Soma Yumi woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling and an incessant beeping.
"Ah, you're awake," a smooth female voice could be heard from the side, and Yumi turned her head to see a beautiful, exotic woman in an expensive suit. "Good. I wanted to talk to you, miss Soma."
"W-wha…" she gasped, but then started to cough because she was still parched. A straw then appeared next to her lips, and she sipped the bitter water with gusto. "What is going on? Where am I?"
"For the first we actually wanted to ask you, and the second - you're in Toronto General Hospital, in a VIP room, very far from your home at Kuoh City, Japan."
Yumi blinked, unable to conceptualize the answer in her head.
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=12; 1d20=11; 1d2=2
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Mighty_World_of_Marvel_Vol_1_47
A story about Sue Storm's barriers being a thing to save the day. Yumi gains the power to generate force fields of varying power.
"Uh?" she blinked, then sat up. "What do you mean, Toronto General Hospital? Where is that?"
"In the capital of Canada," the woman replied. "So, do you know how you got there?"
"No?" the girl frowned. "The last thing I remember was… was…"
Impact, pain. She shuddered at the memory.
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=8; 1d20=12
https://www.mariowiki.com/This small 'galaxy' is summoned to the Solar System, to the Lagrange Point 3.
"I see," the woman looked disappointed. "Was it Nurarihyon pranking us? But that doesn't explain anything else…"
"Nurarihyon?" Yumi blinked.
"Ah, don't mind me," the woman then looked into Yumi's eyes with her own, vivid green. "Now - forget about these last few days."
The girl's brown eyes dulled, and she slowly nodded. The woman then straightened up and withdrew a phone from her pocket.
"Lady Serafall," she spoke into the device. "It's another dead end. The girl doesn't know anything either."
***
Yumi Sato woke up in her bed, thoroughly refreshed. She then washed her face and brushed her teeth, then descended to the first floor of her house and greeted-
"Hello, Mom," she smiled at the black-framed photo of her mother, suppressing a pang of grief. "Today is a new day."
She cooked herself breakfast - just some omelet and cherry tomatoes - then changed into her school uniform, gathered her books and went to school.
"Hello, Yumi," her friend, Kanako Sakura, greeted her at the gates of her house. "How are you feeling? I can't imagine what you're going through…"
The pinkette shuddered, and Yumi nodded, feeling tears gather in the corners of her eyes. To think her mom would die just like that, by falling down the stairs…
Spoiler: CRACK!
1d20=17; 1d20=13
https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Chapter_830
A story chapter about being released from membership in exchange of losing something. In exchange for a random Summoned Item being sacrificed (Moblin Hat), Yumi is released from memory modification.
…but that wasn't what happened!
She froze, remembering the events of the last few days, two sets of memories in her head being clearly labeled as 'true' and 'false'. Her mother was killed by a monster! She was teleported to Toronto! She saw Apocalypse! Some woman brainwashed her!!!
"Yumi? Are you feeling alright?" Sakura asked. "Do you need to go home?"
"I…" would that be suspicious? Were those people still watching her?! "I don't know. Maybe?"
"If you need to, I'll tell the teacher that you needed some rest and went home," her friend smiled reassuringly.
But home wasn't safe, Yumi thought hysterically, her mom was murdered there!
Spoiler: CRACK!
1d20=19; 1d20=8
https://animalcrossing.fandom.com/wiki/Throwback_race-car_bed
1d7=7, black
A racing car-shaped bed appears on the side of the street.
N-no!" she gasped between sharp breaths. She couldn't… couldn't return there! The bloody image stood up sharply in her mind's eye, the events of the last few days running through her head.
"Yumi, c-calm down!" Sakura's hands were on her shoulders? "Breathe!"
Her friend. Could she trust her friend?!
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=2, 1d4=2; 1d20=4
https://honkai-star-rail.fandom.com/wiki/My_Apprenticeship
Due to low roll, this just deposits Stellar Jade x10 into Yumi's Bag
"You need to sit down," the other girl looked around and saw a black car-shaped bed on the side of the road. Briefly wondering who would've thrown out such a cool thing, she led Yumi to it. "Here. I'll call Kiku to tell Miss Tachibana that we won't be at the homeroom."
"...thanks…" Yumi croaked, then starting to cough.
"Geez, you're a mess," Sakura sighed, sitting next to her and hugging her shoulders. "Everything is gonna be okay, I promise!"
No it won't. There were monsters out there, wearing human skins-
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=14; 1d20=1, 1d20=4
https://rwby.fandom.com/wiki/A_Minor_Hiccup_(score)
Due to nat1 and low roll of dice explosion, this melody becomes a mind-worm in the heads of Yumi and Sakura for four hours
-what was this melody and why did it play in her head?!
Successfully distracted, Yumi ceased to hyperventilate and tried to push the tune out of her head, to no avail.
"Let's… let's go to a cafe?" Sakura said, looking a bit distracted. "You really need something to bring your mood up."
***
In the nearby cafe, after Sakura explained to the owner the situation, the two girls got two caramel lattes and occupied a small table in the back.
Pushing away the annoying jingle, Yumi thought about her situation, considering if she could trust Sakura with the truth. On one hand, Sakura was her childhood friend, on the other - she didn't want to involve her…
"So, spill," the other girl said, setting aside her cup. "I know this expression - you're keeping something to yourself. Is it about the last few days?"
Startled out of her thoughts, Yumi…
1d20=8; 1d20=18
https://www.mariowiki.com/Gang-Plank_Galleon_(theme)
This 8-bit tune starts to play through the cafe's loudspeakers.
…flinched as loud arcade-like music started to play instead of lo-fi tunes.
"Yeah, but… you won't believe me," she finally admitted, looking aside, and saw the barista frantically try to turn off the loudspeakers with a remote. "It'll sound like I went insane."
"Try me," Sakura huffed. "I'll be the judge of that."
And so Yumi recounted the story of the last few days to her friend.
"You're right, it sounds like you've gone insane," the other girl sighed, running her hand through her pink hair. "But I believe you."
"Really?!"
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm aware the supernatural exists… but to think it would be so dangerous…"
"Huh?" Yumi blinked. "And you didn't tell me?!"
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=19; 1d20=17
https://animalcrossing.fandom.com/wiki/Alfonso
An orange humanoid alligator is summoned to the cafe. Due to the high roll, he is loyal to Yumi.
"Well, it's because the devil I asked to change my hair color told me to keep it quiet-"
Someone screamed.
"A MONSTER!"
Yumi flinched, looking around wildly, and saw a… cartoonish orange alligator in a red parka?
"It'sa me, Alfonso!" the thing - youkai? - spoke up. "Not a monster!"
***
Sona Sitri sat across from the… small orange alligator.
"So, you have no idea how you got there," she repeated, fighting a headache. "You just between one moment and the next, was teleported from your house to that cafe?"
"Indeed!" Alfonso nodded, kicking his stubby legs. "Tis so!"
So, Nurarihyon was still active in Kuoh despite his assurances to the contrary… still, she wondered where he found this youkai, as she had never heard of a humanoid alligator.
"I'm going to have to call my sister," Sona internally groaned, not letting her despair show on her face. "Don't worry, mister Alfonso, we'll get you home. Tsubaki, can you teleport him to the Sitri Manor?"
"Of course!" her Queen nodded, fixing her glasses. "Let's go, mister."
As the two went away, the devil heiress leaned on the back of her chair, and breathed out. Why her city, she wondered, why? Was Nurarihyon so bored that he decided to start a war between his faction and Devils?
There was a knock on the door, and she straightened up.
"Enter," she called out, and her Bishop arrived.
"There was a complication," the white-haired girl said. "One of the people at the cafe was Gasper's Contractor, and she asked to not wipe her and her friend's memories."
"Can they be trusted to keep quiet?"
"I think so," Momo nodded. "The friend looked shaken by the experience - her mother was recently killed by a Stray Devil, and I think her memories came back as disturbing dreams."
Sona frowned.
"The one who got teleported to Toronto?" she asked, mind whirling. "Hmmm. I think we need to place her under covert surveillance, just in case."
***
In the Maths class, Yumi tried to focus on the teacher's droning, but her mind kept flashing back at the orange crocodile's appearance back at the cafe, and Sakura's intervention to not get her memories erased.
The world wasn't safe, it was filled with monsters, both humanoid and beastly. She felt like the earth disappeared from under her feet.
Thankfully, nothing happened during the classes, besides finding some strange crystals in her bag, and so she, together with Sakura, went to her friend's house.
"I'm home, Mom! We're going to have a sleepover!" the pinkette called out as they entered the house, a tasty aroma permeating the air.
"Welcome home, Sakura, Yumi!" Mrs Kanako peeked from the kitchen. "Are you hungry? I just cooked some soup."
The brunette's stomach growled. Sakura giggled.
"Sure thing!" her friend called out.
They changed out of their outdoor shoes, and went to the dining room, where Kanako-mama had already set some bowls with steaming miso soup for them.
"Thank you for the food!" The two girls cheered, and dug in.
After they ate, they helped wash the dishes and went to Sakura's room, where the pinkette turned on her laptop and accessed some sort of a chat room.
"So, supernatural," she started. "As far as I know, there exist devils and youkai, but maybe some other things too? I'm going to ask Gasper right now."
"How did you meet that person?" Yumi asked, and Sakura giggled.
"I never met them," the pinkette smiled. "I just got forwarded to them as I was searching for hair dye. They sold me a potion that changed my natural hair color!"
Huh. Yumi did think that Sakura's color looked too natural…
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=19; 1d20=1, 1d20=9
https://animalcrossing.fandom.com/wiki/Phoebe/Gallery
A stack of Phoebe's photos materializes over Yumi's head
…ow!
"Whoa!" her friend ran to her side. "Where did these come from?!"
"I don't know?!" the brunette exclaimed, rubbing the impacted area, then looking at the scattered photos. "Hey, these look a bit like that youkai in the cafe…"
"Oh, yeah," the pinkette picked up one. "Looks like a phoenix, kinda?"
They spent a few minutes looking through the photos, but it seemed that they were perfectly mundane…
"Anyway," Sakura set aside the stack, getting at the laptop again, "let me write to Gasper, maybe he'll give us a Supernatural 101 lecture."
"Yeah," Yumi nodded, taking a seat on the bed.
As Sakura clacked at her keyboard, the brunette decided to look at the crystals that appeared in her bag. They were opalescent and sparkling, yet shaped like quartz…
"Uh, so," Sakura spoke up, frowning. "Gasper said they'll send someone to talk to us."
"Huh?"
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=7; 1d20=20, 1d20=14
https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Deku_Leaf
A Deku Leaf appears in Yumi's hands. Due to nat20 and high exploding roll, she instinctively knows how to use it AND it has all the powers it has in the Zelda series.
And then, a leaf-shaped fan appeared in her lap.
"Woah!" Sakura exclaimed. "That wasn't there a moment ago!"
"I-it's true!" Yumi stammered. "Where did it come from?!"
As the girls carefully put the fan on the stack of photos, there was a knock on the door, and then Missus Kanako entered the room, Koneko Toujou peeking inside.
"Sorry to bare in, but your classmate said she was going to join you two," the older woman spoke. "Please shout if you need anything!"
And then she went away.
"...sorry to intrude," the white-haired girl droned. "Gasper said you needed some explanations."
"Hi, Koneko! Didn't know you worked with Gasper," Sakura smiled, oblivious to Yumi's growing horror - if her classmate was involved, who else was?!
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=3, 1d3=1, 1d2=1; 1d20=7
https://lobotomycorp.fandom.com/wiki/Angela_(Legacy)
An AI secretary of Lobotomy Corporation. Lacking a body, she was deposited to Sakura's laptop. Due to low power roll, her loyalty is not secured.
Koneko twitched, her golden eyes darting from the leaf fan to Sakura's laptop and back.
"...here to explain supernatural," she said, browsing her phone. "Sent by Gasper."
And then black bat-like wings sprouted out of her back.
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=7; 1d20=19
https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Learn_to_Like_Your_Like_Like:_A_Good_Guide_to_a_Bad_Pet
A book about training difficult pets; deposited on Sakura's bookshelf, this book contains supernaturally effective techniques.
This time, Koneko looked at the bookshelf, and then back at the two girls.
"Before telling you, need payment - twenty thousand yen."
Wordlessly, Sakura withdrew her wallet, pulled out some money, and handed them over to the white-haired girl.
"Am a Devil," Koneko nodded after counting the banknotes. "Not very different from a human, just stronger and can fly. Supernatural exists, all myths are true but keep out of the human world. Some humans have magic and/or Sacred Gears, superpowers. Anything else?"
"What was the monster that killed my Mom?!" Yumi exclaimed, and the Devil frowned.
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=5; 1d20=9
https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XIV:_Stormblood_-_EP
A music CD is deposited on Sakura's deck.
"Stray," she said, eyes darting in Sakura's direction. "Killed his master, ran rampant. Was hunted."
…oh.
"What's this?" the Devil asked, pointing at the green fan.
"Uh," Sakura shrugged. "We don't know. Found on our way back, it looked nifty."
The white-haired girl nodded.
"Then, deal fulfilled. I'm going back to Buchou."
As the devil girl went away, Sakura sighed.
"Well, that was barely informative," she stood up and sat next to Yumi. "But at least we know more?"
"Yeah," the brunette nodded, intimidated by the sheer volume of the potential dangers. If all myths were true, then was what she saw in Toronto real???
Spoiler: CRACK!1d20=7; 1d20=16
https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Like_Like
In Kuoh, Like Like monsters start to spawn in the sewers