You know how it is, right? Mutants created by a mysterious ooze, how we are found by a mother snake and living in the forest, trained to become kunoichis. Well, for me? I usually got used to living in the forest until it happened. Me and my sisters were summoned by a mysterious fairy known as Rinku Myu who warned us that our world is in danger because of an evil lady. She told us that we were summoned to unlock our warrior powers and gave us very unique brooches shaped like a heart. All we had to say was "Half Heart Hero!" and then we'll gain magical outfits and our hair will turn big. I never felt any power coursing within my body and I felt amazed.
My older sister, Shira gains the power to control water, since she has the ability to understand water creatures and the power of her wings makes her fly. Reika, my second sister, can control fire by burning the bark of a tree. Sadly though, she's not allowed to spread fire throughout the forest. My middle sister Tomoka gains the power of plasmic magic that can levitate and teleport. For me, I got myself the power to control plants and life. You know I am usually good and making vines grow. My name however is actually, Manako. You know, It means 'loving child.' I was very kind, creating plants and gathering fresh fruit from the bushes but more than that, I have the ability to grow huge flowers.
When we entered the forest, Rin began to guide us to a peculiar yokai forest with glowing purple lights flying above the air like fireflies. I can tell that everything is so peculiar. The yokai world is so beautiful. There are so many strange yokai like birds in the air, land dwelling yokai hiding in the forests and some may say there are villages beyond our reach. I guess this must be the Yokai world and what it really looked like.
"Here we are, guys," she declared. "Welcome to the Yokai World."
"I never seen anything like it," I exclaimed.
"I never seen a realm this big before," Shira exclaimed. "We're in a different world and we never even notice it."
"This journey is gonna be tough," said Rin, flying to us. "We need to head to the village first if we head to the block-like castle."
"What block castle?" I asked.
"I think it is at the end of the ocean. I forgot it also had words saying. C.L.I, Cosmic Labs Industry."
"C.L.I?" Shira questioned.
"Yeah. There are gonna be so many monsters, but we have to be careful."
"I understand," I murmured, nodding my head.
Flying herself onto Shira's shoulder, the fairy said, "Lead the way, Maiden." Smiling, Shira led us down the path and into the mushroom grove. Colorful toadstools glisten in dull lights as other bigger ones produce dewdrops down from its tops. It's like we had shrunk into the size of an ant and the mushrooms are like shelter to protect us from the rain.
"Those mushrooms look so big, we could bounce on them," Tomoka marveled.
"We're not here to have fun," Shira reminded us, sternly. "We're here to find that C.L.I building. It has to be around here somewhere."
We thought we heard the sound of rustling coming from the bushes. We looked and aimed ourselves at whatever that creature was hiding. It turns out it did. It looked more like a hopper but with long ears of a long ear, a wide mouth and two small eyes.
"What is that?" Tomoka asked, confused.
"That's just a yokai creature," said Rin, smiling. "Quite harmless."
"Hrm," Reika huffed, staring at the small little hopper creature.
"Well, if that Croaket is harmless," I began, "then, I am positive it would attack."
The Croaket that I named peeped and then hopped away. I was glad that we were greeted with yokai creatures, but it would seem that we will be meeting more yokai creatures if we run into them.
Suddenly, we heard a scream, making us stop in our tracks. I know that scream was a fearful one and someone needed our help. Rushing over, we headed over to the bushes and saw a white bird creature being attacked by gem-like creatures, goblins with gem shaped eyes. They are pink with blue eyes and long ears with long noses and purple gem teeth, gnarly and jagged.
"We had to stop those pests!" Tomoka cried out, realizing she was in trouble.
"Wait!" Shira called out, before we could even attack. "We don't know if she is friendly. She might be working with C.L.I."
"Well, I am going," I protested, puffing my cheeks. "I can't let her die like this."
Having no choice, Shira quickly ordered us to save her before it's too late.
We rushed in, transforming into our hero forms and attack, I started to summon out my vines and kicked down a few goblins. They sharpened up their claws and started to attack me, dodging the sparking crystals before punching them down and whipping them away with my plant powers. Nearby, my other sisters are doing well. They managed to break the gems on the creature's eyes, making them screech and retreat. I did not expect to see that we stopped all those gem goblins. Our first battle of a yokai creature was done. We took a breath of relief before we found that the dove girl was injured, lying unconscious on the ground.
"What should we do now?" I asked.
"We can't leave her behind," Rin said, flying toward the girl's limp form. "What if those goblins come back?"
Reika let out a scoff, thinking she was not sure we can bring home a stranger.
"No way," Tomoka refused. "We're not bringing her with us."
"No. no. Rin's right," Shira said, realizing what Rinku had meant. "Let's get her to an inn. It might be in the village nearby."
Scooping the dove up in her arms, Shira led the way as we left the mushroom forest and into the village. The village is called Shroomville where a group of mushroom people live along with fairies, plant creatures and other mythical forest creatures. Paying the innkeeper, we entered a nearby room where we could relax. Shira placed the dove onto a nest and waited for her to wake up. I started to make some hot soup for dinner as Tomoka began to call Ikioi through a mystic orb. In the image, our mother appeared.
"My daughters, how have you been?"
"Oh, we've been doing well," Tomoka explained as Reika looked over. "We had a good start, seeing the yokai world. We just stopped a group of evil gem goblins, trying to hurt an innocent dove yokai."
Ikioi took a look at the dove. "Her wounds are deep, but I believe that she will be okay. She must have gotten quite a shock."
"Maybe she escaped those soldiers since the goblins attacked," Rin guessed. "We don't know why but someone must have summoned those beasts to attack her."
"Don't worry," Shira assured her, "We'll soon help her."
"Okay," I hummed with joy. "I made mushroom soup." I began to present the bowl of soup down on the table. The soup had a peculiar broth with small colorful mushrooms, vegetables, pieces of meat and egg. I never cooked anything like it but, my sisters somehow enjoy it a little. Do you all know that I was a good cook?
The dove girl woke a few minutes after we had our conversation of how we're gonna get to C.L.I. Upon seeing us, she said, "You're Homengame! I didn't imagine you, did I?"
"No," Rinku told her. "You're safe. My name is Rinku, the fairy guardian. The Sea Turtles rescued you from the gem goblins."
We told her the entire story of how we started off and she was quite impressed. With that done, she said. "Wow. That was quite a bizarre story. I did not realize that you are all mutant hybrids and not Yokai. My name's Anastasia."
"So, Anya," Shira began. "How were you chased by those little goblins?"
"I was being attacked by a very hostile snake woman named Sally Snake Eyes. She summoned those gem goblins after me and stole something from me," she explained.
"Do you know where her hideout is?" Shira asked her.
"I think so," she answered. "It's in the Crystal Caves somewhere, deep in the tunnels. It is dark and scary and very dangerous. It's where the Gem Goblins live."
"Don't worry," I assured her. "We'll get it back for you."
The next day, we started to head outside to the location where Sally Snake Eyes might be and started to search for our destination where we started to find clues. Anya had given us the map to where the cave is and it was quite a walk to our destination. The cave almost looks like a mouth that leads deep into the tunnels.
I was scared to go in because it is so scary and dark and creepy. "I am not going into this cave, no way!"
"Manako," Shira frowned. "We can do this. Anya is trusting us with this mission to save something."
I was afraid to go in there, but Reika used her flame ability to light the way in. Our first clue is that we found some small goblin footprints that lead deeper into the tunnels and it gets darker when we walk. The crystals are the only light source for us to see.
"The path's blocked," said Tomoka. "What can we do?"
"Hey, Reika," said Rin, getting an idea. "You can smash through the rocks with your fists."
Nodding, Reika lifted her arm and then punched the rocks, blocking the way. They were sent scattering around and sending them all over the ground. I screamed and clutched my head as a few bats flew everywhere above us. Talk about scary.
As we searched around the cave, Anya told us that she was trying to kill and turn her into a roasted dove and I assured that our bite was worse than hers. Suddenly, Shira told us, "Stay quiet."
I was kinda confused about what was going until I saw strange glowing eyes shining. They look like twinkling colorful shell stones from the sea shore, but to our horror, they must be coming from those gem goblins we ran into earlier and we were met by her.
Sally Snake Eyes. She is as slippery as a sea eel and smart as a weasel. There she stood, her butterfly knives on the go.
"Well, you managed to make it all the way here just to fight with me," she grinned.
"Of course!" Shira said. "We are here to take back something for Anya."
"Well, you can't beat Sally Snake Eyes. I will serve my master until the end and capture you all for her." She smirked at us and asked us, "Do you fear me, little sea girls?"
"We are not afraid," Shirahara declared, bravely. "We are here to stop you."
"Well, you must, then I shall destroy you."
We started our battle, transforming into our superhero forms. Using my vines, I whacked away a few more knives while my sisters dodged the sharp edges of the steel. Tomoka started to levitate a few rocks and started to knock down a few gem goblins summoned by Sally. Using her fire skills, Reika formed a slamming tornado before she punched Sally right in the face. She hissed in pain before she summoned out the gem goblins to attack.
"Remember what Anya said," Shira told us. "Aim at their eyes."
Nodding, I kicked the gem goblins in the face, breaking their eyes. They hissed in pain, clutching their cracked gems as they clutched their heads. Their sound is so painful, it makes us cover our ears. The vibrating sound above the rocks started to crumble and then give way and started pinning the gem goblins down, including Sally.
"I can't believe I got foiled by a group of little girls!" she hissed.
Once we pulled the cage out of her grasp, we saw that it was a small pink noko yokai.
"So this is what Anya is looking for," Shira realized. "Let's get her unlocked." We unlocked the cage, releasing the yokai out of her imprisonment. The yokai looked at us and squeaked with joy.
"I think she really liked us," I smiled.
"I think that must be what Anya is looking for," Tomoka stated. "Sally Snake Eyes must be capturing yokai being around the world and she must have stolen this yokai being."
"How come they are capturing yokai?" Shira asked, with Reika walking to her side.
"She said that she served Ms. Shadowside," Rin guessed. "Perhaps she worked for her. But first, we should get this yokai back to her owner."
We all agreed with them and turning around, we began to walk back out of the entrance.
After a long walk, we managed to return to our Inn. Anya is sitting on the nest, still worried as we enter our room.
"We're back, Anya," said Shira. "And we believe this is what you are looking for." Squeaking with delight, the noko rushed right at Anya's arms, who was amazed to see her pet. "I don't believe it! You managed to rescue Luvi."
"We did promised that we would help get your pet back, since we could not say no to you," I admitted with a big smile.
Anya began so delighted, rubbing her tears away with her wing. "Thank you. "I would never have been so grateful if you didn't save Luvi from that horrible snake woman."
"Sally?" Tomoka questioned. "She was too easy to defeat, even if she is a poisonous bitter."
"But she said that she served a master who made her," Shira pondered. "The one who made monsters?"
"I think so," she said. "But you don't have to continue on your journey alone. You should stay here for a while so you won't get lonely."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"You came to my hut," the dove invited us. "You deserve such an honor to have a group of super hero girls who managed to help the town as much as you do."
The rest of us were speechless. I had never been invited before and we decided to accept her offer. Leaving the inn, she took us to her hut up on a tree above.
We started doing a lot of simple things that we never did, meditating, cooking up broth for dinner, and some stuff that we never had before. Anya started to tell us that the mysterious woman with the blue hair has been capturing yokai and brainwashing them into her own army of mutant soldiers. "So at any rate, if that mysterious woman starts to make the army. It has something to do about Sally trying to kidnap Luvi. If she releases the entire army, I fear that the world will be destroyed.
"We won't let it happen, Anya," Shira promised. "I promise we'll put an end to her."
After a while, Anya had made us nest beddings for us to sleep so we can continue our journey. It was so comfortable and soft, I won't be able to sleep in the cold.
Before the dawn breaks, Rin told us that it was time for us to continue on our journey.
"I packed up a few rations just in case you are hungry and some ninja stars so you can hold onto," said Anya. "And this orb just in case we communicate with each other."
We are very appreciative of her offer. Backing up our stuff, we said goodbye to Anya and started to set off on our long journey to help save yokai who are in need of help.