Jumpchain story! This first one is based off this one from imgur. /a/lp6Pp

Imagine a swarm of tiny little knives floating around, invisible, seeking out any available surface. They want to cut you, rip you to shreds. You can't see them, but they're always coming. You can fix it. But to do so, you have to tear it all up, and that is expensive. Very expensive. You'd have to go into a lot of debt to fix all of that. Or you can just work around it, patch it.

Asbestos. It was used as a building material because it's damn good at holding things together. We have a textured ceiling which is filled with the stuff. If it gets broken or damaged in any way those little knives will come aseeking. So what do you do? Work around it, hope for the best, or rip it out no matter the cost? And if you do rip it out you could have little fragments all through your house.

I carefully swirl the lab ethanol coke mix. You had to be careful about how you made it so you didn't have any cancer causing benzene contaminants (used to break the water ethanol azeotrope) or any methanol or stuff that was bad, but those things were hardly necessary nowadays. A molecular sieve could purify it nowadays without any need for that toxic stuff. Yay science.

I swirl it a little more. I was pretty sure I got the ratios right. Shouldn't be toxic. Here goes.

I drink it. Delicious. Sharp on my tongue, hit me just right. A good way to forget the day.

The house had been a real money pit. One expense after the other. We were in a lot of debt and our savings had gone up in smoke. We both had good paying jobs, me as a chemical engineer, her as an environmental science scientist. Though who knew how long that would last with Britain leaving the EU. Ugh.

I feel a sudden tenseness near my groin indicating that I needed to pee. I get up from the desk, shut down my laptop, and go.

Sitting on the toilet I look down. There was a banana peel there. It was just sitting there, completely flagrantly yellow. My wife hadn't- ugh, I hated rotting fruit. Made me feel- ugh.

As I nudged it away with my toe, I heard a breathing from above me. I look up.

There, up above me, sitting on the (thankfully not artex) ceiling was a young, small girl with pink hair. She had peeled and was eating another banana.

" 'Ount 'Ine 'eh-" She finishes her bite. "Continue."

I look up at her, wildly confused.

She speaks again. "Not gonna finish?"

I glance around for a weapon. There was the toilet plunger. I should probably talk this kid down before resorting to extreme violence though.

The pink haired child continues speaking and I look up at her again.

"So, my name isn't important. I have a business proposition for you. I have this habit of watching people going on adventures. Unfortunately, with the earth fully mapped, NASA not being that well funded, the last great-" I glanced back to the toilet plunger. It was gone. In its place, and surrounding me, was a great black expanse, with purple zig zagging lightning running across the endless emptiness. I glanced around. The same sight was visible in every direction. Beneath me the toilet floated, still filled, and between my legs I could see more of the black and purple void.

I breath in fast. What on earth was happening?

"… the reason I have approached you is that you wish your life was different. Not normal. I can give you-"

"Who are you? Where did you take me?"

She frowns at me. "I already said, my name isn't important. And you're in my realm. Anyway, shush." She flicks her fingers and I feel a sudden tightness around my mouth. I tried to speak but only muffled sounds came out. I touch my mouth- I didn't have any lips.

"I am going to give you a chance at escape from the mundaneness of life. A break. I'm running out of good material to see- and as omnipotent, all seeing beings, we can see a lot. At the parties I go to I have no good new stories to tell. I want, we want, to see an exciting story. Your world is a failure for that. So, I'm going take you and send you to a different world. Pokemon. You know, the video game, the show, the books, Pikachu. The culture shock you'll experience should make it even more fun for me than following someone in their universe. You'll be staying in their world for ten years. I'll pause time- or more accurately, tweak the timeline this universe is running in, so no time passes while you're away. After the ten years are up I'll offer you a few choices, including going back to your asbestos filled house."

I looked up at her, grabbing the toilet tight, breathing fast.

"No, I can't read your mind, you don't need to worry, bu-uuuut-" She swung in close to me, floating through the air. "I've been watching you for a while" Then she floated back out.

This was messed up. I didn't know what was happening. Magic was real? Or was this all a simulation of some sort? I was in some odd magical world I don't know and I was about to lose the person I loved most in the world, maybe die a horrible death in a fictional world and screw up like the screw up I was.

Chasmosaurinae. It was my codeword. I'd spent a lot of time practicing with meditation and self hypnosis. This was my special word to get back into my relaxed, calm state of mind.

I imagine myself floating in a sea of water. I feel calm, free of worries. I let it all melt away. And as usual, there were three chests to go to, gold and shining under the water. I swim to them one by one and see three questions.

What do I want from me? I opened the first chest. Letters floated within. They said- To be better. To be with her.

What do I want from the world? I opened the second chest. It said- To be fair. To make a world safe from pain. To be ripe for the taking.

What do I want from the pink one? I opened the third chest. It said- every advantage I can get.

I was going to win this, and save the world. I tell myself that at least.

There was a fourth chest, but I leave that closed for now.

I opened my eyes, pulled myself out, and focused on the pink haired girl.

"...filled with feral creatures of world shaping power, criminal gangs with evil purposes, and so I am giving you a budget. You'll need to speak for this part so," she flicks her fingers. I feel a sharp agonizing tearing in my face and double over in pain "You can speak again."

I bite my lip, hard enough to draw blood. It was good to have that back. And, yum, metallic flavor. So, if I want stuff, don't piss off the omnipotent deity. Be polite.

"Sorry for speaking over you." I say, in my most respectful tone.

"Thank. You. I don't know why all you people are so often assholes about it. 'Why are you taking me from my family' 'I have kids to feed, I can't die to please you' 'I don't want to fight feral monsters'. Ugh."

"Cowards. Fearing a true adventure." I say. "They fantasized for an adventure. That's totally asking for it."

She throws her hands up, a smile on her face.

"I know, right? Anyway, first, you get six items and sets for free. Aren't I nice? A bag, bigger on the inside, pokegear, a pokedex, 6 pokeballs, a pair of potions, and a hat. You can keep your currently worn clothing too, and your wallet and cell phone. No cell service of course, and they use foreign currency."

Time for my first try at diplomacy with the girl god. I pat my pockets, look confused, then look up "Hey, I left my wallet and my cell phone in the other room. Could I go get them please?"

She shrugs. "I guess. Why didn't you bring them into here? Isn't it a bit boring doing it without having something to look at?"

I nod. "I know, major lack of foresight. Gotta browse reddit while you pee, otherwise you're wasting time. Could I also say goodbye to my dear wife whom I love most in the world? I also forgot that."

She glares at me and the temperature of the void drops from a warm summer's day to as cold as a water snake coming out to attack. I speaks quickly. "It'll be a fantastic tale. One of lost love, endless angst from me over her, where I cherish those last few moments and seek to make your parties really interesting and exciting because I appreciate you so much."

She shakes her head. "I've seen a lot of romance tales, beautiful but underappreciated women meet sexy billionaire handymen who may also be vampires. Deadly super soldiers with emotional issues who can finally open up for a lady who is good at punching. Not my thing."

How did one speak to and disagree with the omnipotent deity who could probably slay you and your entire family with a flick of her fingers? Not that I was really sure about the scope of her powers or any rules or regulations limiting her, but it was obvious that certain conversation routes could be bad for me.

I did want to say goodbye though. There were other things I wanted to do as well. There were items at home I could take with me that would give me a decisive and unfair advantage. Maybe a trade?

The divine lady seemed to like bananas, and did seem to like watching me on the toilet before. I'm pretty shameless. That could work.

"I'll finish going to the toilet, and hide nothing?"

She continues glaring at me, narrowing her eyes, then lightenes up and smiles "Sure, whatever. The timelines aren't separated yet. Don't tell her about this though. If you die in there we don't want her seeking out lost things, do we?"

I nod, swallowing, and lift my hands up. "So..."