Aika hit the YES button, and the next thing they knew, the grounds of the Shrine before them disappeared from their sight, with only blackness visible before them...for a few seconds, and then, when light returned to make their surrounds visible, they found that they were on a street lined with various shops and kiosks and street carts.  The morning light was beginning to filter in, and at least through some of the shop windows, they could see workers preparing to open for the day.<br/><br/>Just then, another of those notices appeared in their line of sight.<br/><br/><div align="center"><tt class="bbc_tt">After each Stage, you will be given the choice to CONTINUE or RETURN to the Shrine, should you wish to stop your run to conserve LIVES.<br/><br/>LIVES<br/>You have 5 LIVES to proceed through the game.  You will restore 2 LIVES at the start of each day, to a maximum of 5.  If you run out of LIVES, you will fail the current Stage you are on, and face possible capture by that District's enemy.</tt></div><br/>Each of them would look to see on the inside of one of their arms, five icons appear - Joy's Mugen symbol for her; Aika's Tennin sign for her.  "I guess this is how we know how close we are to failing..."<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">STAGE 1-1<br/>-Shopping District A-<br/>Ready?  BURN!</span></div><br/>As soon as that disappeared from their sight, they saw another familiar thing.  A large red arrow, pointing down the street, with a similarly large GO floating just above it.