The girls were walking on the sidewalk towards the café. On the way there, Himiko noticed a billboard with many advertisements. One sheet of paper, however, caught her eye. On it were many headshots of different girls. Himiko lifted one of the advertisements to see the title of the paper with the headshots. She gasped upon seeing the word "missing."
"Nyeh...hey, guys? There's a missing persons poster here," Himiko called out to her friends.
"I assume things like that happen all the time, so...I don't think there's any reason to worry, Himiko," Mikan said.
"But...it says that the last place these girls were seen was somewhere on this street," Himiko said. "It says that for all of them! And they all went missing not too long ago! Some of them even earlier this year!"
"Around the same time the lolita café opened up?" Celeste asked with a hint of concern in her voice. "That is very unfortunate."
"And near the café itself," Sayaka said, looking worriedly at the building the café was located in.
"Oh, but, come on, guys," Kaede said. "We're all in a group. There's no way anyone's going to snatch any of us away, as long as we stick together."
"Well, I suppose that is true," Tsumugi said thoughtfully. "I feel less scared knowing that."
"So, what are we waiting for? Leeeet's go!" Ibuki cheered. Everyone followed Ibuki to the café. With one last glance at the missing persons poster, Himiko followed in silence. Once inside the building, they noticed a sign that said the café was on the third floor, so they took the elevator. Once they entered the third floor, they followed a long, pink corridor to an open area under the sign, "Lolita Land Café," written in baby blue, except the first two letters of the first two words were colored in pink and decorated with lots of cute bows. At the entrance of the café were two girls, who appeared to be in their very early twenties, in lolita dresses. One was all dressed in white from head to toe, and the other dressed in completely black.
"Hiiiii!!!" the one in all black said, waving cheerfully.
"Hiiii!!!" the one in white said with a sad face, making crying gestures with her fists near her cheeks.
"I'm Kairi!" the one in black exclaimed happily.
"And I'm Airi," the one in white mumbled sadly.
"We're the Shiro to Kuro Lolita Twins!" they announced together. "We will be serving you todaaaay!"
"Welcome, princesses," Kairi said, bowing cheerfully. "It's been a long time since you were home! Please, follow me and my sister!" The girls followed the lolita twins into the café, where Kairi rang a bell. "Everyone! The princesses have arrived!"
"Hello, princesses! Welcome baaaack!" the other lolita waitresses said in response before continuing serving their respective customers.
"Why are they calling us 'princesses,' and this place our home?" Himiko whispered to Celeste.
"This is a role-playing café the same way a maid café is," Celeste answered. "I admit, it is strange, but it is best to play along."
"Here are your seats, princesses," Airi, the sad girl in white, said. "Please, sit down. You must be really tired after having been out for so long. Bu-huuu!!"
"How come you're so sad, Airi?" Tsumugi asked. "I expect your sister to be so sad, since she's the one dressed in all black."
"Bu-huuu...you've been gone a long time, princess, so you don't remember," Airi said in a cutesy, teary voice. "I've always been a sad servant, which is why I wear white all the time, to help cheer me up. Wearing black when I'm already sad will make me feel even more saaaad!"
"And I wear black because even though I'm wearing such a gloomy color, I can always find a way to be happy! Yaaaaay!!" Kairi said, clapping her hands. "There's always something bright even in the darkest of times!!"
"Oh, I see! That makes sense!" Tsumugi said politely. Then, she turned to Kaede and muttered to her. "I think I'm going to be plainly sick."
"But, I thought this would be your kind of thing, Tsumugi," Kaede whispered back.
"Oh, I do like the idea of doing this," Tsumugi said. "It's just that their backstories are really, um...not good. Their past isn't tragic enough. I feel like I could connect better with them if they weren't so...sickeningly adorable." Kaede gave her a strange frown.
"Let us show your majesties the menu today! Yaaay!" Kairi said, pulling out a heart-shaped menu. She opened it up. On the first page was a tall glass of a pink and blue beverage. "This is a magical lolita drink! It's called, 'Happy-Happy, Wishy-Wishy!' With my wand, I say my spell, 'Cute, Cute! Pingu!' and all the happy wishes in the world enters your drink!"
"Aww, so kawaii!" Sonia gushed. She was absolutely in her element.
"Hee-hee...yes! Kawaaaiiii!" Kairi squealed, pressing her fists against her cheek and shaking her head. Airi turned to the next page, which consisted of different lattes, both hot and iced, with cutesy characters drawn on the foam.
"Bu-huuu...these are 'Magical Latte Creations,'" Airi said. "You get to pick the flavor and temperature of your latte, as well as the character you want drawn on your latte."
"They look so adorable!" Mikan said, looking at the different characters on the pictures. "There's a bunny, a bear, a cat, and a dog!"
"Yes, but you can pick whatever you want!" Kairi said cheerfully. "It doesn't have to be one of these characters!"
"We will do our best!" Kairi and Airi said in unison. They continued to show the girls what else was on the menu, including a dish called 'Hello Curry,' and anther called a 'Pretty, Pretty Parfait,' which, as Kairi and Airi explained, will make you pretty forever with the help of another horrifyingly cutesy spell.
"Okaaay, we will leave you to choose your order!" Kairi said.
"And when you have decided, please, let us know by ringing this little bell right here. Bu-huuu!" Airi said, holding up a small bell.
"Please, enjoy your stay here!" they said in unison before taking a bow and leaving.
"Well, that was interesting," Kaede said.
"Ohhh...I can't wait for Kairi and Airi to perform their magical spells!" Sonia said.
Why? They're not even real spells, Himiko thought to herself.
"I know! Ibuki doesn't believe in magic...er, no offense, Himiko...but I'm just as excited, too!" Ibuki exclaimed.
"Let us choose what we want," Celeste said. After a few minutes of deciding what to order, Celeste rang the bell. Kairi and Airi came rushing over.
"Thank you for being patient, princesses!" they said. "Are you ready to order?" The girls ordered their food. "Thank you! We will have your order ready right away!" Kairi and Airi promised before dashing away.
"What did you order, Sonia?" Sayaka asked. Sonia's eyes were lit up.
"I ordered the 'Happy-Happy, Wishy-Wishy,' the 'Caramel Hot Latte,' the 'Hello Curry,' and the Pretty, Pretty Parfait!'" Sonia replied.
"Are you sure your stomach can handle all of that, Sonia?" Mikan asked.
"Yes! I have the power of a lolita within me!" Sonia answered eagerly.
"Here they come with our order," Kaede said with a smile. Kairi and Airi, with the help of a few other lolita waitresses, placed the girls' order onto the table. Celeste, Sayaka, Mikan, and Kaede all ordered lattes, while Sonia, Ibuki, Himiko, and Tsumugi ordered the 'Happy-Happy, Wishy-Wishy,' and the 'Pretty, Pretty Parfait.'
"Himiko, you ordered them, too?!" Sonia cried happily.
"Yup," Himiko replied with a small smile. "Anything that involves spells makes me automatically interested." Nyeh...even if they are fake spells, she thought to herself. Kairi brought out two magic wands, one for her, and the other for Sonia. She handed Sonia a wand.
"We are now going to pour happy wishes into your 'Happy-Happy, Wishy-Wishy!'" Kairi said. "We need to gather all the happy wishes in the world and combine them into one tasty drink!"
"Amazing!" Sonia exclaimed. "Please...bring it on!"
"Wave your wand back and forth, like this, while saying, 'Cute, cute!'" Kairi said, waving her wand one time to the right and one time to the left. Sonia did the same.
"Cute, cute!" Sonia repeated.
"Great! Now, right when we strike all the happy wishes into your drink, you say, 'pingu!'" Kairi further explained. "And you have to concentrate really hard to put all the happy wishes into it!"
"Yes! Yes! I will do my best!" Sonia exclaimed, clapping her hands like an excited little girl.
"Ready..." Kairi said, lifting her wand. Grinning from ear to ear, Sonia did the same.
"Cute! Cute! Pinguuuu!" Kairi and Sonia said at the same time. Sonia tapped her wand against her Happy-Happy, Wishy-Wishy, and concentrated as hard as she could to transfer all the happy wishes to her drink.
"You did it, princess! Yaaay!" Kairi said, clapping her hands. "You poured all the happy wishes into it!"
"Aaahhhh...amazing!!" Sonia said, giving her drink a taste. "I absolutely love it!!"
"Would you like to try your other magical drink?" Kairi asked, giggling happily.
"Yes! Yes! Teach me how to perform the spell of the 'Pretty, Pretty Parfait!'" Sonia cried.
"We do a pretty pose, like this," Kairi said, pressing her fists under her chin. Sonia did the same. "We have to concentrate to gather all the love and pretty hearts!"
"I am concentrating with all my might!" Sonia squealed with happiness.
"On the count of three, we'll say, 'prettyyyyyy,' and all of the love will go into your drink, and when you drink it, you'll be pretty forever!" Kairi said.
"Eeeeeee!! I can't wait!" Sonia gushed.
"Ready..." Kairi said.
"Prettyyyyyyyy!!" Kairi and Sonia said. Sonia then took a bite of her Pretty, Pretty Parfait.
"This tastes so wonderful!" Sonia exclaimed. "Oh, my goodness! Japan is truly a magical place!"
"Yaaaayyyy!" Kairi said, clapping her hands and giggling. The evening went on, and the girls were enjoying themselves. One of the lolita waitresses then went up on stage.
"Now, it is time for the most creative lolita outfit of the night!" she announced.
"Most creative lolita outfit?" Kaede whispered. "I didn't know that was a thing."
"Yes, it is part of this lolita café experience," Celeste replied. "Whoever has the most creative outfit gets to take a picture with one of the waitresses."
"And the winner is..." the waitress began. "...lolita with the witch haaaat!" The spotlight fell on Himiko, who looked rather surprised.
"Nyeh?" she gasped.
"That's you, Himiko!" Tsumugi cheered.
"You go, Himiko!" Ibuki shouted. Himiko stood up and walked awkwardly to the stage. She stood in between Kairi and Airi as the lolita announcer took their photo.
"Tell us your name, princess," the announcer lolita said after taking her picture.
"Himiko Yumeno," Himiko replied.
"And, what style is your outfit?" the announcer continued.
"Nyeh...I'm a casual lolita with a strawberry mage twist," Himiko explained.
"So cuuuute!" the announcer said, clapping her hands. "Let's give a hand for our winner! Congratulations, princess Himiko! Here is your picture!" The customers clapped for Himiko as the announcer handed Himiko a picture of her with Kairi and Airi. Himiko thanked her and headed back to her friends.
"Well...that happened," she said. Kairi and Airi rejoined them.
"We are afraid it is time for you to leave for another adventure, princesses. Bu-huuu!" Airi said in her cutesy, teary voice.
"Please, come again!" Kairi said as the girls stood up and waved goodbye. They left the café and were walking back down the street they came from before. Himiko was walking behind, observing her picture, when suddenly, she felt a hand grab her waist, and then her mouth, pulling her into a nearby alleyway.
"That was...kinda fun!" Kaede said.
"It was the most magical place on Earth!" Sonia said.
"Y-Yes...I'm thinking that we should go back sometime, Celeste," Mikan said.
"I will think about it," Celeste replied. "I must admit. I do not think it was for me."
"I don't know why, Celeste. I had fun!" Sayaka said. "You just have to learn to be silly every now and then."
"Himiko and I can give ya tips on that, right, Himiko!" Ibuki said. When she noticed Himiko hadn't responded, she turned around. "H-Himiko?" She looked around, but Himiko was nowhere to be seen. "Guys! Himiko is...gone!" The others turned in alarm.
"But...she was just...with us!" Tsumugi cried. They frantically looked around for Himiko, asking any passersby if they've seen her.
"She couldn't have just...disappeared!!" Sayaka cried.
"Himiko!! Himiko!!" Sonia shouted.
"L-Let us go back to the café," Celeste said. "Perhaps she went back there, for some reason."
"I hope you're right, Celeste," Kaede muttered as they turned to go back to the café. As they were searching, Himiko was struggling frantically to escape the grasp of whoever had her.
"Stay still!" came a gruff voice. Himiko was desperately trying to wriggle free. She managed to move her captor's hand to shout a yelp for help, but it was brief, and to no avail. Nobody was coming to rescue her. The man took her to the back of a white van and thrusted her inside. She fell onto her back with terrified tears in her eyes. Through her tears, she could finally see the face of the man who was holding her captive. Something about him seemed familiar, like she'd seen him before, but she couldn't figure out where. Before she could think anymore about it, however, she felt a sharp sting in her neck before the world around her slowly faded to black.