Other Side of the Raid
Meet and greet (Part 2)
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Previously on “The Other Side of the Raid”
Chapter 10, Part 1: Meet and Greet
With the morning of her long-anticipated trip finally arriving, Aria double-checked her dimensional storage—where Ryusei’s specially prepared dishes were held in time-frozen stasis—before Vaeloria arrived via portal to escort her to the Pleiades Entertainment Hub. Their entry through the Primary Reality Checkpoint required a specialized scan from the Hub’s AI, SENTINEL, to clear the temporal anomaly in Aria’s storage. After clearing security, they traveled by gravity tube through the vast Hub before ascending into the disorienting, geometry-defying corridors of Producer’s Row.
Vaeloria coached Aria on Producer etiquette as they approached their destination: let reality settle rather than fight the shifting environment, and simply be herself. When they stepped into Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s office—a space that somehow felt both intimate and as large as Westminster Abbey—Aria was greeted by the nine-tailed fox Producer herself. Lady Kitsune Starweaver praised Aria’s handling of the Senso-ji situation, noting that ratings had risen 300% and the youkai were thriving under their new arrangement. The meeting moved toward more refreshments and deeper discussion when Vaeloria excitedly blurted out that Aria’s fight with The Efficient Exterminators had literally broken the Hub’s quantum rating systems—a revelation Lady Kitsune Starweaver confirmed with visible delight.
Before the conversation could continue, loud voices erupted from outside the office.
Key Takeaways:
Aria arrives at the Pleiades Entertainment Hub for a formal meeting with Lady Kitsune Starweaver, a powerful nine-tailed fox Producer
She brings Ryusei’s Earth-prepared dishes as a gift, preserved in time-frozen dimensional storage
SENTINEL, the Hub’s AI, flags the temporal anomaly in Aria’s storage and runs a specialized scan before clearing them through security
Producer’s Row exists as a custom-reality zone where geometry is fluid and conventional spatial logic does not apply
Lady Kitsune Starweaver confirms the Senso-ji youkai arrangement was a major success, with ratings up 300%
Aria’s confrontation with The Efficient Exterminators produced metrics so extraordinary they broke the Hub’s quantum rating systems
The meeting is interrupted by loud voices from outside Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s office before Aria can present her gift
Meet and greet (Part 2)
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Ah, it seems Don Leone Shadowclaw is in one of his moods again,” she noted with elegant resignation, her tails moving in mild annoyance. “Do forgive the disruption, darling.”
Aria: “I’m not familiar with Don Leone Shadowclaw?”
Vaeloria: “He’s like, totally a big deal producer from Midnight Sun Broadcasting,” she explained, rolling her eyes. “They’re our biggest competition in this sector.”
From outside came a voice struggling to maintain professional tone:
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “What do you mean you lost her? If the boss- I mean, if the board finds out about this level of inefficiency...” his voice slipped briefly into mob speak before he caught himself. “The consequences will be most severe.”
Aria: “He seems... energetic,” she offered diplomatically.
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “Handle this situation immediately, while I pay my respects to the She-Fox and her new... acquisition,” his voice carried clearly through the reality-warped walls right before he entered.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver adjusted her position slightly, her tails arranging themselves in an elegant display of casual dominance.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “What an unexpected pleasure,” her voice carried just the right amount of irony. “To what do we owe this visit?”
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “Word travels fast in our business,” he replied, carefully controlling his speech patterns. “I heard you had a rising star from one of our developing markets. Tell me,” his smile showed just a hint of fang, “how many followers have pledged their undying devotion this time?”
Aria: “Followers?”
Vaeloria: “OMG, it’s like, totally a thing,” she explained with animated gestures. “When we make first contact, some locals get super spiritual about it and start these really intense worship cults. The Producers have this whole competition about whose contact person gets declared a deity first!”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s tails moved with subtle amusement as she made introductions:
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Allow me to present Aria. Though I suspect you’re already quite familiar with her work.”
Aria: “A pleasure to meet you,” she offered a practiced diplomatic smile.
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “WHAT- I mean,” he caught himself, straightening his perfectly tailored suit. “My schedule requires immediate attention. Good day.” He departed with forced dignity.
From outside:
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “Why wasn’t I informed? Do you know what the boss- the board will say about this breach of protocol? This is a complete disaster-”
Vaeloria: “Well, that was like, way more dramatic than usual.”
The contrast between Don Leone Shadowclaw’s attempts at professional speech and his slips into mob terminology made his agitation even more apparent as his voice faded down the corridor:
Don Leone Shadowclaw: “Of all the times to mess up proper business etiquette... the Pride will never let me live this down...”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s tails moved with elegant precision as she gestured, and the office space rippled and expanded, transforming into what appeared to be a luxurious dining area with a view of swirling galaxies beyond crystal windows.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “I believe this setting might better suit your presentation, darling,” she smiled as a beautifully crafted table materialized. “Do feel free to arrange everything as you see fit.”
Aria carefully accessed her dimensional storage, bringing out Ryusei’s creations one by one. The dishes emerged perfectly preserved, steam rising as if they’d just left the kitchen. The aromas drew curious onlookers, and soon various beings began drifting into the space.
Vaeloria: “OMG, is that Ryusei’s crystal-infused ramen? His fusion cuisine is literally legendary!”
As various beings sampled the Earth cuisine, their reactions ranging from delighted hums to surprised color changes (in the case of one crystalline being), Aria took advantage of a quiet moment to step away from the crowd. She found herself in a quieter corridor, the reality distortions creating a peaceful pocket of calm. A furtive movement caught her eye - a mouse in what appeared to be an expensive but severely rumpled business suit, his whiskers twitching nervously as he emerged from the shadows. His tie hung loose and askew, and his fur had a disheveled look that suggested he’d been running his paws through it anxiously.
Suspicious Mouse: “Hey...” he whispered, glancing around nervously, “you got any of that...” another furtive glance, “...sodium chloride?”
Even here, the salt trade continues. Aria remembered the condiment packets Ryusei had given her.
She found one of the salt packets in her pocket and discretely passed it to the mouse, who quickly tucked it into his suit jacket.
Suspicious Mouse: “Much appreciated,” he muttered, already backing away while compulsively smoothing his rumpled jacket. “And uh, if you’re interested... the cheese in the executive lounge... it’s something else. Really opens your mind, you know?”
When Aria returned to the gathering, she found Lady Kitsune Starweaver entertaining the crowd with stories about early Earth broadcasts, her tails moving expressively as she spoke.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Darling, there you are!” She called out warmly, though her golden eyes held a knowing glint. “These dishes are absolutely divine. Though perhaps we should return to my office? I believe we have some interesting matters to discuss.”
Now the real reason for me being here will be revealed.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver arranged her tails in an elegant fan formation as she spoke.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Darling, given your remarkable performance metrics and demonstrated capabilities, we’ve made a rather exciting decision. We believe it’s time to cultivate more talent from Earth for a truly spectacular event.”
Vaeloria: “OMG, it’s gonna be like, totally epic! We’re planning this massive battle between Earth explorers and a super high-level Raid boss! The ratings will be literally astronomical!”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s tails twitched slightly.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “As it happens, Rei “Nightmare” Nekohara has volunteered for the encounter.”
Aria: “Are you insane?” The diplomatic facade cracked. “Even with all my additional training, I doubt I’d stand a chance against her!”
Vaeloria: “Like, chill! Sure, Rei might have more raw power,” she bounced excitedly, “but you’ve got way better strategy and stuff! A one-on-one between you two? Totally unpredictable!”
Aria: “And how exactly am I supposed to convince other Explorers to face a Raid’s final boss?” She asked incredulously. “We can barely manage the third or fourth floor bosses.”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s golden eyes gleamed.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Darling, we’re not seeking a massacre. All participants will receive proper training in both magical application and combat techniques.”
Aria: “Are you planning to reveal yourselves to the world?”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “We trust your judgment to select appropriate candidates,” her tails moved in a subtle pattern. “They’ll need to know certain things, but only what’s absolutely necessary for the event.”
Vaeloria: “Plus they’ll sign these super strict Galactic Magic Federation NDAs. Like, literally impossible to break!”
Aria: “Even so, how am I supposed to convince high-level Explorers to risk their lives for mysterious reasons?”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver made a subtle gesture with one tail, and a holographic display materialized.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “For the training and event itself, we’ll utilize our Training Room facility,” images of an impossibly vast space flickered through the display. “As for incentives, we understand that fully charged crystals are quite valuable on Earth. We’re prepared to be... generous.”
Aria: “Training Room?”
Vaeloria: “It’s like, this totally amazing dimensional space where we train our employees and stuff!” She gestured enthusiastically. “It’s got automatic avatar generation and universal translation. Plus, nobody can actually die there!”
Aria: “Then why didn’t we use that during my training with Professor Rosepetal Quillscribe?” She asked, remembering some particularly painful lessons.
Vaeloria suddenly found the swirling reality patterns by the window fascinating.
Vaeloria: “Oh, you know... extra authorizations and paperwork and... stuff. Besides, you totally survived, right?”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s tails swished with subtle amusement.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Speaking of Professor Rosepetal Quillscribe, she’ll be joining us as an instructor for our recruits.”
Aria: “Wait, you expect Explorers to fight against Professor?”
Vaeloria: “OMG, you have no idea how powerful she actually is!” She bounced excitedly. “But nah, they’ll be training with Lady Crystalline. Professor is just handling the magic instruction part.”
Aria: “Who’s Lady Crystalline?”
Lady Kitsune Starweaver manipulated the holographic display, showing an elegant figure with crystalline formations.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “She’s our tenth-floor guardian in ‘Midnight Crescendo’ - the same facility as Rei. Quite the brilliant tactician.”
Aria: “That’s going to be some intense training,” she said, the magnitude of the task ahead settling in.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver’s tails arranged themselves in a business-like formation.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “Indeed, but we have complete confidence in your selection ability. And to sweeten the arrangement,” her golden eyes glinted, “we’ll provide carefully edited footage for local distribution. Should generate quite the buzz among potential participants.”
A global-scale event with interdimensional beings... What have I gotten myself into? Aria felt her heart racing.
Vaeloria: “We like, never do events this big!” She tried to sound encouraging. “It’s totally a huge deal!”
Aria: “Not helping,” she managed, visibly trembling from stress.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver observed her with elegant concern.
Lady Kitsune Starweaver: “I believe our guest needs some rest before tomorrow’s proceedings,” she rose smoothly. “I’ve arranged appropriate accommodations.”
Aria: “There’s... more tomorrow?” The panic was evident in her voice.
Vaeloria: “Don’t even worry about it!” She helped Aria to her feet. “Let me show you to your suite!”
The corridor they traversed seemed to fold through impossible geometries, reality bending and twisting until Aria felt even dizzier. Finally, they arrived at a door that somehow managed to look perfectly normal despite existing in several dimensions simultaneously. To Aria’s immense relief, the suite itself appeared relatively normal - if her definition of normal had expanded to include high-tech amenities that seemed centuries ahead of Earth technology.
Vaeloria: “Sweet! Lady Kitsune Starweaver got you one of the stable dimension rooms,” she explained enthusiastically. “It’s based on Cyrbonian design - they’re like, way more advanced than Earth, but it’ll feel totally relaxing compared to the quantum-flux spaces!”
Aria barely registered the explanation. The moment she spotted the bed - hovering serenely fifteen centimetres above the floor on what appeared to be a gravity-defying energy field - she collapsed onto it fully clothed and instantly fell into an exhausted sleep.
📡 End of Transmission
Oliver here - That was quite a chapter! Our dimensional frequency is picking up intense emotional resonance from Aria’s world. What did you think of her decision? The comments below are buzzing with theories from other interdimensional travelers...