***In which Cody reveals the truth in the most theatrical method possible***

Well, this is do-or-die once more. Time to make my mommy and daddy proud.

I hope.

"Well, you want the whole truth

And nothing but the truth,

Let me tell you something,

Let me say it to ya straight!

This tale you're about to hear ain't a fake,

A lie, nope, not even a fib!

Nothing but the entire unadulterated truth!

My little tale begins at school,

University to be precise,

Where the professor handed a task,

Not a small one, in fact,

To research the world and its stories

Pick a time, any time and place

Then, he told us, find something of fiction,

Something fake, not true, yet historical based

Make the connections, see if it holds water!

That's just what I did, you see!

I picked a small portable book called a visual novel!

Put it into my portable play station, PSP for short,

Although I can't seem to remember what the game was called,

I played it until I really can't remember.

A power outage stopped my fun, ruined my sport,

And now I'm suddenly here!

Yes, here on this very spot,

Among you and you and you.

Now this tale does sound strange, but it's the truth,

Nothing but the truth!

I don't know who you are

I don't know where am I

Or even what year it is?

Sad, isn't it?

So please don't kill me!

I haven't got a clue what's going on!

Just knock me out,

Drag me out back,

And leave me there out in the weather.

At least I have hope to get home.

Hope that I so desperately need.

Oh, and as a final note to conclude this song,

Just to let you all in a little secret,

I'm a girl!"

I flopped down, taking a deep breath. Wow, singing takes a lot out of someone.

No one said a word, which I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Finally, someone made a move. Mr. Muscles narrowed his eyes, examining me closely. "So let me get this straight. You're … not from around here, don't know how you got here, know some pretty strange stuff, and you're a girl?"

I nodded. "Eyup."

Red smiled in response. "Sounds like Shinpachi doesn't believe a word. Want me to strip her to get that out of the way?"

I opened my mouth, about to say, "I'm right here," but Spike beat me to the punch, with something else. "Absolutely not! We will not humiliate someone in such a way!"

You sure about that, Spike? You look pretty red in the face right now. Am I to believe you're trying not to embarrass yourself? I couldn't help it; I smiled. These guys were surprisingly taking this well. Or maybe they were screaming on the inside, but their warrior training wasn't allowing them to freak out.

Not that I'm complaining. Still, if I can prove one point right, they'll believe my other points. Err, hopefully.

I heard Troll sigh behind me. "You're kidding, right? This kid is obviously crazy. He just broke into song."

Might as well go all out, since they already think I'm crazy. I loosened the kimono, reaching inside and loosening the bandages I had somehow gotten on my chest. "See this?" I asked, finally releasing my breasts. I didn't remove the kimono, but the idea was very tempting. "These are my boobs. Here's your freakin' evidence that I'm female." I removed my hands from inside the kimono, jiggling my bosom from the outside for further proof.

Bangs looked away immediately, blushing. "You asked for it, Souji."

Troll didn't know what to say. His green eyes were so wide I wanted to laugh right then and there. Red, Mr. Muscles, and Kid were gaping at me, Mr. Scary Looking Guy wasn't looking all that intimidating with that rush of red on his face, Glasses was trying to look elsewhere in the room, Baldy, who had been quiet the entire time, was coughing awkwardly and looking down, and Spike. Poor Spike.

"Men like boobies, yes?" I tried and lightened the mood. "Well, straight men. You're all straight, right?"

Shaking his head, Red was the first to recover. "Well, that's one aspect we confirmed."

"Yes," I replied back. "So you can definitely count on the others being true. I mean, you have to, since so far everything I've been trying to tell you has been true."

He gave me a doubtful expression, to which I grinned back in return. "Well, you guys got doped by a chick. I don't mean to demean you all, but . . . that's kinda sad, doncha think?"

So, after moments of silence followed by all the men in the room calming down from my little flash affair, everyone got into a more serious mood to discuss serious, fucking, business!

Well, it actually was serious business when talking about my life… SHUT UP! I'm narrating this bit here!

So our manly men are busying themselves over the value of my life after the realization that I am, indeed, female.

"It just feels wrong," Mr. Muscles kept murmuring. "I mean, you don't go killing women like that."

Mr. Scary Looking Guy wasn't buying it. "Gender is irrelevant."

Maybe, but I like thinking that I have a slight edge in surviving. Plus, if I were to take that statement out of context… Oooh, I can hear the feminists scream blasphemy.

Glasses interrupted my gleeful thoughts with, "Killing is wrong period. There should be no discussion about this."

Glasses, have I ever told you I love you?

The troll, ever spoiling my fun, rebuttled, "But what about our little problem? We can't let information leak out. Plus, we still have no idea if the rest of this kid's story is true."

Yes, you can. You just need to believe in me! Believe you can fly! That you can touch the sky—Oh, I'm singing in my head again, aren't I?

Mr. Scary Looking Guy sighed, glancing around before looking at me. I try my best at making the saddest, most pleading face ever. Please, please, fall for the cute puppy dog eyes. You cannot resist, you do not watch to resist, resistance in futile—

"This child simply appeared at the wrong place at the wrong time," he stated slowly, making sure everyone heard him. "She didn't witness anything, just merely saw a fight get out of hand."

Glasses smiled knowingly at Mr. Scary Looking Guy. "And that's all?"

The latter nodded. "Yes, that's all. This girl will live."

I was about to jump up for joy when he caught my eye, and I lowered my arms. "However, you will not be allowed to leave. You shall remain here, under our watch, until we can figure out exactly what to do with you."

My shoulders sagged a bit, but I had to remind myself, 'Hey, at least I'm not dead.'

Still, could this get any worse?

Jinxed.

... Shit.

A soft cough came from the corner of the room. I turned, looking at Kid curiously. He shifted uncomfortably before murmuring, "Soooo, what's your name, anyway?"

I merely blinked at him blankly. Introductions were normally at the back of my mind when meeting new people. Mostly because I sucked at remembering names. When I didn't answer immediately, Red gave me an encouraging smile. "It would be nice if we knew what to call you."

Ah. Makes sense. Derr. Brain fart. I cleared my throat, stating, "My name is Cody. S'up?"

No one got that. And I dug a really stupid grave for myself.

Shit again!