THE STORIES HAVE BEGUN.
AER AIRLINES — APPROACHING PRETTY CITY
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Captain Stulti speaking. Shortly, we’ll be arriving in Pretty City, voted among the top ten cities in the whole country.”
“It’d be in the top five if it weren’t for all the monsters and supervillains attacking it on a daily basis.”
There was a brief pause before the captain’s voice returned.
“Hey, it’s Captain Stulti again. Sorry, folks. I inadvertently left the mic on. But don’t worry, most attacks happen on a Tuesday.”
Another pause.
“Captain Stulti here. Our first officer, Mr. Scitus, informs me that today is actually Tuesday. My bad. Anyway, please try to relax and enjoy your flight. Arrival in fifteen minutes.”
“I swear, one day I’m gonna ram this hunk of junk into the next kaiju I see,” Captain Stulti thought to himself.
And sitting on the plane, paying no attention whatsoever, were six students.
Seat 2A: God Kid, who had spent the entire flight hitting on Magic Girl.
Seat 2B: Magic Girl, who had spent the entire flight trying not to be hit on by God Kid.
Seat 5A: Vee, who had spent the flight gazing out the window, looking for birds and wishing she were flying among them… and snacking on the odd one from time to time. Hey, a girl’s gotta eat.
Seat 5B: Psy Guy, who had spent the entire flight playing computer games.
Seat 7A: Joe UFO, who had spent the flight in pleasant and stimulating conversation with Andie.
Seat 7B: Andie, who had spent the flight in pleasant but confusing conversation with Joe UFO.
Two out of six ain’t bad.
PRETTY CITY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PCI)
“Okay, does anyone know who we’re meant to be meeting?” Andie asked.
“Yep. Her name is Mair,” Magic Girl replied. “Apparently, she’s one of the resident houseparents at BASE.”
After what seemed an eternity, but was actually closer to ten minutes, a sleek black stretch limousine pulled up to the curb.
“Hey, here comes our ride!” Magic Girl said with a smile.
Her smile faded as the limousine drove another few yards along the curb and stopped beside a young Japanese woman accompanied by more baggage than all six students had combined. She was struggling to push an overloaded luggage cart toward the gleaming car. For some strange reason, every bag sported a Dalmatian pattern. Daring Dalmatian, if you must know.
“I’ll see if she needs a hand with those bags,” God Kid said. “She’s cute.”
“Heel, Romeo. This looks like our ride.” Magic Girl pointed to another stretch limousine pulling up to the curb. It was nowhere near as modern as the one collecting the young woman.
“Hey, I wanted to go in the fancy car,” Andie complained.
“Who cares?” Psy Guy said. “A ride’s a ride. Unless you’d prefer to hitchhike to BASE.”
“That’s not what she meant, bozo,” Magic Girl replied.
“Bozo? That word’s older than your haircut.”
“Guys, please stop,” Joe UFO said. “Let’s just all get along, okay?”
“No problem,” said Magic Girl.
“Same,” muttered Psy Guy.
A puff of smoke belched from the exhaust as the old limousine sputtered to a stop, wheezing and gasping for air.
“Wow, it really is a wreck,” Psy Guy said. “It’s like the first limo’s grandfather just pulled up.”
“So, you’d prefer to hitchhike then?” Andie asked. The girls laughed as Psy Guy seethed in anger.
The front passenger door opened and out hopped a woman in her early fifties.
“Hi, gang. I’m Mair,” she said. Her name was pronounced Mai-ah. “Hop in. The traffic’s a nightmare today, so if you can load your bags qui—”
The trunk slammed shut. God Kid was standing beside it, smiling.
“All done. Let’s go, miss.”
“Absolute showoff,” Magic Girl muttered.
“Nice moves. Even nicer body,” thought Andie.
“I thought I was fast,” Vee said.
“Very efficient,” Joe UFO observed.
Psy Guy merely fumed. Jealousy is a curse.
“Right, let’s be off then, shall we?” Mair said.
Mair had booked the cheapest limousine that could fit everyone and their luggage. Why pay extra for a fancier ride?
PRETTY CITY — OUTSKIRTS
The students bundled into the back of the limousine. God Kid naturally planted himself next to Magic Girl. Again. As the chatter grew louder, the driver raised the privacy partition, leaving Mair and the driver in blessed silence.
“Hey, just because we sat together on the plane doesn’t mean you have to torture me all over again,” she said. “Please go and annoy someone else.”
“Playing hard to get, eh?” God Kid grinned. “I like a challenge.”
“And I like turning annoying guys into toads. Just let me know if you want me to abracadabra you.”
“Fine,” God Kid said, still smiling. In a flash he was beside Andie.
“Hey, Blondie. What’s your name?”
“Well, it isn’t Blondie, that’s for sure. It’s Andie.”
“What a lovely name. Reminds me of Andromeda, and you’re just as beautiful.” He gave her his most dazzling smile.
Andie blushed.
Magic Girl watched them hit it off. She should have been relieved that God Kid was leaving her alone, but…
Across the limousine, Vee was sitting with Joe UFO and Psy Guy.
“Hello, my name is Joe. Joe UFO,” Joe said to Vee.
“No way,” Psy Guy interrupted. “You can’t call yourself that. It’s almost the same as my name, Psy Guy.”
Joe looked puzzled.
“He means both of your names rhyme,” Vee explained.
“Oh. I see.” Joe paused. “That’s excellent. We can be brothers in arms. Let us embrace, brother.”
“Pass.” Psy Guy pretended to lose interest and started doomscrolling on his phone.
“So, what is your name, miss?” Joe asked Vee.
“It’s Vee. Vee Lee.”
“Really? That is a great name. It rhymes too! Hey, Psy Guy, this is Vee Lee. She can join our brotherhood, or sisterhood, or…”
Psy Guy looked ready to blow his top.
“Joking!” Vee said. “I’m just joking. My name is Vee. Just plain old Vee.”
“Ha ha. Very funny. You should do stand-up,” Psy Guy replied sarcastically.
“I was just joking. I didn’t—”
“Please don’t apologize, Vee,” Joe said in a deadpan voice. “I understand humor 79.42% of the time.”
“Really?”
“That was a joke. I’m not a robot, you know. I’m an alien,” Joe said, trying to defuse the situation.
Psy Guy wished he were in the trunk with the luggage.
“So, Vee,” Joe continued, “why are you so pale? Are you a zombie, a vampire or iron-deficient from pregnancy?”
“Pregnant? Are you—” Vee began, but Psy Guy cut in.
“Geez, Joe, I thought it was my job to get everyone offside.”
“My apologies, Vee. I meant no offense.”
“That’s okay, Joe. I’m a vampire from South Korea. That’s all. Don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you, Vee. I actually like your color. It’s very delicate, like porcelain. Watch this.”
Joe touched Vee’s hand and his skin changed to exactly the same color as hers.
“If you like, I can also…”
His voice trailed off as the limousine rolled to a stop. A road worker approached the driver’s window.
“Sorry, but a tree has fallen onto the road,” the worker explained. “It’ll take some time to clear. Please follow the detour signs to get back on the main road.”
The rental-company driver obliged, like the good NPC he was.
Mair’s voice came through the intercom.
“Hey, gang. We’ve got to take a little detour, but it’s only for a few miles, so all’s good.”
The limousine turned onto a nearby road, although calling it a road was generous. It looked and felt more like a dirt track. Then again, BASE was located just outside the woods.
THE WOODS
The trees grew thicker the farther they drove. A few miles in, Mair was happily humming along to a tune on the radio. The name of the band was on the tip of her tongue, but there it stubbornly stayed. Don’t you just hate that?
Lost in thought, Mair suddenly noticed something. It was far too quiet. Where were all her animal friends?
She reached for the intercom. “Hey, everyone, call me crazy, but—”
“EVERYONE, HOLD YOUR BREAT—” Psy Guy shouted.
WHAM!
The back window of the limousine exploded inward.