Excerpt: The Return of Elena (working title)

"Kerry, what's that note?" Dave said. He and Kerry were getting the books they needed for their homework out of their lockers.
"It's a message from Oliver." Kerry said. "He wants us to meet him and Josh at the front gate after school."
"Okay." Dave said as the bell rang to signal the end of school. "We'd better get going."
They walked down the hall, and Dave started thinking about how things had changed since he, Kerry and Josh had defeated Angelpink. Kerry was now a magical girl, Josh was a human being as opposed to an arsehole and a wanker, and Dave could sense magical power. Dave looked down the hall, and saw James leaving his last class.
"Oi, James!" Dave said. He and James hadn't been as close since the two of them were nearly sucked into a computer game. If it wasn't for Kerry destroying the install disc, they would've been stuck in a pixellated medieval world.
"Davo!" James said, and walked over to them. "Hi, Kerry, long time no see."
"How are you?" Kerry said. "Been attacked by any more video games?"
"I only get attacked by them when Davo's around." James said. "How have you guys been? I hardly see you these days!"
"I'm good," Kerry said. "A bit busy with school and family stuff, but good."
"I'm alright," Dave said. "Even better now that Josh doesn't bully me anymore."
"He stopped?" James said. "How did that happen?"
"The three of us are friends now," Kerry said as they walked out of the school building. "Speaking of Josh, there he is! Hey, Josh!"
Josh looked up at the three of them from the gate, and a chill ran down Dave's spine. That didn't normally happen when he saw Josh, so he wondered if something was wrong. He could also feel an odd presence coming from somewhere. Kerry ran towards Josh, but before Dave could tell her to stop, she gave him a hug and the two of them disappeared!
"Oh, crap!" Dave turned to James. "Tell me you just saw what I did."
"I saw it, man, but I'm having trouble believing it." James said. "They really disappeared, and it seems like no one else saw it happen!"
"We'd better go check that there's nothing weird at the gate." Dave said, and James nodded. It felt good to be working alongside James again, but at the same time he felt like he should level with James. James didn't know the real reason why Josh quit picking on Dave, but now didn't feel like the time to explain.
"Davo, found something!" James said. "One chick's backpack, and a strange symbol that looks a little familiar."
Dave picked up Kerry's backpack, then looked at the symbol on the ground next to it. He pulled out his cell phone and took a photo of it. He didn't know where the symbol came from, but it looked familiar to him too.
"Dave!" Dave turned around, and saw Oliver and Josh running towards him. "Sorry, we were running late. Where's Kerry?"
"Josh should know where Kerry is," Dave glared at Josh. "She ran over here, hugged him, and disappeared!"
"What?!" Josh said. "I only just got here, and Oliver was watching my rugby practice!"
"Well, how do you explain this?" James brandished Kerry's backpack. "All that was left of Kerry is this backpack, and that symbol on the ground."
"What symbol?" Oliver said, and James pointed at it. "Could you excuse me for a moment?"
Oliver walked towards the nearest tree, and disappeared. Moments later a puppy ran over to them, and sniffed all around the area without disturbing the symbol on the ground. The puppy then ran off again, and Oliver returned.
"The symbol has a strange scent to it..." Oliver suddenly noticed James was staring at him. "Has no one filled him in on the situation or something?"
"I was about to when you two turned up," Dave said. "James, Oliver's a magical guardian who can turn into a dog. I can sense magical power, Kerry's a magical girl, and Josh and I became friends after we went to save Kerry from an evil magical girl."
James just stood there for a moment trying to process the info dump he'd just been given. Had Kerry saved them from the video game because she's a magical girl and realised something weird was happening? Or was it mere coincidence?
"James?" Dave said. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, and congratulations, Dave, your dream has come true." James said. "Our world is now a bonafide shoe joe manga."
"It's shoujo," Dave said. "and this world isn't a shoujo manga. If it was, Oliver wouldn't be the only bishounen type."
"You have a point." James said.
"Can we figure out what that symbol is already?" Josh said. He wasn't into japanese cartoons like Dave and Kerry were, and he was getting bored with all the bi, bisho, whatever talk.
"Me and James both recognise it, and I think I know why." Dave said. "It's the army emblem from the computer game Kerry destroyed two years ago, and we need to go see Victor."
"Who's Victor?" James said.
"He's the head of the Magical Girls Council." Dave said. "Did you bring your bikes?"