Project Mage

“I... I finally understand,” Runebelle whispered, her eyes meeting the Doctor taking care of her. “You... you reminded me of her... my mother...”

Tears welled up in the Doctor’s eyes as Runebelle’s words hung in the air, their significance sinking in as Runebelle’s eyes closed.

Runebelle’s consciousness drifted in a strange liminal space, a realm between her former existence and an uncertain future. The vivid memories of her past life lingered, like fragments of a dream, as she began to regain awareness.

Slowly, she awakened within another world. She became aware of her surroundings, the green tube that enclosed her, and the sensation of being in a different body. Panic welled up within her as she tried to make sense of this.

Then, as if guided by an unseen force, she directed her attention to her new body. She realized that she had taken on the body of a young girl, her hair a mesmerizing blend of blue and pink, just like the one she had before. Although her body was child-like, it felt strangely familiar.

Runebelle gazed at the young girl with long, flowing yellow hair, her eyes wide with astonishment. The girl’s presence was a stark contrast to Runebelle’s own uncertainty and confusion. She clung to the tank and seemed genuinely surprised by Runebelle’s awakening

As the green rejuvenation fluid slowly disappeared, Runebelle found herself face to face with Dr. Kintovar, who had a contemplative look.

The green rejuvenation fluid surrounding Runebelle dissipated, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed in this unfamiliar world. As she tried to collect her thoughts and understand her situation, a commanding figure entered her field of vision.

Dr. Kintovar walked into view confidently. She glanced at the young girl, Roselle who had been waiting nearby.

“I told you to wait elsewhere, Roselle, not to startle my new creation,” Dr. Kintovar stated with authority

Roselle, nodded in response. Her eyes dropped to

the ground. “I’m sorry, Dr. Kintovar. I was just excited.”

Dr. Kintovar turned her attention to Runebelle, her piercing gaze filled with curiosity and calculation. “As for you, my dear, welcome to a new beginning. I am Dr. Kintovar, and this is Roselle, one of my brilliant creations!”

Dr. Kintovar continued, “From this day forward, you shall be known as Runebelle, codenamed: Project Rune.”

Runebelle absorbed Dr. Kintovar’s introduction, her mind racing to comprehend the abrupt shift in her existence. “Runebelle,” she echoed softly, still bewildered by the unfamiliarity of it all. “Codename... Project Rune?”

Dr. Kintovar nodded with a hint of satisfaction. “Yes, Project Rune. You are my latest creation, and I have high hopes for what you will accomplish.”

Runebelle’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name, a name from her past life that held deep significance.

Dr. Kintovar carefully examined Runebelle’s systems, her keen eyes scanning the data before her. To her surprise and confusion, she discovered that Runebelle’s memory capacity was already at 50%, despite the fact that it should have been at 0% for a newly created entity.

She scratched the back of her head, a rare sign of her inner turmoil. Her fingers grazed the headphones resting there, and she momentarily raised them to her ears as if seeking solace or guidance from the soothing sounds they provided.

“This is... impossible. Memory capacity at 50%? How could this have happened? There must be some error or interference in the data.”

Roselle, still standing nearby asked, “Is that a bad thing, Dr. Kintovar?”

Dr. Kintovar blinked as if just remembering Roselle’s presence, and she lowered her headphones, her attention shifting to the young creation.

She replied, choosing her words carefully, “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, Roselle. It’s just... unexpected. It might indicate that there’s more to Runebelle’s past than I initially thought. But for now, we’ll continue with the planned assessments and see how her memory functions develop.”

Runebelle took hesitant steps into the lab, her new body feeling foreign and unfamiliar. Her face, adorned with a blend of blue and pink hair, carried a weight of sadness, a reflection of the memories and emotions she had carried from her previous existence.

Dr. Kintovar observed Runebelle’s arrival with a keen eye, noticing the sadness that seemed to emanate from her. She walked over to a nearby rack, where a fur coat hung, and retrieved it. With a measured but not unkind tone, she approached Runebelle and held out the coat.

“Runebelle,” Dr. Kintovar began, “your full outfit isn’t quite ready yet, so you’ll have to make do with this for now. It should keep you comfortable.”

Roselle, who had been quietly observing the interaction between Runebelle and Dr. Kintovar, suddenly spoke up,“Dr. Kintovar, what about my outfit? I’ve been wearing this magic academy girl’s outfit since I got back. You haven’t said anything about it yet.”

Dr. Kintovar turned her attention to Roselle. she looked offf to the side and then came back with one raised finger.

“Ah yes, your outfit Roselle. I haven’t had the chance to provide you with a suitable one yet, but I assure you, I’ll have something fitting for you soon. For now, that academy uniform should suffice.”

Roselle pouted and tugged at the oversized academy uniform she wore, clearly dissatisfied with its fit. She complained, “But it feels so big on me, Dr. Kintovar. It’s not comfortable at all.”

Dr. Kintovar offered Roselle a reassuring smile and said, “I understand, Roselle. I’ll make sure your new outfit fits you perfectly. Patience, my dear. It won’t be long.”

Roselle reluctantly nodded, her pout fading as she accepted Dr. Kintovar’s words.

Runebelle’s eyes remained fixed on the ground, lost in thought as she processed the information and her new reality.

Roselle noticed Runebelle’s silence. She begins to speak to her. “You know, Runebelle,” Roselle began, “We have a big sister named Risebelle. She’s just like us, created by Dr. Kintovar. You’ll meet her soon, and I’m sure you’ll like her!”

Runebelle’s perpetually sad face showed no change, but Roselle was determined to get a reaction. She took a deep breath and then stared upwards for a moment.. “Risebelle is… well, how do I put this? She's super serious. Always has this intense look on her face! Oh, and she's got and she has this habit of calling me an idiot every other sentence. It’s kind of her thing.”

Runebelle tilted her head in confusion" That doesen't sound likable..."

"It's something like this!"

Roselle then put her hands on her hips and tried to adopt a mock-stern gaze with lowered eyed. "You're such an idiot, Roselle!" she mimicked, but the exaggerated seriousness in her own voice made her burst into laughter.

Runebelle tilted her head slightly, still looking as sad and confused as ever.

Roselle sighed, shaking her head. "Okay, maybe I’m not the best at impersonations. But trust me, you'll see what I mean when you meet her. She might seem strict, but she has a good heart. And she’ll look out for you, just like she looks out for me! I know she will."

Runebelle nodded. Roselle couldn't tell if that meant she understood now, but she moved along.

Roselle began to give Runebelle a tour of the Lab. While on the move, Roselle noticed the persistent sadness etched on Runebelle’s face. Concern filled her heart as she wondered what she could do to help her new sister overcome this profound sadness.

As they continued walking through the lab, Roselle decided to strike up a conversation, hoping to create a sense of comfort for Runebelle.

“Runebelle,” Roselle began, “I can’t help but notice that you seem really sad. Is there anything you want to talk about? I can help you with whatever it is. Just call me 'Ask me anything' Roselle!”

Runebelle’s gaze shifted to Roselle, her eyes filled up with gratitude. She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.

“I really appreciate your kindness, Roselle,” Runebelle admitted, “but it’s just... I’m trying to understand my situation. My memories and now being here with sisters I never knew I had. I can’t shake this… overwhelming sadness I'm feeling off of me...”

As Roselle looked into Runebelle’s eyes and saw the profound sadness within, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of helplessness wash over her. She, too, was a creation of Dr. Kintovar, but her experiences had been vastly different from Runebelle’s. She had never known the weight of a past life or the kind of emotional turmoil that seemed to haunt Runebelle.

‘What can I do to help her?’ Roselle wondered, her heart aching for her new sister. 'I want her to not look so sad, but I don’t even know where to begin to help her…’

As they continued their tour of the lab, Roselle made a mental note to seek guidance from Dr. Kintovar.

Roselle led Runebelle through the labyrinthine corridors of the lab until they arrived at a massive, imposing door. It seemed almost out of place in the sterile environment of the facility, and its presence piqued Runebelle’s curiosity.

“This, Runebelle,” Roselle explained, “is the door to the outside world. Beyond this door lies the mystical forest, where we’ll carry out our missions. But we must always be cautious. Our enemies are humans, and they will stop at nothing to capture or destroy us.”

Runebelle’s eyes widened as she took in Roselle’s words. The idea of facing humans as adversaries was both intimidating and shocking. Her memories of her past life didn’t include any encounters with humans as enemies, and the notion filled her with uncertainty.

“I... I don’t understand,” Runebelle admitted, “Why…Why are humans our enemies? What have we even done to them?”

Roselle sighed, realizing that this was a complex and difficult topic to broach. She chose her words carefully as she attempted to explain their situation to Runebelle.

“It’s not about what we’ve done, Runebelle,” Roselle began. “It’s about what we are. Dr. Kintovar created us to be different, to possess unique abilities and powers. Humans wish to destroy technology in this day and age, and they see anything that is not magical as a threat to their society. This is why they see us as a threat, and why they want me dead so badly. That’s why they’re our enemies...”

Runebelle absorbed this information, her mind spinning with new insights into her existence. The world outside.

Roselle reached out to open the massive door to the outside world, her fingers brushed against the cold, metallic surface. She turned back to Runebelle, her face lit up with a sense of excitement.

“Runebelle,” Roselle said with enthusiasm, “are you ready to explore the mystical forest? It’s a whole new world out there!”

Runebelle mustered a small smile, eager to experience this unknown world and the adventures it might hold; however, before they could step outside, Dr. Kintovar shouted through the corridor, stopping them in their tracks.

“Wait,” Dr. Kintovar commanded, her tone firm and authoritative. she walked infront of them. “You can’t let Runebelle explore the forest just yet, Roselle. We need to test her abilities first.”

Roselle turned to face Dr. Kintovar in disbelief. Her jaw dropped to the ground.

“But Dr. Kintovar, you didn’t do the same for me! You sent me out without any experience or training in eliminating humans, and I had to learn that all on my own!”

Dr. Kintovar’s response was measured and unwavering.

“The circumstances were different then, Roselle. My life was in danger, and I had no choice but to send you out. But now, with Runebelle, we have the opportunity to prepare her properly and ensure her success.”

Roselle’s frustration simmered beneath the surface, but she knew better than to argue further with Dr. Kintovar. She looked at Runebelle apologetically.

“Sorry, Runebelle,” Roselle said softly. “It looks like we’ll have to hold off on our forest adventure for now. Dr. Kintovar has her reasons, even if I don’t completely understand them.”

Dr. Kintovar’s eyes settled on Roselle. “Roselle, I need you to teach Runebelle how to use her magic because Risebelle is currently occupied with a crucial task. She won’t be available to assist with Runebelle’s training for the time being.”

Roselle looked somewhat concerned “Um...But what’s Risebelle doing, Dr. Kintovar?”

Dr. Kintovar hesitated for a moment before responding, “Risebelle is working on a mission of great importance. She’s assisting me in gathering very essential data that will aid in our future endeavors. It’s a task that requires her full attention right now, so the responsibility of teaching her magic will lie upon you this time.”

As Roselle absorbed Dr. Kintovar’s request, a wave of fear and doubt washed over her. Her gaze shifted between Runebelle and Dr. Kintovar as she attempted to process this new role she was being entrusted with.

A nervous smile crept onto Roselle’s face as she stammered, “W-Waitaminute, I-I have to teach her Magic?”

Roselle began darting her eyes between Dr. Kintovar and Runebelle.

“WHAAT?!”