Another tiny update

Simone's Act 3 is finished!

Another quick update

Sumika's act 3 is finished!

Heroine #3: Sumika

Sumika Nageyama (投山 菫花) is a mostly ordinary high school girl.  At age 18, she has recently entered her final year of high school.

Her world is remarkably similar to Ray's world, even down to cultural artifacts like many books, movies, and games; needless to say, both worlds are devoid of magic.  The only notable difference is the greater variety of natural hair colors in Sumika's world.  (Sumika's hair is a vivid violet.)

Sumika comes from the small city of Hachinohe in the northeast of Japan.  While she does very well in her studies, her peers regard her as slightly odd and difficult to understand, making her a target of bullying and rejection.  As a result, she's withdrawn into her two passions in life: movies and Judo.

Sumika is gentle and passive, if inclined to worry more than the average person.  She is sensitive to rudeness and criticism, but can be surprisingly energetic and cheerful when something excites or pleases her.  When someone truly earns her trust and affection, she can be loyal to a fault.

Heroine #2: Mary

Mary Tsubasa comes from a world of angels; all people are naturally born with large wings that make individual human flight viable.

In her childhood, Mary was a magical girl.  She played a pivotal role in ridding the world of the nastier types of magically-endowed beasts, earning her much fame.

Her fight is long over, but the fame remains, and she considers it a burden.  The people expect a hero to be an exemplar of industriousness, purity, and other virtues.  Determined to go her own way, Mary prefers to be a slacker with a crass sense of humor.  She has no ambitions; she'd rather just take it easy and enjoy life.

22 years old, she lives in her hometown, a secluded mountain city in Brazil.  She does get approached by the occasional tourist, though those close to her say she very much overreacts to these "ordeals."

Mary is still technically a magical girl, even if she hasn't had to fight in over a decade.  Her powers when transformed include drastically increased agility while in the air, as well as some rudimentary offensive magic.

The "friend" character

Ashkay Bachchan went to high school with Ray, bonding over a shared love of geeky hobbies.  He was a relatively small, effeminate guy, lacking in confidence, so he was on the receiving end of bullying.  When he decided to come out of the closet -- against the advice of his friend Ray, who expected the bullying to escalate -- nothing really changed.  Nobody was surprised.

After high school, he went off to college and developed other friendships and relationships, becoming happier, more confident, and more sociable.  He had a talent for science, and quickly set his ambitions toward bioengineering.  Because of Ray's stubborn withdrawal into a hikikomori lifestyle, they lost touch.

Now that the summer break before his senior year has come, he's back in Willemstad.  He begins work at a clothing store in the mall, where he runs into Ray and makes an effort to rekindle their friendship.

(Note: The name "Ashkay" is actually a typo of Akshay, but I like the way Ashkay sounds better, so I'm sticking with it.)

Heroine #1: Simone

Simone Dufoix, vampire killer.

Simone was born in the year 1338 in France.  Her father was a peculiar, eccentric French nobleman; her mother was a woman who fled Africa to protect her daughter (Simone's older sister), seeking refuge in what was then the heart of a religion that promised salvation; the city of the Pope, Avignon.

When the plague came to Avignon, her father devoted his wealth to helping those in need, nearly exhausting it.  Eventually, her parents and older sister were taken by the plague, and she was adopted by the Church at age 8.

She was quite gifted, showing great promise.  She quickly learned to read, write, and speak in both French and English.  She had some aptitude for magic -- a meager aptitude, but any capacity for magic was a rarity nonetheless.  Most of all, however, she was skilled in the physical realm; athletics and combat.  She is skilled with many weapons, but relies primarily on her blessed whip.

Simone grew to become a knight of the Avignon Papacy, traveling throughout France and England to exterminate the undead and other demonic or unholy threats to innocent people.  She is committed to her work and considers it her purpose in life; when she needs a diversion, she turns to music and literature. 

Her life has taught her to be self-reliant, serious, and pragmatic, if a bit stubborn and quite distant.  How will she adjust to this new world?  Will she cling to the way she had lived till now, or will she find a new purpose in life?

Meet our protagonist

Ray Meyers lives in America.

Specifically, the city of Willemstad, capital of the state of New Netherlands.

He's a security guard (i.e. mallcop) at a nearby shopping mall...part time.  He doesn't care about making more money or having a more prestigious job.

He experienced some bullying in school as a child and teenager, and learned that violence is a very satisfying way to solve his problems when it's permissible.  He doesn't seek out fights, as he doesn't want to see himself as some sort of violent thug, but he doesn't shy away from them if he has an excuse to get involved.

His true passion is karate; he's a black belt.  However, he prefers "real" fights to tournaments or sparring, and "real" fights have a tendency to attract the attention of the police.  With no acceptable way to exercise his true passion, Ray has defaulted to killing time with more mundane activities like video games.  With little practical ambition and few real-world skills, Ray is stuck in a peaceful but mundane life, still living with his mother at age 22.

When our story begins, he begins to see things that nobody else can.  Things that are visible and audible, but intangible; like holograms, but acting with a will of their own.

What does this mean?  Why is this happening?  Is Ray going insane and hallucinating?  What effect will this have on his comfortable lifestyle?  What will happen if people find out?