A loud yawn gently filled the attic bedroom of 15 year old Una O' Conchabhair - Mediocre student, average looks (if a little short for her age) and normal family life - Nothing interesting at all about this young woman, with her dishevelled short cut hair, sleepy brown eyes and pale washed-out skin - Absolutely normal, common, boring and plain - Except of course for her 'part time job'.
Hopping out of bed with gusto, Una stretched her arms from side to side before rubbing the sleep from her eyes - "Good morning Nea!"
She said happily, reaching under her bed and withdrawing the target of her words.
'Nea' was not an ordinary pet like a dog or cat, not even a lizard or tortoise - Instead Nea to the unadjusted eye, might well have appeared to be a disembodied ‘robot head’.
Indeed upon closer inspection one would find Nea to be a roughly soccer-ball shaped, mass of greens & blues, with an orange visor where a human's eyes might be.
On said visor now appeared two digital eyes, blinking sleepily open - "A Good Morning To You As Well Una."
With a smile Una carefully placed her strange friend into a rucksack, grabbed her school bag and walked by the shelfs of clutter lining her room.
Passing the many posters of colourful characters wielding all sorts of fantastical weapons that lined her bedroom walls, all lit by the small circular window against one wall.
Skipping her way down her home's stairs two at a time, Una rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Una you're only just up? If you don't hurry you'll be late for school!"
Scolded the voice of Una's mother, who came over to the door to hand Una a lunchbox and spin her around, back out of the kitchen - "You'll have to get something extra at break-time, breakfast hour is finished missy."
"Yes mom." Una replied with tongue outstruck before turning towards the porch to put on her shoes.
"And try to come home a little earlier today, you've been getting in awfully late recently."
"Sorry Mom, I'll try, promise."
"Now Una." Added a deeper voice sitting at the kitchen table with a newspaper in hand, "Do or do not, there is no try."
'Eh, it's a bit early in the morning for one of Dad's sci-fi references.'
"Umm, yes Dad I hear ya."
"Good, then May the Force go with you!"
"Uhh, and you too Dad?... Bye Mom!" Una finished before quickly exiting the place.
Out on the steps of the house a final voice called out to her from an upstairs window;
"Hey Sis, pick me up something cool on the way home, I'm bored sitting around all day!"
"Then get better soon and you won't be bored anymore!" Una chided back up to her younger sister before continuing at a sprint down the pathway.
****
The countryside town of Comeco was as nice a place as any to run through when late for school - Small suburban houses, quiet roads with well kept footpaths, all lined with small hedges and pretty trees - Picturesque to put it lightly.
"You ok in there Nea?"
Una asked as she stopped to look both ways at a road crossing.
"Stupendous Una, I Always 'Love' The Activity Of Rolling Around In Someone's Bag Like Some Plastic Toy." The bizarre robotic voice said back somewhat muffled.
Una winked playfully at her companion before flipping the bag back closed and crossing the road.
She had met Nea just one month prior, at first in a strange recurring dream before rescuing the odd 'creature' from a river.
Ever since Una's mundane life had been turned on its head. Nea had explained how she was from another world, one of magic and adventure - Una had been apprehensive at first, thinking the mechanical ball nothing more than some strange new 'Alexa-styled' household gadget on the fritz, that was until 'it' had attacked.
In the middle of the night a massive, ogre-like creature had simply appeared, destroying properties and stomping around the town as though it owned the place.
It was then Nea had offered Una a chance to change her destiny, The Mechanical Core - A device that allowed Una to transform into the 'Legendary Mechanical Girl'.
Ever since Una had been splitting her days between her regular high-schooler life and fighting off the strange denizens of another world.
Over the month many different types had arisen, some that fed off people's emotions, some that could mind control the locals, and one in particular who had disguised itself as the owner of a jewellery shop.
But all that was coming to an end, or so Nea said at least - According to the robot, there was just one more monster on the loose - One last battle for Una before her job would be complete and the town of Comeco would return to its regular lifestyle.
****"Ahhh, The Rabbit B-beaconed towards th--"
"Alright Miss.Conchabhair that will do - I understand your dyslexia makes this subject difficult, but if you daydreamed less you might find it more approachable, no?"
"Yes Miss.Cally, sorry." Una mumbled, bowing her head before sitting back into her chair.
'Miss.Cally is normally very kind, I really should have been paying more attention to class...Jeez I just can't focus today!!' - Una lamented to herself, trying to focus on the textbook before her as another student took her place reading aloud.
'Una! Una! It's An Emergency!'
Echoed a voice directly into Una's mind.
She almost yelped in surprise, it was rare for Nea to contact her telepathically like this - She subtly as possible whispered down to her bag;
"What is it? Can't it wait until lunch Nea?"
'Absolutely Not! The Final Monster Has Appeared Una And It Is The Biggest Yet! If We Don't Head There Straight Away, The Town Could Be Destroyed!'
Nea's voice echoed back inside her head.
Una gulped, if her teacher wasn't already mad, then she definitely would be after this - "Umm Miss, can I go to the washroom please?"
Making her way quickly down familiar side alleys and other short cuts, Una and Nea quickly approached the football field on the edge of town, the place Nea had detected the monster's appearance.
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Coming out between two shops, Una spotted the beast. Towering easily 20 metres-tall stood what she could best call a 'swamp monster'. With long lanky legs and clawed hands, an elongated head with a single glowing red eye and spikes lining its neck and back - All coated in muddy pools of greasy slime.
At present the beast simply stood, dripping mud onto the football green beneath.
Around the pitch stood small groups of onlookers, some filming the strange apparition on smartphones, others wondering if they had stumbled onto a secret Kaiju-movie set.
"Those people are going to get hurt if we don't act fast, you ready Nea?"
Una asked, laying her bag with the robot down on the ground beside her.
"Go For It Una, Best Of Luck!"
Nodding, Una prepared herself taking a deep breath before holding her hands out;
"Mechanical Core - Activate!"
With a brilliant flashing of white light, seemingly emanating outwards from Una's chest - The girl began to change, her hair growing out and gaining an almost crimson tint, her uniform disappearing, in its place a set of frilly lime green and blue 'armour'.
Her shoes turned to rugged boots, a pair of orange goggles not dissimilar to Nea's visor appearing on her face and a green, military-esk, flat cap daintily landing on her head.
With a fluttering spin, a spear made of long mechanical tubes that glowed vibrantly fell into her hand - Finally two half-gears blossomed gracefully on her back beside her shoulder blades.
Her transformation done, the monster suddenly turned its lone eye in Una's direction;
"Time to do this!"
With those words said Una charged forward.
The monster reared back as she bottled out of the alleyway and onto one side of the pitch in a sprint - All around the crowd began to change their focus to Una, some going as far as to even start calling out;
"Hey look, it's the Mechanical Girl!"
"Go Mechanical Girl!"
"She'll get that ugly beast - You Go Girl, Wooohoo!"
Una suppressed a smile at hearing these comments before abruptly planting one foot in-front of her and skidding to a halt on the pitch-green, kicking up dust as she did.
Coursing towards her were three giant boulders, seemingly made of the same strange, goopy material as the monster itself.
Acting quickly Una spun her spear with vigour, causing the three boulders to shatter apart and coat the ground around her in black.
Not wasting time she began her charge again - The monster roared at having its attack spoiled, pulling back a massive clawed hand before punching forward towards Una. Without hesitation Una jumped into the air, the clawed fist slamming into the ground where she had been.
A grin on her face, Una landed on the now grounded fist and began to run up the monster's arm, readying her weapon to strike out at all monster's weak point - The lone glowing red eye.
However before she could, Una suddenly felt her footing go from beneath - "Oh crap!"
As the monster yanked its hand free of the ground, the movement combined with the oozing, slippery slime coating, caused Una to slip and get sent flying across the pitch.
A series of 'Oh no!' and such like rose from the watching crowd.
Unable to right herself, Una bounced and skidded across the grass before stopping just short of the pitch's outer boundary.
Standing up shakily she rubbed at her head, "Guess I got a bit carried away trying to live up to the crowd, ha-ha..."
Still dazed Una looked up in horror when from behind her she heard a scared gasp - Looking ahead Una found three more of the massive Mud boulders - This time aimed at the crowd behind her.
Not wasting a moment she raised her spear and called out to it with all her might, "Shield Initiate!!" In an instant a translucent dome shape appeared around the crowd - The first boulder struck to little effect but with the second the shield began to phase and pulsate.
Una gritted her teeth - "Hold just a little longer!" - As though appeasing her words the shield suddenly flared to life, twice as large as before and easily blocked the third projectile.
The air was filled with shouts of appreciation from the hapless citizens, all the while the shattered boulders rained down covering Una in a muddy goo, though she seemed to care little, sighing in relief at having protected the onlookers.
Still winded and having used considerable power with her last 'spell', the girl nonetheless stood firm, outstretching her arms with spear held proud before her.
The monster hadn't given up either, both hands raised into the air above it, boulder after boulder began to form - 3 then 6, 9, 12 - A whole meteor shower's worth, ready to rain down on the whole town.
Her spear glowing brighter with every passing second, Una readied her final gambit - The light gathered to a point until;
"GOOOOOOO!!!!!!" - Out from it shot a brilliant beam of lime green, moving ahead at rattling speed, carrying Una and the whole town's hopes with it.
Just as the monster moved to fire its massive attack, the green beam hit it square in the head - With a roar of pain the red eye split, cracked and shattered to pieces just as the beam ran out.
As it did the monster's entire head exploded into flames, the rest of its body slowly crumpling to the ground like sickly water - The menagerie of boulders falling harmlessly to the ground all around the pitch.
Una let go a breath she'd not known she was holding in, stabbing her spear into the ground to support her as she turned to the cheering crowds, and with the last of her strength offered a massive smile and stupid 'V' sign for good measure.
****
"You Sure Saved A Whole Lot Of People Today, In Fact With The Last Monster Defeated You Could Say You've Saved The Whole World!
The two sat in silence at a small park near the pitch where the battle had occurred, as a faint evening breeze pushed Nea to & fro on the swing Una had laid her on.
"You won't be here to talk with me anymore after today, eh Nea..."
Nea made something of an 'Ah-ha' sound before talking once more;
"Well It Is True, With All the Monsters Who Escaped My World Dealt With, It Is Indeed Time I Returned To My Master - But You Know, It Doesn't Have To Be The End Of You And Me Una."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The Monsters You Defeated All Came From My World, There Are Many More Back There And Foes Far More Dangerous Than Mere Monsters Too - Mechanical Girls Are Needed To Combat These-- H-Hey, Hey Stop That!"
Nea called out in vain as Una jumped up from her swing seat, grabbing up Nea and spinning her around in the air with excitement;
"You really mean it!? You'll take me back to your home with you and I can stay being a Mechanical Girl!!"
"Wait A Minute Now Listen Here, How Can You Be So Excited?
You Would Have To Leave Your Friends And Family Behind - And The Enemies Would Be Much Stronger, Really This Last Month Would Just Be Training By Comparison.
You Should Take Some Time To Think About It More!"
The Mechanical voice called out helplessly.
Calming down, Una retook the swing, sitting Nea down between her knees - "Yes but I could come back once your world's saved right?"
"What? Oh Well Yes I Don't See Why Not."
"Then what's there to think about silly! The people there are in danger right, just like those of this town were - If I can help them then of course I want to. I'll miss everyone for a bit I know, but sometimes you gotta' do stuff like this right? Part of being alive!"
Nea's digital eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "You Really Are Quite Amazing Miss.Una, To So Readily Give Up Your Normal Life For A People You Have Never Even Met, Remarkable."
This time it was Una who frowned;
"I don't know if that's really true Nea. I mean they say that sort of thing in movies and stuff but really I believe most people would say yes to helping others. My dad used to love cars and motorbikes but he gave them up so he could afford our house and got into old Sci-Fi movies instead as a cheaper hobby. And mom is amazing, when she was younger she was training to be a doctor but then there was this big humanitarian crisis halfway across the world, so she dropped out of college to go abroad and help with it.
Even my teacher Miss.Cally told us once about how she had to work 2 jobs to support her elderly-mother, all while training to be a teacher."
So I don't really think I'm all that special Nea."
Una finished with a huge, earnest smile.
If it could of, the robot known as Nea would of smiled back with pride;
"Alright Then Una You've Convinced Me Beyond Any Doubt, I Hear-By Dub You No Longer A Mechanical Girl In Training, But Instead A Fully Fledged Warrior! Congratulations!!"
Before Una could reply to this declaration, Nea’s visor suddenly changed to a concern exclamation mark - “Wait, This Cannot Be!”
“Nea? What’s wrong, you didn’t change your mind did you?”
“What? No of course not, I’m detecting another presence, another monster! But that shouldn’t even be possible!”
Una looked startled but quickly her expression turned to resolve; “Then there only one answer, let's go find it!”