'!"

"Eh? My case?...!"

"Bill gave you one, remember?"

"Uwah, that's right..."

Slowing down and prying it out of her skirt pocket, Kotone held the pink, heart-shaped box in her hand. Kris immediately whipped out hers– a blue, star-shaped jewelry box. She readied it against her chest.

"Pretty Pokémaid," Kris blushed, furrowing her eyebrows and frowning, "Star Amulet–"

"Why do you look so upset?" Kotone questioned, interrupting her.

"M...must you ask?...!" Kris spat, her face growing redder. Don't you realize how ridiculous this sounds? And now I have to repeat it!

"Sorry for interrupting," Kotone trailed nervously, sensing Kris's dismay.

"-Star Amulet transformation!" Kris continued, holding her case. Reaching the edge of the roof, she jumped off as if grasping for the far away skyline.

A mysterious blue force unraveled her long, blue pigtails and pulled them back into a single, tail-like bundle.

Quickly, a shining whirlpool spun around her, and as she curled herself up, it overtook her; tall, light blue boots and opera gloves encased themselves upon her legs and arms.

Uncurling herself and landing, a frilled, white pleated skirt flounced over the waist of her light blue leotard, and out from nowhere, dark blue ribbons crisscrossed around her boots and gloves, lacing up and tying into bows.

Webbed fins grew out from the sides of her head, and miraculously, her star-shapped case shrunk into a tiny brooch upon her chest. Kris held up her arms and struck a pose.

"Vaporeon Pokémaid, Renée July!" She proclaimed, the curtain of water falling down at her feet.

High atop the rooftop's edge, Kotone looked down upon the strange scene, completely frozen in disbelief. "A magical girl?...!" She managed to yell out, holding onto her head in bewilderment.

No way!

This is too much!

"It's not magical," Kris vexedly insisted. "It's science."

"Well it looks like magic to me!"

"I said it's SCIENCE."

Debris blasted past their faces, interrupting their argument.

"What is–" Kotone gasped, falling on her back and hiding behind the ledge. "Don't let them see your human form!" Kris cried, wrestling with a monstrous, bus-sized Golbat.

Caging his giant mouth around Kris, he bit down and tried to eat her whole.

"Don't let them see you... until you transform!" Kris yelled, forcing apart his jaws just long enough to deliver her message. The Golbat claimed her in one gulp.

"No... Kris!" Kotone screamed, watching helplessly as the Golbat flapped in victory and smashed through another building.

Kris... Kris has been eaten...

"You monster!" Kotone yelled passionately, holding her heart-shaped case against her chest and standing up.

I won't stand back and watch any longer!

"Pretty Pokémaid," She blasted, her voice echoing into the heavens, "Heart Amulet transformation–"

Huh? The words came out of my mouth on their own! Kotone realized.

Of course. I'm helping you. Sohko said matter-of-factly.

"Eyaaaah!" Kotone screamed– a raging magenta light blasting down upon her. Instantly, her short twin-tailed hair grew and lengthened, turning from brown to puce pink. Overcome by the strange metamorphosis, a powerful feeling in her stomach lifted her off the ground and doubled her over.

I'm floating?...!

Stiff boots and gloves encased her limbs and a fluffy bubble skirt poofed out over her lavender pink leotard. Tulle puffed over her shoulders and red, satin ribbons laced up and down her boots and gloves.

Held by a bow, her heart-shaped case shrunk and snapped to her chest. Accompanied by a tuft on each side, lavender pink animal ears sprung from her head.

"I'm Espeon Pokémaid, Sohko June!" Kotone announced, posing triumphantly. "Get ready for a tail-lashing, fool!"

Did you really have to add that last part'? Sohko complained.

"Be quiet, it makes it rhyme!" Kotone flailed ballistically.

"GRAAAA–" The enemy Golbat roared in response, fiercely flapping to lift his fat head of a body off the ground.

"Monster, I won't forgive you," Kotone exclaimed, readying her gloved fists, "–for eating my important best friend!"

"GOL–" Flying at her and roaring, the Golbat opened his mouth to eat her as well. Backflipping, Kotone kicked up her leg and slammed the beast into the smokestack of a far off warehouse.

"Wah, Kris!" Kotone cried. I have to be careful, she's still inside! Can I get her out?

Yes, it's not too late. Sohko explained. You only need to reach in and pull her out!

"I'm coming, Kris!" Kotone sprung off the building, following Golbat onto the warehouse's boxy roof. Roaring, the bat monster bared his fangs and charged right for her.

Now! Sohko told her. Hold his mouth open!

Grabbing the huge Golbat's fangs, Kotone held his jaws far apart. Gasping from her exertion of strength, she fought to keep them parted.

I need to keep it open like this while I reach in! ...But how?

Glancing around in desperation, she finally noticed a steel pipe at her feet.

This might work!

Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was strapped down to the roof.

Err... Eh... I don't do vandalism, but...

–This is an emergency! Kris is in danger!

Ripping the piping up with her super strength, Kotone rammed it into the Golbat's mouth and wedged it open. "Well that works!" She panted, reaching into the monster's dark void of a mouth. Carefully searching, she felt a hand.

Holding onto it and tugging, Kotone pulled a slimy Kris from the beast's insides.

"Eyagh!" Kris gasped, spitting in disgust and shaking the bat's saliva from her arms. "Let's teach this bloodsucker a lesson!" She clenched her fist.

"Right!" Kotone readied.

"Hydro Star–" Kris began, sweeping her hands together and summoning a watery vortex.

"–Psychic Heart–" Kotone continued, quickly crossing her arms and warping reality, "Distortion!"

"Pump!" Kris finished, their attacks swirling together and firing at the monster.

"GOLHBAA–" The monster screeched against the deafening explosion.

A massive, glowing bubble dome of energy grew from their super attack, enveloping the roof and every building in its mountainous radius.

From a distant roof, a mysterious young man in a silver suit of armor stood.

"Defeated again... And not one elemental stone to show for my efforts," He scoffed to himself. "But what's this? Now there's two of them?"

Turning their backs, Kotone and Kris sprung off the rooftop together, bounding away like two small fleas.

Watching the two girls closely, he threw back his head and laughed, his long, red hair billowing behind him in the wind.

"Well it doesn't matter how many wimps there are," He yelled beneath his sinister masked helmet. "As the Kamon Knight, I will stop at nothing... I will crush all who oppose me!"

~To Be Continued...~