[center] [h1][color=turquoise]E[/color] [i]m i l y[/i][/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/510C7qT.png[/img] [color=turquoise]"This is my chance to make stronger bonds with my sisters!"[/color] [color=888888]— Emily[/color] [/center] A yawn. Emily slowly stirred, waking up without much urgency at first. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and then scanned her immediate area, raising an eyebrow in confusion. She did not remember falling asleep, and she most certainly did not remember doing so on a beach. A weird, alien-like beach at that. The odd scenery caused her to hop to her feet, but upon seeing other girls there wearing nothing but swimsuits, she hardly felt the need to be on alert. They seemed to be in the same situation she was. [color=turquoise][i]Oh, I hope whatever happened didn't take me mid-shift![/i][/color] Even in this foreign place with no real clue what was going on, Emily couldn't help but worry about the soup kitchen she volunteered at. But after taking a second to think about it, she did remember finishing work and heading home. Anything after that was fuzzy, so her best guess is that she was... abducted? after that. So long as she had finished her duties, then this was fine. She could deal with whatever oddities were thrown her way, probably. [color=turquoise]"Ah..."[/color] Emily approached a familiar face, stopping beside her. It was Amaryllis, but she'd just been shoved by another girl. Emily figured they must have been really close, because she was sure that is what nicknames meant. She wished she had such a strong bond between another girl like that, so she was a bit envious of the two. [color=turquoise]"Is there really a problem?"[/color] she asked innocently. [color=turquoise]"I think she looks cute! It's a nice look!"[/color] she complimented, then, as if remembering something, looked at herself. As with everyone else, she found she too was wearing appropriate apparel for a day out on the beach. The swimsuit she was wearing was almost plain, at least compared to her normal getup. It was a white two-piece with green trims, but it had a red bow in the center of the top. A transparent veil on the bottom half and a cute flower-like accessory on her head were the most noteworthy additions, but she also had a single pink wrist-cuff on one side, and a bracelet on the other. Given how her typical clothing looked, she couldn't find it in herself to complain about this. [center][hider=Swimsuit][img]https://i.imgur.com/ovB2D5a.png[/img][/hider][/center] Around this time is when Emily noticed the sign. She briefly took a moment to herself to go see what it said, and couldn't help but express a bit of excitement. She was a bit embarrassed at the fact she thought the other girl was speaking about Amaryllis' swimsuit and not that they were all on an island suddenly. But, well, even if she might be a bit awkward, she really did appreciate any time she could interact with her sisters in a non-violent way. Such chances were, quite unfortunately, rare for her... at least they used to be. This seemed to be changing over the course of the last couple of weeks, and Emily was grateful for it. [color=turquoise]"Oh!"[/color] one of the other girls woke up and had introduced herself to everyone as Shannon. Nobody else seemed to jump at the opportunity to take her hand in greeting, so Emily struck while the iron was still hot! [color=turquoise]"Hello, Shannon! I'm, um, Emily...! Very pleased to meet you!"[/color] she hoped she wasn't coming off as too excited as she accepted the other girls' hand and gave it a good shake. [color=turquoise]"I hope we can all get through this challenge together!"[/color] .... .... .... Among magical girls, there were some who were especially keen on picking up minute details. This trait had many uses, but was often best used as an early-warning system. A person who doesn't cast a shadow, for example, was likely plotting something nefarious and to know this before it occurred could save one's life. Small giveaways that betray a trap that had been laid, a nervous tick, an inconsistency in the background. Yes, magical girls who were especially skilled in awareness were often able to respond to threats a lot quicker and more efficient than the standard girl. But that doesn't mean normal girls were defenseless against surprises and the sort. It was merely that they often had less time to react and were more vulnerable. But, perhaps as a basic instinct, every girl could sense a threat to their lives when it wasn't actively concealed. A sloppy, loud attack... a missile quickly approaching...? This primal instinct that told a person that something bad was going to happen likely kicked on for everyone who consisted of what may be referred to as "group 4". A shiver down the spine, or goosebumps... something gave it away. And for those who decided to look to the sky, they would see just what that 'something' was. A projectile of sorts was rocketing towards their island at incredible speed. It looked almost like a fireball -- obvious evidence that the drag it experienced on its way down had caused it to suffer intense heat. Had it come from space? At the very least, it looked like it did. A shuttle reentering Earth's atmosphere was the best comparison one might be able to offer, but it was much smaller in size. Its descent came to an explosive close on the edge of the island. The collision was almost enough to bust a person's ear drums, and the sand it kicked up made it seem as though a bomb went off. A minute or so passed before the air was clear enough to see just what the object was. Inside the center of the crater it had created, there was something that would likely shock all of the people who witnessed it. Because unless their eyes were playing tricks on him, at the epicenter was... A huge boogie board. [center] [h1][color=F65772]H[/color] [i]i l a r i a[/i][/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/nHCIUxm.png[/img] [color=F65772]"'Saving' the best introduction for last~!"[/color] [color=888888]— Hilaria[/color] [/center] Suddenly, a white-haired girl hopped into the crater, approaching the thing and reaching out to grab it. The moment she touched it, a loud hiss escaped from the point of contact and she drew her hand back. She had to have suffered severe burns, but only a moment later, her hand would return to normal. She wore a slim white jacket that wasn't zipped up over a two-piece string bikini. It almost seemed too small, and thusly highlighted the girl's ample assets. Other details included a cute little flowers and a few shotgun shells strapped to her legs, but otherwise the bikini itself wasn't especially eye-catching. On Hilaria, however, it was definitely a head-turner. [center][hider=Swimsuit][img]https://i.imgur.com/f6ASeD7.png[/img][/hider][/center] [color=F65772]"Ah~!"[/color] she didn't seem the least bit worried. She looked happy, even. [color=F65772]"Maybe I put a little too much 'oomph' into it, hmm~?"[/color] she raised a finger to her lips before tilting her head sideways, happening to see the other girls. She left the boogie board for now and made a beeline for the group that had formed. Hilaria clapped her hands together as she stopped in front of the others, tilting her head to the side. [color=F65772]"Hey hey~! Are you guys the ones who kidnapped me, I wonder~?"[/color] she paused and gave everyone a once over. [color=F65772]"No~ No~ You all are too cute to be plotting, I think~! But, then, who stole Hilaria~?"[/color] she scratched her head, unable to find an answer. [color=F65772]"Oh well~ It doesn't really matter, does it~?"[/color] Though she had been speaking to nobody in particular, Hilaria hadn't been able to move her eyes from Mika. She was obviously checking the girl out, but it strangely did not feel as though there was any perverted intentions behind the act. Presumably because she find Mika to be acceptable in some way, shape, or form, the girl continued, addressing Mika specifically this time. [color=F65772]"Hey, you~! Do you like challenges~? Hilaria does~! How do you do with heights, I wonder~?"[/color]