A brief introduction:

This is going to showcase an on-going role play that I have on my role playing forum. Most likely, since nobody seems to be currently interested in this sort of thing there, this will be a solo perspective of my primary protagonist, Akiko Takahashi, who is an experimental prototype of the ultimate warrior that will save Humanity from annihilation against the Va'alen during the year of 3427. Anyway, Akiko is actually an acronym for a feline-humanoid weapon. Her apparent age is 14 years old, but in reality, it’s closer to about three years old. Not only is she genetically enhanced for physical combat, she’s also been altered so that she can tap into the arcane. Beyond having an innate ability of Technomancy, she also has a specialized digestive tract that allows her to process food to give her additional magical abilities temporarily. As she is nearing the completion of her specialized training, she is being prepared for her Final Examination, which she learns has a darker reason to be completed, and she doesn’t like it. So….

We begin this story as Akiko is stealing a star-fighter to run away (because what 14 year-old hasn’t at least thought about running away from home at least once during their life?). This will be a retelling of this game story mostly from her perspective (although, I may also add various NPC dialog that Akiko’s not specifically privy to for clarity).

I haven’t yet decided upon which role playing system I want to use, but I think I’ve narrowed it down to three candidates: Big Eyes Small Mouth (either Fourth or Second RETRO edition), GURPS, or Cypher System. Each of these setting-agnostic systems have strengths.

Big Eyes Small Mouth give a superior anime vibe to the game, and it’s the system I’m most familiar with. The difference between fourth and second edition is that while fourth is the most updated mechanically, and therefore grants the most options and is probably the most balanced of all the editions, the RETRO edition offers a roll under mechanic, which makes Solo and Forum play much easier to work with.

GURPS is a fantastic system that I have yet to actually try out, because it’s so detailed. It also uses a roll under mechanic, but has many, many, many options for character and campaign settings. Admittedly, I don’t quite have all the supplement books I want from GURPS to run a Space Opera.

Finally, there’s Cypher System. Another excellent system for solo play that is extremely adaptable with some reskinning work. The major benefit of this system is the Intrusion mechanic, which allows for seamless cinema modification, and a simple 1d20 roll over mechanic. I’m very tempted to start working with this system, however, I’m keeping my options open just in case other players want to hop into the game have a preference.

At any rate, I’m not too worried about the necessity of using game mechanics and random effects just yet. Most of what I need to do is to set up the opening scenes for the game, introduce the cast of the game, and the crew of the ASS Horizon, and get back into my cinematic narrative flow by gushing absurd comedy and other bizarre shenanigans for all of your to loose yourselves for a while.

So without further delay, let us begin…

The Color of Freedom: Chapter 1: Is the Grass Green?

Akiko locked the final seat restraint into position and peered outside the cockpit one final time, ensuring nobody was in the hanger bay. Her fingers hovered over the master control panel with anticipation, beads of sweat peppered her forehead underneath her neatly trimmed pink bangs.

"Primary fuel intake... release. Standard pre-engine ignition... activated...", she flipped a couple of switches.

The small fighter ship came to life with a quiet hum, as power surged through the control surfaces. Lights began glowing, illuminating various bits of information.

"Life support subsystem... engaged. Atmospheric pressure, standard. Primary offensive status, standing by. Primary defensive status, operational: Full power. Deflector shields: 100%. Navigational computer, ready for input.... entering first jump coordinates... Seven-Alpha, Niner-Tango, Four-Delta..."

Akiko took a deep breath. Her pre-flight checks were complete. All that was left to do was power up the propulsion system. It indicated it was ready, displaying a green button.

"Here goes....", she pushed the button, and the craft whirred to life with a blast of jetted air and the roar of the plasma-ion engines, it hovered a meter over the docking pad. She entered the command codes into the communications terminal to unlock the hangar entrance port, giving her coach's credentials.

Outside alarms rang as the atmosphere was decreased inside the massive bay. The doors opened, and an emergency force-field sprang to life, illuminating the opening in a soft violet glow. Moments later, the room illuminated in red lights, a buzzing alarm blared.

"Attention pilot of craft Delta-Four. Deactivate your unauthorized departure and stand down immediately!" The sound of a male's voice blared from the console.

"Lieutenant Gavner's on duty tonight. Sucks to be him." Akiko muttered to nobody and grasped the throttle control, pushing it gently toward is forward position.

The fighter began inching ahead slowly, and then quickly accelerated toward the exit window. A yellow array of lights lined the flight path along the floor just underneath the fighter, ensuring that no accidents could occur from poor visibility.

"Delta-Four! This is your last warning. Power down immediately, or you will be fired upon!"

Akiko trained her eyesight straight ahead of her, toward the stars that twinkled before her. Moments from now, she'll be relieved of her duties aboard the ASS Horizon forever. She'll start a new life, and she'll never have to worry about the consequences of the Final Examination ever again. Someday soon, if she's plotted her trajectory correctly, she'll visit home, forever. She passed through the protective force-field barrier, and continued to accelerate away from her captivity. In under one minute, she'll reach the minimum safe distance to engage her hyper-drive engines.

"Delta Four. Make peace with your defaults.", Gavner said, then turned his head, his voice not as loud, "Master Gunnery, open fire. Destroy that Star Fighter!"

"Acknowledged. Acquiring firing solution, stand by...", a robotic feminine voice replied in the background.

'Just nineteen seconds longer....', Akiko thought to herself.

"Three solutions have been identified." The voice came over the communications console.

"Fire at w--", Gavner commanded.

"HOLD!"

'That's Coach!', Akiko mentally shouted and began panicking. 'Just ten seconds left!', A countdown timer began

"Stand by for hyper-jump in ten seconds... nine....eight....seven....", the ship's computer announced.

"Akiko. I know that's you.", Lieutenant Commander Kenji Sato's rough, deep voice boomed and filled Akiko's cockpit. "Look. I don't know what the hell you're doing, or where the fuck you think you're going, but I guarantee that you're not prepared for what's out there. Come back and we'--"

"...Two...one....zero."

The transmission was cut short by the starfield being stretched into a rainbow of streaks, and then pitch black.

I stared into the crackling fire, rocking in my chair and set my hot cocoa down on the small table by my side. A pair of curious eyes gazed at me with anticipation as I recalled the soup of memories and feelings of those uncertain times.

“It was a complete shit show back then.”, I finally said as I met her sparkling blue eyes with my own green eyes. Kimiko was quite used to my profanity, for which I was especially glad for tonight. Earlier, she had found an old dairy that I used to keep, and of course, as curious eyes do, she read what I had written all those years ago. I didn’t mind explaining my thoughts of a more youthful me to her. After all, she was my favorite niece. My only niece. And it was probably about time she learned about what really happened back then.

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What would a world look like if Magical Girls had to have jobs? What kind of jobs would they even apply for? Let's find out!

“Hikari, how's your job search going?”, Kimiko asked.

“As good as it could be, I guess.”

“Have you heard from anyone with any leads?”

“Let's see….out of fourteen-thousand-six-hundred-fifty-two applications, I've been rejected by slightly over 9,000, and the other five-thousand or so, nothing. Job searching totally sucks! Waaa! I'm exhausted.”

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“You know, you're crazy.”, my sister, Kiyoka tells me again for the nine millionth time.

“Yup. I know, but somebody has to save the world from greedy buttholes who want to take over everything.” I replied back to her while fixing my bow ribbon.

“You could have chosen to be anything other than a Magical Girl, Mitsume.”

“That's true, but then I wouldn't get to look super cute, and have amazing acrobatics ability while welding super powers that can destroy busses, tanks, and shopping malls.”

“Hey, Martial Artists can destroy busses too!”

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