Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Late in the evening, a convenience store was still open and its cashier was serving his last few customers. However, the cashier immediately shuddered and gulped in nervousness when the last customer happened to be a rather…no, incredibly large young man. He wore an athletic track suit that had the letter ‘N’ on the left side of his chest. It was colored in black and white with orange details.

“T-That’ll be 360 yen, sir…!” The cashier stuttered in shock as he had never seen such a… behemoth of a man…! Especially not one so young. Usually that type of build was found in older bodybuilding adults. The cashier guessed that the young man was at least 6’7 tall or perhaps even more than that!

The young giant visibly sighed. Sure, being looked on in fear and nervousness wasn’t out of the ordinary for him, but it still didn’t make him any less disheartened.

He reached into his pockets to pick out his money. “Sure. Here you go.”

Soon after paying for his items, Subaru Natsuki exited the convenience store building and began to walk home. As a metal car drove past him, Subaru’s eyes suddenly felt immensely tired.

“...Ugh.” He rubbed at his eyes with a rough palm. “I really need to get some more sleep, these days…”

He really needed to stop taking those overtime shifts and training himself so late at night. But sometimes, he really can’t help it. That 3:A.M motivation really got him moving different.

He rubbed his eyes a few more and blinked hard. Once. Twice.

And when his eyes opened, the cars were gone. The street was gone. The world itself had changed.

In their place sprawled a city of cobbled streets and towering spires, carriages pulled by lizard-drawn beasts, signs scribbled in a language that wasn’t his. A fantastical cityscape stretched into the night sky.

“What the…” Subaru froze, his bag of food dangling loosely from his massive hand.

There was a moment of silence before the realization finally hit him. Subaru’s eyes widened in absolute shock and horror.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?!”

Chapter Text

“What the fuck…?”

That was the only thing Subaru could think as he stood in the middle of a crowded street that looked like it had been ripped straight out of some high fantasy RPG. Stone-paved roads stretched beneath his sneakers, lined with rows of tall buildings with pointed rooftops, wooden beams, and signs written in a script that he couldn’t even begin to understand.

Subaru slowly turned his head from side to side, eyes widening at the bustle of people. Demi-humans, actual demi-humans, were walking casually down the road like it was no big deal. Cat ears, dog tails, lizard scales…all of it. He even saw a freaking merchant cart pulled by something that looked like a mutant lizard-horse.

“Okay, Subaru… either you passed out on the way home and this is the most vivid dream of your life… or you just got isekai’d. Like…legit.”

The thought made him stop in his tracks, his jaw hanging slack. “Wait, wait, wait. This… this is that cliché anime setup, isn’t it?! Convenience store, late at night, random drowsiness, bam! other world! Oh my god, I’m actually the trope! Hahahahaha!”

His laughter earned him more than a few stares from passing pedestrians. And not just curious stares. More like…wary ones. Nervous ones.

It wasn’t the laughter, though. Subaru knew exactly what it was. Everyone who passed him, the merchants, the demi-human guards patrolling the street, even a group of kids, had the exact same reaction: wide eyes, hushed whispers, awe, and subtle flinches when he moved even slightly.

Subaru let out a sigh, scratching the back of his neck. “Right…guess being built like a final boss in a JRPG isn’t exactly helping my case here.”

It wasn’t like he wasn’t used to it. Back home, people stared too whether it was at school, at work, even when he was just walking down the street. Standing at 6’8” with a frame packed full of muscle, he looked less like your average high school student and more like the illegitimate son of a professional wrestler and a gorilla. It came with…complications.

Still, he couldn’t help the flicker of annoyance that crept up. Did they have to look like he was going to eat their children?

“Relax, people, I’m not gonna smash your houses down like Godzilla,” he muttered under his breath, shoving his one hand into his track suit pocket with his other carrying his plastic bag as he walked on.

Inside, though, his thoughts were anything but calm.
How the hell did I get here?
Was it magic? Some kind of portal? Did I piss off some god by accident?
And the most important question of all…
Is there a way back?

Because as cool as this place looked, like, ten-out-of-ten on the fantasy aesthetic, he still had work tomorrow. And his boss would kill him if he didn’t show up.

For now, though…there was only one thing he could do. Keep walking, keep observing, and try not to get arrested for “existing too suspiciously.”

But just as Subaru was about to turn down another street, a sharp, boyish voice called out to him.

“Sheesh! Aren’t you a big guy! And those are some strange clothes and items you got there, mister!”

Subaru blinked, turning his head toward the sound. Standing behind a small wooden stall stacked with bright, red, apple-like fruits was a boy no older than ten, with short green hair and a grin that carried way too much confidence for someone so small.

Subaru raised a brow, bewildered. “And aren’t you a bit too young to start a business?”

“Hey! I’ll have you know that I’m a legitimate businessman!” the child shot back, puffing out his chest in mock offense. “And aren’t you too young to have a body like that?!”

Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly. “Yeah, a lot of people tend to tell me that.”

“Well,” the boy continued, folding his arms and smirking slyly, “if it were any other person, I’d offer them an Appa. But you already look like you eat plenty healthy.”

Subaru glanced at the fruit piled up in neat little baskets, mentally noting the strange word. So they call it Appa here, huh? He thought. Another piece of proof that he wasn’t anywhere near home anymore.

“Unless, of course…” The boy leaned forward, grin stretching ear to ear, the kind of grin only a shrewd salesman could pull off. “If you’d still like to buy some, I’m more than willing to make a deal, mister!”

Subaru chuckled nervously, scratching at his cheek. “I’d like to, but I’m, unfortunately, flat broke at the moment. Maybe next time?”

The child slumped against his stall with a dramatic sigh. “Awh~. Oh, well. Then, I guess I’ll wish you luck on your endeavors, my big friend! But I'll take you up on your offer of buying my Appa next time!”

Eventually, Subaru politely bowed as he continued along his way. That kid was nice , he thought.

He then began to explore the world around him, catching the eyes of many that passed him but Subaru was beginning to care less about that now. But of course, even he could get in trouble every now and then as he once entered a bar that was filled with nothing but demi-humans who looked apprehensively at Subaru the moment he entered. The message was clear: No humans welcome.

Still, no one had the guts to approach such a behemoth of a man.

But fortunately, Subaru got the memo and politely bowed as he apologized and promptly left.

With a few more bumps in the road, Subaru eventually found himself in a lonely alleyway. He sat down on the worn stone steps, pulling out his old flip-phone like it was a lifeline. He stared at the blank screen. No bars. No service. No way home.

Reality finally sank in.

“I…I really got isekai’d, huh?” he whispered to himself, the words heavy. 

Sure, part of him was excited as this was literally the setup of every anime he’d binge-watched. But the weight in his chest was heavier than any thrill. If this was real, did that mean he was stuck here forever? Could he survive in this world?

Was he ever going to see his parents again?

He didn’t know. He barely knew anything about this world. All he could do was hope. Hope that his so-called “isekai protagonist powers” would show up soon…or, if fate was kind, that he’d find a way home.

Subaru closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose. “C’mon, man. Keep your head up! You’re the protagonist, right? Something’s gonna happen soon. A special power, a wise mentor, a cute girl who—”

His thoughts were interrupted, however, when sounds of footsteps approached him from behind. Subaru whipped his head around to see that it was three bunch of muggers who had approached him from behind. They had assumed that it was just some kind of overweight bum or some clueless foreigner. That was certainly what he looked like from behind.

They would soon see how wrong they were.

One of them pulled out a knife and pointed it at Subaru. “Oi, fatty! If you don’t want to get hurt, then cough up whatever you’ve got!” He threatened arrogantly.

Subaru’s gaze darkened as he grunted in annoyance more so than fear.

Muggers. Of course.

Having already been in a despondent mood about the possibility of not being able to go home, he simply did not have the tolerance to deal with this bullshit.

The three thugs froze as they watched him rise to his feet.

Slowly. Deliberately. The shadow he cast swallowed them whole as his massive frame loomed over the alley. Their earlier grins faltered, replaced with wide-eyed fear as they realized what they’d just cornered.

The so-called “fatty” was a giant. A wall of muscle wrapped in black and white sportswear. And he was glaring down at them like they were insects.

“Huh?” Subaru scowled at them. He’d had blades pointed at him before. Years of martial arts training taught him not to flinch, even if these weren’t dulled practice weapons. Still, that didn’t mean he wasn’t at least aware of the danger.

Even the biggest thug among them felt small, pathetically small, under that crushing presence. They did not expect the man to look like…this!

Still, the ringleader tried to save face, though his hand trembled so badly the knife nearly slipped from his grip. “O-Okay…! Y-You’re a lot more jacked than I thought!” he stammered, his forced bravado leaking away. “B-But you don’t have a weapon, do you?! A-And I do! S-So hand it over, big guy!”

Subaru had to furrow his brows at such a pitiful attempt to sound intimidating. Even their bravado couldn’t hide the fact that they were scared out of their minds. “That’s your intimidation speech? Seriously?”

He could hear the thug ring-leader gulp.

Subaru’s lips pulled into a taunting grin as he spread his arms wide, daring them forward. “Come on, then. Try me. I dare you.”

A tense moment of silence.

Finally, in a burst of foolish bravery, or desperate stupidity, the thug with the knife stepped forward. Subaru blinked, tilting his head in mild bewilderment. Seriously? How broke do you have to be to risk this? Are they even more broke than me , somehow?

The man lunged, knife trembling in his grip. Before the blade even came close, Subaru’s hand snapped out and caught his wrist. A moment later, the thug was a ragdoll crashing against the wall with a pitiful “Ooof!” His body went limp instantly, unconscious.

“Eeek!” The other two yelped in unison, terror flooding their faces.

Subaru raised one hand and curled a finger at them in a slow, deliberate come on gesture, his devious grin widening. “You two want to be next?”

“EEEK!” The two muggers shrieked louder.

But before Subaru could even decide whether to chase them off properly, another voice cut through the alley.

“Move it! Move it! You guys…outta my way!”

Turning around, Subaru saw that it was the voice of a tall and fit young woman who was running toward them in a hurry. She wore a sleeveless black top beneath a battered brown jacket, a bold red scarf around her neck, and long black pants torn unevenly at one leg.

Whoa, now she looks like someone who trains! Subaru thought, noticing the muscles in her curvy, almost voluptuous figure. Is this supposed to be my cute summoner? Doesn’t really fit the cliché…

But he kept the thought to himself.

The athletic young woman finally stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as she took in the mountain of a man standing before her.

“Sheesh!” she blurted out with a grin. “You’re huge! ”

Her gaze flicked past Subaru and landed on the crumpled body of the mugger slumped against the wall. The way his jaw hung at an odd angle made her wince.

“And wow…you really laid him out, huh?”

Subaru raised a brow, his tone steady and curious. “And you are…?”

“Me? Oh, nobody special!” she waved her hand dismissively, though there was a mischievous spark in her eyes. “Sorry, big guy, I’d love to chat, but I’m kinda in a rush. So, uh…live strong!”

After the half-hearted ‘good-luck’ that Subaru assumed it was, he saw that with swift precision, the young lady swiftly jumped from wall to roof and continued running. He noticed that the lady was quite fit herself and as a gym person himself, Subaru was impressed.

His attention shifted back to the two remaining muggers, who were frozen stiff under his shadow.  He cracked his knuckles and smiled deviously at them.

That was the final straw. The two men collapsed to their knees, bowing so fast their foreheads nearly hit the dirt.

“W-WE’RE SORRY!” they wailed in unison. Without another word, they scooped up their unconscious leader and bolted from the alleyway in a ridiculous, cartoonish scramble, legs pumping like their lives depended on it.

Subaru exhaled, shaking his head. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“That’s what who thought?”

Another female voice came from behind him. Subaru turned around and his eyes widened.

A woman stood there. “Have you seen a girl run past here?”

Subaru didn’t answer right away. He was simply too enchanted by the sight of a gorgeous looking silver-haired half-elf in front of him. Her long, wild hair spilled down her back, catching the faint light. Crimson eyes gleamed like embers, and the jagged, battle-worn armor she wore only amplified her aura. She radiated dominance, allure, and something almost demonic.

Subaru’s breath caught. His eyes practically sparkled as he gawked at her. In his head, he had only but one thought: Badass. She looks absolutely badass! And beautiful!

But then her expression twisted, her lips curling into a scornful sneer as she stalked toward him. What came out of her mouth next, though…wasn’t exactly beautiful.

“What, ya deaf or somethin’?” she snapped, her voice sharp, rough, and laced with venom. “Answer my fucking question!”

Subaru blinked, snapping out of his entranced awe. He almost stumbled over his words, startled and clearly not expecting that such vulgarity came out of a face so beautiful.

“W-Wha—?! M-Me?!” he sputtered, pointing at himself with a dumb-struck expression on his face.

“Yes, you, ya overgrown lump of meat!” she barked, jabbing a finger at his chest without hesitation. “Did you see a thief bitch run past here? Long, golden-yellow-ish hair, big tits, and dressed like a cheap whore? She nicked something from me, and I ain’t lettin’ her get away.”

And she certainly did not seem intimidated by Subaru’s appearance. In fact, Subaru was more intimidated by her advances if anything. Even after going through countless training arcs and getting his body built like this, speaking to women, especially the assertive ones, was NOT his specialty.

“U-Uh-Uhm—!” Subaru stammered like an idiot, his words tripping over themselves while the half-elf’s crimson eyes bored into him like daggers.

Then, mercifully, another voice cut in.

“Jeez, chill out, girl. You’re scaring the poor guy.”

A small, fluffy creature, something akin to a fox and a puppy, poked its head out from behind her neck. Subaru was once again in an amazed state looking at a fantastical creature.

“Stay outta this, Puck! He could be working with her!” the half-elf snapped without looking away from Subaru.

The one who was revealed as ‘Puck’ sighed at her. “Well, why don’t we find that out in a more civilised way, eh?”

The small dog turned to Subaru and raised an amused brow at the size of the man. “And aren’t you a big guy, huh? You don’t see a lot of humans like you that often, if not, at all!” He commented.

“Uhm…thanks?” Subaru replied awkwardly, tilting his head, still trying to process that he was talking to a magical flying…whatever-this-was.

Puck chuckled. “That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Puck, what’re you doing?!” The half-elf snapped at him.

The small puppy turned to her. “Just ask him nicely. I don’t sense any malice in him. Just nerves. Which is kinda funny, honestly. Guy’s built like a mountain, but you’ve got him quaking in his sneakers. Maybe those muscles are just for show, or something.”

“Hey!” Subaru snapped in offense.

But the half-elf wasn’t letting up. “Yeah, or maybe he’s scared because he got caught ! Look at him! He’s all twitchy.”

Puck's tone turned sharp. “Or maybe he’s twitchy because you ran up on him in a threatening, confrontational manner and screaming insults while looking like you crawled out of a fight with the White Whale.” He floated higher, sighing dramatically. “Honestly, you could peel paint off walls with that potty mouth of yours. Try asking nicely for once.”

Her crimson eyes rolled, but after a moment, she let out a deep, begrudging breath through her nose. “...Fine.”

“She fixed Subaru with that same piercing stare, though her words were at least slightly less vulgar. “Have you seen a thief bitch run past you?”

“…Well,” Puck muttered with an exasperated sigh, “that’s about as polite as you’re getting.”

Subaru swallowed hard but managed to answer. “Y-Yeah. I saw her. She jumped onto that roof and kept running that way.” He pointed to where he’d last seen the golden-haired woman vanish. “A-And I don’t know where she ran off.”

The half-elf groaned in defeat and annoyance. “Fuckin’ shit. We lost her.” She grumbled and slumped her shoulder in disappointment.

“You really have got to stop swearing like that,” Puck muttered, sounding every bit like a tired parent.

For a moment, an awkward silence hung between them until the half-elf suddenly turned her sharp gaze back on Subaru. “Alright, big guy. What’s your deal? I’ve never seen clothes like that, and why the hell are you built like a walking fortress?”

Subaru flinched, stuttering, before straightening up and striking a ridiculous pose with one arm raised to the sky, his face full of faux bravado. "Er, alright, let’s start over! My name is Natsuki Subaru! Not only am I clueless, I'm also totally broke beyond compare! Nice to meet you!"

“…Hopeless,” the half-elf deadpanned. “You sound completely hopeless. Which doesn’t match someone who looks like he eats earth dragons for breakfast.”

“Pfft. Well, I like him,” Puck snickered, floating closer. “Anyways, I’m Puck the pup! At your service!” Puck chuckled as he then floated toward Subaru and reached out his small paw for a handshake. One that Subaru…tried to reciprocate, but couldn’t due to his large hands. Thus, he settled for gently pinching the small pup’s paw and shaking it.

“Holy crap, your fingernail’s almost the size of my head!” Puck exclaimed with a laugh. “If you were a demi-human, maybe that body would make sense. You sure you’re human?”

Subaru chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “One hundred percent human, I promise.”

Puck tilted his head. “Funny. Not many humans can touch a spirit so easily. Where exactly are you from, big guy?”

Subaru hesitated. No way he was about to spill the truth about being from another world. “…Uh, a small island in the east.” Technically true, in a roundabout way.

Both the spirit and the half-elf looked baffled.

“Eh? But Lugunica’s the easternmost nation on the map,” Puck said. “There’s no island out that way.”

Subaru froze, eyes widening. Crap. Did I mess that up?

The half-elf narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him. “So, you’ve got no idea where you are, you’re a bitch broke bum-”

“Ouch.”

“You’re illiterate, and you have no one that can help your sorry ass? Ya sure you ain’t some kind of alien that was summoned here or something?”

Subaru gave a weak laugh. “Uh…not sure how to answer that.”

“And why the fuck are you so big?!” she pressed, throwing her hands up. “You look like you ate a whole damn house.”

“I train a lot, okay?!” Subaru sputtered defensively. Desperate to steer the conversation away, he quickly added, “U-Uh, anyway! I know the pup’s name, but what about you?”

The half-elf suddenly looked away as if in deep thought. She turned back to Subaru and firmly answered. “I’m…Satella.”

Subaru tilted his head, repeating it slowly. “Hmm. Sate—”

“You shouldn’t lie like that, Lia,” Puck cut in flatly.

The half-elf whipped her head around, her cheeks coloring with rage. “What the fuck , Puck?! Why’d you blow my cover?!”

“Huh? ‘Lia’?” He asked in confusion. Didn’t she say her name was Satella?

Puck floated higher, unimpressed. “You’re always whining that you want friends. First guy who doesn’t look at you like you’re some half-devil or cultist, and you immediately lie to his face. Real smooth.”

“Shut up! Don’t tell me what to do!” she snapped, visibly flustered.

“I’ll stop when you stop acting like a feral bandit,” Puck fired back. “Seriously, try being a normal, civilized girl for once.”

“You’re not my dad!”

“I’m trying to be.”

She turned her head away in a cute pout, muttering unholy curses under her breath.

The ridiculous back-and-forth pulled a laugh out of Subaru. He couldn’t help it. “Hahaha! Sorry, sorry! It’s just…you two really do get along, huh?”

Her head snapped toward him, crimson eyes burning. “The hell we do!”

Puck snorted, covering his grin. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that.”

Finally, the half-elf threw up her hands. “Argh! Fine! It’s Emilia, okay?!” She jabbed a finger at Subaru like she was accusing him of a crime. “My name’s Emilia! There! Happy now?!”

Subaru stifled another laugh, grinning smugly. “…Quite.”

“Anyways, maybe I can help you find that thief girl.” He then suddenly offered, causing Emilia to raise a suspicious brow at him.

“Huh? Why?”

Subaru looked genuinely confused. “Huh? Why shouldn’t I?”

“What if you’ve got some kind of ulterior motive, huh?! What if you tried to rob me the moment our deal’s done?”

“Huh? Deal? Wha-?! No!” He sputtered in bewilderment. Was this world a cruel one where kindness was something alien to most people? Or was she just that paranoid?

“I just want to help! What’s wrong with that? Besides, I’m completely lost! So, I’d probably think it’s best to join someone who knows her way around this town.”

“Aha!” Emilia exclaimed triumphantly, pointing at him as though she’d uncovered a grand conspiracy. “So you did have an ulterior motive!”

Subaru was in absolute befuddlement. “That—That’s not—!” He let out a long, defeated sigh, dragging his massive hand down his face. “I-...whatever. Sure. You could call it that, even if it clearly isn’t.”

She then put her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest and huffed, having the audacity to look proud.

Subaru could only chuckle weakly at her antics, shoulders slumping. “…Y’know, you’re kinda crazy.”

“And you’re kinda suspicious, ” she fired back, nose in the air.

And so, Subaru Natsuki’s adventure in another world had officially begun, whether he liked it or not…! Along with his…vulgar, badass looking, but beautiful half-elf companion whom he more or less suspects of being a bit on the crazy side.