Chapter 1

Things didn't really start off all that weird, but boy - that sure didn't last.

My eyes fluttered open as normal. A slow, gradual build-up to waking up. I savored the sensation of being in bed, and kept my eyes closed, tossing and turning around. It was a nice, chilly day, but not too cold.

I reached over to the side of my bed where I normally kept my phone.

And, uh, it wasn't there.

So, I opened my eyes, and I was suddenly worried that I'd gone blind, until I realized it was just my hair.

Wait a minute.

There was no way I had bangs... and my hair was blue?!

So, turns out I wasn't in my room. That's one thing to worry about right away.

But what really yanked my chain was... well.

I don't know how to explain it, other than this. It was anime.

Not that I woke up in a room full of figurines and posters, and whatnot. I mean it was literally anime. I was...god dammit, I'm in an actual anime?!

I even did that cliche thing where you rub your eyes to try and restore some normalcy to reality.

Nope! Still anime.

My heart was thumping, but I barely even noticed it. I held my hands up and looked at them: they were nothing like any normal person's hands.

They were cel-shaded!

God dammit, don't look in the mirror, don't look in the mirror....

I looked in the mirror.

I was looking at a young anime girl with blueish-purple hair and purple eyes. A girl who was about fourteen or fifteen stared back at me.

Okay, okay, calm down. Calm down!

I slowly put my hands down and took a deep breath. The air smelled different. There was something about it that felt more like... home?

"Ugh," I groaned, "what's going on here?"

This isn't real. This isn't real. This isn't real.

Okay, that doesn't make it feel any better. But still.

The first thing I needed to do was figure out what had happened. Was this some kind of dream or hallucination? Maybe I was still asleep, and I just couldn't remember.

I looked around. I was in a white room with cream walls. The floor was made of wood, and there were a few windows in the far wall. On the left side of the room was a door leading outside, and on the right was a window with curtains behind it. There was also a table with a chair next to it, and a small cabinet against the wall.

I reached up to my head, the reflection following the same.

I had an ahoge. A goddamned. Ahoge!

One of those dumb swirly hair strands that anime characters sometimes have. The one with the little swirls going around the middle.

I'm not sure why, but I started giggling hysterically. There was something so surreal about it all. Like waking up after a crazy dream or hallucination, except... there was nothing else. No dreams. No hallucinations. Just me looking at myself in the mirror. And laughing.

After a few minutes, I stopped laughing. My breathing slowed down.

Okay, now I was freaking out. What the hell was happening here?! Was I dreaming? Had I lost my mind? How come my phone wasn't here? Where was here? Why was I in an anime world?

"Goddammit," I muttered to myself. "This has to be a dream."

But it felt too real. Everything felt natural, and normal.

What if this was my life now? I wondered. I pinched myself, and winced in pain.

...Ah fuck no, I can't do this! I can already feel the existential dread bubbling up my spinal cord.

I did the classic exaggerated pose where you slap your hands to either side of your face.

And I screamed as loudly as I could, with the high pitched voice of an anime girl.

The sound echoed through the room and reverberated off the walls and ceiling and....the room shook?

What?!

I froze.

Then the door swung open as another anime girl strode through.

"Whoa!" she cocked her head to the side as she passed by me and stopped next to the window next to me, "What's going on?"

Her eyes went wide.

The girl had short, light blue hair and lavender purple eyes, and she was wearing a white shirt with a red skirt. Her shoes were cute little sandals with red bows on them, and she wore a mischievous smile. She looked like she was either in her late teens or early 20s, but it was hard to tell with anime.

"Wh-what? Wh-wh-why are you screaming?!"

I pointed to my face, "I'm an anime character! This is a dream!"

She stared at me blankly for a moment before laughing. "Oh my god, you're hilarious! I haven't laughed like that in forever."

"Huh?" I blinked, "Why do you say that?"

"Because you're so freaking adorable!" she smiled at me, "Come on, let's get you out of here. I love your quirky sense of humor, Alice-chan. And what in the seven hells is an ah-nee-may?"

I didn't know what to say. I was just staring at her. She seemed so familiar. But I couldn't place where I'd seen her before.

"Alice-chan?"

"So, so silly," she giggled.

"I-I'm sorry, but what?"

"It's okay, you'll understand soon enough. Come on, we've got some exploring to do today!"

"Exploring?"

"Yeah, it's a surprise," she said, "but trust me, it's gonna be awesome."

I nodded.

She reached out and grabbed my hand.

"Let's go, then," she smiled.

We walked out into the hallway.

"Wait," I turned to her, "who are you?"

She smiled and waved her hands dismissively.

"You're such a silly little goose, you know, Alice-chan?"

I frowned, "No, I mean, what's your name? You know, what I call you. Your name. So, what's yours?"

She tilted her head at me and shrugged.

"Well, you are getting to that age where you should probably stop calling me Onee-chan, yeah?"

Onee-chan? Wasn't that... Japanese for older sister?

I shook my head, "I don't think so. I just meant...I'd like to call you something other than that?" I stated carefully.

She chuckled, "Look at you trying to act cool again." She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Fine, fine. We're adventurers now anyway. Call me Lori, then."

"Lori...?"

"Yep! Now, let's get you geared up and outta here for a big first day!"

"Geared up?"

"Sure, why not? We've gotta show our faces around town, after all. Right?"

I blinked.

"Alrighty, follow me, I'll take care of everything."

We entered the bedroom area and she pulled clothes out of the closet and dresser. I watched her curiously, wondering what exactly she would pick out.

I blinked, and suddenly, she was in a full set of french style breastplate and half gauntlets, a matching mailed skirt with a puffy waistband, and high plated boots. She had a sword on her hip that shimmered with some ornate-looking runic carvings.

Woah.

I stood there awkwardly while she changed into her outfit. Then she helped me change mine. I felt her yank my pajamas off over my head, and in a blur of motion, I was fully dressed.

I looked like a mage. I wore a simple black robe over a simple dress. I had a belt with two pockets, which contained a wand and staff. In addition, there was a bag slung across my shoulders; I could see inside of it when I tilted my head slightly upward and backwards. It appeared to contain scrolls and potions, all kinds of odds and end like rings and small gemstones, and an oversized wizard hat.

When Lori saw me, she gasped and clapped excitedly, "Wow! Look at you! You look great!"

I scowled at nobody in particular. "Thanks, I suppose?"

"Don't worry," she grinned, "Once you get used to it, it becomes second nature."

She winked, "Now hurry up, we're running late!"

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

"Yes," she replied impatiently, "Now come on, we've got a big day ahead!"

"Wait just a minute..."

"Time awaits for no-one!" she slapped both of her palms together and gave me a thumbs up.

I furrowed my brow.

She continued on with her exposition, "Look. Our group has gotten pretty popular lately! We take on the biggest and meeeeeeaaanest of monsters out of people's nightmares."

Lori pumped her fists in the air, and suddenly her lavender eyes were replaced by stars. I could see sparkles coming off her entire body as she squeed.

"And with my little sister, the prodigy mage, our party is complete! We can stop our spiraling finances, and get mother and father out of debt in no time. Maybe we'll get to keep the house! And steak on our tables!"

Her countenance shifted away from her....sparkling gushing, and her eyes were suddenly hidden by a dark shadow.

"Maybe....maybe we'll finally be the ones to take down the Demon Lord! Those beasties won't know what hit 'em! Fufufufufufu!!!"

I stared at her, and I could feel my right eye twitching involuntarily.

Oh. Hell. No.