"My Lord…" Kaiba bowed his head down as he knelt in front of a dark figure. The pitch black room was lit only by demonic purple flames.

“Kaiba, have you located the seven Heart fragments?”

"Yes."

“Then, tell me, why have you failed to retrieve them?”

"It’s Mariko. She has put the Heart fragments of Muse in the possession of these… girls.”

“Girls?”

"I don’t even know what to call them… But, I can assure you, they still have the incapability to control their powers."

“We mustn’t underestimate these humans.”

Kaiba nodded. “I know, my Lord.”

“Keep an eye on them for now. Find an opening for when they are at their weakest, then destroy them and bring me the Heart fragments.”

"Yes, sir."
…..

All of us sat in the office, remembering what Mariko had suddenly told us yesterday.

"We have such a responsibility…"

"Who knew it’d be this tough?"

"It’s not as easy as the girls in the manga make it look." Miki pouted as she plopped on the couch, reading her *manga.

I sighed and leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling.

I guess not everything can be easy…

"So, what should we do now?"

I looked at my ring. It had transformed, like I had yesterday. Circling the small, round gem, were silver petals, painted white to look like a daisy.

"Guys, do you remember what Mariko-san told us yesterday?"

Flashback

"So, what do these ‘Heart fragments’ look like?"

"Actually…" Mariko pointed at my finger, specifically the ring. "We embedded them into your rings."

"Eh…"

"So these are… Heart fragments?"

I looked closely at the small gem. I saw tiny orbs of colored light floating around inside it.

"Each crystal contains a different part of Muse’s heart."

"So, which ones are we?"

"We gave you all fragments that represent each of your personalities. For example, Nana is passion."

"Eh? Passion?"

"I wouldn’t say Nana-chan is passionate. Maybe more… serious!"

Nana looked up a bit at Miki. “Eh?”

"Yeah. She’s totally serious."

"Hm… I guess that can also count."

"What? Guys, I’m not that serious. Really…”

"Looks like she’s also modest."

"Miki-chan is kindness. Hers could also mean friendship."

"Now that suits her. Miki-miki is really friendly!"

"Ryouha is intelligence. You seemed pretty smart when I saw you, so that’s why you have that."

Ryouha looked up from her book, a shocked look on her face. Guess she’s never been told she’s smart before.

"Yea, you were pretty smart yesterday, too."

Ryouha blushed a bit and hid her face behind her hair again.

"Nagisa is loyalty."

"Well, she is the oldest."

"Which one am I~?" Meru cheered as she waved her hand around in the air.

"Innocence."

"Well, that makes sense, since she’s the youngest."

"And, Mio-chan, you’re hope, or prayer."

"Hope… Hm?" She looked at her ring again, examining it.

"Mariko-san…" I tapped her shoulder. She looked at me with a smile.

"Yes?"

"What’s mine?"

"Yours, Mako, is a very important and powerful piece of her heart. I chose you as leader because I knew you’d have the capability to use it."

"Eh?"

"Your Heart fragment… is love.”

End of Flashback

"We were given these because it was our destiny. Not because we wanted to, or just by chance."

"Mako’s right." Nana stood up and took my hand. "This was something we were meant to do. Maybe we don’t know why, but we just can’t turn it down."

As excepted, so serious…

"Mako, I’m sure you’ll make a great leader." I felt Nagisa pat my head from behind.

"No one else got that fragment. She said it was the most important one. Love."

"If you, out of everyone, got that one specific piece, it means there’s something very special about you.”

I smiled. “Thanks, guys.”

I never really thought of myself as special. I couldn’t really do anything that amazing. That’s what I always thought about myself.

But now, after all that’s happen, I finally feel like I have a certain purpose.

"Alright, let’s do our best, then, and become Japan’s greatest magical girl idol group!"

"Oh~!"

Just then, the door opened and Yuko walked in.

"Hey, girls! Come with me!"

"Eh?"

"Where?"

"My surprise for you. It’s finished!"

"Eh?!"

…..

"Why won’t you just tell us what it is?" Miki said as we walked through the Akihabara streets.

"Don’t worry, you’ll see soon~!" Yuko cheered as she skipped happily across the corner.

Miki pouted.

"I don’t see why she just can’t tell us.”

"Just be patient, Miki," I said as she patted her shoulder.

"That’s right. Whatever it is, it’s a special present, and she wants it to be a surprise." Nana said with her eyes sparkling.

So serious~…

"You guys are really close," said Ayaka, who was walking beside us. "You’re, like, the Three Musketeers."

Hm… Three Musketeers, huh?

"Guys, look!"

"Eh?"

"We’re here~"

The three of us ran up and we saw a café with a large sign that said “Ladybug Café” and had a picture of a cute ladybug sitting on top of a globe.

"You’ll all be working at this café to promote your group."

"Eh~…"

"Wait!" Nana raised her hand. "We don’t have a name yet. Our group."

"Don’t worry. I’ve got that covered." She pointed at a small pink box standing in front of the store window.

Above it, was a poster of seven silhouettes and an arrow pointing down to the box.

"Special contest! Enter potential group name for Akihabara48 talent agency’s newest idol unit! Cafe grand opening tomorrow at 8:00 A.M., Debut concert next Saturday at 5:00 P.M.”

"Eeeeehh?!"

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

Footnotes

*1. Manga - Japanese comic books.