Elements And Emotions Chapter 1: Bestowment
The time is mid-summer. A fiery-haired young woman is walking in a park with nothing but a blank mind. Usually a carefree person, she doesn't think much of the future, but cherishes and enjoys the present. She was Shibuya's No. 1 Gal, Ran Kotobuki. Spotting the center of Shibuya, the dog named Hachiko; she ran and sat on it as she waited for three other friends.
The first one to arrive was a short-blonde-haired girl with a very jolly smile. She was usually the one to talk, being concerned about her friends, although she has a lot of problems too. She is destined to marry Ran's older brother, the Police Officer Yamato Kotobuki.
The second to arrive has long bluish-black hair and dressed conservatively. She is the voice of reason and logic in the group. The top of her class, of course it's understood that she has that reputation. Beautiful, smart, reliable and versatile in all living aspects, she is usually the one the girls count on. She is Aya Hoshino.
The last was definitely the richest of the three. She has long greenish-blonde hair that's twirled at the ends. She can be an introvert sometimes but she really is dependable, especially on the money aspects. She is very beautiful too. Her name is Mami Honda.
"Great! Now that we're complete, let's round up Shibuya and get the best ever fashion statements in the new store that opened!" exclaimed Ran, as she looked at Mami. Mami glared at her.
"What? You are expecting me to buy everything you want?" Mami exclaimed incredulously. Aya and Miyu just looked at each other and laughed. Then noticing this, Mami also laughed leaving a confused Ran.
"Ran, do you think you've had enough fortune-taking for the day?" Aya asked between laughs.
"What! A girl has needs you know..." Ran defended.
"Well, too much of anything is bad. And you know that." Miyu countered. Ran sighed.
"Okay I give up! What shall we do now?"
"How about we round up the park and see if we can spot some hotties?" Mami suggested. Ran sighed and Aya just laughed. Miyu was contented.
"Well, you guys spot for boyfriend materials. I've got one already! Beh!" Miyu exclaimed. The three other girls sighed.
At the park..."There seems to be no one here. It's such a shame..." Mami sighed as they arrived in the secluded area of the park after they had round the whole park searching for BF materials.
Just then, an old, seemingly poor woman approached them. She appeared as if she's going to faint.
"Hey guys, let's help the old lady... She's really in bad shape." Aya said as she supported the woman.
"I'll go get some food and drinks for her. You guys wait here..." Mami said as she started to leave.
"Are you alright ma'am? You seem really cold and sick. Here, you can have this scarf. It'll keep you warm for the time being..." Aya said as she handed her scarf.
"You young ladies are really kind. It's really nice to see that people like you still exist in this world of chaos..." the woman said weakly. Mami arrived with the food and drinks and she gave it to the old woman.
"Here you go... Help yourself and if you need more, I'll go get some more..." Mami said but the woman interrupted her.
"No, thank you child. You have done so much good to me. And for that I am grateful..."
"Gee, uhm, thanks..." Mami replied solemnly.
"Uh, lady, may we ask where you came from? I mean, it's really the first time I-we saw you here... and well, maybe we can take you back to your home, or maybe find you a shelter..." Ran said. Miyu's eyes lightened.
"I know a great place for her to stay! You see, the Christ for Families are offering a room of your own and you can eat three times a day, and you can have a decent job being a social worker! I've seen it and it's really great! I can take you there!" Miyu exclaimed happily. The woman looked at the four of them and smiled tenderly.
"You have the aura I have been searching for thousands of years... finally, I can rest..." the woman said. The four girls looked confused.
"Aura...? Thousands of years...? What are you saying old lady?" Ran inquired in a very quiet voice. The three other women looked shocked.
"I didn't know you can speak that quietly Ran! Hahaha!" Miyu exclaimed as she laughed.
"Oh be quiet will you!" Ran shouted back.
"You have a fiery spirit, young lady... I will give you the same element that corresponds to you..." The old lady said as she looked at Ran.
"Huh? I don't understand..." Ran said in her normal voice.
"You, young lady... you have a mysterious personality. There is more in you than meets the eye... I will give you the same element that needs feeling than vision..." She said as she looked at Miyu. Miyu was taken aback and looked just as confused as Ran. The woman then looked at Aya, who was sitting right next to her.
"You are the calm before the storm. And your judgments are really the most rational of all. I will give you the same element. Calm as the still sea and versatile in its own way..." Aya looked at the woman squarely, as if examining her. The old woman then looked at Mami who was standing right beside Aya.
"As for you, young lady, you have the world to care for. And since you give more than what you should, I will give you the world's vast riches... Farewell to you all and I hope you will use your gifts for their intended uses..." Said the old lady as she vanished and dissipated through the air, leaving Aya's scarf. Aya picked it up and held it closer to her.
"Wow... What was that? What gift is she talking about?" Ran asked as she looked at Aya. Aya looked in deep thought.
"Oh, I don't like things I don't understand!" Ran said as she punched a tree and miraculously the tree burst into flames! The four of them looked shocked. And before any of them could react, Aya explained.
"So that is what the old woman meant when she gave us the "elements" that are compatible to us. You see, she said that Ran has a fiery spirit so she gave her the element of fire. Miyu, try projecting your energies to anything, or a tree maybe – that tree." Aya said as she pointed it out.
"Okay I'll try..." Miyu said as she thrust both her hands in the direction of the tree and focused hard. Suddenly the wind around her formed a vacuum and slashed the tree in two.
"Wow! That was way cool!" Mami exclaimed. Miyu looked so amazed and she looked at her hands like it was the first time she had seen them.
"Mami, you were bestowed the world's richness, right?" Aya said, "Try concentrating your energy on that particular tree."
"Okay! Here goes nothing!" Mami exclaimed as she held out one hand, as if attempting to uproot the tree. Almost instantaneously, there was a brief ground shake and the tree was uprooted.
"Oh wow! I've got the powers of the earth! This is awesome!" Mami exclaimed happily.
"Oh, how about you, Aya? What did the old lady give you?" Miyu asked. Aya just smiled.
"I think it's pretty obvious what the old lady gave me. Knowing all of your powers, there is but one element undiscovered. And that's water." Aya said as she lifted one hand, and pointed two fingers at one tree and then a burst of water encircled the tree and crashed it into pieces.
"Wow... That was so beautiful! How were you able to do it with so much finesse?" asked Miyu. Aya just smiled.
"Our powers are based on what we think and feel. So we must take extra precaution so that we won't harm anyone." Aya explained. The three other girls nodded.
"Hey, how come you know so much about it already yet we don't even have one single idea on how our powers work?" asked Ran in a very curious form of interrogation.
"Well, I got my ideas the first time I saw you punch the tree and burst it into flames. You're angry then and your anger triggered the release of your power." Aya explained.
"Oh, okay... So I guess now we have to train ourselves? Wonder what we're up against..." Miyu asked.
"No matter who we're up against, we'll defeat them for we are – what do we call ourselves now?" asked Ran.
"How 'bout Super Gals? I mean, it still applies, especially now that we have these extraordinary powers." Mami suggested and the other three agreed happily.
"That is such a great idea! I love it!" Ran exclaimed as they left the park together.