I awoke to the sound of something toppling my makeshift blockade at the front door. Slowly, I got up and retrieved my stuff. I then slowly moved towards the bedroom door. I could see light from under it. I sighed, this is just what I needed. I began to contemplate on how should I deal with the situation. I could try talking with the owner of the house, but considering what I've done with the front door along with the vegetable patch and the kitchen , it was sure that I'd be seen as a burglar and would be shot on sight or something. I positioned myself opposite the direction the door opens. I pulled Mach-y up and prepared myself. Suddenly, the door was kicked open, revealing a figure holding one of the lances I saw. The silhouette also seemed to be dressed similarly with one of the dolls at the living room, it couldn't be possibly one of those, could it? I shook my head, and prepared to strike at the figure. If possible, I didn't want to kill someone. And considering whose in the wrong here... With that, I decided that the best course of action would be hitting the house owner's legs with the blunt side of Mach-y and then rushing outside. The figure then finally began to walk in. Breathing in, I revealed myself and swung Mach-y at the person's legs.

- Alice Margatroid's Perspective-

I am one the most well known figures, along with Marisa, in the forest of magic, and rightly so as residing here would require a certain amount of power to protect themselves from their neighbors. So when I came home after the usual Hakurei post-incident party and find my house broken into, I was unsure of how to deal with the situation. I began to check on my property as I speculated on whatever was brave enough to break into my abode. A young youkai perhaps? A thief ? Marisa? An outsider? The traps i've set didn't seem to be functioning, must be due to me neglecting them. Upon checking on the vegetable garden, I noticed that a few of the plants were carefully harvested. This narrowed my list of culprits down. I went up to my door way and moved the door out of the way, only to find a table and some chairs blocking me from going in. I sigh, then took control of one of the london dolls inside and had it unblock the entrance. After turning on the lights, I immediately checked my bedroom door and found that it was still locked. Looking into my kitchen, it was a mess. My cupboards were rummaged through, plates and utensils disorderly placed back to their own places and my final jar of sake left uncovered on top of the kitchen table. I commanded some of my dolls to start fixing the place up. I then got the london doll from earlier and had it kick the visitor bedroom door while sending another doll down to the basement. I had hoped that kicking the door would dissuade whatever was inside the bedroom, much to my surprise however, a purple hooded figure with a beige backpack and brown short pants dashed out the door and knocked the london doll down with a single strike to it's legs. The person then righted itself once it got past the doll, giving it a glance. They froze.

"Wait, wasn't this the doll at the entrance?" The person sounded baffled, while staring at the knocked over doll's leg joints.

"Yes it is outsider." I answered the person. I also began preparing dolls behind me just in case something goes wrong as his strike siphoned the magic out of the London doll. The person turned around, their hood obscuring their face. "Oh crap..." the figure muttered. He sheathed his blade and raised his hands above his head immediately. "Uh... hi landlady, wonderful morning today huh? Ca- can you please let me explain myself and not turn me into a doll?" The person frantically speaks as he stares wide eyed at the dolls behind me.

I sighed and massaged my forehead,"Well you better do that. Also, it's midnight."

The figure visibly relaxed, and pulled their hood down revealing shoulder length black hair and a face that could easily pass for a girl, if not for the full grown mustache he had.

"My name's Red, 18 years old. And you are?" The boy introduced himself.

"Alice, Alice Margatroid, now can you please start explaining why you broke into my house?"

"Oh, yes of course. Well, you see-" Red began as I ordered my dolls to set the table and prepare some tea. It definitely was going to be a long night.

Outsiders are strange, but Red here has to be the strangest one yet. His story began the usual way most outsiders began their stories, waking up in the middle of some clearing. It all strayed from the usual once he reached the part where he noticed a patch of darkness, presumably Rumia, stalking him. He then escapes her by tricking her with his shirt. This was weird because most outsiders wouldn't come into such a conclusion immediately. He also referred to her using "them", even going as far as stressing it. I made a mental note to inquire on what he meant. After escaping, that's where he came upon my cabin. He broke in by breaking my door's hinges with his machete he named Mach-y, how tasteless. He also details his experience exploring and pillaging my house.

"So, what made you decide it was okay to sleep here? You said it yourself that it was unnerving to be in here." I questioned while taking a sip from my cup.

"Well, it's not like I can camp out somewhere else, but with those things around, I'd rather have something between me and certain death or something worse." He replied.

"So are you aware of where you are right now?"

"I should be in Restricted Area number 7 if I remember correctly..."

"I have no idea where that is, but I can assure you that you are not there right now. And wait, restricted area? What are you even doing in such a place?"

"Huh?" Red looked confused, but still continued to explain. "But what about what I ran away from? They should only show up at restricted areas, hell, you count as one of them with your doll control stuff!", he also seems to completely ignore my second question as he points at me.

"Again, I have no idea what you're on about, and care to explain what you keep on referring to as them is?"

"My parents are superstitious. They believe that if we call something paranormal by names, it would only attract them. Also, I'm too dumb and lazy to properly classify them. And what do you mean I'm not at R.A n7?"

"Paranormal huh... Well, you're technically right. As for where you are, does Japan ring a bell?" I say before I take another sip to wet my throat. Red doesn't seem to touch his tea.

"Japan? Aside from it being mentioned by a friend, it being a fictional place in a shady game, nothing really." Red nonchalantly answers. Before I could even ask what the hell was wrong with him, a voice cried out from outside.

"Hey! Alice! Are you there?" The voice asked.

"Excuse me, it seems that we have another visitor. I'll just go check up on them."

"Well, please do. Wouldn't want to bother you any further."

"Thank you." I walk up to the now fixed front door. I opened it and saw Rumia floating outside, staring at me expectantly.

"Hi Alice! Do you have an outsider in there?" I sigh, I'm definitely not getting sleep tonight...

And that's the second chapter done! Hope that you liked it, even though most of it was just talking haha... Anyways please please feel free to review this fic so I could improve on what's lacking, thank you.