《Magical girl, I'm not sure about this.》


 CH1 From Lumber Jack to . . .

    In the vast forests of Canada, Alex Parker, a rugged lumberjack with a towering height of six feet, spent his days felling trees with his own two hands. His thick black beard, scruffy black hair, and intense brown eyes defined his appearance. As he drove his camouflage-painted jeep back to his remote, off-grid cabin, Alex''s keen eyes caught sight of an unusual sight on the side of the dirt road. Curious, he pulled over and got out to investigate what he initially thought might be roadkill, pink roadkill. Much to his surprise, it turned out to be a large pink bird with a distinctive curved beak and yellow eyes.


    "Is that a flamingo?" Alex inspected the feathery figure.


    The lumberjack took a closer look and saw that the bird was still breathing. He had a lot of questions. Was this considered roadkill? Why would there be a flamingo in Canada? Should he try to save it or look up how to cook it? Did it escape from a zoo? Should he call a ranger? Does flamingo taste like chicken? And what was the pink gem on its head?


    Alex was intrigued. He had never seen a bird so far from its natural habitat before. The last time he had seen one was in a book about exotic animals found in tropical vacation spots around the world. As he reached down to pick up the poor creature, he heard a strange sound coming from his pocket. His phone! It must be vibrating, but why wasn''t there a notification showing who it was? He took it out of his pocket and looked at it. For some reason, the screen was black with pink text.


    [New Quest: Save Fufi the Flamingo


    From: Luna <3


    Fufi has been hit by a truck. She needs help. Please save Fufi.


    Reward: Gratitude of the cutest goddess]


    Faced with a bizarre quest from his phone to rescue a flamingo named Fufi, Alex initially suspected a virus. Nevertheless, he prioritized the well-being of the bird, gently lifting Fufi and placing her safely in his jeep.


    "Don''t worry," Alex gently stroked the pink bird. "I''ll save you."


    The flamingo, surprisingly light for its size, lay limply across the passenger seat. Alex gently placed a towel around it from the back seat. He always kept a towel handy, and made a point of never being caught without one. He then called the closest vet on his cell phone and, after trying for over thirty minutes, made an emergency appointment. Most of the vets in the area specialized in large animals, as rural areas tended to have large populations of cattle, horses, and sheep. Alex tuned to a smooth jazz station on the radio. After a ten-minute drive, the jeep pulled into the vet''s parking lot. The burly man burst through the double doors, shocking the staff with the injured flamingo cradled in his arms. After filling out some forms, the pair were told to wait in the reception area.


    The female veterinarian wore a white lab coat with her hair back in a ponytail. She motioned for Alex to enter the examination room. "You know mister Parker we don''t get too many exotic pets down here what happened?" The doctor gestured to the examining table, where Alex deposited the bird. The doctor put her hand on Fufi''s body just under her wing. Fufi shuddered at her touch but didn¡¯t peck the lady.


    "I found her on the side of the road when I drove back from work." Alex said, lifting his head to meet the woman¡¯s gaze. "She might have broken a wing. I think she might have been hit by a truck and flung off into the ditch."


    She gave him a blank look. ¡°Hit by a truck? Is this a joke? A truck hitting a bird would turn it into a smear on the road, sending the bird off to isekai land.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alex stammered. ¡°Maybe she was flying and a vehicle clipped her wing.¡±


    "I''ll need to examine her further to make sure there isn''t anything else wrong." She reached up and held one wing away from her body while trying to find a pulse point. "Good girl! your avian friend will be fine once we patch her up." As she finished saying that she pushed slightly on the broken wing bone, which caused the flamingo to honk in pain.


    The doctor pointed at the Flamingo''s head. "There is some kind of pink gem lodged into her head. How did you come to possess a Pink Pearl of Purity?" She asked the pink avian creature, her voice playful.


    "Pink Pearl of Pure, what?" Alex asked, sounding confused.


    The doctor snickered, "I''m just kidding. This whole thing reminds me of an anime I watched when I was a little girl. There was a cat with a moon crest between the eyes. Who knows how it got there. Maybe you''ve discovered a new breed of gem Flamingo or some weirdo at the zoo decided to have fun with super glue."


    Alex awkwardly chuckled at the joke. "Uh, I didn¡¯t really think much about it, just that I needed to get help and not waste any time." Alex felt a little awkward at the doctor¡¯s weird mannerisms.


    The doctor agreed, "Since she''s not yours, I don''t need to see your license to own an exotic pet. The receptionist thought it was a prank call when you called."


    Alex scratched his head. "I thought it was a prank too. I got a text saying to save Fufi right after I pulled over." He pulled out his phone to show the doctor, but the text was gone. He checked three times, but it wasn''t in his messages. "I guess my phone must have glitched. Could have sworn I got a text with her name in it."


    ¡°Aw, you already gave her a name. You must really like her.¡± The lab-coat wearing woman teased.


    ¡°No no, she came with a name.¡± Alex defended weakly but without the text to prove it, he worried he might sound crazy so he didn¡¯t sound convinced himself.


    The doctor didn¡¯t look convinced either. Instead, she placed the bird on a table with an x-ray fixture hanging above it. She held the x-ray machine at a few angles to get some shots of the bird¡¯s bones.


    The doctor chuckled while she took x-rays, "Have you been watching too many Magical Girl Animes? Things like that don''t happen in real life." She grabbed a tablet from her desk and checked the data. "As far as I can tell there is no reason that a pink gem should be embedded into this flamingo''s head. However, I don''t think it is a good idea to try to remove it. It appears to be fused with the head and might cause more damage if I try to surgically remove it." To emphasize her point she flipped the tablet around and showed an x-ray to Alex. The veterinarian used a pen to point to the spot on the skull.


    "Well what can be done?" Alex asked frustrated at the doctor''s reply.


    The doctor smiled at Alex, "I''m assuming that you were not planning on making Fufi kabobs. It is illegal to hunt Flamingos, you know. Maybe get some fish and see if she''ll eat it. You could call some zoos and see if any of them are missing a Flamingo with a gem in its head. I don¡¯t think this is a normal wild flamingo, someone is missing her."


    After taping the broken wing in a resting position to split it, she handed the flamingo back to the bearded man.


    ¡°Thank you doctor. I¡¯ll look out for her and make some phone calls when we get home.¡± the black-haired burly lumberjack replied on his way out of the vet¡¯s office.


    Alex picked up Fufi, took her back to his jeep and drove home. After arriving at his cabin he started searching the internet for answers about his gem and his mysterious quest. It was mostly articles like his which talked about people who went on quests because they received texts or emails telling them where to go or something like that. Most of the results he found were in fact light novels, manga, or anime. Alex got frustrated but kept scrolling down the list.


    After much searching, Alex finally found an article that might provide some clues as to what he had gotten himself into.


    The article delved into the story of a compelling Japanese book series known as "Kuro Monogatari." It revolved around the journey of a young noble girl, Ciel, who faced the tragic loss of her family at a tender age. Fueled by a burning desire for vengeance, she resolved to become a formidable vampire hunter. In a fateful battle, Ciel encountered a powerful vampire whose sword struck her, awakening a hidden gem embedded in her skull. This transformative event bestowed upon her extraordinary powers beyond those of mere mortals. Throughout her arduous journey, Ciel embarks on numerous adventures, unraveling mysteries and secrets that shape her long and extraordinary life.


    With a heavy sigh, Alex realized the time he spent reading trashy web fiction had been a complete waste.


    Alex turned away from the desktop computer. "Fufi, trying to find information about you on the internet is just going to lead to fantastical stories." He then went to the chest freezer in the garage and took out some frozen northern pikeminnow that he had caught on a fishing trip with his buddies a while ago. He placed the vacuum-sealed frozen fish in the sink and filled it with lukewarm water. "Well, I guess we''ll find out if flamingos eat raw fish once this thaws."


    Alex sat in his worn leather recliner and regarded the pink flamingo.


    The bird, wrapped in a blanket, lifted its head and stared at him.


    "I suppose you can''t tell me where you came from?" Alex asked the bird.


    Fufi honked like a goose in response.


    In the following 30 minutes, Alex dedicated his time to contacting the few zoos in the province through phone calls. The majority of these zoos did not have flamingos in their possession. To the Canadian zoos, the question of why they would need a tropical bird was a valid one. There were even individuals who perceived Alex''s calls as pranks and promptly hung up on him.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Rude," Alex said with a chuckle and put his phone in his pocket. He took the thawed fish out of the vacuum-sealed bag and put it in a bowl to feed to Fufi.


    On her long legs, Fufi the flamingo stood. She tried to flap her wings, but only one obeyed properly. Her head dipped into the bowl of fish. She tilted her head toward Alex, appearing to await his guidance on her dinner. Again, Alex found himself fighting laughter. The pink gem in her skull appeared to glow with an inner light. Alex thought it was just his imagination.


    The following morning, Alex ventured outside and made his way to the riverbed bordering the southern edge of his property. A stream meandered through the low-lying ground, creating a small pond in a secluded spot. As he approached the water, he noticed a pair of diving ducks gracefully floating on the surface. Suddenly, they vanished beneath the waves, leaving Alex intrigued. Unlike ordinary ducks, diving ducks possessed the peculiar ability to disappear underwater, in search of sustenance.


    Alex went down to the ducks, who were enjoying a rare sunny day in the snow. The ducks probably wouldn''t understand him, but he tried anyway. "Hey ducks, how''s fishing today? I know a flamingo who might like seafood too. Maybe you could be friends."


    The ducks continued to bob on the water, ignoring him.


    "Okay...well, keep doing your thing." Alex knew that flamingos mostly ate crustaceans, which is why their feathers were pink. He could catch some crayfish in the freshwater, but things like krill and shrimp were saltwater creatures. The closest ocean was hundreds of miles to the north, so that wasn''t an option. Did they even have krill in the arctic ocean?


    Alex returned home and finished his chores in the cabin. He prepared for his job in the forest the next day, knowing he would have to clean up bird poop when he returned. He hoped Fufi, his new housemate, would not destroy anything while he was gone. She watched him leave with her usual curious look, following him out the door. He stopped and blocked her way. "You stay here and recover for the day. I''ll be back after work." The not-so-little bird stared at him intently with her bright red eyes, clearly wanting to come with him. "Alright, alright, fine. But you''ll only be able to sit in the jeep all day. It will be boring," he joked. After locking the deadbolt, the pair headed out.


    Alex opened the door for the pink bird, who hopped into his jeep. He held her injured wing away from the front of the vehicle so it wouldn''t hit anything. Alex buckled his seat belt and they set off for the logging camp.


    "I normally would say you need to buckle up before we go anywhere, but I don''t think seat belts work right for someone of your build," Alex said, not caring if she understood him.


    Fufi made a bird-like noise in response. Maybe she understood?


    After an hour¡¯s drive, the pair pulled up to the logging site. Alex promptly unloaded his supplies and set to work cutting wood and doing other tasks that a lumberjack would do when harvesting from the forest.


    Fufi started out by hiding in the jeep, but she didn''t stay there long. It was easy for her to get out through an open window. After escaping, she wandered outside towards a pile of 50-foot-long logs stacked beside a makeshift loading dock.


    Seeing that the long-legged bird had left the jeep, Alex called out to warn people about her presence, but none of the other tough-as-nails workers cared much. Oh well, she couldn¡¯t fly away and if she wanted to head off into the forest, maybe she was a wild anime afterall.


    "Hey, bird, watch out for truck traffic!" one man shouted at the flamingo strutting around


    She gave him a loud honk as if she were rebuking him, then stomped off acting like a scolded child.


    Alex told a group of workers the flamingo story. He had called a few zoos but hadn''t found one that was missing a flamingo. The workers were amused by the pink bird, and Alex predicted that it would be the subject of much gossip in the small community.


    Fufi ran up interrupting the story. Alex said he thought she was supposed to be taking it easy in the jeep, and that he had thought flamingos had simple bird brains.


    The pink bird stared at him intently, looking annoyed.


    If her intent was to stop Alex from talking about her like she couldn¡¯t understand then she¡¯d succeeded.


    Alex eventually stopped for lunch. Fufi hopped over to him and stared at him expectantly. Alex offered her a sandwich, she just eyed it curiously. He told her to try it, and she nibbled on the corner without taking a real bite.


    With some coaxing, Fufi ate some beak-fulls of sandwich.


    Alex and the flamingo shared a meal. It was an unusual dining experience. The work day finished and they headed back to Alex¡¯s property. They took it easy until the sun went down and headed to bed, calling it a day.


    The next day at work. Fufi followed Alex like a duckling. The workers resumed cutting wood, the rugged Canadians were not at all fazed by the pink bird wandering about. Alex''s workday continued with Fufi following him around like he was the mother duck and she the duckling. It was strange, but none of his coworkers teased him too much about it. They probably assumed he was playing a prank with a pet. Some people brought their dogs to work, but if they were not well-trained, it could be a problem due to all the heavy logging equipment in use.


    Alex returned home that evening with Fufi riding shotgun. The flamingo found some new perches on top of the shelves in his cabin and spent the afternoon preening her feathers in front of a mirror.


    The pink bird was so close that he could smell the strong scent of fish emanating from her feathers. He reached out and gently patted her head with one hand while stroking its neck with the other, saying, "You really need a bath."


    He undid the tape holding her wing in place for the past couple of days and much to his surprise, she was able to fully extend her wing. Either Fufi healed really fast or the doctor overestimated the severity of the break.


    As Alex''s hand lightly touched the pink jewel adorning Fufi''s head, a strange event unfolded. The gemstone emitted a vibrant pink glow, and simultaneously, his mobile phone started to ring. A nauseatingly sweet melody played, a high-pitched female voice singing in a language he presumed to be Japanese. Perplexed, Alex retrieved his phone from his pocket, observing pink text scrolling across the screen.


    >Fufi has found you to be a maiden pure of heart and would like to form a contract with you. Do you agree to enter into this contract?


    Yes / No


    Alex was perplexed as to whether Fufi could read minds. The flamingo gave him a quizzical look and stood next to him, waiting for him to finish looking at his phone while occasionally glancing down. Her forehead gem glowed with pink light. After staring at the strange text for a few minutes, Alex thought, "I''m not a maiden, but I guess I can press the ''yes'' button and see what happens. Maybe it''s some kind of mobile game invite. Fufi''s gem could be an RFID chip or something." He quickly tapped the ¡®Yes¡¯ button, but didn''t expect anything to happen. Maybe there was something wrong with his phone. The idea that a pink flamingo could communicate with him was just too crazy to consider.


    Alex looked back at Fufi, her wings spread wide, and then she squawked in a cute tone and spoke in clear English: "You have been chosen by my fair lady!" The flamingo then took flight, circling once before landing on one of his bedposts. Then, almost like a human woman dressing herself up, she walked over to one of his windows and turned around three times.


    Was this some kind of bird dance? Alex struggled to process Fufi''s strange behavior. "No, don''t think about fantastical things," he told himself. "Let''s just stick with the original plan and get cleaned off. I can clean Fufi off with a wet towel after taking a shower.¡±


    Alex went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. As he was removing his clothes, he thought about what had just happened. He couldn''t believe that Fufi had spoken to him in English. He wondered if she was just playing around or if there was something more to it.


    After getting into the shower, he did a double take. He grabbed his phone and tried to find the pop-up that was there before. "Fufi can¡¯t talk, she¡¯s not a parrot, I must be too tired."


    As soon as the words left his mouth Fufi started squawking again, speaking in a high pitched girl''s voice, "Yes, you heard me correctly."


    Alex stood, in the shower, the warm water flowing over his naked body, cell phone in hand as if it might try something when he wasn¡¯t looking.


    "Puri Puri Portal!" The bird flew into the shower with him. Pink hearts and iridescent bubbles trailed around her.


    The flamingo wrapped both of her wings around him tightly. Her wings felt like feathery ropes all pressed against him to create an extremely tight hug.


    In a sudden, harmonious chiming reminiscent of glass bells, they were transported to an unfamiliar location. The night sky cast its dark cloak upon the surroundings, and a stunning woman stood regally before a throne draped in vibrant pink and red ribbons. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes darted around, taking in his new environment. Standing beside Fufi, he felt the cold night air on his bare skin, his cell phone clutched tightly in his hand.


    The Flamingo dipped her head and held out her wings as if bowing in supplication to the deification of cuteness before him.


    Within the room''s walls, sickly-sweet decorations prevailed. Several glass cases adorned the space, each showcasing dolls adorned in frilly dresses. Small, adorable plushies occupied alcoves on the wall, while oversized plushies gathered around a table in the corner, engrossed in an elaborate tea party.


    But what truly captivated the eye were the minuscule fairies that flitted about, twirling wands in their tiny hands. Their delicate butterfly wings fluttered as they engaged in a playful game of tag along the ceiling, their high-pitched giggles echoing amidst the chandeliers.


    By the window, a large sunflower stood tall in a vase. However, unlike ordinary sunflowers, this one bore a striking resemblance to a beaming yellow and black emoji. It swayed gently, as if dancing to an inaudible rhythm, its petals swaying in harmony.


    "Welcome to my humble abode," the otherworldly beauty greeted the man and bird. "I am Luna."


    The goddess stepped off of her throne and walked towards Alex, taking his hand into hers.


    "With your astute decision, Alexander, I shall bestow upon you the gift of my power."


    Fufi nodded her head enthusiastically. Her wings gently caressed his body while she giggled in that high pitched girl''s voice.


    "You are the individual that Fufi has selected. I would like to formalize your contract at the earliest convenience in order to progress to the subsequent phase." While she communicated, she ran her fingers through his hair, which felt comforting against the skin. Fufi also maintained her wing around him for support as he endeavored to preserve his equilibrium.


    Still naked and wet, Alex felt a little overwhelmed. Contract? Official? Next step? What was this all about? He smiled at Luna who seemed to enjoy watching him smile at her in return.


    She returned to sit upon her throne."Let us commence with the ceremonial proceedings."


    As if by magic the pair were standing in another place entirely.


    This new room looked like a monarch¡¯s receiving room. There were several other figures sitting on chairs facing each other. Glass display cases on the side held stuffed animals, dolls and jewelry. A couple small plushies carried scrolls and books back and forth.


    Luna spoke loudly, addressing everyone present, "The commencement of the bonding ritual shall now take place!"

 CH2 Bonding Ritual

    Alex could only blink in surprise. Shower water dripped off him. He didn''t have any clothes on. Being in possibly the most girly place in existence didn''t do much for his confidence as a man. He was glad to find that Fufi seemed to be able to handle this situation without issue. He considered using the flamingo to cover his parts, but knowing that she was sentient made that seem like an even worse idea than just standing in the buff.


    The flamingo walked over and sat down beside him on the floor and waited patiently for Luna to speak.


    Luna spoke in an official sounding tone, "Please state your name for the record." She held a pink feathered quill and an iridescent crystal clipboard.


    Alex croaked out, "My name is Alex Parker but . . . " he stopped, feeling a sudden pressure ,he glanced down at Fufi who had her wings spread out on the floor in front of him. He thought, ¡®Is this part of the ceremony? Am I supposed to be bowing or something? Oh no! I don''t know how to act in front of royalty let alone divinity!¡¯


    Fufi gave him a little push with her beak which was enough to break through his internal monologue so that he was able to answer properly.


    "Alex Parker. My name is Alex Parker." The lumberjack croaked out.


    Luna¡¯s tone sounded ponderous, "I have been given information that your previous life was spent mostly in the wilderness. Maybe some kind of nature magic would be a good theme for your new magical girl persona."


    Alex blinked in surprise , "I''m sorry I don''t know what that means but I promise I''m not a magic girl. I''m just a guy who works at a logging company."


    Luna looked over at Alex with a confused expression, "Oh, I see. Well we can fix that. Don¡¯t worry. What kind of cute things do you like? Roses? Bunnies? Hummingbirds? Frilly skirts? Hair ribbons?"


    Alex wasn''t sure how any of this was relevant or what he should be saying.


    Fufi nudged him with her head again.


    Alex jumped and blurted out, "I..I um... am not sure about this. Could I at least get something to wear? Attending a ceremony naked in front of a beautiful woman¡­er¡­goddess¡­ is a bit awkward."


    Luna smirks, "Creating cute clothing is easy for me as I am the goddess of cute, all things cute are within my domain." She then waved her hand and a pair of pink panties with a cutesy bear head on the back appeared from thin air and floated down into his hands. Next she waved with her other hand a pink skirt with hearts sewn into the trim appeared and floated down on his shoulder. Lastly, a pink and white low cut blouse appeared and landed on the top of his head.


    Alex could only open and close his mouth attempting to comment on her choice of clothing for him to wear but failing miserably.


    Fufi just nodded her head up and down encouragingly at him. Her wing''s glowed softly in response and she seemed satisfied with the results.


    The man still wasn''t exactly sure what was going on, the strange bird seemed to have confidence in him. It was just too bad that confidence was related to wearing girly clothing.


    Luna regarded Alex, "I think you will find this outfit to be more than suitable for your needs." The goddess of cuteness continued "Please put it on and stand before me for our ceremony of bonding."


    Finally clearing the cobwebs in his mind enough to form a coherent response. "Your godliness, thank you for the . . .um. . . gifts. They are very beautiful. However, I am a man who prefers to wear practical men''s wear."


    Luna looks disappointed, "Only cute things are in my domain. Any gifts from me must be cute to some extent. You can grow into that later, perhaps something fitting for just finishing a bath." Luna magically conjures a pink fleece bathrobe and matching pink pants. The outfit looked like something a girl would wear after getting out of the shower or staying home and watching netflix all day.


    Alex takes a deep breath and mentally tells himself. "It is not pink, it is salmon. There is nothing girly about wearing the color salmon, right?" Internally chanting the mantra ¡®salmon¡¯, the lumberjack dons robe and pants. The fleece felt warm and comfortable against his skin.


    The goddess of cuteness said, "Fufi you found quite a tsundere. . . I guess it does have that certain appeal."


    Alex felt relieved to find he hadn''t been left naked or made to dance around like a little girl wearing nothing but a bow on his head.


    Luna smirked and clapped once. "Now let us begin the ceremony!"


    Fufi¡¯s sang out in a soprano , "Alex Parker, you have been chosen!"


    Luna waved her hand and a huge bouquet of pink flowers appeared beside her throne. She then reaches over to take a single flower in her hand, tucks it into his robe collar, and speaks, "Do you wish to accept this flower as a gift for your familiar?"


    Alex blinks his eyes once and answers, "Um. . . I don''t understand. Why are you asking me? I don''t have any familiarity."


    Luna calmly repeated, "You have been chosen by Fufi. Fufi has been chosen by you." She points at the cell phone in Alex¡¯s hand.


    He glanced at the screen with the yes/no option and the option ¡®yes¡¯ flashed repeatedly.


    Alex gulped, "I didn¡¯t even know she could talk until today."


    Luna continued unphased, "This flower is given as a sign of love by Fufi. You and Fufi''s love for one another shall be your bond and your power."


    Alex nods, "Um¡­ thank you but¡­" He was trying to be polite but he really didn''t understand what he was getting into at all.


    "Good! Now stand here where I can see you both," Luna points to a spot on the floor in front of her throne. "Are you ready?"


    After being cut off Alex could only respond with, "Um. . . yes?"


    "Very well!" Luna spoke with finality and gestured with her hand for the pair to begin their bonding ceremony. "Alex Parker and Fufi the Flamingo are now one!"


    Alex felt something warm run down his cheek. A single tear fell.


    Fufi sang in her sweet little girl''s voice. She glows a bright white and sings, "Alex Parker is my mistress and Lady!"


    He had enough time to think ¡®didn¡¯t you get the gender wrong there Fufi¡¯ when a strange thing happened.


    A warm feeling flows through him. He realized he is now bonded with Fufi. The lumberjack smiled at Luna. A soft glowing light envelops them both for a moment before fading away. The room lights up in rainbow colors.


    A burst of energy flows through the room causing the stuffed animals and dolls to cheer. They joyfully throw glitter on the pair. Fufi took Alex''s hand, and basked in celebration around them.


    Luna stood up from her throne, "Thank you all for being here for this ceremony and congratulations on your new bond!"


    Luna took the pair out through some ornate double doors where a carriage decorated in hearts, stars, and bubbles sits waiting for them. Two white Pegasus in front with harnesses pull it. The back window of the carriage says ''Just Bonded'' on it.


    Fufi and Luna sat on either side of him on the bench seat. When they get settled the carriage took off down the street. The Pegasus picked up enough speed to fly into the air. The city faded into the background, replaced by meadows, farmlands and flamingos working the fields.


    Fufi nuzzles Alex¡¯s chest and speaks softly, "I am so proud of you Alex! You are now one with me." Fufi nuzzles her beak on Alex''s cheek causing him to blush bright red from embarrassment. They pass by farm after farm of flamingos.


    Alex blinked in disbelief at this sight. ¡®Why are flamingos farming?¡¯ he wondered to himself.


    The winged horses lifted off the ground and started flying through the air. The Pegasus pulled the carriage higher up into the sky and away from the farmland below.


    Alex''s jaw dropped.


    Luna said, "Now before we send you two down to the mortal realm to defeat the demon queen there is one last matter."


    Alex couldn''t compose himself, "Um What?" he said, sounding dazed.


    Luna smiled and said, "You are both newly bonded and have not had time to adjust to this new status. However, Alex, you need to be a cute girl to fully realize this power. So you need to be transformed."


    Alex was so confused that he could barely think straight, "Transformed into what?"


    "Into a cute girl! You need to have some more clothes made for yourself as well. A magical girl needs to look the part."


    Alex gulped at this sudden revelation.


    Fufi spoke up saying, "Oh yes! When I saw you in the woods Alex it reminded me of a magical girl named Emerald Dryad. She could sing and a whole field would blossom into flowers. Would you like to be like her Alex?"


    Alex wasn''t sure how making flowers bloom could even be used to fight the demon queen. However, he was a man. He worked hard to get his muscled bulk. He was proud of his thick black beard. His calloused hands showed that he worked hard for a living. He wasn''t going to give it up without a fight! He thought for a moment, and said, "Fufi I''m not giving up being me. You can''t just tell someone to be a different person."


    Luna looks at him for a moment before she says, "I don''t think that is a good idea. You see, the demon queen used to be a magical girl as well. Some unpleasant things happened and now she is the succubus matron for her demonic empire. She can charm any man you see. She can charm some women too that are susceptible."


    "What can I do? There has to be another way" Alex asked in desperation.


    Luna responds, "If you are not willing to give up being a man I can not help you. If you will allow me to transform you then I can help you. I think given enough time you¡¯ll see who you really are."


    Alex considers his options, "Even if men are at a disadvantage don¡¯t count us out." He then looked over at Fufi, "What do you think?"


    Fufi puffed her feathers up and said, "You are my master and my friend and I would never ask you to be anything less. We are bonded now and as long as you serve love and justice I will help you in any way I can."


    Alex looked out the window. All he could see were clouds. "I want to try. If the demons are like trees I¡¯ll try an ax first. If that doesn¡¯t work I¡¯ll try a saw. If that doesn¡¯t work then I¡¯ll try a chainsaw."


    Luna''s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Looking at Alex she said, "This is going to be fun! You can¡¯t leave empty handed on your big day." The goddess waved her hand and the carriage flew higher into the sky. Looking back towards Alex she asked, "Which first? How about some jewelry?"


    Alex looked puzzled, "Jewelry? I don''t see how that could help."


    Luna smiled, "My domain is cuteness. Anything cute enough can channel my blessings. A magical girl¡¯s strength is tied to her cuteness. Oh look outside you¡¯ll like this part."


    She pointed out of the carriage window. They rose high enough that they could see the curvature of the planet. Maybe a planet wasn¡¯t the right word. By the looks of things it seemed like they were on a small moon and the mortal realm where they were headed is the main planet. They soared about a mile above it with large pieces of land and other bodies around them as well.


    Luna pointed out a nearby moon which had a ring around it. As Alex squinted, he examined the moon they just left. One ring was yellowish brown and the other was a pinkish white color with what looked like diamonds and sapphires in them. The rings looked almost like a necklace on the moon but Alex couldn¡¯t tell if it was just an ornament or if it had some sort of special function.


    "Even moons look cuter with jewelry." Luna said.


    "Okay, I get it now." Alex nodded his head in agreement.


    Luna smiled and said, "You must choose your favorite gemstones."


    Alex thought for a moment and said, "I don''t know anything about gems or stones. I''ve never seen a diamond before except on pictures from the internet."


    "Not a very decisive one are you? Though diamonds are a girl¡¯s best friend." Luna chanted some arcane words and a pair of diamond studded earrings appeared in her palm. They were clear and sparkled brilliantly.


    Alex gulped and said, "Those are certainly quite noticeable. I don''t know if I can use them without pierced ears though."


    Luna pointed at the earrings and they glowed faintly. The sparkling diamonds pulsed with light in a slow steady rhythm until they transformed into two heart shapes in her hand. "Piercing ears is quick and easy. Fufi, will you help me out?"


    Fufi nodded her head and said, "Of course, my goddess!"


    Fufi gently nudged Alex''s head back with her beak and then brought her beak to his ear where she carefully used the sharp tip to make a tiny hole. Alex expected a bloody mess from the large beaked bird but she was surprisingly gentle. It only hurt like a pinprick.


    Luna inserted the earring into the hole and secured it with the attachment bit on the other side of the ear. Alex stood very still, afraid to move at all.


    Luna spoke again, "These are cute, they should help you get started."


    Alex could feel a gentle tingling sensation in his ears where he could hear a faint ringing in his ears like wearing a set of earphones. He looked at Luna and asked, "I¡¯m not sure what to do with these. How does earrings help?"


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    "Magic comes from your inner power. However, if you channel it through a cute object it will amplify the effect." Luna''s eyes lit up, "It makes for much more powerful spells." Luna pointed out at the ring around the moon and it began to grow larger. As it got larger more and more details can be seen until finally they are looking at a massive ring of shiny metal with an iridescent gleam to it as well as tiny sparkling flecks of pink, blue, and white that look like diamonds and rubies.


    Luna explained, "See the moon ring? It is cute isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m using it to make this trip possible. We can even travel through space with the power of cuteness."


    Alex looked out the window. The carriage headed toward the large planet in the distance. The moon with the sparkling ring shrunk. The planet appeared to grow. He found himself becoming concerned because the carriage didn''t seem air tight. They flew many miles up. Would the vacuum of space be a problem for them?


    Luna just smiled with her eyes full of mischief.


    Luna stated matter-of-factly, "Don''t worry. The power of cuteness and love will keep you safe."


    What did that even mean? Alex merely nodded his head. Fear seeped in. Just what did he get himself into? He weakly spoke, "Thanks, I was not considering one of my tasks for today to be interstellar travel. We don''t even have a spaceship." Alex paused and reconsidered. ¡°I guess this carriage could count as a spaceship? It doesn¡¯t have thrusters or rockets¡­how can wings work with no air? Um, nevermind thinking about it too much will give me a headache.¡±


    Luna beamed, "Don''t worry this will work. I''ve taken lots of magical girls to the starter villages back before the demon queen razed them." She waved her hand again and the carriage sped up sharply.


    The two Pegasus broke into a gallop running on nothing and flapping their wings wildly. The carriage moved so fast they were pushed back into their seats. The big planet took up more of the view.


    Alex asked, "Wait you said the demon queen razed the villages? What does that mean for Fufi and I?"


    Luna shook her head and said, "Well you shouldn''t go to one of the higher leveled areas yet. Considering you are a woodsman though you should be able to manage in a ruin of a hamlet until you get your bearings. Just think of it like camping. Baby steps right?"


    Alex nodded, uncertainly.


    The carriage approached the planet with increasing speed.


    Looking out the window, Alex noticed solid land and even a few islands off in the distance. The land itself has a sort of amber color and looks like it is made of some type of rock. Trees, rocky wastes, and grasslands came into view below. An ocean covered the area to the south.


    "The land is called ''Terre'' by the people. This world used to be filled with life." Luna points at the planet they are heading for, "We''re heading for a starting settlement of Terre. There should still be some other stuff. Just because the demon queen burned everything down doesn''t mean the land is completely dead. If you want to pray and ask for my help I can still transform you later. Just call and ask. You¡¯ll be so cute. I promise."


    The carriage flew ever closer to the planet, passing through clouds. A floating island can be seen in the distance with trees, grass and flowers growing on it. It looked like they could land on it but as they passed by it it disappeared from sight.


    There are floating islands on this planet too? Neat. Alex wondered what else he could see from up here.


    ¡°Maybe I can find or make an Ax or something.¡± Alex murmured.


    Luna interrupted his musings,"If you wanted to be a magical girl that was a warrior type that could be arranged as well. There once was a magical girl named La Pucelle. She has a dragon''s tale and black horns. She wore heeled armored boots and armored bracers. La Pucelle wielded a really big sword. She was trapped in this terrible game where many magical girls had to put their lives on the line made by a corrupt senior magical girl. However she protected her friend even though she was full of thorns."


    "That sounds like a pretty bad deal." Alex looked at Luna in disbelief.


    Luna smiled and shook her head, "I was just reading about it from the library. My library contains everything about magical girls. I''m very proud of it. The books even write themselves!"


    "That library must be really big." Alex boggled at the concept.


    "The ruined village lies below us. It had a name but it wasn¡¯t a cute one so it doesn¡¯t matter. You and Fufi will be dropped off there." Luna pointed out a ruin in the approaching ground. Tiny specks of color dotted the landscape below them. As they slowed down enough to land, specks of color became houses and they saw a large open area with crumbled stone walls surrounding it. At least they looked like buildings from afar. The town only had stone buildings because anything made from wood probably long vanished from this ruin of a town.


    Luna stated, "Here this is the starting point for your quest." The carriage landed with a thump, stopping next to the main fountain in the center of town. The fountain looked more like a crumpled pile of stones.


    Alex and Fufi hopped out followed by Luna. Fufi used her beak to get the door for Luna.


    Luna gracefully stepped out of the carriage, "Unless you want to change your mind about the transformation there is one last thing we need to do. We have to initialize the system. This world is different from yours. People and monsters have levels stats like in those RPGs from your world. People can level up their stats and skills by practice or other means. Are you ready?"


    Alex nodded, "As ready as I''ll ever be."


    Luna bent forward and touched Alex''s nose. She cutely said, "Boop"


    A second later a buzzing noise came from the pocket of his girly robe. Pulling out his cell phone, he noticed a pinkish glow on the screen. Everything else seemed to be the same. At least he had one thing from his old world.


    Luna put her hand over his, "You can call me anytime you like. Just don''t expect me to answer it though. Well, unless you have ideas about what kind of magical girl you''d like to be transformed into." Luna smiled sweetly.


    Alex laughed nervously, "Well, I think I''m going to go with my original plan and just be a woodcutter until I can get a handle on this new system." The cell phone had a new icon that wasn''t there before. It says ''Character Sheet.'' Clicking the sheet brings up a screen with his data on it.


    Name: Alex Parker


    Class: Magical Girl


    Level 1


    Sex: Male


    Strength: 15


    Constitution: 15


    Dexterity: 12


    Intelligence: 7


    Cuteness: 1 (naturally 0, +1 from equipped items)


    There was also a quests tab on the app. He had one quest assigned to him.


    [Defeat the Demon Queen] Difficulty S


    The demon queen is bent on a world conquest. She will not stop until she as obtained everyone in the world''s love willingly or not.


    He also had three milestone to achieve:


    -1st level- defeat 5 monsters


    -2nd level- defeat 50 monsters


    -3rd level- defeat 100 monsters


    "So I need to level up by killing monsters?" Alex said while looking at the phone screen.


    "That''s one way." Luna let out an enchanting giggle, "You don''t actually have to kill to defeat someone. Take the demon queen for example. None of her enemies died, well at least by her own hand. They just fell for her completely." Luna shook her head sadly, "She is so charming and lovely and everything a man could wish for." She winked, "You better avoid her and her succubi for now. You have no defense against their charm. Try to fix that okay?"


    Alex nodded but his mind was thinking about what he will need to do in order to get some levels up. With a class like ''Magical Girl'' something told him acting like a murder hobo wouldn''t advance his class much. Looking at Luna he asked, "How do I get my cuteness stat higher?"


    Luna gave a cute grin, "There are lots of ways but for now ask Fufi questions like that. She will be your guide for now on. Hmm, let me check something." Luna closed her eyes, "Yes this town does have a rift stone. It looks like when the kingdom fell to ruin they stopped recharging it though. I charged it for you just now. It will generate a dungeon that is appropriate for you. Take some time to get settled here first and when you are ready for a challenge it is in the ruins of the adventurer''s guild."


    "Wow. Thanks for all your help." Alex bowed to the goddess.


    Fufi bowed as well.


    Luna nodded appreciatively. "Now go get settled and make sure you get some good rest tonight. Your quest is very difficult so don¡¯t rush."


    "We will. Fufi and I should be able to restore one of these ruined buildings and we can use that as our new home." The lumberjack considered how to start.


    Luna boarded the carriage. The winged horses headed off into the sky after building up enough speed to take off.


    Now that things have quieted down some Alex took some time to think about recent events. He and his flamingo companion have been through quite a few things but he is still curious how this new system works in practice. The weird space part of the adventure was over but now he had to start thinking about what he was going to do next.


    Alex walked through the town and saw several of the buildings that were still mostly intact. It doesn''t look like the town was destroyed or burned. It just looks rotten and abandoned, like all the life and energy left the town.


    To rebuild a new place would be nice but Alex is not sure where to start. Alex noticed an entrance to an old ruined building. Inside the doorway collapsed rubble blocks the way.


    Clearing a path, Alex saw a bunch of old metal crates stacked upon one another with several stone tables that are covered in dust and cobwebs in between them. There were several candles in sconces in the room. An old dusty hearth in the corner of the building that sat with a pile of ash in it. Walking over to the pit, he sighed. "Please don''t tell me this is a world where they haven''t invented the chimney yet."


    Alex said, "This town seems to have a lot of stone buildings so I''m guessing I could try rebuilding one of them? If I can get some wood and some tools I could make a roof and a door. That would give us shelter. Water and food would be a priority. I wonder if I can get the town fountain working again." Alex looks around and says, "I''m not sure I have enough tools or materials to do anything though." Alex walks over to a stack of crates and says, "Hmm, looks like there are some metal tools in here." Alex took out a rusty screwdriver, axe head, and hammer. There was also a pile of rusty nails in one of the crates. It was not ideal but he could use them if he had to. Alex walks outside to see if there are any other crates nearby. He finds a crate that looks like it was dropped off by a passing merchant years ago and inspects it. Inside he finds two large glass bottles filled with fetid water. The smell is so bad that even Alex can tell the water is no good for drinking. There is also some bread in a small wooden box that has mold on it. There was also a rusted iron nail sticking out of it so Alex could use it if he needed to.


    Alex returns to the building with the crates and drops them to the ground then places the tools on top of one of them. He looks around and decides that the crates and tables would make for good makeshift beds so he places one of the crates next to another table that was standing. He didn''t have any bedding or footwear for that matter. He did have the girly clothes that Luna gifted him so he could use that as bedding of a sort.


    Alex looked to Fufi and asked, "Can you fly around and see if there is anything we can use for food and water in the surrounding area? I want to look around a bit and see if there is anything else we can scavenge."


    Fufi said, "Ok" and flew off into the distance.


    Alex steps out of the doorless doorway. After exploring around the town, he eventually came across what used to be a guard tower. It was basically a square platform with an observation deck on top with stairs leading up to it. Alex climbed up and looked around. The surrounding terrain was mostly rocky with some gnarled trees growing here and there. Alex wondered if there were any creatures in the area but the lack of footprints or other signs of life told him that no one was here but him. There were several rusted barrels around and Alex wonders if they were once filled with something to drink. There were also several rusted shovel heads scattered around.


    Alex walked back down from the tower and continued his walk around the town. As he approached a ruined fence with headstones Alex said, "This place looks like a graveyard." A few of the ones that are still legible.


    Here lies a dead adventurer who went out bravely into battle.


    And lost their life for their village and family.


    May they rest in peace forever.


    A loving son and husband.


    Alex read another gravestone. The headstone is carved from marble and has a carving of a cat on it with an arrow through its head. The picture of the cat has a smiley face over it. Alex looked at it and said, "Okay that''s just weird."


    The next legible gravestone:


    A good man who never forgot his family.


    Alex looked up at the sky, "I feel like I should be doing something but what?"


    Another crumbled gravestone:


    A noble soul who gave her life for her village.


    Alex considered how many people died in this town from the demon queen''s invasion. He stopped and said aloud, "Didn''t Luna say the demon queen didn''t kill her victims? I wonder what happened to the people she defeated in the war. It''s just so sad." Alex continued walking around until he arrived at a ruined gate near the center of town. Inside the gate house there is nothing other than a single dusty rug that has been sitting in front of the doorway.


    "This rug might be useful for something if I can clean it up. I''m surprised it hasn''t just disintegrated like so many things left behind in this town." He picked up the rug and took it back to the house with the crates he found earlier. Dropping the rug down in front of the door he sits on one of the crates. He''ll have to clean it but that can wait for later. While there is still sun he would continue to scavenge.


    "I know I said I would try to build something but I don''t think I could do that now." Alex ponders his options for a moment then says, "Maybe I can gather some wood with that rusted ax head if I can get a branch or something to attach to it." Alex walks over to an area where there are some old trees growing around and finds a branch he can break off and attach the ax head to it. He takes a loose brick and slowly scrapes some of the rust off and grinds down the edge enough for it to be usable to cut down a tree.


    Alex placed the ax head on the end of the branch then tied it to his pink robe belt. He located a small tree and after some time chopped it down. After that he dragged the whole thing back. Using smaller branches, he built a little teepee of sticks in the hearth. Once that was done Alex walked back towards the center of town where there was an open area. Alex kept searching and found some rusted hinges from the decayed remains of a door. With the nails and hinges he could build a very basic door. He placed the hinges on one side of the door frame then laid some of the bricks in front of it and tried to force them into place with the hammer and nails. After some time and several failed attempts Alex said to no one, "Why does all the metal have to be one hammer blow from breaking apart?" Alex stood back and inspected the door frame, "This could work." He hammered more, "It better work this time." After sacrificing many nails and several hinges he was able to create a poor excuse for a door in the stone frame for the building. It''s not going to keep out much of anything but at least it keeps out the wind and rain.


    Alex sighed with relief then looked at the tree cut down. A large rusty metal plate sat nearby. He dragged the logs over to the stone ruin of the building and the rest of the tree he cut down to create a makeshift roof. He used a few nails from the pile of rusty nails to secure the metal plate to the logs that he is using as cross beams for the roof. He then takes bricks from a nearby house to create a chimney on the roof so smoke will be able to escape out of the top of the building. Well, smoke assumed that he¡¯d be able to start a fire. He wasn¡¯t sure about that.


    Once that was done he walked back over to his makeshift door and tested it a few times. The creaking noise grated at his nerves. It was doubtful that the town had any oil or lubricant he could use to fix up the hinges even a little bit. He just needed something to work with right now and was glad that at least his door is secured to the door frame. Even if the door fell off the hinges he put some brackets to bar the door from the inside so it should still hold. In the worst case scenario where the door didn''t have anything that could be used for replacement hinges he could always just take it out of the doorway and set it up against a wall. It would be a pain but something is better than nothing.


    "I think this is about as good as I can do for now." Alex spent some more time creating a pile of firewood that he set outside the hovel.


    When the sun was hanging low in the sky Fufi came flying back. She had a fish in her mouth and several odd fruits in her claws. She landed in front of Alex and dropped the food on the ground.


    Alex asked, "What did you get?"


    "A fish, a fruit, and some berries." She added in her girly voice, "There is a stream to the north. I will fly out again and try to find more food." Fufi flew off into the distance but soon came flying back with another fish in her mouth. She also has two more fruits and a bunch of berries in her claws.


    Alex gathered up the food and set it on the table. He didn''t have anything to create fire with so when Fufi brought back fish he was both surprised and discouraged. "Fufi, You are really quick about finding food. I can¡¯t keep up." Alex said forlornly, "I wasn''t able to find anything to start a fire with easily. So I''m not sure how to cook the fish you caught."


    Fufi replied, "That is okay. There are much more important things to take care of. Besides, even in your world raw fish is a delicacy in some cultures."


    Alex tilted his head and asked, "Like what?"


    Fufi said sternly, "Like your priorities. It looks like you spent most of your day chopping, hammering, and hauling. If you were trying to get those skills you were wasting your time."


    Being even more confused Alex said, "I don''t know what you mean. Skills?"


    Fufi nodded her beaked head, "Yes, you can only get skills related to your class. And since your class is Magical Girl. The skills have to be skills related to being a magical girl."


    Alex said, "Which skills would those be?"


    Fufi explained, "Cute things, magical things, girly things."


    Alex grumbled, "Is there any way I can change my class? I think lumberjack would be more fitting don''t you think?"


    Sounding exasperated, Fufi stated coldly, "Classes are gifted to mortals by the gods. Unless someone wants divine punishment they don''t shun a deity''s gift. People in this world normally have to go to the temple and pray to get their class. If they are greedy and ask for a class they are not worthy of they will get denied any class at all. The whole pantheon makes them wait for a year to reflect before they can come back to the temple and ask again."

 CH3 Starting Town

    Alex asked, "What would you do if you were me?"


    Fufi replied, "I would use my gift from the gods. With the magical powers and skills from the system, people can do things that are impossible in your world. For example, Emerald Dryad could build a house for someone with just a cute song, a nice dance, and a bag of seeds."


    Alex was perplexed. How could someone make a house with just three things, two of which were intangible? He thought to himself, "How could someone even make a house with just a dance?"


    Fufi responded, "She would plant the seeds, then dance around them to encourage them to grow. The song was about how the plants would grow together to form a house. The house would have living trees for walls, a roof with vines filling in the gaps, and cute flowers decorating everything."


    Alex was shocked when Fufi told him that magic could make home builders obsolete. It felt like he was living in a different world, where anything was possible if you were cute enough. Alex muttered under his breath, "Is there no justice in this world?" Fufi didn''t hear him, as she was too busy staring off into space.


    Fufi said, "Of course there is justice. Justice and love are a magical girl''s mission. For example, when I was hit by a truck and you saved me and nursed me back to health, you showed me love and justice. That is how I knew you were the one I was destined to have a contract with." Fufi lowered her head in embarrassment. "I suppose I was overbearing and arrogant." She looked up at Alex and said, "You''re an angel sent from heaven. With wings it fits. Have you considered becoming a winged magical girl?"


    Alex ignored the suggestion to grow wings. "But why were you in my neck of the woods? There are surely people in this world who you could have contracted with."


    Fufi smiled. "I was looking for someone special, someone who embodied love and justice. And I found you."


    ¡°That is a very generous opinion of me.  But I don¡¯t know anything about these lands or magic.  You¡¯d think a local girl, any local girl would be a better choice.¡± Alex pressed.


    Fufi said, "That''s where it gets complicated." Fufi stared off into space for a moment, "I tried this world first but the war with the demon queen is going really poorly for humanity. At this point in time it is more like they are mopping up the remains of the old nations. Most of humanity gets transformed by the demon queen''s forces and by that time it is impossible to form a contract with them even if they had potential as a magical girl. Only the children don''t get corrupted but they are kept under guard in camps awaiting processing."


    Alex pondered this and said, "Why do they spare the children? One would think the forces of evil would have no qualms about corrupting the innocent."


    Fufi seemed aghast, "They corrupt them by doing lewd things to them. Even the dark gods agree, sexual acts against children should result in divine punishment. It is also why magical girls are effective against the demon queen''s minions. If they use their preferred methods . . . divine punishment."


    Alex motioned for Fufi to continue.


    Fufi said, "After that I moved to a different continent that was being invaded by a different group of demons but ran into the same problem. Eventually Luna sent some of us that were having trouble finding someone to bond with to other worlds. I just wasn''t expecting fast moving metal things rolling along the roadways. Here we have carriages. Yes some magical carriages can go fast but most are only as fast as the animals that pull them."


    Alex said, "That''s fine though. I can drive my jeep and ride a horse from one of the nearby ranchers. I do miss my stuff. This would have been a whole lot easier if my cabin and all my stuff got transported here. Though in hindsight that might not have been a great idea. When we were in the carriage with Luna one of the things I really wanted to ask her for was some footwear."


    Fufi cocked her head. "I bet if you''d asked her with reverence, she would have granted your wish."


    "I agree," Alex said with a sigh. "But while I wanted sturdy boots, I''m sure she would have given me the most luxurious high heels."


    "She is the goddess of cuteness, after all," Fufi said. "She would have given you something beautiful for your feet.  You should have just asked."


    "True," Alex cringed. "That was my mistake. But at least I could have asked for something that would keep my feet dry and warm while I walked. I thought I could easily earn enough money to buy something from a cobbler."


    Alex headed out back and grabbed a stick and the rug he got earlier. He beat the rug and to get the dust and dirt out of it.


    [New class skill acquired: Cleaning Level 1]


    Looking up, Alex grumbled, "Sexist much system? I guess I now know how a woman feels when she is expected to do all the cooking and cleaning in a relationship."


    Ugh, cooking is probably a class skill for magical girls as well.


    Fufi tilts her head and asks, "Is this not how it is in your world?"


    Alex mused, "While it is common for women to enjoy cooking and cleaning, it doesn''t mean that all women do. It is offensive to assume that all women enjoy these activities simply because of their gender. Just because I am a man doesn''t mean that I don''t enjoy cleaning, and just because you are a woman doesn''t mean that you do. Everyone should be free to enjoy the activities that they want, regardless of their gender."


    Fufi tilted her feathered head. "I see your point. Even though you are a man, you should still be able to do housework if you want to. It''s not fair that the system forces people to do things they don''t like, and denies them the opportunity to do things they might enjoy."


    Alex hummed in agreement. "I think we''re on the same page. Everyone should have the freedom to choose their own path in life."


    Fufi giggled, "I think you would be cute in a maid outfit holding a duster. The best maid outfits even give bonuses to cleaning and cuteness."


    Alex grumbled, "Maybe you are missing the point." After beating the rug, he placed it on a stone table where he was planning to use that and the clothing Luna gave him for a makeshift bed. After going inside he noticed that the rug had a nice lavender smell to it. He sniffs and says, "That''s weird I didn''t put any perfume on this rug."


    Fufi happily chimed in, "That is your skill at work! Someone without a skill would have more trouble making it smell nice."


    Alex tempered himself, he had to keep an open mind. He needed to keep pushing forward. Of course things would not be the same as in his old world. Ignoring the weird happening, he prepared some sashimi for the two of them. He didn''t have a sharp knife so avoiding cutting his hand was going to be a problem. The next best thing he had was the rusty screwdriver. He scraped off the rust with a rock to make it a little bit better to use for the purpose. This went much better than expected. It didn''t take very long before the metal was sparkling like new after a few passes with the rock.


    Fufi could see the surprise on Alex''s face, "That''s your cleaning skill at work. Aren''t skills great?"


    Alex couldn''t complain. Yes he was just bad mouthing cleaning earlier but this skill stuff let him accomplish what should have been impossible.


    Alex contemplated, "I guess I will have to thank Luna later for that skill."


    Fufi nodded her beaked head, "We all have our talents."


    Alex took a bite of the sashimi, "Not bad. Not bad at all. The cuts are not great because I used a screwdriver but if we can find a rusty knife in one of the ruined buildings I can use the skill to clean it and make it like-new."


    Fufi randomly stated another magical girl anecdote. "One of my siblings went to another world and found this bunny girl who used powerful cleaning magic. When the bun used cleaning magic to purify a dungeon core of a dreadful parasite she wanted to make a contract with her. However, it turned out that the heroine was summoned from another world to save that world. Luna told us it is rude to summon someone who has already been summoned and was still in the middle of a task. Considering that her first response to adversaries was to make friends with them, I believe she would have made a great magical girl."


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Alex looked at the flamingo and blinked a few times. Things were quiet and awkward after that.


    Fufi and Alex got ready for bed.


    Alex asked, "Would you like to sleep in my bed?"


    Fufi replied, "I usually curl up into a ball and stand on one leg when I sleep. I am a flamingo, after all."


    Alex grumbled, "Fine, my bed is just a stone table with a rug on it anyway. It''s not much different from sleeping on the floor. Hopefully it doesn''t get too cold tonight." Alex flopped on the bed and tried to get comfortable.


    Fufi looked at him and said, "One more thing, you should check your stats."


    Alex opened the app on his phone.


    Name: Alex Parker


    Class: Magical Girl


    Level 2


    Sex: Male


    Strength: 15


    Constitution: 15


    Dexterity: 12


    Intelligence: 7


    Cuteness: 0 (naturally 0, +1 from equipped items -1 from dirty clothing)


    Skills:


    Cleaning: 1


    Alex whined, "Ah, my cuteness went down."


    Fufi gave a beaked nod, "A magical girl must keep herself clean. When the sun comes up we should go to the river where you can wash yourself and your clothing."


    Alex sighed in relief, "Thank god for that. I am too used to my old world. I could use a hot bath right now. We''ll have to make one. Everything is so dirty."


    Fufi added another thing, "Please think about receiving Luna''s gift. She is a very caring goddess. She even went so far as to open portals to other worlds when it became apparent we could no longer find partners in this one. When she offered to transform you her intention was only to protect you."


    Fufi used guilt.


    It was super effective.


    Feeling guilty, Alex opened his phone and went to his contacts. The first name on the list was Luna, with a heart emoji next to it. The message said, "Call when you are ready to transform." Alex''s finger hovered over the name, but then he turned off his phone and shook his head. "What was I thinking?" he asked himself.


    Alex closed his eyes and said, "I know Luna cares about you and the rest of your flock of flamingos... hmm, wait, is flock the right word?" He opened his phone and tried to search for the collective noun for flamingos, but he didn''t have an internet connection.


    "No internet, darn it," he said.


    Fufi chirped helpfully, "It''s a flamboyance of flamingos."


    "Thanks, what a silly word for a group of birds," Alex said. "I guess I''m tired. Let''s get some sleep."


    Fufi fell asleep easily, but Alex had a restless night. The hovel he had made was drafty, and he used the panties and blouse as a pillow and the skirt as a blanket. His feet were cold, and the robe was too tight on his waist and too loose on his hips. He was also going commando, which didn''t help.


    When Alex woke up, he looked for his cell phone to see what time it was, but he remembered that he had turned it off. He saw that Fufi was still curled up in the same position. He hoped that the last day had been a dream, but the meager building he had slept in confirmed that he was still in another world..


    Alex got up and put on his clothes. He went outside to the stream to wash up and dry off. His cleaning skill made his clothes look fresh and his hair look clean. He turned on his cell phone, which had a 75% charge. He put on his robe and pants, which restored his cuteness to level 1. He confirmed that being clean was important for keeping his cuteness stat up.


    He gathered some tall grass and sticks. He tried to make grass sandals, but they fell apart after a few steps. He tossed them in the fireplace and went back into the ruin to look for a carpenter''s shop. He hoped to find tools to make wooden shoes.


    Alex searched through many ruined streets until he found an empty carpenter shop. He cleaned up some debris and looked for tools. It was still early in the morning, so he knew it would take time to find anything useful. He found a rusted set of woodworking tools in a leather case that broke when he opened it. He used his cleaning skills to scrape the rust off the tools and make them usable. He went back to the hovel he had slept in the night before and gathered a log. He used the tools to create simple wooden soles. He tried to braid grass together to make straps, but it didn''t work well at first. He finally found a pattern that worked, and the sandals turned out fairly well.


    Alex put on the sandals, and Fufi inspected them. "I give it 2 out of 10 for cuteness," the pink bird said. "It might work if you''re going for the ninja or samurai magical girl look, but it doesn''t match the rest of your outfit very well."


    Alex rolled his eyes. "I have no intention of wearing sandals forever."


    Fufi said, "Good. You need to look presentable for our adventure. I have an idea!"


    Fufi stood up on her two legs and pointed her beak at Alex. "Get a straw that you can braid, and I''ll be right back." Fufi flew off and returned in about five minutes with a mouthful of small white flowers with long stems. She dropped them in front of Alex. "Stick these in your braid for the geta''s straps."


    Alex did as instructed and braided them into a braid that resembled the strap on the sandals. Once it was finished, Fufi walked back over and placed them on Alex''s feet. The sandals had a cute look to them with flowers sticking out along the strap. Oddly, the knot patterns had reformed themselves to resemble the same type of small flowers. Alex made sure to keep them hidden beneath his robe, but they still stuck out a bit. The whole outfit was almost cute enough to make Alex consider becoming a magical girl.


    Alex was impressed with Fufi''s creativity and thanked her for her help. Fufi smiled and said, "You''re welcome!"


    Alex, hungry, spent the rest of the morning gathering berries and fruit from the spot Fufi had discovered by the stream the day before. He then prepared a meal of fruit, berries, and leftover fish, adding a little water to make it more palatable. Alex took a bite of his meal and grimaced at its blandness, but the fruit provided enough flavor to make it edible. He knew that food could be a challenge in this world, as most of the things they could eat might not be safe or simply not palatable. Alex was grateful for the food skills he had gained in the last world.


    Alex asked Fufi, "Do you know where that adventurer''s guild is that Luna mentioned? Maybe we can find the rift she mentioned."


    Fufi replied, "There is one here, not far from where we live. It is in a building with a sign  lying next to it that has a rusted picture of some adventurers. Calling it a building is a bit generous though.  The place doesn¡¯t have a roof anymore."


    Alex nodded at Fufi, "Well then, let''s go find it."


    "It is only a few blocks away, just follow me." She took off to the skies, leading the way.


    Alex followed Fufi through the streets of what was once a nice city. They passed through several ruined streets, and by the time they neared the guild, Alex noticed that it was one of the most damaged areas in town. Perhaps a battle had been fought there in the past. As they got closer to the building, they were able to navigate the rubble and find a decayed trap door that Alex easily lifted and set aside. He didn''t have a light, and the stairs descended into darkness. However, he was able to make his way down slowly. Fufi followed him, and the gem in her forehead lit up, illuminating the space. Alex looked at her and said, "Nice trick. I was worried about how we were going to find light."


    Fufi nodded with her beak and said, "It is just one of my abilities. It is one of the least costly, so as long as I haven''t used any big spells recently, I can keep it up for hours."


    Alex replied, "Well this one is certainly helpful."


    Fufi said nothing more on the matter, and they explored the area. Most of the furniture was completely decayed and unusable. There was a small room with a crooked door that was held on by only one bent hinge. Alex was able to yank the door off and look inside. There he found a strange obsidian pillar that went from floor to ceiling. The pillar had a seam in the middle that gave off a faint glow.


    Alex pointed at the pillar. "I believe this is what we were looking for."


    Fufi walked up and inspected the pillar. "Yes, this is the dungeon rift," she confirmed.


    Alex asked, "So where is this dungeon?"


    Fufi replied, "Nowhere really. The magic creates something appropriate for the user, and when they leave, it dissipates into the ether."


    Alex asked, "Well, if that is true, then how does it work?"


    Fufi stated, "It is simple. You just touch it with the intention of entering it."


    Alex nodded and said, "Are we ready to do this?"


    Fufi nodded as well.


    Alex placed his hand on the pillar and thought about entering it. With a sound like scraping glass the pillar expanded from the seam in the middle and became a hollow circle. A speck of light in the center expanded until it created an oval sized portal that led to places unknown.


    Alex looked at Fufi and said, "I guess this is it."


    Fufi tried to enter the portal, but it wouldn''t let her through. "Looks like you''re on your own for this one."


    Alex took a deep breath and stepped through the portal. "Here goes nothing," he said, his voice not sounding very confident.


    Fufi was left behind.

 CH4 First Dungeon

    Alex stepped through the portal and into a world that seemed to have been drawn by a child. The sky was a single shade of blue, the sun was a smiley face, and the grass was a solid green with black lines that formed smiling faces. Even the trees were drawn, with solid green leaves and black smiley faces on their trunks. Alex walked around, touching the trees and grass to make sure they were real. He found some mushrooms with dirt in the middle, and he crouched down to smell the dirt. It smelled like soil, but with a sweet scent. Alex had never smelled dirt like that before, but he didn''t mind it.


    He continued walking, looking for real plants and animals, but all he saw were cartoon-like birds, rabbits, and chipmunks. He wasn''t Snow White, so he couldn''t approach wild animals without fear. He began to wonder if everything he saw was just a figment of his imagination. Or maybe he had been brought here by a mad god as part of a twisted training exercise. If this dungeon was tailored to him, what did that mean? How would he know? What if he was supposed to learn something from it? Would it still work if he didn''t? What if he died and his body was left here? Would the portal bring him back? He wished he had asked Luna or Fufi about the consequences of failing one of these rifts. It would have been helpful to know before stepping through one. He could always come back, but if he left, would the rift close and would that be the same as failing the trial? The portal was still open in the same spot where he had arrived. He could try going back. If he did, would it lead him here again? How would he know? He could see the basement where he had come from on the other side of the portal, though it looked like he was seeing through water. Maybe there was nothing wrong with this place at all. Perhaps there were no consequences for failure here and it was simply a game.


    He thought about it for a while longer but eventually decided that if he was supposed to do something then it was probably best to just get it over with as quickly as possible. He walked away from the portal to survey the area further. There were hills and small mountains on either side of him but in front of him there was an enormous hill that went up into a large smiling cloud that had a half rainbow on top of it like an enormous hat. He figured that must be a good thing.


    He looked down at the grass he was walking on and shook his head. This place was so weird there was no way he could get used to it. He wasn''t even sure if he should be trying to get used to it. He had stepped into some weird place and needed to complete the trial. To level up he needed to defeat monsters. Was he supposed to defeat monsters here? All he had seen so far was cute forest stuff out of a children''s picture book. Were there any monsters out there? Would he just encounter them naturally? Or would they come out to greet him? How would he know? How would he ever know how to defeat them? Or what he was supposed to do? "Calm down Alex," he told himself, "Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and take things as they come."


    Alex ventured into the grass in search of monsters. He came across a few objects that resembled eggs or mushrooms, but they all appeared to be harmless, so he ignored them and continued on his way. The eggs looked like Easter eggs, so he licked one to see what it tasted like. It was sweet, like a candy egg. He wasn''t brave enough to eat the unknown mushrooms, so he put them in his robe pocket for later.


    Alex walked towards the tall grass hill, hoping that the monsters were not hiding in it to ambush him. The hill was not too steep, and eventually the grass gave way to denser trees. Alex saw something glinting in the bushes and went to inspect it. It was a pastel purple treasure chest with a smile emoji on it. Alex kicked it lightly a few times and jumped back when the emoji twitched and winked at him.


    Alex said, "Hello?"


    The chest said nothing back.


    Alex said, "I am a traveler who has stepped through this rift in hopes of finding out how to defeat my enemies and become stronger."


    The smile emoji chest said . . . nothing. It stayed silent, looking at him like he was stupid or something.


    Alex said, "What? You don''t say anything? Of course you don''t say anything you are a chest. Am I supposed to check you for traps or risk it and just open you?"


    The smiley chest said nothing and stood there staring at him blankly.


    Alex sighed and said, "are you even locked?" Alex found a long stick and tried to open the chest''s lid from a distance. The stick wouldn''t budge though. Alex tried to pry it open and the stick snapped in half.


    Alex sighed and said, "Well then that is just perfect. Well at least it didn''t set off any traps." Since the chest didn''t do anything from being pushed around a bit by a stick it looked like moving it wouldn''t trigger a trap. Alex picked up the chest and carried it down the hill back to the portal.


    After a short walk, he tossed the chest through the portal to see if it could be moved outside the rift. The chest landed with a thud on the other side of the portal. Glancing through the portal showed that the chest was on the other side but instead of looking like a cartoon chest it looked like a normal chest. If nothing else it was better than those crates he was using that were in not great shape. If it had a treasure in it he could get it later after he left the rift.


    Alex walked to the end of the hill and found a path that led down to a small pond. He could hear splashing, so he thought there might be fish or frogs in the water. He saw a human-sized stuffed bear with short arms and legs waddling out of the pond. The bear had a cartoon-like fish in its mouth. After coming to land, the bear shook itself dry and then sat down and swayed softly, still holding the fish in its mouth. It seemed to be humming a tune that only it could hear.


    Alex walked over and said, "Hello?"


    The bear gave a few more shakes to get the last of the water from the pond off of himself. He tilts his head and regards Alex for a moment before downing the fish in with a slurp.


    The bear said, "Kuma?"


    Alex slowly asked, "Can you understand me, mister bear?"


    Bear said, "Kuma kuma."


    It was at that moment his phone chimed in, {Encounter Begin: Defeat Huggle Bear.}


    Alex hopped up and down and cheered. "Yes! Yes! I am ready for this!"


    The bear looked startled and exclaimed, "Kuma!"


    Alex felt a little guilty that his first step to leveling up would be to battle a completely harmless stuffed animal.


    Bear said, "Kuma, ku, kuma!"


    Alex walked closer and said, "Are you ready?  A dungeon monster should always be ready to fight."


    Bear shook itself again and said, "Kuma kuma!"


    "You are a cute little guy aren''t you? Don''t expect me to go easy on you just because of that," Alex regarded the bear with conviction.


    Bear chuffed and said, "Ku, kuma."


    Alex formed his hands into fists and took a boxer''s pose, stating, "Let us begin!"


    The bear shivered in fear at Alex''s face turning red with anger and put his cute stuffed paws on his muzzle.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The battle was on! Alex''s heart pounded in his chest. He took on his first challenge for leveling up. It didn''t feel real yet because it was only a stuffed animal and not a real monster but that didn''t matter as much as he had to start somewhere.


    Alex striked first with a right cross to the bear''s nose, knocking it over and rolling it across the ground before coming back to its feet.


    The bear let out a yelp, "Kuuuuuma!"


    Punches didn''t seem to do much to him because his body was made out of cloth and stuffing. Oddly, Alex''s phone decided to narrate the fight on its own.


    {Alex used fist, it is ineffective}


    "Kuma. . . " The bear said, sounding like it was about to cry as it stared at Alex with big forlorn eyes. Alex felt his heart sink. He was a terrible person for inflicting violence on an innocent forest creature.


    {Huggle Bear used Stare, it is super effective}


    The bear slowly waddled over to Alex with its arms up like it wanted a hug. Alex stared back at it, uncertain how to proceed but not wanting to be hurtful so he reached out and wrapped his hand around the bear giving it a hug. The bear hugged him back with a forgiving expression in its eyes.


    {Friendship +1}


    The bear made some snuffling sounds while holding onto Alex.


    "Kuma."


    The hug continued until Alex started to cry with guilt. How could he be so cruel to something so cute? But the bear seemed to accept him so he held onto it for a bit longer. The bear made more cute sounds as they both cried together and got it all out.


    {Friendship +10}


    Eventually, they broke their hug and Alex wiped his tears. Alex smiled at the bear and the bear smiled back with his silly cloth teeth. The two of them walkd together hand in paw back down to the pond.


    {Friendship +20}


    The two of them continued down the trail hand in paw together until they came across some more stuffed animals like the one they just fought. The bears and rabbits and other creatures all smiled at Alex and greeted him with friendly calls of their own.


    "Ku, kuma, kuma!"


    "Kuma kuma!"


    "Ku, kuma, kuma!"


    Alex stood in awe of these adorable little creatures approaching him with welcoming smiles. He didn¡¯ have the heart to fight them or the energy to go any further so he decided to just stop here and enjoy them all for a moment.


    Alex said, "Oh my gosh I''ve never seen so many of these before! Let''s all be friends!"


    {Friendship +30}


    The little creatures cheered and  surrounded him and started tugging on his robe. Alex stood there amazed.  He was embraced by dozens of small huggable friends and felt like a new man.


    He said, "I don''t know what you are all doing but I am not sure if I am ready for that."


    A single teddy bear walked up and looked down at Alex with big sad eyes. It slowly took out a stuffed bunny from its pocket and handed it to Alex.


    "Kuma kuma."


    Alex knelt down to be face to face with the bear and took the stuffed bunny from it and gave it a hug.


    The stuffed rabbit said in a cheerful voice, "Usagi!"


    "Ku, kuma."


    "Kuma, kuma."


    "Usagi!"


    The bear said, "Ku!"


    Alex stroked the bunny lovingly and said, "Thank you so much! You have made me so happy!"


    {Friendship at 100, You have been defeated}


    All around him reality started to warp as if this space was collapsing in on itself. ''Oh no, I was defeated and this is a temporary dungeon. Does that mean it is going to vanish from reality with me in it?'' Alex gulped. He messed up. He messed up badly. He should have just killed the bear in the beginning and avoided the whole situation. How was he supposed to know this would happen? He tried to kill the bear but couldn''t even get that right.


    The stuffed forest creatures all ran around holding their paws up in fright. That was the last thing Alex saw before a pink enveloped him blocking out his vision. The world went pink for a few seconds. He appeared back where he started from with the same glowing pink light hovering over him. He could hear the screams of all the creatures as they disappeared. He heard his own voice say, "What the heck just happened?"


    Fufi was there, her pink stone glowing brightly with powerful magic. She walked up to Alex and placed her wing on his shoulder.


    She said, "It looks like you failed the rift dungeon. But I used our bond to summon you back before you vanished along with the temporary space."


    Alex felt sudden nausea. "Oh no," was all he could say before throwing up on the stone floor.


    Fufi said carefully, "Teleportation magic can really turn your stomach if you are not used to it. Sorry."


    Alex wiped his mouth and said, "No need to apologize. I really messed this up though."


    Alex felt another wave of nausea. He felt dizzy and his head hurt. He felt like he was going to be sick again. Fufi''s soft feathers felt like heaven against his clammy cheek.


    Fufi said gently, "Are you okay? Maybe you should go rest for a while"


    Alex closed his eyes and breathed deeply as if that might help settle his stomach but instead it only makes things worse. His head was spinning and he felt nauseous again but he tried to stay calm and focus on not throwing up again.


    Alex opened his eyes and looked up at Fufi as she was staring down at him concerned. He felt himself wanting to smile at her but couldn''t manage it with his face feeling so queasy.


    Fufi said with concern, "Just lay down. I''ll go get the rug and the clothing and bring them back in a couple minutes."


    Alex nodded his head weakly and lied down on his side as Fufi stood and flew away.


    The flamingo took to the skies. "I will be right back."


    Alex rolled onto his other side and lay still until he felt his stomach calm down. He still felt like he might throw up again at any moment so he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. After a while he felt like he could try opening his eyes again so he slowly opened them to find that Fufi was standing beside him looking worried. He sat up and said, "I''m alright now."


    Fufi looked relieved and asked, "Are you sure?"


    "Yeah," Alex said, trying to stand up but his vision darked and his head swam. He laid his head back down in the girlie clothes that Fufi had placed under his head earlier. "Well maybe not, I feel so drained. I just need to rest a little."


    Fufi knelt down next to Alex and said, "You can sleep here if you want to."


    Alex said, "Yeah, I think I need to get some sleep if I''m going to keep fighting through these dungeons." Alex fell asleep immediately and had a strange dream about a cute magical girl skipping through the forest with stuffed animals, performing an elaborate dance as if it were a musical. While it was well-choreographed, the whole thing was rather disturbing given his recent defeat. But after a while, he finally fell into a peaceful slumber.


    Upon waking, he found that he had slept through the day and night. Dawn light shone through the opening at the top of the stairs leading out of the basement. He moved his head and felt loose hair in his face. He blew it out of his mouth, realizing it must have gotten there while he was sleeping. He also noticed that his beard was gone, his face completely smooth. He didn''t remember shaving before falling asleep, and he didn''t have a razor or knife to do so. As he sat up, he noticed that he had lost weight as well. He stood up and went upstairs to get a better look at himself.


    Alex was taken aback when he saw his reflection in the light. He shook his head, and beard hair fell out. Alex had always been proud of his thick black beard, so it was a shock to see it gone. He also noticed that his body was not as muscular as it had been. His stomach was softer and flatter, and his shoulders were still broad but not as defined as they had been when he was working out regularly. His arms and legs were also thinner. He estimated that he had lost about 10 pounds. These changes were shocking to him, as he couldn''t imagine how someone could transform so much in just one day.


    Alex found a shard of a broken mirror on the floor. He was looking at his reflection when Fufi, the bird, flew down to check on him. She looked him over carefully and asked, "How are you feeling?"


    Alex looked at himself in the mirror and said, "I guess I signed up for a diet plan that made me lose 10 pounds in a day, grow my hair longer, and soften my complexion as a bonus."


    "You''re still handsome," Fufi said with a smile. "Maybe even a little cuter than before."


    Alex ran his hand through his hair and confirmed that it had grown about an inch while he slept. He couldn''t be sure, but he thought he might also be slightly shorter.