Project Mage

Runebelle's consciousness went dark, but when she awakened, it was in an entirely different setting. The harsh lights and environment of the tube chamber were replaced by a room that felt strangely normal, though devoid of people and cluttered machinery. Runebelle was disoriented, and the only other presence in the room was a teenage girl with long yellow hair.

"Hey, like, finally, you're awake. It was, like, totally boring here."

Runebelle, still trying to process her surroundings, blinked in confusion and struggled to find words. The girl was wearing a long blue shirt, similar to Runebelle's attire.

As Runebelle continued to take in her surroundings, the pieces began to fall into place. She recognized this girl. She was the same girl who had once been the leader of a group that had stolen Runebelle's close friend, Milaca.

Runebelle managed to finally speak. “You must be Rosebelle, the one they were talking about."

Rosebelle smirked and replied, "Yeah, totes, that's me. I totally remember you. You're the girl from our old school, right? The one with the, like, super weird multicolor hair."

Runebelle nodded. The memories of her past, particularly the pain of losing her close friend Milaca to this group led by Rosebelle, began to resurface, and the sadness threatened to overwhelm her once more.

Struggling to maintain her composure, Runebelle finally asked, "What's going on here? Why am I in this place?"

Rosebelle shrugged and said, "I, like, totes don't know what's happening, but it's, like, super uncool that they just threw both of us in here like this."

Runebelle was still trying to make sense of the situation when Rosebelle suddenly lashed out with a blow. Pain shot through Runebelle who staggered back.

"What…What are you doing?" Runebelle gasped

Rosebelle’s face displayed anger. "It's, like, obvs, I can't stand to be in the same room with someone so weird. Nobody could. So I'm gonna take you out, and maybe it'll help me get rid of all the frustration these guys put me through."

Before Runebelle could react, Rosebelle lunged at her again, driven by anger and resentment.

As Rosebelle continued to deliver blows to Runebelle, the pain was excruciating, but Runebelle desperately tried to reason with her. "Rosebelle, please, hold on!”

But Rosebelle refused to listen. Between punches, she vented,

"I, like, totally get you," Rosebelle, "They send me to school, but I can't even throw a party one for getting good grades and all my friends like, do that. How uncool is that? And that guy in charge, he wants me to do all this stuff, but like, I don't even know who this Roselle is or why her name is, like, so close to mine."

Runebelle, despite the beating, picked up on the name Roselle. For some reason, it sounded familiar, bue she didn’t know why. Either way, Rosebelle's frustration and anger were too intense to be swayed by her words.

After the relentless beating, Rosebelle screamed

“WHO IS ROSELLE!?!?!!?!?”

Runebelle, battered and bruised, struggled to get back on her feet, but something incredible happening to Runebelle. It was as if the bruises and injuries were disappearing before her eyes. Runebelle's body rapidly healed, leaving no trace of the punishment she had endured.

Rosebelle's anger was momentarily replaced by astonishment. She took a step back, her eyes wide with confusion.

"What are you?"

“I can’t stop you from being angry,” Runebelle said softly despite the recent pain. “I understand why you’re frustrated. I’m not going to fight back. If hitting me helps you get out your anger, then… I won’t stop you. You can hit me all you want.”

Rosebelle’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Wait, are you some kind of masochist who gets off on pain or something? You just let me beat you up and then heal like it’s no big deal?”

Runebelle remained silent. Rosebelle, growing increasingly frustrated and delivered another brutal beating to Runebelle. But as before, the miraculous was starting to occur.

“I don’t get it,” Rosebelle shouted. “Why would you just stand there and take it? What kind of person are you?”

The Doctor soon after entered the room and declared, "The testing is over."

Runebelle, battered but miraculously healed, and Rosebelle, who had unleashed her frustration in vain, both looked at the Doctor with confusion, wondering what would happen next.

Runebelle was guided out of the room by a staff member, leaving behind the bewildering encounter with Rosebelle.

Meanwhile, Rosebelle was led away by a female doctor who had a somewhat maternal demeanor. The doctor smiled warmly at her and said, "It's going to be alright, dear. We're here to help you."

Rosebelle blushed and replied, "I'm not a little kid, you know. I don't like, need a mom."

The doctor chuckled and said, "Of course, I understand. But we're here to support and care for you in any way you need. Is there anything you'd like to know or discuss?"

Rosebelle seemed a bit flustered but finally asked, "Who's Roselle? Like, they mentioned her earlier, and I totes have no idea who she is."

Runebelle only heard part of the conversation while she was being taken the opposite way. She gained a growing interest in the girl and also in the one named ‘Roselle’.

The staff member escorting Runebelle back to her chamber smiled and said, "It seems you're quite interested in your new acquaintance. That's natural. But I want to tell you more about your abilities. You possess what we call 'super regeneration.'"

Runebelle listened intently. "Super regeneration means that your body can heal at an extraordinary rate. It's as if you can mend injuries and wounds in the blink of an eye. This ability can be incredibly useful, and we're planning to combine it with your mother's abilities to create something even more remarkable. It's a part of our ongoing research."

As Runebelle was about to be placed back into her chamber, the man in charge approached, collecting her data with an air of satisfaction. He glanced at the information and nodded in approval, muttering to himself, "Impressive, it took just one session to gather the necessary data. Now, we're ready to begin the next phase."

Runebelle was placed back into the translucent tube. She faced her mother once more. Tears still roamed her mother's face, however, her mother's eyes had the slightest amount of happiness when she saw that Runebelle had returned.

The man in charge, standing nearby, raised his hand and firmly stated, "Begin the process."

From another room someone confirmed over a speaker, "They've started the process."

Runebelle and her mother were enclosed in their respective tubes. A purple substance began to materialize around them, enveloping their bodies. Starting at their feet, a merging process initiated, and the percentage slowly began to increase on a display panel nearby. It read 1%, marking the beginning of this i procedure.

Runebelle strained against her restraints while seeing her feet gradually disappear into the merging process; however, her efforts proved futile. Her strength quickly vanished. The world around her blurred, and darkness crept into the edges of her vision. With each passing moment, her consciousness slipped away.

Amidst the intense and enigmatic atmosphere of the Shadowcroft facility, where Runebelle and her mother's merging process was well underway, a sudden intrusion occurred that sent shockwaves through the environment. The security alarms blared and red lights flashed. The facility's personnel rushed to defend their clandestine work. Yet, amidst the chaos, a tall, defiant figure appeared to walk through the doors.

The intruder was a striking 6-foot-tall teenage girl, her hair was a vivid combination of blue and pink. She strode in with an air of confidence. Clad in her school uniform, she seemed like an unexpected visitor.

With a sly grin, the man in charge chuckled. "What's a schoolgirl going to do here? I think you made the wrong turn, missy" he jeered.

The girl met his gaze fearlessly and uttered, "Kazeburo Shadowcroft, I'm here to stop you."

Kazeburo Shadowcroft’s laughter echoed through the room, and soon, his employees joined in.

With a smug grin, Kazeburo retorted, "I don't know what you think you're trying to stop, young lady. We're just a humble lending company. Perhaps you should return to your school and leave the affairs of adults to the professionals."

The girl frowned. "Fine, I'll leave it to the adults." With a parting glare, she turned to depart.

Kazeburo Shadowcroft’s men watched the encounter with confusion and curiosity. They huddled together, whispering among themselves and the audacity of the schoolgirl who dared to confront their boss.

One of the men with a slender figure approached Kazeburo with a question. "Sir, how did she even know your name? This seems odd."

Kazeburo shrugged nonchalantly with a smile. "She probably got a tip from the police or some other meddlesome authority. It doesn't matter. She’s just a little girl in my eyes. What could she possibly do to us?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Look at her. She may be tall, but clearly, she’s not all brains. Just because she barges in here and spouts my name doesn’t mean she’s a threat. "

The men began to join in, their laughter mingling with Kazeburo’s. "Yeah, kids these days," one of them said with a sneer, "they think they can play superheroes or something. They don’t realize they're out of their depth in the real world."

Another added, "They watch too many anime and think they can take on anyone. They’ve got no idea what it means to deal with actual grown-ups."

Kazeburo’s amusement was interrupted by a sudden shift in his demeanor. His face was thoughtful and he squinted towards the door that the girl had just exited. "Wait a minute," he said with a frown creasing his forehead. "How did she get inside?"

He scanned the room with a sharp gaz. "Which one of you was sleeping on the job? I want to know right now."

The men fell silent. Their earlier bravado was replaced by uneasy glances.

“Shit, it’s the police!” one of Shadowcroft’s security personnel exclaimed over the speakers throughout the facility in fear. “They’re all over the facility!”

Messages flashed across the screens, revealing the police equipped with camouflage technology. The personnel's faces grew pale as they saw reports of officers freeing people from the tanks.

“Comms report,” came someone frantic over the intercom, “They’re freeing the people from the tanks! We need backup, now!”

Before the report could finish, another person came through in an urgent tone, “They’re attacking! I’m under fire!”

Kazeburo’s face twisted with rage. He stormed toward the men in front of him and commanded. “What are you all doing just standing there? Get moving! Find that girl—now! I want her brought to me.”

He glared at them with nothing but coldness. “I’m going to make an example out of her. She thinks she can waltz in here and disrupt my plans? I’ll show her exactly what happens to those who cross me.”

The men scrambled to carry out Kazeburo’s orders. Security personnel raced off to find the girl and counter the police intrusion.

Unbeknownst to them, the same girl who had earlier confronted Kazeburo was still within the facility. Using her camouflage device, she moved stealthily, blending into the surroundings.

Suddenly, the girl appeared from the shadows. Without warning, she delivered a powerful kick to Kazeburo’s head. The force of the blow sent him crashing to the ground.

Kazeburo’s stunned face was quickly replaced by pain and disbelief. He tried to push himself up, but he ended up losing consciousness.

The girl didn't waste any time. She darted past the bewildered employees, skillfully infiltrating the inner sanctum of the facility, where the most crucial secrets lay hidden.

The girl's heart raced upon reaching the tanks containing Rune and Runebelle. She could see the process was already at 10%, and time was running out. In a desperate move, she pulled out a police-issued gun and fired at the tanks, but the reinforced glass remained unbroken, with only small cracks forming on its surface.

The girl continued to fire shot after shot until her weapon was empty. With a heavy sigh, she muttered to herself, "Out of ammo. “She looked back to see Shadowcroft employees closing in.

“And out of time…!”

Just then, a hail of gunfire erupted from behind them, taking down several of the grunts in quick succession. The source of this unexpected help was a policewoman with long pink hair. The policewoman quickly dispatched the remaining employees, creating an opening for the girl to escape the encirclement. They met up, and the girl gratefully exclaimed, "Thank you for saving me!"

The pink-haired policewoman smiled and replied, "No problem! You're pretty brave to help us take on Shadowcroft like this, Sadie."

Sadie nodded. "Yeah, I'm the hacker they recruited. You know, I can’t let them do this without trying to stop it."

The policewoman with pink hair swaying nodded, "I get it, Sadie. But remember, this is dangerous. You're just a high-schooler, after all.” With a smile, she added, "But as long as you're with me, you’re straight! I won't let anything happen to you!”

Sadie's eyes locked onto the enormous tube. The fusion of Runebelle and her mother slowly displayed 20% on the timer. She nodded at the policewoman and said, "You watch my back. Let’s see what we can do to stop this madness."