Mitra

Mitra was born the middle child of a rich family. Her siblings seemingly instantly found things to become obsessed with - while she was busy hanging out at school or collecting shiny rocks, her older sister became a chess prodigy and her younger brother began mastering the piano. Before she knew it, they were becoming decorated with accolades and praised for their immense talents.

Even her cousins were shining like stars - a soccer player, a flutist, an entrepreneur. Seemed everyone in her family was doing great - everyone but her. And while her parents insisted that she didn’t need to do anything amazing to prove herself to them… they did gently, perhaps not so gently - push her towards all sorts of different hobbies. Have you tried sports? Maybe give singing a chance! What about debate? What do you like, Mitra?

She tried everything - but unlike her siblings, she seemed to be terrible at everything she tried. No matter how hard she tried - there was no spark like everyone else seemed to have. She wasn’t good at anything! She grew frustrated and stopped listening to her parents, simply hanging out with her friends and surrounding herself with yes-men who would lie about her skills. Who needed talent? She was cool. Way cooler than her stupid family.

At her friend’s party, one of the guys turns on the tournament. Everyone gathers around the TV to watch the challengers fight. All but one, who rolls their eyes at the TV. “Everyone knows the tournaments are rigged,” he groans.

Mitra looks at him. “They are?”

“Yeah, totally scripted.”

Mitra looks away, back to the screen, and the looks on all her friends faces. A grin covers her face as a plan hatches in her head.

Rigged, eh…?

After weeks of training with a choreographer, Mitra had learned not how to fight, but how to look like she WAS fighting. In truth, fighting was too much work, and besides, she wasn’t excited about actually proving herself in the ring, no, she was more focused on Costumes. Having blinged herself out with her new persona, she started showing up in the fighting scene.

Using her parent’s money, she managed to pay off every competitor to throw the fight. She would dance merrily along, feigning punches and pretending to dodge, until she was declared the victor. She quickly shot up the ranks - until her fame surpassed both her siblings. People across the nation cheered her name. T-shirts with her face on it. She was a television star! She was a gold medalist fighter! No one could touch her, so long as the truth never came out!

The fame quickly got to her head, and she became even more insufferable than before - soaking up everyone’s admiration to fuel her big ego. Her manners slowly eroded as she got used to having everything she wanted handed to her without a moment’s hesitation. She was on top of the world.

Well, until she stayed out too late one night and found herself on the wrong side of a mugging.

When all hope seemed lost, like a ray of blinding light, a saviour jumped from the shadows, a magical girl, no, a real magical girl - here to rescue her! Mitra dove behind her, eager to be rescued from such a scary situation. The mugger ran away in terror.

And her newfound saviour turned around in complete horror.

Her name was Stelletta, and she was a superfan. Apparently the whole reason she became a “magical girl” defending innocents on the street was because of Mitra’s fights. Not that you’d be able to tell - you think a fan would be over the moon for an opportunity to save their idol’s life - not YELL AT THEM!! Still, it seemed she’d gotten into a real pickle - someone who knew the secret that held up her entire career, and she COULDN’T be bribed?!

“Come ON, there has to be SOMETHING!” Mitra wailed. She didn’t want to order a hit on another girl, but by god she was willing!

The girl stared at her for a moment before speaking. “You’ll join my patrol, or I’ll reveal your secret.”

“What?! But I can’t even fight!! You just–”

“I’M FORCING YOU TO HANG OUT WITH ME!!” Stelletta snapped. It seemed it was this or have her killed, and - well, that just wasn’t something she had the stones for. Having no other choice, she agreed.

Hanging out with Stelletta was a trip - one minute she would be yelling at Mitra for something stupid like “being rude” or “eating all the chips before she got a chance” or whatever, and the next moment she would be gushing about something equally as stupid. At first, Mitra only liked fangirl Stelletta, purposefully bringing her merch, medals, and other things to show off and receive admiration for. But slowly, she realised… she liked angry Stelletta too. Sad Stelletta. Grumpy Stelletta. She was so tiny and cute.

Oh no. Mitra was in love.

Upon realising this, she immediately asked the girl out, of COURSE a fan would JUMP at the opportunity to date their idol. It’s every fan’s dream! Then she would have Stelletta around to fawn over her 24/7 and have her all to herself and not share her with anyone and maybe finally get into those–

Huh? Mitra blinked and asked Stelletta to repeat. No? What do you MEAN NO?! DID YOU REALLY FORCE HER TO HANG OUT WITH YOU AND MAKE HER FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU JUST TO REJECT HER??? Mitra was speechless. How dare she say no!!

That’s it, she’ll just have to force her to fall in love back! It shouldn’t be hard! Who could possibly say no to her?!