June 2015, Houston Intercontinental Airport, Texas, USA
?: Goddamnit, it wasn't enough to drive all the way to Houston, find my way to the damn terminal, wait to get into the plane, and now the damned thing just will not take off!
Oh, yeah, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Jack Klein. I'm a 18 year old high school student. Average height (although a bit on the tall side), decently sized, very short blond hair, bushy beard, and blue eyes. Why am I here you wonder? Well…it's kinda hard to explain, but as I was walking home from school the other day, some weird lookin' hooded fella gave me a plane ticket and told me I was to go to Japan the next day (that would be today). I explained the situation to my parents, who explained to me how I'm now an adult and must make my own decisions, and…somehow I made the decision to get on board for the trip. Seems against my better judgment, but I don't care. I needed a holiday anyway.
Jack: Finally, this thing's starting to move…
Cabin: Welcome to the flight! Please pay attention to the instructions in the screen
Jack: Ugh…damn procedure speech. Whatever, seatbelt on, let's sleep!
Passenger: Stop talkin' to yourself already, you're creeping me out!
Jack: Fine. Sorry to bother you, sir.
Ah, whatever, time to sleep!
(Sometime later)
Jack: *Snoozes* Ah…that was a nice nap! Wait…where the hell am I?
As I looked around, I realized I wasn't in the plane anymore. There were a bunch of computer screens, a lot of jars with weird colored liquids inside them, and most importantly, not one person in sight.
Just then, I heard some sort of metallic door open, and the sound of someone walkin' down some stairs.
?: Oh, seems you're awake. Finally.
Jack: Yeah, I seem to be. Let's skip the introductions if you don't mind. JUST WHERE THE HELL AM I?
?: Oh my, you're a feisty one, aren't you? Well, as you can see this is a clinic, and I am the one in charge. You can just call me Mikado.
Jack: Terrific. I'm gonna need a little more background on why I went from a plane to a clinic just after taking a little nap, though, don't you think?
Mikado: Well, as your plane approached Japan, there was a big storm, and it crashed on a beach near Tokyo. I heard you were the only survivor, so I asked the authorities there to take you to my clinic. You don't have as much as a scratch on you either…that's interesting. Say, are you an alien by any chance?
Jack: Oh, wow, there was…wait, what? I didn't quite get that last part.
Mikado: I asked if you were an alien. You know: devilukian, memorzean, or did you lose your memory?
Jack: Well, I must have lost my memory when I was born, because I ain't never heard of no aliens outside of dumb conspiracy theories.
Then it dawned on me…
Jack: Wait a second. If this is Japan, how come I can talk to you just normally? I don't know a word of Japanese!
Mikado: Oh, you aren't Japanese? You seemed good with the language, so I figured…that's sure strange…although it does make sense considering your looks.
Jack: Ok, it's nice chatting and all, but I kinda need to get my way to the American embassy, contact my home to let my folks know I'm alright.
Mikado: America? Embassy? If that's a new planet I don't know about, maybe I can try to communicate from here nonetheless…
Jack: You're telling me you don't know America exists?
Then I realized something else…even weirder
Jack: What kinda meds did you feed me? You look like some sort of cartoon character, and so does the whole room! Just what the hell is going on here?
Mikado: Cartoon…you mean anime? I don't think you're quite right…you look the same too. This is really strange…
Jack: Oh no. Is this like one of those weird fanfictions when a character gets thrown from one dimension to another with a "coincidental" resemblance to some TV show or videogame? If that's the case, I need to find my way home A.S.A.P.
Mikado: Another dimension? Hm…I have never seen something like that before…Oh, I know!
Jack: What?
Mikado: There's someone I know who might be able to help you. She's really good at building all kinds of strange inventions, so she might be able to build something to get you back to your own dimension. If she can make it work that is…
Jack: What was that last part?
Mikado: Oh, nothing, I'm sure you'll be fine. They're really nice people, I'm sure you'll like them! Anyway, here's a map with Lala's place marked there in bright red, and our current location in blue. And also, here's a phone with my number in it, in case you get lost or need anything. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some research I must do, so if you don't need anything else…
Jack: Ok, I got it. Thank you for everything, Dr Mikado. Sorry for treating you badly before, I'm just really startled and all
Mikado: Oh, don't worry about it, I'm glad you're feeling better! Good luck!
(Mikado's POV)
Mikado: Well that was sure strange…another dimension? Hm, too bad I couldn't run some tests on him, maybe later I can ask him. But specially given all that has been happening lately, I need to be constantly on lookout for anything suspicious…
As I said that, I hurried to the phone to let my friend from college and biology professor, Tearju, know about all this
* Riiing* * Riing*
Tearju: Hello, who is it?
Mikado: Tear, I'm gonna need you to come to the clinic as soon as possible. Something interesting just happened and I wonder if you may know something about it.
Tearju: Yeah, sure, I'll be right there…but what is it?
Mikado: I'll tell you once you get here. Also, can you get Yami and Mea to come as well?
Tearju: Why them? What do they have to do with this?
Mikado: Just do that…I'll explain everything here
Tearju: Ok, see you in a while
(Jack's POV)
Jack: Oh Lord…thank God for this map, I'd be lost here if it wasn't for that blessed piece of paper. There's just so many people here…it's hard to know where you are sometimes.
That shouldn't be surprising. I come from a pretty small town/city, so I really ain't used to seeing this kinds of crowds…well…the airport was pretty crowded, but still…this is a whole another level
A few minutes later, I seemed to be entering the residential part of town, and I looked at the map and it seemed that the house was only a couple of blocks away.
Jack: Ahhh…okay…Lala…that Mikado just gave me the woman's name! How the hell am I supposed to know which house it is?
Just as I said that, I noticed an orange haired boy leaving one of the houses nearby, just I thought I would ask him if he knew that Lala and where she lived.
Jack: Eh…excuse me, sir!
?: What is it?
Jack: Do you happen to know where someone called Lala might live?
?: Lala? Who's asking? Are you some other guy with a crush on her? Aren't Saruyama, Ren, and all my other friends enough?
Jack: What are you talking about? A doctor called Mikado told me to go to her place so she could build something that may help me…but I'm not sure we're talking about the same person…whatever, sorry to bother ya!
?: Wait, hold on! Mikado-sensei sent you? Ugh…now Lala is gonna have to build something…I wonder what I'll end up turning into this time…*shivers*
Jack: That's great info and all, but might you tell me where she lives?
?: Oh, sure, she lives at my place! Strange situation, don't worry about it. I'm Rito by the way.
Jack; Ok, I'm Jack, nice to meet ya! So, I assume your home is the place you just left?
Rito: Yeah, right there. Just knock on the door, and either Lala, my sister Mikan, or one of her sisters will open. Just tell them that Mikado-sensei sent you and they'll let you in
Jack: What about your folks?
Rito: My folks? Oh, you mean my parents? Well, my mom is overseas working as a fashion designer, and my dad is cooped up in his "office" drawing manga with Zastin and…don't worry about it, they're just not around.
Jack: Ok, I'll see ya around, then!
With that, Rito left and I headed to the front door, not knowing what lay ahead...