'Ah shit! Well, I might as well talk to them!' Arthur thinks to himself. He turns his face towards the two and opens his mouth to speak. "C-" Arthur abruptly shuts his mouth realizing he doesn't know what to ask.

Maeda looks up at Arthur in contempt whether she should speak as well. She had been sitting silently fidgeting with her fingers while her father frantically talks to himself about money and security.

"C-" Maeda heard the sound leave Arthur's mouth. She felt a bit of relief knowing that he was just as nervous to speak as she was. A drop of sweat rolls down her cheek as she opens her mouth to address him. "I-I am Tanaka Maeda, and this is my father, Tanaka Haruto!"

Arthur raised his eyebrows and tilted his head in confusion. "You both share the same first name?" He asked. "Oh no no no no! That's our surname, my first name is Maeda!" She responds with a little giggle.

"That doesn't make any sense, why would your first name be in the back of your name and your surname in the front?!" Arthur asks while rubbing his neck. "In Japan our surnames are first to show which family we are from." Answers Maeda with a friendly smile.

"What was that beast you were being taken by?" Asks Arthur confidently. "Monster? Ah, you mean our car?" Inquires Maeda. "Car? I have never heard of this beast called 'car!' What species does it belong to?" Asks Arthur as he pulls a notebook from his robe's inner pocket.

'Huh? Species? Maybe...'Maeda thinks to herself. "Sub*ru?" She says aloud. "Sub*ru! I have not heard of this species! Finally a new species of beast to study!" Declares Arthur as he starts frantically writing in his notebook. 'A new world, a huge amount of mana, and an entirely new species of beast to study! How can this adventure get any better?!'

Haruto works up his courage to speak to Arthur. "You better pay for our car! It was very expensive!" Arthur bows his head towards Haruto. "I am sorry! I didn't know you paid for such a beast, I thought the beast had swallowed the little girl so I acted instinctively!" Arthur gives Haruto a thumbs up as he points to himself. "Don't worry my friend, I shall repay the debt I owe!"

*Bass* (Wanted to leave the sound open for song options)

The sound of bass boosted music echoes through the woods as three black sedans park next to the exploded car. Several men wearing white tank tops and carrying baseball bats step out of the sedans. "Do you think they died in there?" Asks one of the thugs pointing to the flaming vehicle. "It certainly looks like they could!" Answers another.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

An overweight man covered in golden jewelry and carrying a gold encrusted handgun steps out of the middle sedan. Two large muscular men exit behind him, they are both carrying large knives and jians. (Jian is a Chinese double edged sword)

Haruto and Maeda both gasp out of fright and shock. They drag Arthur behind the boulder to hide from the men. "So, why are we hiding?" Arthur asks calmly. "Those guys are very dangerous!" Exclaims Maeda in a hushed voice. "I won against their boss in a poker game and he is after my winnings!" Says Haruto as he clenches his fist out of anger.

"Hey boss, there's no one in here!" Mentions a tattooed thug after inspecting the flaming car. The overweight man walks angrily towards the flaming vehicle and looks inside to see no evidence of a body. "Motherf****er! Where did they go?!" Yells the boss angrily while slamming his fist against the hood of the car.

"Hey boss, could they be in there?" The overweight man turns to see one of the muscular thugs pointing to a small wooded area and smiles wickedly. "Better come out of there or we're going to go to your house! We know where you live Mr. Tanaka! We might sell your wife for some cash~!"

The Tanakas sit silently behind the boulder. Their eyes fixated on the ground and their faces dark. "Dad, what are we going to do now? They could hurt mom!" Haruto rubs his hand across Maeda's back to comfort her. "Don't worry. I can handle this."

Haruto stands up and rolls up his sleeve as a tear rolls down his cheek. "Arthur, I don't know you, and quite frankly, I don't trust you, but please repay your debt to me by keeping Maeda safe."

Arthur and Maeda both understood what he meant. "Dad no! You can't die! I-I need you to stay with me!" Maeda cries and pleads with her father to not leave, to not go fight, but to no avail. Haruto exits the woods and calls out to the thugs.

"I am right here! You can do whatever to me, just leave my family alone!" The boss puts his hand over his face and forms a sinister smile as he laughs hysterically. "So you have finally accepted the end of your life! All of this could have been avoided if you just gave me your winnings instead of running away!"

*Sob*

*Hik*

Arthur can hear the hushed crying of Maeda as he watches Haruto valiantly walk over to the thugs. He watches as Haruto retrieves a pen from his back pocket and uncaps it, the same pen he tried to use on Arthur.

'He's going to die.' Arthur thinks to himself as he feels a tug on his robe. "What do you need?" Asks Arthur as he turns to face Maeda. "Can you *hik* please *hik* save my *hik* dad?" Arthur drops his head down to his chest as he puts his notebook away. "Will this repay my debt to you?" Maeda nods her head while smiling a hopeful grin.

"You have powers." She says as more tears begin to fall. "Alright, I'll save your dad." Arthur pats her head to comfort her. 'I'm still bad at kids huh?'

"Haruto! I can handle these guys! You get back to your daughter!" Shouts Arthur as he walks out of the woods. "Hoh? I see you made a new friend!" Howls the boss as he motions to his men. "What are you doing? I can handle this!" Exclaims Haruto as his hand trembles out of fear for his life.

{Sleep}

Haruto falls to the ground asleep as Arthur walks past him. A malicious smile forms across his face from cheek to cheek as an orange fire sparks alive atop his head.

"Now then, shall we begin?"