1 Awake

Awoken from deep slumber. The everlasting night swarmed above. Three girls in the middle of an empty black room. The floor looked to be made of black ice. The stars shined brightly on top of the three. They all looked to be around middle or high school children. They all wore black robes covering their body and the bottom of their feet. Each one of them looked at each other with suspicion as none knew what was happening or where they were.

One had long brown hair and maintained a steady composure.

Another had short, white hair with pigtails who sat casually on the ground looking at the other two. She was the shortest of the three. She looked the youngest, but her skin was pale white.

The last had short brown hair standing on edge. She was taller and looked more athletic than the other two. Her skin was tanned.

Each one stared at the other ready to strike.

The short girl jumped up with an energetic smile. "Well, getting antsy is fine and all, but I'd like to know where I am," she said while smiling wide, but behind her friendly visage she was hiding something devious and violent inside.

The tall girl said in a threatening manner, "Did you two bring me here? If so, you have made a big mistake." She was twitching; readying herself for a fight.

The brown-haired girl remained calm and said, "I'm pretty sure we're all in the same situation. Seems like we've all been dragged into this dark world. Although I'm not sure where we are, I'll at least introduce myself. My name is Yune Jagger. But just call me Yune."

This girl didn't know what was happening, but didn't want to start any fights. Although, if there was one, she believed that she could handle it.

The other two girls began to calm their nerves, but none of the three trusted each other. They all suspected the other to be some kind of threat.

The dark room gave off a chilly aura around the three. Their black robes fluttered where there was no indication of any wind. However, none of them knew why they were wearing these robes.

"I'm Jacqueline Unique," the tall girl spoke, "But people just call me Jack."

The short girl sighed and said, "I'm Mary. Now that the pleasantries are finished, I must wonder where your manners are. Neither of you kids have bowed to me. Tell me, where do you two reside?"

Jack and Yune were confused at the Mary's statement. Mary kept giving off a smile, but it was no longer gentle. It only gave a sense of danger to the other two. The tension continued to grow.

Mary licked her lips and came to the conclusion, "This must be some sort of illusion brought by the Night Demons. You two are just illusions."

"Night Demons!?" the other two shouted.

Yune said while switching between looking at Jack and Mary, "You two know of the Night Demons?"

And without a reply, Mary began to transform. A dark shadow enveloped her from below.

"This is different," Mary said, "Usually it's bright."

The other two only looked in shock as they have never seen this kind of transformation. They have seen girls being transformed in light, but not in this darkness.

Her robes shattered. Her figure hidden in darkness. The shadows wrapped around her creating a purple dress with red metal armor. Her hands were covered in a black glove. Shining red claws grew out of her fingers. They were larger than that of her forearm. Her face started to be covered in a purple mask with red outlines around the eyes holes. Her eyes began to darken. Her scleroses was pitch black and her iris was purple.

When the transformation was complete, she looked at herself.

"Hmm. My figure looks pretty much the same. Same claws for weapons," Mary said and then she looked down at the black floor. It showed a reflection of herself. "Well, everything except the mask and the different eyes. Didn't have that before."

"A new kind of Night demon? I have never seen one copy the form of the Light Guardians," Yune said.

"Doesn't matter. If you are a Light Guardian, then help me fight it, then we can figure out how to get out of here," Jack said seriously.

Yune nodded her head.

And with that Jack began to transform as well. However, it was the same as Mary's. A shadow came from below enveloping her. Jack felt fear as the shadows covered her. She had no idea what was happening. A dark flame wrapped itself around Jack. A red armor that looked like it was made of flesh, but felt like metal, covered her entire body. It created more layers around her and made Jack grow in size. She became almost twice the size of Yune. A red metal mask grew from the armor and wrapped itself around her face. Her eyes began to darken. Scleroses black with red irises. She had no idea what was happening, but she recognized the form. Jack looked at herself in the reflection underneath her and realized that she had transformed completely to the same form she always had when she would transform. Her mask reminded her of a hockey mask from one of those horror movies.

"Impossible. Why did I transform like that, too? I... I'm not some kind of Night Demon," Jack said in confusion. She looked at her hand and with a thought, she was able to conjure a blazing inferno from her fingertips and drag a crimson machete from the flames.

Mary commented on Jack's transformation, "How strange."

Yune took steps back. She breathed slowly to calm herself. She wondered if she would transform the same way and said, "I guess there's no other choice."

A dark shadow came over Yune. The robes tattered. It grafted white and black metal on top of her skin. She was calm throughout the process as she was only trying to focus on why the transformation process changed. It's usually supposed to be brought on by a bright light, but that was no longer the case, she thought to herself. The white metal spread around herself with black outlines at each entry point. A hook began to form in front of her. Chains started to form from her two forearms and attached itself to the hook. She grabbed the hook by a handle and a subsequent chain link. Then, a mask began to cover her face. Her scleroses turned black and the irises became pure white. A white mask with a black line coming down from her eye holes. Yune's transformation was the same as usual with the exception of the mask.

Each one of the three had the same outfit when they usually transform, but the darkness enveloping them was different. It was cold.

The three girls began to wonder what was happening. Each of them were the same.

Mary scratched her arm and said, "I don't know why these Night Demons want to mess around with cosmetics, but I know I'm not one of those demons. So, that means either one or both of you are. And I don't care which one. I'll just have to kill you both."

"I can say the same. I don't care, either. I'll crush you both to get out of this hell-hole," Jack said.

"Guess I can't reason with brutes. Looks like I won't have a choice but to have to fight both of you, then," Yune said confidently.

Mary began to sharpen her claws with her own claws while still smiling with devious intent. Jack began to breathe faster and harder as if he was going to enjoy the fight. Yune began to spin her hook chain and began to read her opponents. Each one stood waiting for another to charge first.

Before anything could happen, a voice came from above.

"Wait! Don't kill each other! Wait!," it shouted. It had the voice of a small boy. The three looked up and saw a small black owl flying down in between the three. It had a mark on it's head with the shape of a crescent moon. As soon as it came down, it was out of breath.

"Huff. Huff. Wait! Don't - huff- do anything! Just - huff - give me - huff - five minutes," he said as he began to lay down breathing heavily.

The three girls scratched their heads as they had no idea what was going on, anymore.

"Alright. I'm good. I'll explain," the owl said.