“What?! Superpowers?!” Miichan said as we explained to her what was going on.

“Yes! It’s true! When I woke up this morning, I had superpowers!”

“Girls, is this true?”

“Well…”

“I’ll show you!”

Rina pulled her sleeve up and held out her right hand. She opened her palm and concentrated her energy, then, suddenly, a flame appeared in her hand.

“Waa!”

“It’s… a *Dark Flame.”

“I just remember having this strange dream that I was fighting these monsters. The whole world was black and white, and we were the only ones with color. I was wearing this armor, and there were others…”

“Others?”

“Four other members of Nogizaka have superpowers. I don’t think they’re like mine, but… I know I’m not alone!”

Miichan narrowed her eyes.

“Mako,” she pulled me closer to her a bit. “I think we can tell her now.”

“Eh? You sure?”

She nodded as she patted my shoulder.

“Rina-chan, I think I know what we can do.”

“Really?”

“But, if I tell you, you have to promise to ABSOLUTELY keep it a secret. Especially from the other members!”

“Huh…?”

“Promise?”

Rina gulped a bit and thought about it before saying, “Alright.”

“I believe that the true source of you and your friend’s powers…” A long pause, the dramatic atmosphere building. “..are because you hold Muse-sama’s Heart fragments within you.”

“Eh?!”

“Muse-sama?”

“Muse, the Goddess of music, the queen of Eterna. It’s obvious that a fragment landed inside each of you and gave you your powers.”

“W-wait, I don’t understand.”

“I know it may sound confusing, but we can explain everything. Just call your friends over and we’ll tell you everything.”

“Oh… okay.”

…..

After Rina had called the others and informed them of what was going on, we found ourselves standing in front of four members of Nogizaka, all of them claimed to have superpowers.

We finally explained to all of them how we had special powers and that some of us were supernatural beings. We explained our missions, and about the Maou, and Eterna. Slowly, they were able to sink everything in, and now it’s their turn.

“Okay,” Miichan spoke. “We’ll just keep things simple. Just tell us who you are, what your powers are, how you got them, and what you intend to do with them. We already know that Ikoma-chan here can control a Dark Flame, but… other than that, it seems she’s okay.”

“Is it your only superpower, Ikoma-chan?”

“As far as I know.”

“Well, anyways, let’s just go one at a time with everyone. Let’s start with you.” Miichan pointed to one girl and she stood up.

“Yes.”

“What’s your name?”

“Takayama Kazumi.”

“Kazumi-san, tell me what your power is.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small locket. It had a violet gem in the center of it and had a strange marking inside a heart symbol.

“That symbol… It looks like a snowflake.”

“See, last night, I had this dream. And there was this woman. She said she wanted me to inherit her powers and gave this locket to me. When I woke up, I still had it in my hands…”

“So, what does that mean?”

“I think that girl was… a Sailor Guardian.”

“Eh?!”

“Sailor Guardian?!”

“Like Sailor Moon?”

“Yes. She said that this held the key to my destiny… I think I’m a warrior like Sailor Moon.”

“Wow.”

“I still don’t know exactly what I can do… but, I will use these powers just like any Sailor soldier would. In the name of love and justice. And positivity!”

Hm? Positivity?

Rina giggled. “Kazumi-chan, you’re always so positive.”

“*Posi-peace!” she said as she did a pose with her hands. We all laughed.

“Okay, who next?”

“I’ll go,” one girl raised her hand. She had a hat over her head. “I’m Ikuta Erika.”

“Erika-chan. Your power is?”

“Well… the thing is…”

“Hm?”

She sighed and slowly took off her hat. When she did, a little pink flower popped up at the center of her head.

“Eh?!”

“Yeah~ It just kinda appeared, and it’s been like this since this morning.”

“How did a FLOWER sprout in your head?!”

“I’m not sure. I did have this weird dream that a star fell from the sky and landed on my head. I also dreamed that I was in a huge field covered in flowers. The sun was shining down and I heard someone tell me that my powers could only be used for good.”

“Who was it?”

“I don’t know. It was a kind, gentle voice. I felt so calm and peaceful. Then, when I woke up, I found this,” she said, pointing to the small flower.

Miichan came closer to it.

“I’ve tried to pull it out, but it just won’t budge. All I get is a headache.”

“It looks a little… droopy.”

“Maybe it needs to be watered.”

“Wait, are you guys really just gonna pour water over my head?!”

“Hold on…” One of the girls stood up and fixed her glasses as she looked outside, a perfect sunny day. “I know.”

She took Erika and had her stand out on the balcony, where the sun shone on her head, over her flower.

“So, you just want me to stand here and let my head-flower soak up some sunlight?”

“Flowers create food through photosynthesis, so a good amount of sunlight should do the trick for now. For watering, just shower like normal tonight,” explained the glasses girl.

“Yeah. ‘Normal’.”

“So, you are..?” Miki asked awkwardly.

“Wakatsuki Yumi, 20 years old.” she said as she fixed her glasses. “I’m sorry to say, but I cannot show you my power.”

“Eh? Why not?”

“If I were to do so, it would have catastrophic results.”

We all shivered a bit. It must be bad.

“Can you at least tell us?”

“My powers exist within my right eye. I have to wear these to keep them sealed,” she said, pointing to her black frame glasses.

“Sou ka.” Rina said. “I thought that you started wearing those because your vision was getting bad. But, they look good on you.”

“I see. Well, I must say, that is a good strategy. Now, how exactly did this happen?”

“Well, last night, I was by myself and looking at the stars, then I saw a shooting star fall down and it landed in my eye. At first, I thought it was my imagination, but then, I had this strange dream.”

“What?”

“I was watching a meteor shower, all by myself. And I heard someone talking to me. They said ‘the Eye sees all’.”

“The Eye?”

“You mean, like, the *Evil Eye?”

“Perhaps. If that is my power, then I will try to control my powers and use them only for dire emergencies.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me.”

“Okay, last is…”

“Hai!” The last girl stood up. “Inoue Sayuri! Please call me ‘Sayu-nyan’.”

“Okay, Sayu-nyan, what is your power?”

“I’m SayuRanger!”

“What?”

“Ah, Sayu-nyan is a really big fan of the *Super Sentai series.”

“Yes, but, now I actually AM one of them! I’m SayuRanger! That’s my superpower!”

“Really?”

“Look!” She pulled out a *cell phone-like device and some cards. “I can use these to transform! I haven’t tried it out yet, but I’m prepared for anything!”

“You sure?”

“I’ve watched EVERY Super Sentai series since the beginning. I have taught myself the way to becoming the ultimate SayuRanger! I’ve dreamed of this day~”

Wow. She’s really getting into it…

“Ah! That’s right, there was a dream. A mask woman appeared to me and said that I would bloom into a beautiful flower that fought for justice.”

“Hm… I was right.” Miichan spoke.

“So, these ‘Heart fragment’ things are inside us?”

“Yes. And each of you has a different one that represents Muse’s personality. Kazumi is positivity, Erika is peace, Yumi is responsibility, and Sayuri is justice.”

“What about me?” Rina held her hand up.

“Eh?”

“Mine… What is it..?”

“Ah… gomen. Actually, I’m not sure.”

“Oh…”

I patted Rina’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m sure you’ll find out soon.”

“Un…”

Just then, her phone rang.

“Hello? Ah, Reika-chan… Yeah, sorry. Something came up. ..Eto.. Akihabara—ah! Don’t worry. We’ll be over there soon. Un. Okay. Bye…”

She hung up, sighing.

“Sorry. Reika wants us back at the studio.”

“It’s okay.”

“We’d better go. Bye, guys.”

“Bye.”

…..

“Kaiba!” The Demon Lord’s voice boomed. “You have failed me for the last time!”

“My Lord, please. Next time, I will surely—”

“There won’t BE a next time. You are as good as nothing.”

“But, Maou—!”

“Enough!” Just then, a powerful blue fire engulfed Kaiba’s body. He screamed in pain as he felt he was covered in dry ice. “This is the end for you!”

“No! NOOO—”

His echoes slowly vanished as his body froze and as incased in solid ice.

“Isako.”

The woman teleported in front of her master, bowing before him.

“Have you devised a new strategy to destroy those pesky girls?”

“Yes, my Lord. And I assure you, there is no way that this can fail.”

…..

“Mou~ where ARE they?!” Reika said as she impatiently waited for her fellow members. “Of all times to be late…”

She had no idea, she was being watched.

Isako was watching her, in her dimension, and had come up with the ultimate plan.

Taking some of her long hair, she created thin strings that attached to Reika. As each one did, the girl felt herself slowly losing control and her head becoming clouded with darkness.

The final one attached, and her mind was consumed, completely under Isako’s control.

“Good, my puppet. Now, find some helpless girls and capture them for me.”

Reika walked out and headed to one of the changing rooms, where two members, Nakamoto Himeka and Nakashima Seira, were preparing for the live show.

“Ah, Reika, what are you doing here?”

“Yeah, Capt. Don’t you need to get ready for our performance?”

Reika didn’t say a thing and snapped her fingers. Two Shadow puppets appeared and grabbed the two girls.

“Kyaa! H-hey, Capt, what are you doing?!”

Isako chuckled, speaking within Reika’s voice.

“Time to take care of you girls.”

…..

“We should go shopping for costumes later,” Sayuri suddenly brought up. “I’m sure there’s a cosplay store with some really good outfits.”

“I was thinking our outfits would’ve been created after we transform, anyways.” Kazumi said.

“I wonder how that works.”

“Well, I’d say depending on what your powers are—”

Just then, we heard someone scream and saw Reika was holding two other members hostage.

“R-Reika-san?! What are you doing?”

“Well, well. Isn’t this interesting?”

“Guys, what’s wrong with her? Reika-san wouldn’t normally act like this.”

She’s right. Something’s wrong. This isn’t the same Reika I saw before. There’s something different in her eyes…

Something evil.

“Reika!” Kazumi stepped up. “Performing such acts of villainy… is unforgivable!”

“Hm? And who are you to defy me?”

“I’ll show you!”

Wait, is she going to..?

She pulled out her locket and held it out. “Sailor Crystal Power, *Make up!”

Almost instantly, her clothes had changed into a Sailor uniform like Sailor Moon would wear, the locket at the center of the ribbon on her chest.

“Woah~ Sugoi!”

“What are you?!”

“The warrior of love and positivity. The beautiful idol in a Sailor uniform. Sailor Kazumi has arrived!” she said before posing.

“Sailor Kazumi? Hm, you seem weak.” She looked towards her two Shadow puppets. “Get her!”

The puppets were about to attack, but she grabbed them by both of their wrists and held them down.

And then…

“AMAZING!!!” They flew up in the air and collapsed on the ground before disappearing into black dust.

“Why you..! I’ll be your opponent now!”

“There is only one thing that can defeat you.”

She held her hand out, and a small *water gun appeared in her hand. She pointed the pistol at Reika.

“*Kazumi Salt Ice!”

A powerful spray of icy salt water shot out into Reika’s eyes.

“My eyes!!! MY EYES!!!!”

I saw a dark aura surrounding her slowly fade away as she slowly collapsed to the ground.

“Reika-san!” Rina ran over to her side and we saw she was unconscious. “Is she… okay?”

“I think so. But, we probably shouldn’t mention any of this to her.”

“Un.”

“Now,” Miichan walked over to the two girls on the ground. “What should we do about them?”

“Sugoi~ Kazumi-chan!”

“That was amazing! Is that for the Super Live Show tonight?”

“Eh?”

“Super Live Show?”

“Ah, I forgot…” Rina stood up. “Today, during our show, we are going to act as superheroes.”

“EEEH?!”

…..

Isako gritted her teeth. She was angered that a new hero had stepped in and foiled her plans. She cursed under her breath.

However, she didn’t stop.

She saw a young girl in the studio dressed in a witch costume. She saw it as the perfect opportunity.

Using her puppet strings, she sent the dark aura from Reika into the girl, Saito Yuuri, and possessed her almost immediately.

“You are now under my control, dear.”

Yuuri’s eyes grew dark, an evil grin curving her lips.

======================

Footnotes

*1. Dark Flame - A flame infused with powerful Dark magic, said to be created by a sorcerer who unlocked the “true form” of the Eternal flame.

*2. “Posi-peace” - A pose Kazumi frequently does.

*3. Evil Eye - A curse that is said to give someone misfortune after being cast with a malevolent glare. Charms have been created to protect people from this curse and are called “Evil Eyes”.

*4. Super Sentai - A series in Japan where, in each adaption, a team of soldiers fights off an army of evil monsters(frequently changes in each season). The American version of this series is called “Power Rangers”.

*5. Morpher - Transformation devices frequently used by Super Sentai.

*6. “Make up!” - A phrase often said when a Sailor Soldier transforms.

*7. Kazumi Pistol and Kazumi Salt Ice attack - Once she summons her pistol, Kazumi can perform the Salt Ice attack, where cold ice water will spray into her enemy’s eyes.