The two girls looked like they had just reached the age to go on a Pokémon journey. It's kind of embarrassing, really. I’m losing to a couple of kids.

Christina Heartly is the twin-tailed girl dressed in a deep purple leotard with a raven feather scarf. She wields a bec-de-corbin to complete her dark ballerina motif.

Wilhelmina Lockhart wore the opposite. A swan lake-style ballerina who wields a baton with a heart on one end. If these two girls weren’t trying to kill me, I’d probably take the time to appreciate her wide tutu more.

“Ha! I thought you’d be more of a challenge, but you don’t even know how to cast a single spell! Ya’know, I might consider sparing you if you hand over the Crystal Heart now.”

Christina brandished her bec-de-corbin as her lips curled into a sadistic smile.

“Like I said, I don’t have it!”

Wilhelmina spoke in a monotone. “We can sense that you’re lying. Our crystals resonate with yours.”

She then placed a hand on her chest as it started to glow. Slowly pulling her hand back, a shining crystal took shape. It floated in her hand as she held it out for me to see.

The crystal was brilliant in illumination and shape—a splendor for any jeweler to behold. Then, like a magician, she flicked her wrist, and it vanished from sight.

“That was a manifestation of our Heart’s Promise—a Heart Gem. But you don’t seem to have one. Instead, you have to the fabled Crystal Heart. Now, you can hand it to us peacefully, or we can tear it from your soul.”

Damn, who teaches kids to say scary things like that. I blame a generation of parents who were raised by television. Though, to be fair, that generation was raised by a generation who suffered from lead poisoning.

If you’re wondering, I’m part of the generation raised by television. Do kids even watch TV these days?

“Surrender!” Christina swung her bec-de-corbin.

I tried to move. My legs are exhausted, blood is covering my left eye, and my right shoulder might be dislocated. Everything will be fine, right?

*** Two Days Earlier ***

I never thought I’d be able to live out my anime dream of living in a single-room, six-tatami apartment. A single large closet for an anime mascot to live in, a restroom with no bathtub, and a kitchen nearly in arm’s reach. And the best part, it's only $150 a month!

It kind of sucks that if I ever wanted to take a clean myself, I’d have to use the bathhouse at the end of the street, but ‘tis a minor inconvenience.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lawrance Hargrave. Half South Asian islander on my mother’s side and half Caucasian American on my father’s side. I’m coastal-born and can’t seem to bring myself to live too far from the water.

I’m thirty years old, overweight, with long gorgeous hair, and I’ve run away from home and all my responsibilities, secluded and hidden away from my family.

My current occupation, starting two days from now, is store clerk at a local convenience store. I’ll be working the graveyard shift, but leaving that aside, I just want to get settled into my new home.

I started with my primary furnishings. Ya’know, the things in my life that make life worth living and why I bother working at all.

A large sixty-four-inch television suited for modern gaming had been placed atop boxes filled with old textbooks and reference manuals, all for the sake of a makeshift TV stand.

Next came my newly built PC, along with the video game consoles connected through the PC and to the TV. Honestly, this was the easy part.

Opposite the side my computer was on, I put together a three-tier shelf and started filling it with games and books I was currently playing and reading. Just so you know, it's not just manga. Light novels and epic fiction as well.

On top of the shelf, I organized a collection of statuettes I’ve received with collector’s editions of video games over the years. And with my current interest sorted into and onto the shelf, I made certain that the rest of my collection of physical media had been adequately arranged into my closet.

Finally, I could unwind.

Laying on the tatami, I thought about how tomorrow I would need to go out and buy a futon. I had blankets and pillows but no futon… I’m also getting sleepy… I should turn to light off… But I was already lying down and didn’t want to muster the energy to stand…

Knock Knock.

I slowly opened my eyes. I didn’t realize that I had closed them.

Knock Knock Knock!

“Alright, alright, I’m coming.”

There was a brief moment of silence while I slowly closed my eyes and began drifting off again.

Knock Knock Knock!!!

“Don’t tell me you're coming, then fall back asleep, you jerk! Hurry up and open the door!”

It was a girl’s voice. What would a girl want with me? Did I know anyone in town? Was it a neighbor? Shit, what if she disturbs the neighbors and I get in trouble for it… I guess I should open the door.

“Hello?”

I wasn’t sure who I was expecting, but the girl I was confronted with was short. Very, very short. And she was glaring at me with rather menacing purple eyes. Was she wearing contacts?

She was dressed in the Lancaster High School uniform. A white button-down and pleated skirt, a large neck bow, stockings, dress shoes, and a blazer with the school logo emblazoned on the left breast. Along with her straight black hair and straight-cut bangs, she looked like a typical anime schoolgirl.

She continued to glare up at me and slowly began to scowl as the seconds passed….

“Can I help you?”

“Are you not even going to invite me in?” She said with a huff. “Fine, whatever.” She took a deep breath before starting again. “My name is Bridget, born from the void and the one who heralds oblivion. You are my past, and I—”

I closed the door and quickly locked it. Should I call the police? What if she’s crazy? A stalker? Who would want to stalk me? No, no. I just need to calm down. It's probably just a lost and delusional child.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I quickly turned to see the girl suddenly standing in the middle of my apartment. “At least be mildly interested in the fact that your life might actually be worth a damn! Or at the very least that a cute girl has taken an interest in you.”

I quickly looked back at the door, then at her. How did she get passed me? I didn’t sense her sidestep me.

“Now listen, it's important. My name is Bridget. You are my past. I am your future. Our destinies have been intertwined—”

“Hello, yes. I would like to report a lost child… Mhm… Yes… She said her name is Bridget… no, she didn’t give me a last name.”

Dark bolts of electricity arched off Bridget’s body. She outstretched her arm toward me, and the energy coalesced into a great sword that seemed to absorb the light around it, making the room dark. The sword hovered in front of her and the tip pressed against my neck.

“Oh, officer. Looks like the parent found her… Yeah, I’m really happy for her.” I said while trying to force a smile.

I slowly raised both of my hands and faced my phone around to show the call had ended.

“We live in a civilized age, and I wanted to avoid being dramatic. But heed me now, mortal. I am Bridget, born from the void and the herald of oblivion. I come to you now to make certain our promise comes to pass. You are my past. I am your future. Bound before time’s wheel began to turn. Our destinies are forever intertwined. I call upon you now to ensure the promised tomorrow is reached.”

It's ironic, really. I had invested in a cuckoo clock some years ago. I told my cousin that the clock's ticking helps remind a person that time is moving. And on the hour, break the tension that had built up from the ticking. I kind of wish it would go off right now.

Mind you, it's a lovely cuckoo clock. Hand crafted by an artisan that I commissioned who makes cuckoo clocks themed after popular—

“Are you even focusing on the situation right now?”

“It’s hard not to. I mean, you do have me at magical necrotic great swordpoint right now.”

“Good, I’m glad that you understand.”

With a wave of her hand, the sword vanished, and the light returned to normal.

The time now is 7:13 am, by the way.

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