I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

Proofreader: Antsago

MK (Momokawa Kyou): "We really didn't get much time."

KK (Katsuragi Kenta): "Don't tell me you're complaining about it."

MK: “But it feels so...”

KK: “You just like hogging the spotlight, no?”

MK: “Is there something wrong about it?”

RN (Katarine von Stolzherz aka Rine): "I also feel a bit hollow..."

AA (Ara'ainn): "We still need to negotiate a better deal."

krpg (kentusrpg): “Are you still talking about it?”

AA: “We had a vacation and you called us for work, there is something wrong here.”

MK: “It's not even real work, just filling some space between stories.”

krpg: “OK, OK. When I do another Extra volume, I'll include at least one story about you guys. Satisfied?”

RN: “Yes!”

KK: “No! Just leave us alone for a volume!”

AA: “Exactly.”

MK: “I think you two already lost that battle. When you write such a story, please make it something mundane, something easy.”

RN: “Maybe something that will make Dear and me- He...hehehe.”

KK: “Stop imagining things!”

krpg: “But I have to say, that currently there is no Extra volume planned. Let me see my notes to see where... Hey, stop it, these are mine!”

KK: “If I take your notes, I'll know what will come and prepare! Rine, help me!”

RN: “Hehehehe.”

MK: “Don't worry, Ken, I have your back!”

AA: “Let's take a look!”

krpg: “Ahhhn! *nibble, nibble, nibble*”

MK: “Ah, he ate them!”

krpg: “Don't underestimate a hamster! I won't even get stomachache. Well, then I can't say where I could fit another Extra volume, sorry. But the next regular volume will be great! I had plenty of time and mental recovery to write a great one.”

KK: “It will suck, right?”

krpg: “Only if there's an A-sound in your first or last name.”

KK: “...That's all of us!”

krpg: “It'll be a volume that brings us to the next important step! On the other hand, volume 7 will use a lot of what I have built in this one as well. Then there is... well, let's say: Rewarding time is coming! So many plot-hooks are going to be used!”

MK: “Author-san, how about you don't use those plot-hooks? Because if I recall correctly, most of them might be very... bad.”

krpg: “Rine, are you with me?”

RN: “Hehehehe.”

krpg: “... Ara'ainn, are you with me?”

AA: “No.”

krpg: “... … … I'll do it nonetheless! Now let's speak about the Extra chapters.”

KK: “What!? You included Extras in a volume full of Extras?”

AA: “Does that make them part of the main-story?”

krpg: “... the first one is about Gottfried again! This time he will face someone who has plenty of actual combat experience.”

MK: “You have totally ignored Arako.”

krpg: “Next one is the Extra in another fictional world, this time the MIB. This was tough, as you guys break the usual formula for that franchise! Then a story about the last hero-group of Feuerberg!”

KK: “This is so unimportant.”

krpg: “The last Extra was already published and has just moved there. It's the special with Jeff Hays reading two parts of the story in the Soundbooth Theater!”

MK: “At least we have that one non-canonical story for us.”

krpg: “Have Extra fun with the Extra chapters of the Extra volume... OK, that sounds stupid!”

Extra 1 – Gottfried vs. The Monster Hunter

Gottfried is a retired knight. During his career he has faced perils that would make even the extraordinary give up on life. He has bested those perils or at least stayed alive. Staying alive is a very important skill, but he has challenged said skill again and again, as this was the way of his swordsmanship: Never decline a challenge and always aim for new heights. Now, at the end of his career, people look up to him and his name is known throughout the lands.

Often enough, someone would stand at his doorstep trying to best him and make their name a legend as well. However, Gottfried is currently traveling to find Princess Katarine, his stupid disciple, so his many challengers journeying to Esse will find nothing but apologizing looks from the people telling them that he’s not around at the moment.

Gottfried followed Meldorn, the Huntsman, southwards of the Mauerfelsen, the mountain-range that marks the western border of Feuerberg. Meldorn can find any trace and after finding an old camp of the princess, he proved this skill by finding the most recent track despite it being washed away and indistinguishable for everyone who was not Meldorn.

This led them to their current location, an inn for travelers. Gottfried waits in the taproom while his two other companions—the wannabe-archmage August von Rotfeld and retired Pontiff Reiner Kasse—are asking the innkeeper and waiters if they remember the princess and her group and if they know where they were going to. They could blindly follow the tracks further instead, but breaks are important and every bit of information helps.

Gottfried looks at the people here and appraise their combat potential. There are several caravan guards around, each of them good enough to make a fine soldier after some polishing; though instead of serving, they use their talents for their own gains as mercenaries. Most of the customers here are sellswords, a whole band has found accommodation in this inn, and it's most likely currently unemployed.

One member of said band looks back at him for a second before standing up. It's a man in his early thirties, strong and agile like an expert swordsman, his hair is brown and short, while he has a three-day-old beard. He's clad in a wild-looking armor and grins while approaching the retired knight. “I knew it. You're the legendary Gottfried!”

“I'm just Sir Gottfried,” the old man answers, sizing the man more carefully. He certainly knows how to handle the sword at his waist, though he lacks the manners to use the correct form of address. “To whom do I have the honor?”

“I'm Jan Strauch. They call me The Monster Hunter.”

“Get a proper job as a guard and you'll go monster-hunting once a week or so. It's neither special nor especially difficult.”

“Well, my guys and I, we're always asked for slaying the nastiest ones.” He grins and flexes his muscles a bit, he has those in abundance. “I cleave through the thickest bones, catch up to the quickest legs, and outlast the strongest attacks.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I'm the strongest around here.”

“Ah, how adorable.”

“What?”

“It's so adorable how you try to tick me off, but trust me, you already had me when you dared to come closer to me. I mean, I don't mind the stench of blood and innards, I can stomach some dirt and sweat, but unless you're biting your little monster-buddies to death, you have no excuse for your bad breath! Disgusting.”

“Well, you're just a relic from the past. I'm gonna crush you and become a legend. The stories tell how much of a monster you're supposed to be, but I'm the Monster Hunter, I'll bring you down and gain the fame that I deserve.”

“Have you ever fought a human before?”

“Plenty.”

“...I don't really expect anything. Nonetheless, I accept every challenge. I will face you outside.” The conditions outside weren't the best, the ground was muddy and the sky is dazzling bright. However, for Gottfried there are no reasons to avoid a battle. He fought under worse conditions, once he had to face the Paarlarr during a thunderstorm with winds strong enough to make him float through the air. He never learned if those flying lessons were caused by the storm or by something that his enemies did.

Strauch’s companions follow him outside same as some other guests. The mercenary laughs with his buddies, confident in his skills. “Gottfried, I'll take you down,” he proclaims after telling his joke.

“Stand straight before talking to your elders, and it's still 'Sir Gottfried'. Also, gloating can be an effective weapon, yet I thought you wanted to impress me with your sword-skills, not your words.” Strauch's mouth is agape, but Gottfried asks one of the mercenary companions. “Give the signal.”

“Erm... draw your weapon.” The retired knight fluently draws his weapon, using this motion to take his stance, the blade between him and his opponent. His body is not tense, but ready to jump forward at any time. Strauch draws his broadsword, indeed a fine weapon that looks well-used. “Take your stance.” Instead of going into a stance, the mercenary flexes his muscles, there is no indication what his opening move will be. “Fight!”

Strauch swings his broadsword: “[Crescent Moon]!” A basic ranged sword-attack, with enough force to cut down at least three people. It's better than Gottfried expected... however, his expectations weren't high in the first place.

In a blink, he leaps forwards while evading the [Crescent Moon] by only a hair's breadth. Strauch is prepared though and swings his blade with power, speed, and precision, belying his earlier behavior. *CLANK* Yet his attack is deflected by Gottfried's left fist.

Strauch's grip is superb and he uses the motion to bring the blade between him and Gottfried but sadly... “AAAAAAAAH!!!” He lost half of both of his feet. Instead of aiming for the chest or something obvious and easy like that, Gottfried has cut lower.

While Strauch loses his balance, Gottfried kicks him in the side, breaking several bones. At least the man still has his sword and tries to stand up, but the fight is already over. Gottfried swings his sword once to let the blood fly off before sheathing his weapon. “Monsters usually have a certain height they like to attack, you might have been able to fight longer if I had aimed for your chest or head. That's what a monster of my size would usually do, but I'm a human. Instead of trying to overpower you, I can simply outwit you. The humans that you fought were only bandits, so not the best training for facing someone who has fought against soldiers throughout his life, facing some of the most deviant and creative strategies and fighting styles. There is a reason why there are nations instead of monster-infested realms: We were smarter than them and had to compete with each other. We have exterminated so many monsters, that even the strongest of them stay away to be safe from us. We were so successful, that now we have the time to face each other in war. You may have been strong, but only against monsters. If you aim for me, be strong against everyone and everything. To become the best, I've even had to cut down fire, the sky and the earth.”

Yet there is an aftermath... Pontiff Reiner Kasse gnaws on Gottfried's ears for an hour for dismembering a man's feet, something the pontiff had to fix with magic after a mercenary stitched the parts together.

Extra 2 – I hate being wed in the Men in Black-world!

Police Station

“We're from Homeland Security, section 6.” Agent K shows his ID card to the police officer. K is a man past his prime, but he wears his black suit and sunglasses with dignity. “We'll take over.” His partner, Agent J hands over the written orders as well.

The police officer sighs in relief. “Well, glad that I got her out of my hair. I still don't know how she was able to freeze my butt on the chair.” Suddenly, a small explosion is to be heard from the office. “No, not again!”

Agent J and Agent K are looking at each other and hurry to the office, where a small teenager with white hair and pointy ears is standing on top of a desk. “This was certainly unexpected,” she says with an unmoving mien though her voice tells about the wonder she's experiencing. Next to her are the remains of what used to be a PC.

Facial expression that doesn't fit the voice, a typical beginner's mistake. Also, this disguise was most likely molded after watching a TV show or two without the knowledge what is fiction and what is not. Therefore it's likely that this an illegal immigrant. While Agent J talks to the cops to keep them away, Agent K steps closer. Taking off his sunglasses, he looks into the alien, double-iris eyes. “Good day and welcome to New York. I'm Agent K, this is my partner Agent J, we're coming for you.”

“Greetings, my name is Ara'ainn and I'm the hero-sage. So where am I heading? A secret research facility where you dissects me like an insect and when you're done, you'll relieve yourself in the last few intact parts of me?”

“Lady, we're just inviting you to a ride.”

“I would rather stay, this is a funny place. Right, Larry?” The man she is talking to is about to burst into tears while the cops behind Agent J are grinding their teeth. “I grew to like these so-called doughnuts.”

“Where we are heading, there will be more.”

“Alright, just give me back my backpack and staff.”

“Good. Slick, take care of the neuralyzing process.” With these words, Agent K leads Ara'ainn out of the office. He puts his Ray-Ban sunglasses on again shortly before a bright flash occurs within the office.

―○●○―

Hideout of the Chickens

“What do you mean, it doesn't exist!?” Things are bad. When Rine-chan and I got separated from Ken and Arako, I had enough trouble to stop Rine from swinging her sword as she can't discern between danger and common sense in this world.

Currently, we're in the sewer. Some strange creatures suddenly appeared and offered us a place to hide from the so-called MIB. They look very similar to rubber chicken though they can crawl into a skin-like human disguise.

I simply asked them to call my parents over in Japan, yet the number doesn't exist. In addition to the appearance of those strange creatures, it becomes clear: This isn't my home world either. ...still, I want some ice cream! I need to use this opportunity to enjoy every facet of modern society!

“Kyou!” Rine-chan has a note in her hand. “Look.” It's written by Arako, she has let herself be captured? “Where is she held? We need to rescue her!”

“Most likely in a police station.”

“Nah. Neg, neg,” says one of these rubber chickens. Despite its different language, I know what it says: She is now with the Men in Black. I imagine some government agents that doesn't belong a to an actual office and just do stuff because it makes things more conspiratorial.

“Who are these guys?” They are so important, that these chickens gave us shelter.

“Nyek, nack, nack.”

“They deal with aliens? Wait... oh god, Arako is an alien by all means!”

Rine-chan stays calm: “Where is their base?”

―○●○―

MIB HQ. Interrogation room

“So the Men in Black is a secret organization which supervise extraterrestrial lifeforms who live on Earth and hide their existence from ordinary humans. The most important question however isn't answered yet: Where are my doughnuts?”

The man sitting in front of me, Agent H, is staying cool. “So you come from an entirely other world named Alfarheim and came unknowingly to this world from a third one?”

“Doughnuts.” An alfr needs to have priorities. To be honest, they don't taste particularly good, yet they might be the most wonderful thing that was ever invented.

“Miss Ara'ainn, answer my questions and I'll see that you get your doughnuts.”

“How about you give me your doughnuts and I'll go?”

“This is not an option. Coming from another world makes you an extraterrestrial. One that has already caused millions of property damage.”

“It was self-defense.”

“You have caused a flood in an electronics store.”

“These flashing lights are dangerous for my species.”

“You caused mental and physical damage to at least eight people.”

“They called me elf. I merely used the only means to correct their misinformation that will remain for eternity in their memory.”

“You have broken three cell doors.”

“They had no handle on my side.”

“They're not supposed to have one. They're there to keep people in.”

“Then that technology needs improvement.”

“Since your capture you have caused more damage than when you were first sighted.”

“Ahem.”

“...are you proud of it?”

“Affirmative.”

“I see.” Agent H stands up and leaves the interrogation room. I ask myself if Kenta-kun and the rest are at a similarly fun place. I have deducted that these people don't know what to do with me. Usually, they would send me back to my home planet, but as they don't know Alfarheim and even I don't know whether it's another planet in the same universe or a planet in another dimension, they're as stuck as I am.

This whole incident of traveling to yet another world has turned to the worse. The moment we appeared in the midst of a crowd that doesn't appreciate being armed to the teeth, it went out of control. With the panic our sudden arrival caused and Katarine-san accidentally destroying some vehicles she couldn't recognize as such, we were separated as the law enforcement came, the so-called cops. The escalation was brought to a whole new level after the cops started shooting and Katarine-san deflected their ammunition back to them, which made everything more and more confusing. Then we lost sight of each other while retreating.

I decided to do the sensible action and just surrender to the police. From what I heard, they are civilized enough to not shoot someone who is standing still. Also, their bullets are easy to evade. Only a human can have problems seeing how they travel and while they are indeed fast, I've seen faster.

I have put a note into the backpack beforehand, so Kenta-kun should know that I'm captured. Yet I couldn't update my current location which may cause some more trouble for the rest.

I look around to see if I can escape from this place. Most likely, but I want to observe where this situation will lead. With nothing else to do. I close my eyes and fall asleep immediately.

―○●○―

MIB HQ Outside the interrogation room

“Hey K.” Agent H is tired after the interrogation, as this particular individual is hard to crack. Also, there has been no scientific evidence on how she can do half of the things she does. Like creating water out of nowhere. Or how she took control of the plant mutant from the Barnard system the MIB held captured. “Any success finding her accomplices?”

“The twins couldn't identify them via camera footage. They also are not registered extraterrestrials. Our investigations are leading nowhere. Agent O is looking through the New York database, maybe they are registered New Yorkers though it's unlikely as the way they appeared and were dressed wouldn't suggest that they know how to blend in long enough to escape our radar. Slick is still on the streets, and I want to hear from you directly what Miss Ara'ainn says.”

“According to her statement, she may be an extradimensional. Have you ever heard from Alfarheim?”

“A mythological realm, connected to our world via the World Tree Yggdrasil. A realm where two kinds of creatures called alfr—which refers to what we know as elves—live.”

“Don't call her that. Especially if you give her a drink, she might splash it on you and freeze it in midair. Also, beware of her spit.”

“She doesn't cooperate?”

“I believe she does this for amusement.”

“Sublime. Yggdrasil is believed to be a model on how extraterrestrial lifeforms used to travel from and back to Earth before proper documentation of history though no species other than humans can be identified with modern knowledge. Yggdrasil could be a device instead, capable of transporting people into other dimensions. It appears in the Norse mythology. I will ask the twins to check whether some unique devices have recently being brought here. I will go through my contacts in the underground.”

“Jeebs again?”

“You need a smuggler to find a smuggler. Also, send a team to scan the square. There might be a dimensional breach.”

“What about her three allies?”

“If Slick hasn't found them until now, they know how to hide. When they resurface, he will find them.”

“What if Miss Ara'ainn is lying?”

“I have met a lot of scum and she is none. She may be a danger to everyone else, but her intention is not as ill as her actions.”

“I feel honored.” The voice of another person makes Agent H falter a second, while Agent K keeps his cool. It's Miss Ara'ainn, who has left the interrogation room while the guard who was supposed to protect it is sleeping soundly.

“You should be still inside,” Agent K comments.

“I could hear you talking through the door. How often does it break? It was easy.”

“It breaks more often than it should.”

“Agent K, take me with you.”

“Why?”

“If I go with you, I may find Kenta-kun and the rest. I may also find a way home which is even more important, as it would probably also solve the case with Katarine-san.”

Agent K looks at Miss Ara'ainn for a second. “You may come with me. You need a disguise.”

“Give me one of your suits.”

―○●○―

New Yorker Back Alley

Why am I doing this!? “Come on and get me!” A big monster is tearing through an alley, it looks like a giant cockroach. However, I stand in front of it: “[Whirlwind]!” and push it back. Then I jump on top of it: “[Armor Piercer]!” My spear pierces through the natural armor of that thing, killing it with a precise strike. “Phew...”

At first, I thought this might be our world. Yet a monster emerged and there are some things off here. Like how people don't have cell phones. Unless I jumped twenty years back in time which would bring its own share of problems... Well, I just assume that I may be in another game or maybe a movie for a change.

If this is not the world I'm from, it has a huge advantage: I'm not really in the USA. Hey, don't look at me like that, most Americans I played with are either arrogant jerks or oblivious morons who will try to talk to me about anime the moment they find out I'm Japanese. It's only a small part of our culture, you assholes!

If this isn't our world, it would also explain why cops are so trigger-happy here. I mean, some tried to shoot Rine before! I really doubt that they had a firing order... OK, Rine accidentally thinking that people are trapped in metallic monsters instead of recognizing the cars as vehicles might be the cause, but seriously!

I check my status. Hey, I just killed a monster, it most likely gives me XP. ...nope. Well, nothing I can change about it.

“Thank you,” an old man with a baseball cap says to me. Well, I guess I have just saved his life. The whole cockroach-problem was because I noticed some strange sounds and saw that thing attacking this geezer in his apartment. Then I lured it into the alley to finish it off.

I simply nod while trying to hide my face behind my hood. I want to climb up the fire escape, I need to get to a high point. Even with [Farsight] I don't have much hope to find even one of the girls, but I may direct them to something I can see by using our backpack messages.

Yet I hear something... shoes. There, a black man wearing a black suit and sunglasses. He takes notice of the monster. “Let me guess, you were the one who killed it.”

“What if I was?”

“Then you're even more dangerous than I thought. This is a roach and you took it down with just a spear?”

“Imagine what I can do to you.”

“Hey, kid. I don't want trouble, but you'll have to come with me.”

“Ah, so you're a Man in Black.”

“So you know about us?”

“...hey, I was just referring to one of those famous government agents in a black suit which tries to cover up stuff, but why are you talking like it's a proper name!?”

“...damn. Well, just come with me.”

“Don't wanna.”

“Then I'll make you.” He draws a gun, but it looks weird. He shoots it once and some blueish white comes out of it, but I have [Focus] active which means that I see every minute detail and can practically see how the Man in Black will move. So the moment his finger pressed on the trigger, I was already stepping aside... hey, why can I see the movement of a light-based attack? Shouldn't it move with the speed of light?

...I'm really in another fictional universe where there is a need to show the audience or players how the shoot is going for easier understanding. Otherwise, it can't be explained, unless it's actually a blue liquid that only glows strongly.

The way-too-slow shot hits a wall, it doesn't do any damage there but becomes a blue gas. OK, this really is a blue liquid that evaporates on contact. “Kch, you're good,” the black man comments my dodge.

“Nah, you just suck.” Oh, I can see a vein popping. “Do you want to know what's great about a spear?” I step forward, the black man shoots again, but as I can see the exact moment he presses his trigger, I have no trouble evading his shots while coming closer... actually, I feel a bit like Rine.

Then I throw my spear into his leg. “Aaah!” While he cries out loud, I jump in and hit him... hey, it wasn't so hard that you needed to fly away and hit a wall, right!? … Well, at least he's out cold.

What do I do now? Well, let's see if he has something on his person like a communicator. If he's from a secret organization, he may have technology that is so secret, that it becomes common sense in ten years or so.

“Erm...” Ah, the geezer. Totally forgot about him,

“Get away from here. For your own good.”

“What about my apartment?”

“Hah!?”

“My walls are broken because of you. So where do I need to call for repairs?”

...I just saved your life. Are you asking me to give you the number of an insurance company or something like that? ...well, it may be the attitude of our world: If it's not your fault, you don't need to pay. Guess what: The world doesn't care.

Also, shouldn't you be warier that I took out a suspicious looking government agent?

“Phew.” I'll just ignore him. So what does the Man in Black have? An ID... most likely fake. His gun, another much smaller one, a strange metal pen-like stick, there, a round thing that might look like a mobile phone with some imagination.

I open it, it doesn't even have a keylock. What was his last call... K? Well, let's call him.

―○●○―

Jeebs' Store

This suit is suave. The only demerit is, that the sunglasses won't stay on, as my ears move too much. Still, with this suit, I feel about ten percent more powerful, though it actually restricts my movements more. Still, I'm looking forward to impressing people with it.

“You should wear the shoes,” Agent K repeats his suggestion.

“I won't approve of the enslavement of feet.”

We enter the store while bickering jokingly. Inside is a mess, the man behind the counter looks unsanitary and he stares at Agent K: “K! I haven't done anyth-”

*Splatter*

With green goo splashing, the head of this fellow explodes. The reason is Agent K, who shot him with a gun that bears little to no resemblance to the ones that the cops use. “OK Jeebs, no tricks.”

“I don't believe that he can answer.”

“Wait K,” surprisingly the beheaded body moves while forming another head. This is interesting! “I haven't done anything, you can't just come in and shoot me, I have my rights, you-”

*Splatter*

“The only right you can get is my 'You were right to tell me, Jeebs' after you fess up.”

The head reforms another time and Jeebs snarls something too quiet for a human to hear, which is easily picked up by me. 'How could he know?'

Time for me to shine. “So you know about it.”

“...who are you!?”

“I'm Agent A.”

“Bad name, Miss Ara'ainn.”

“I'm Agent Double-A.”

Jeebs sneers at me. “You really don't take the going undercover seriously. I mean, your ears?”

“[Water Fountain]!” The spell makes the head explode a third time. “Oh, his body is as weak as Katarine-san is calculating fractions. Just a bit of pressure and it caves in. Agent K, can he regenerate indefinitely? What happens if I beat him up with my staff? Can he recover after being melted by acid?” My researcher-spirit is wide awake, the excitement in my voice apparent.

“Could you please stop with blasting away my head. It really hurts.”

“I see, so it hurts. Does it hurt more than being stabbed? Have you ever being stabbed? Do your other body parts also regenerate? What would happen if I shoot away your head and set the rest on fire? Do you have a nucleus that the rest regenerates from?”

“Hey, don't get wrong ideas.”

“As precious as this all sounds, Miss Ara'ainn,” Agent K interrupts our conversation, “what are you hiding, Jeebs?”

“Hiding? Nothing.”

“Then I'll go to the kiosk around the corner and get a coffee. My temporal partner will wait with you here until I'm back.”

“K... what is your game? You never leave before you threaten me until I fess up.”

“Today things are different. I need that coffee. Miss Ara'ainn, you'll be alone with Jeebs.”

“This is a splendid idea, Agent K. There are so many things I can do in a place like this.”

“...what's she talking? K?”

“I'll sure need some time. I'm in a rather amble mood and will walk very slowly.”

“K, stop joking around. I know you're playing me.”

“I may even stop and buy a newspaper and read an article or two. I hope you don't mind, Miss Ara'ainn.”

“Could you give me your head-exploding weaponry?”

“Sure.”

Jeebs looks at me and Agent K in quick succession, then he stares at me and I look back at him, though my ears give away all the excitement I'm feeling right now.

“OK, OK, I fess up everything!” That's disappointing.

Agent K starts right with his questions. “Where is the dimensional transporter?”

“How do you even know about it!?”

In fact, there has been a disassembled transporter, though it's from a place called Mesopotamia, not Scandinavia and is certainly not the cause of our own appearance in this world. Yet this might be the best bet to find our way home.

When Agent K and I leave the shop, something rings in Agent K's pocket. He retracts a circular machine. “Slick?”

“No.” Ah, this is Kenta-kun's voice coming out of the device, it may be faint, but is easy to hear with my senses. “I guess I got the right guy. I'm holding your partner hostage.”

“What are your demands?”

“I have no-”

Time to step in! “KENTA-KUN, THEY ARE RAPING ME! AAAAAH!!!” Agent K is no fun, he doesn't even flinch. That's boring!

“Ara-san!? Phew...” Kenta-kun sounds troubled. “OK, now I have at least one. Ara-san, are you alright?”

“They... they put me into some strange clothes and transported me to scum. They might look for a seller, poor me.”

“...why do I feel like that could really happen if you would act differently... hey, K, right? Mind to fill me in who you guys are and what you do? Also, I like to have her back.”

“Oh, Kenta-kun, you really care. I thought I was nothing but your little meat doll, subjected to your pervert desires.”

“On second thought, you can keep her.”

“Ah, Kenta-kun is finally throwing me away now that I'm sullied.”

“Ara-san, just shut up and let me talk with-”

K presses a button, cutting the connection. “He needs to cool down. Also, your conversation-” Another ringing, K pushes the button again to activate his device. “Agent K speaking.”

“K, we have an intruder! One of those who caused trouble today, the blonde girl. She is already in the main-hall, nothing can stop her! We need every agent, ple- no, she's here!”

“ARA!? WHERE ARE YOU!? I'M COMING FOR YOU! Excuse me, do you know where-” *PSHH* *WMMM* “Why are all people using magic against me. This is strange.”

“Katarine-san? Katarine-san?”

Agent K explains calmly. “The communication office works with headphones, with so much noise she is sure to have failed to hear your voice. Get in the car.”

I do as he says and he starts driving back. He presses a big button inside the car and the car begins to accelerate quickly. I change to [Acrobat] to keep myself from becoming motion sick, yet now a side-effect of eating doughnuts comes, as they begin to shake inside my stomach.

I create some exhaust gases. However, they have a wondrous effect, given that humans have a strong sense of smell, they can smell the multitude of nastiness which can cause them to lose consciousness for small bits of times... Oh.

―○●○―

New Yorker Back Alley

“Hey, wake up.” I pour some water from a waterskin onto the face of the black man. “Hey Slick.”

“How did you call me?” He stands up while being a bit confused. Then he quickly goes into a defensive stance. “Whatever you want, I won't budge.”

“Just budge already. Your buddies sent an emergency call to you. Your HQ is under attack and I'm among the only few who are capable of stopping it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Listen to me, Slick. Your group is under attack from a monster you probably can't comprehend, I have traveled with her for three months and I still can't understand her at all. It wouldn't surprise me if she can single-handedly scrap a whole tank battalion by herself. She most likely can even deflect tank shells. She isn't like you and me, she's a whole other life-form. She's looking for her friend, one that you guys have most likely captured, and until she has her, she will carve her way through anything that tries to stop her. So unless you want to find your buddies—who are foolishly standing in her way—bleeding or dead on the ground, you better take me to your HQ. I'll convince her to stop and you give us back our party-member. Deal?”

I know, I'm very intense about it, but Rine wreaking havoc in modern society, even if it's not ours, is crawling under my skin. Heck, in my world, people would cry terrorist attack!

Slick looks at me for a moment, then he sighs: “OK. I'll get us a car.” Maybe seeing me in action made him consider that everything I fear might be worse. “Also, give me back my stuff.” After he has it, he started fiddling with the communicator, maybe to make sure that I didn't lie. I would do the same.

However, nobody answers, so he runs on the next street and stops a car. He uses his strange metal rod, a flashlight comes and the driver just hands his car over... most likely mental control.

I sit at the passenger seat and he begins driving in a way it can only happen in games or movies: In an actual city, you'd crash at this speed sooner or later, but miraculously, there is always enough room to barely squeeze through and all drivers see Slick driving like a madman in time to not make any fatal mistakes that would lead to a crash big enough to block the streets.

Then we suddenly are in an unpopulated area, it looks like some mountain base. Slick stops in front of it and I get off the car. Wait, there is another car, a black, expensive looking one. Wait, is that Ara-san in the passenger seat?

Another agent is on the driver's seat, he steps out and walks a few steps, before exhaling and inhaling deeply. Then he says to Ara-san: “I can hold my breath for thirty minutes.”

“Spoilsport. Hello Kenta-kun, you are here as well.”

“Ara-san, I thought you were in there! Also, why do you have a suit?”

“Ken! Arako!” Another person steps out of hiding, it's Kyou-san. “Rine-chan went in and I believe that it doe-”

*GRRRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAN*

“This is not good,” the old agent says. “She may have accidentally freed Cheheitlu, the immortal beast of butchery.”

“K,” Slick says: “I hope it's just the name.”

“No. He's a conqueror of planets and was captured and imprisoned during my younger years. If he gets free, he will cause untold destruction throughout the whole state before we can recapture him.”

“We need to do-”

*GROOOO-ARGHS!*

I look at Ara-san: “Rine?”

“Katarine-san.”

“Definitely,” Kyou-san shares her thought.

Slick looks at us: “What?”

“I guess that poor's man Cthulhu looks like a monster, right? Then he was slain by Rine.”

“Wasn't he supposed to be immortal? Seriously, who are you guys!?”

“Slick,” the old agent says: “There are things beyond any human's imagination. Now we need to concentrate on what to do.”

“But this is not how it's supposed to work! I mean, usually we find something odd, then while investigating, things go worse step-by-step while we find out what's the deal. Then we gun up, storm the place, and shoot the guy into oblivion.”

Ara-san says in her sweetest tone: “Isn't it great to do things differently now and then?”

“...at least I'm not covered in some gross ooze.”

“I can help with that.”

Needless to say, that in the end, we could convince Rine to stop and made a cease-fire.

―○●○―

MIB HQ

“This is it,” K explains to us. All of us, Rine, Kyou-san, Ara-san, and I stand in front of a portal. “There is only one thing to do.” He puts his sunglasses on, then uses the metal rod. A flashlight comes. “You had some trouble in this dimension, as it wasn't the one you're from. It was the worst possible outcome and now you're glad to give it another try. You never plan to revisit this dimension.”

“I don't know,” Ara-san says. “It was funny.”

I add my own two cents. “I agree. I mean, it may be twenty years or so behind, but it's still much better than anything we had in the fantasy world.”

“K, the neuralyzer isn't working.”

“What's a neuralyzer?” I look at Rine and Kyou-san, who stares into the nothingness. ...”What have you done to them?”

“In layman's term, it's a device that manipulates memory. It appears that the brain of Miss Ara'ainn is differently enough for her to be not affected. For Mister Katsuragi, I don't know the specifics.”

...maybe because I have the [Penetrate Light]-skill? I saw the flashlight, but I also saw through it and could see everything clearly. Well, it doesn't matter. “I'll just pretend, OK?”

“Fine.”

With this shortstop, we enter the portal.