Wonder Egg Priority 02

Chapter 1: Lasting Scars

Rika: "I'm home."

A blonde girl at the age of fifteen said in passing, knowing full well nobody was going to hear it. She promptly walked passed her mother, who's head was lazily draped over the bar's counter, she took a glance at the woman for a moment but quickly moved passed her and into her bedroom in the next room.

With a sigh, the girl flung her school bag across the room, having it hit the wall before dropping down to the floor, soon swivelling around on her foot, she fell backwards onto the bed before staring up at the ceiling. 

The girl, who's name was Rika Kawai, held up her arm and pulled down her sleeves, there were scars covering her skin, many more than there once was. Rika smiled lightly before speaking once more.

Rika: "You'd be angry, wouldn't you Mannen? I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise..."

That forced smile quickly changed into a grimace, her lip quivering as her eyes grew wet with tears.

Rika: "I'm so sorry Mannen... Chiemi... I'm sorry."

...

A girl opens her eyes, they shimmy distinctly with the bright colours of yellow and blue. She quickly realised she was staring up at the sky, soon pulling herself up from the ground, looking around from a sitting position. She looked from left to right, she recognised her surroundings, but these weren't the surroundings she expected to wake up to.

Ai: "This is the place where Neiru was staying... why aren't I at my old school?"

The girl known as Ai Ohto spoke that question, and despite being the only person around, she received an answer from a bird up in the tree nearby.

Ura-Acca: "It's because your mission has changed. Your mind recognises this as the place most closely related to your current desires."

Ai knew that voice, it was Ura-Acca, the kinder of the two dummies she had become well acquainted with. She nodded her head to this new information, soon forcing herself up to her feet before looking to the egg she held in her hand. There was some writing that read ":>49" on it.

Ai: "Does that mean if I save enough people, I'll be able to see Neiru?"

Ai asked with a twinge of hope in her voice, looking up to the bird whilst clutching the egg tightly between her fingers.

Acca: "That's not what he said."

That was the other voice she knew, Acca's voice. The less favourable dummy. Ai let out a small sigh, looking back down to the egg within her hands, now clutching a pink pen in her other hand.

Ai: "Well that's super helpful..."

Ai puffed out her cheeks, which earned an annoyed sigh from Acca.

Acca: "Just break the egg. You know that's your number one pri-"

Ai: "-Number one priority, yeah I know."

Ai cut the bird's voice off with an impatient tone, soon throwing the egg at the tree, causing the bird to flee off into the sky. A crack ran across the egg, soon beginning to quiver and wobble as it slowly expanded outwards before Ai's eyes. Bigger and bigger, it grew until it was about the size of a boulder before suddenly exploding to reveal a figure that had been hidden inside.

The figure was quickly revealed to be a girl, laying sprawled out on the grass. She wore a think, orange coat that obscured most of her face, some brown leggings with holes and tears in them as well as thick brown boots. It was hard to tell from the thick hood and mask covering her face, but it seemed the girl had short and dirty blonde hair.

The figure crawled onto it's side and looked around, much as Ai had done earlier, before soon looking up at the other girl and speaking with a quiver in her voice.

"Where am I...?"

Ai then smiled, crouching down to look the other girl in the eyes. She flinched for a moment before looking back into Ai's eyes.

Ai: "Don't worry, you're safe. I'm going to protect you."

"Protect...? Who are you?"

Ai then stood back up, extending a hand down to the stranger, a bright smile on her face as she answered the other girl.

Ai: "My name's Ai Ohto. What about you?"

The other girl hesitantly took Ai's hand before hauling herself up to her feet, looking into Ai's eyes once again, finally giving a small smile.

"It's Keiki..." 

...

Rika sighed, staring blankly at her phone as she scrolled through her contacts list, before eventually coming to a stop over a certain group chat. She stared at it for a long time, as though memories were rapidly stringing through her mind, she then tossed her phone to the side, onto a nearby table.

Rika: "Were we really all friends anyway? Neiru was lying to us and then ran away, then Momo ran away too, and then Ai..."

Her eye lightly twitched as she said her name, gritting her teeth in frustration before slamming her fists against her lap.

Rika: "Was I the only one?! Why...? Why can't I stop thinking about them?! I want to stop because it hurts!! Dammit... I'm so pathetic..."

Rika: "If only..."

Rika looked back to her phone before grabbing the item sitting next to it, a box cutter, clutching it between her fingers.

Rika: "If only I could get back at that bitch who killed Mannen... Then maybe I could finally forget..."

Rika then grunted harshly, flinging the cutter at the opposite wall, glaring at it with an intense hatred.

Rika: "Whatever..."

...

Ai: "This way!"

Clutching Keiki's hand, Ai ran down the hill as an army of Haters, small creatures with yellow faces full of teeth, chased after them.

Keiki: "Wh-What are those things..?!"

Ai: "They're Haters... Don't worry, those things are after me, it's the Seeno Evils you should worry about!"

Ai quickly batted away one of the Haters that had launched themselves towards the duo using her Magical weapon that had transformed from the pen she had held before.

Ai: "Veni!"

With those words muttered, Ai's pendent began to glow momentarily before a gigantic green Chameleon appeared with goggled fastened to it's head.


Ai: "Dinner time, Leon!"

Keiki: "Wh-What is that monster..!?"

Ai soon turned to Keiki, flashing a grin and stopping for a moment as Leon, the Chameleon, ate and chomped up the Haters behind them.

Ai: "Don't worry, he's on our side."

Keiki: "O..kay.."

Keiki looked back towards Leon before playing with the sleeves of her coat nervously, looking around quite clearly uncomfortable. Ai looked off towards a door she had just noticed, white flowers dotted around it.

Ai: "This way, we'll be able to rest through here for a while!"

Before  Keiki had any chance to respond, the two girls charged towards the door that had an almost heavenly presence, faster and faster before the two finally made it through, Ai slamming the door behind her before resting down against it, panting alongside Keiki. They were now inside what was once Neiru's living space.

Ai: So... Keiki..."

Ai slowly turned to the other girl, who was still trying to catch her breath, as she gave her a smile.

Ai: "Why did you commit suicide?"

Keiki: "Mmh..."

Ai smiled, lightly placing her hand on the other girl's shoulder in order to reassure her nerves. 

Ai: "It's okay."

Keiki: "It's my dad.. he..-"

Both girls suddenly gasped and looked off into the distance, hearing a sinister voice echoing from outside.

"Oh Keikiiii!~ Keiki! Where are you daddy's little angel?!"

Ai slowly stood up, the pen in Ai's hands transforming into the magical weapon she always used once more, a determined expression on her face.

Ai: "Stay behind me."

Ai flinched for a moment before quickly slashing her weapon in front of her, slicing, what seemed to be a massive steak that had been hurled at the pair, in two. The two halves dissolved soon afterwards.

"What's the matter?! Don't you want to be treated for all that hard work?!"

Keiki shuddered as she remained behind Ai, clutching at her legs meekly, beginning to pant repeatedly.

Keiki: "No..."

"Don't you want to eat all your favourite foods?!"

Keiki: "No...."

"Don't you want to be celebrated for doing so well in your school?~"

Keiki: "No!! I said no!!"

Keiki yelled out finally in frustration, standing up and pushing passed Ai, standing out in front as she yelled towards the window, where the voice had been echoing from.

Keiki: "I don't want it!! I don't want it at all!! Not when you're taking it out of my sister's mouth!! She... She wasn't allowed anything... She was only a kid... she.."

Keiki grasped her hands together timidly, biting her lip as she recalled the painful memories, one after the other before gritting her teeth and letting her hands fall back to her sides, gripping them into fists.

Keiki: "She starved!! She starved all because you kept giving her food to me!!! If only I'd known... If only I'd known where all this damn food was coming from!! She might be okay!!"

Ai: "Keiki!"

Ai quickly pulled the girl backwards before a large tentacle quickly struck through the building, just barely missing the two girls, the roof caving in soon afterwards, leaving a giant hole in the wall and roof of the building, making it easy to see the source where the voice had been coming from...

It was a giant, fifty story squid monster with the face of an adult male, several pieces of cartoonish sized pieces of food were grasped in each one of it's tentacles. Aside from the tentacles, the monster seemed to be wearing a formal yet tatty suit. 

"Hahahahaha! Who cares if a useless little brat goes hungry?!"

The giant monster let out cries of laughter, slowly but surely approaching the building it had so easily crumbled with it's mighty tentacles.

"We don't have the money to be feeding all of your damn mouths... it only makes sense to reward the only competent child with all of the money and food! Useless brats don't deserve a single bit from me!!"

Keiki: "You... you bastard... she was just a kid... you're supposed to love your kids dammit... why the hell do you think you can treat her like that?!"

"Your my children, I can do whatever the hell I please with you brats! I'm the man of the house after all!"

The monster then quickly tossed another enlarged food item, this time an apple, directly towards the pair, but it was quickly split in half with another swing from Ai's weapon.

Keiki: "Well how do you feel now huh?! I killed myself! And I don't regret it either!! It was out of spite... I killed myself so all that money was wasted!!! Your stupid.. stupid money... it isn't worth shit.."

Ai: "I've heard enough."

Ai said bluntly, readjusting her grip on her weapon, holding it tightly between her fingers.

Ai: "You think you can just toy with the lives of others? You think you get to decide how it's okay to treat them? You... you think it's okay to just let one of your own children starve?!"

Ai began walking slowly towards the monster, taking small strides as she kept yelling out to the creature.

Ai: "You're wrong. Human beings are worth way more than that... Family should be way more important than money, no matter how poor you may be!!"

Ai suddenly broke out into a sprint, screaming at the top of her lungs, suddenly leaping straight up into the air, hurdling herself towards the giant monster with her weapon gripped at the ready.

"You insolent little brat!! You think you can tell me how to parent my family?!"

The monster quickly flung all the food it had grasped between it's tentacles at Ai all at once.

Ai: "Leon!!"

Not long after Ai had yelled that name, all of the food was quickly collected up and eaten by Leon's long tongue.

Ai: "Now... I'm really angry!!!"

Ai plunged her weapon into the monster's neck, gravity began to pull Ai downwards, allowing her weapon to cut down through the monster all the while, constantly yelling at the top of her lungs.

Ai: "Ahhhhhhhh!!!"

Once Ai reached the bottom of the monster, he began to split into, slowly falling apart before suddenly pulsating and erupting into a fountain of blood that sprayed down from above.

...

Keiki and Ai sat beside one another once again. Ai was panting but only gently, smiling as she stared up at the sky, a strong feeling of relief washing over her.

Keiki: "Thank you."

Keiki said quickly, it was clear she wasn't used to saying that to people, but Ai appreciated the sentiment anyway.

Ai: "Of course."

Keiki then moved in front of Ai, pulling off her hood and mask to reveal her face. Her blonde hair was now much more clear, as well as her blue eyes and a small plaster that laid across the bridge of her nose. She smiled softly.

Keiki: "Really... thank you."

Ai: "Hey... can I ask you something?"

Keiki: What is it...?"

Ai looked down at her hand, staring at the regular pink pen she held between her fingers.

Ai: "Do you think it worked?"

Keiki: "Huh...?"

Ai: "Your suicide. You killed yourself to get back at your dad."

Keiki: "Oh..."

Keiki stuttered, playing with her hands, she turned back to the beast they had defeated just prior before looking back to Ai, nodding slowly.

Keiki: "Probably... I was his pride and joy..."

Ai: "Was it worth it?"

Keiki shuddered at those words, her hands going to hug her own body, shaking her head slowly as tears began to form in her eyes. Without a word, Ai gently embraced the other girl, holding her close.

Keiki: "No... No..."

Keiki sniffled, her body quivering helplessly within Ai's arms, tears slowly streaming down her face as Ai held her.

Keiki: "No..."

Ai: "It's okay.."

Ai said simply, holding the girl as she lightly patted Keiki's scruffy blonde hair. They remained in that gentle embrace for a while up until Keiki suddenly exploded into a puff of smoke, slowly dissipating into the air. Ai then smiled, letting go and watching as the spoke faded.

"Take care... Keiki."

...

Rika: "Acca! Ura-Acca! Let me back in already!"

The blonde girl yelled, stuffing her hands back into jacket pockets, soon striking the playground slide with her foot.

Rika: "Don't ignore me dammit! I know you two are still in there! I need to get back in there and get payback for Mannen!"

Viewing from the other side of the screen, two dummies looked at each other with a sigh before looking back to the screen once more.

Ura-Acca: "This is the third time this week."

Acca: "Are you still insistent on keeping her out?"

Ura-Acca: "Does she look like she's in any state to be fighting right now? I told you. Frill will get her."

Acca: "The way she is now, that may happen either way."

Rika: "Come on!! Let! Me! In!"

Acca: "Besides. You know we need more of them. Or do you wish to let this go on even longer?"

Ura-Acca: "Just the Sunflower isn't enough..."

Ura-Acca let out a small sigh, he knew the risks, but he also recognised that there might not be any other way, he looked down to the floor before speaking again.

Ura-Acca: "Fine, let her in."

...

Rika: "Huh?"

Rika soon noticed a small bug hovering near her face, closing one eye to look directly at it. Before she had time to say anything more, the bug spoke to her.

Acca: "You're welcome to come in. It's open now."

Rika: "...Creepy."

Rika said, distancing herself from the insect before climbing up to the top of the slide, groaning out a little.

Rika: "It's about damn time."

Rika promptly slide down the slide, but this time instead of coming out of the other end, she entered what seemed to be some kind of colourful vortex before ending up in a familiar place she hadn't been in a long time.

Rika: "Finally..."

The girl grit her teeth, picking herself up from the matt she had landed on before beginning a brisk walk in the direction of the capsule machine. Rika's heart was completely sullied in hatred, revenge was the only thing she could think of.

...

Ura-Acca: "Tanabe, what are the candidate's current status?"

Both dummies stared intently at the monitor as the sat on their seats. This time, instead of Rika, they were looking at an older woman, Neiru's secretary, Misaki Tanabe.

Tanabe: "I'm sure you're already aware, but Rika Kawai is currently in no state whatsoever to transcend into a Warrior Of Eros. Miss Neiru is still currently missing and Momoe Sawaki seems like a complete lost cause for the time being. However, Ai Ohto seems to be progressing quite well now that she has returned, I believe we won't have to wait long until she transcends."

Ura-Acca stared downwards, looking towards the grass and lightly poking it with his cane as he spoke.

Ura-Acca: "The Sunflower's progress is good, but we need the others to progress as well. There's no other option."

Acca: "Well, there is one we could try."

Seemingly confused, Ura-Acca turned to face the other dummy, but Acca kept eye contact with Tanabe instead.

Ura-Acca: "What else is there...?"

Acca: "Miss Tanabe, has the back-up candidate been saved?"

Ura-Acca: "...You can't be serious."

Tanabe: "That is correct, she was saved just a couple of days ago."

Acca: "Excellent, have Kotobuki retrieve her."

Tanabe: "Very well."

Misaki Tanabe bowed politely before the display on the screen immediately switched to black. Finally acknowledging the other dummy, Acca turned to Ura-Acca.

Ura-Acca: "I can't believe you... don't you think that girl's gone through enough already?"

Acca: "She is our best option."

Ura-Acca: "But still... she's already killed herself once. She's been through enough."

Acca: "The sooner we can save Himari, the sooner they can all go home. That's what you want, isn't it?"

Ura-Acca: "What about Frill?"

Acca: "..."

Ura-Acca: "I see."

Acca soon stood up, beginning to wake away before stopping momentarily, showing his back to the other dummy.

Acca: "Himari is the only reason I agreed to all this. You know that."

Ura-Acca: "..."

Without another word, Acca soon walked away towards the house slightly obscured by bushes and disappearing inside, leaving Ura-Acca alone.

Ura-Acca: "...What am I going to do with you?"