The Stampeding Mongoose

"Are you one of them heroes then?" The man behind the counter asked. "Well coin is coin, you're welcome to stay as long as you need. Five bits a night, twenty if you pay in advance for a whole week. I am Peter by the way."

"Yuna." She replied. "Let me ask you Peter, you said I was one of those heroes? Are you implying that I am not the first hero summoned from another world?"

"That would correct." Peter said. "We here at the stampeding mongoose hold no prejudices to people from other worlds or of different races and unknown genders. That being said, aside from your clothes you look pretty normal. Been a while since the King summoned a normal human."

"So let me get this straight." Yuna replied. "The king has summoned multiple heroes into this world, each a different race and creed? Not one of the heroes have been successful in their mission?" Yuna then thought, 'Of course that bozo has summoned a successful hero. He summoned me an office worker and said it wasn't a mistake.'

"Hate to break it to you darling, but there's no way a sweet little thing like you can accomplish it either." Peter explained. "I have seen giants, men with four arms, mystical elves that yield unfathomable magic. I have seen a lot. Not one of them, nary a single one, have been able to complete their goal. I honestly don't know why the king tries so hard, it always ends in failure. Ripping people from their home and loved ones isn't very nice either."

"Wow, of all the stories I have read." Yuna explained. "None of them prepared me for this. I can't believe such a world exists, what am I supposed to do." Yuna thought, 'Besides taking my sweet vengeance out on the king of course. Maybe he is right and I should just give up. Though it might be fun just to see where this adventure takes me.'

"My advice." Peter started. "Just give up. If you go off on your adventure you are liable to be maimed or killed. There's no reason for you to risk your life for people who essentially kidnapped you. You can live a good life here though, so it's not all bad."

"Can I." Yuna paused. "Can I just go to my room for now. I need to think. Here is this little coin a bit?" She asked as she pulled a small coin out of her pouch.

"That it is." Peter smiled.

Yuna then handed Peter twenty bits for a week's stay at the inn. While she handed over the coins she thought to herself, 'I wonder why its so cheap to stay here. The smallest currency must be the least valuable. Has to be a reason that they made it so cheap to stay here. Oh well I will figure it out later I am sure.'

"Thank you for your patronage of the stampeding mongoose, please be kind and courteous to the other guests, no matter their shape, color, and or gender." He said as he handed Yuna the key to her room.

Yuna then left the front desk and went to the room that's number was inscribed on top of the key. She put the key in the knob and turned it slowly. As she entered the room, candles along the wall lit themselves aflame revealing the room. It was a small room. One twin sized bed sat in the corner, there was a small night stand next to it, in the center of the room there was a dusty old rug. "Well, this is home now I guess." She sighed. She thought about her former house. She had stacks and stacks of comics in her collections. She had the latest video game systems and a state of the art computer. The agency paid her well for her work and she spent her money on what she loved. "As if I would be happy with this!" She yelled to herself. "Why Yuna?! Why did you have to save him? He was probably the only person that could actually save this world. That man is incredible. Instead You got yourself summoned in his place. Good job girl you did it. You doomed a whole world! But you know this world kind of deserves it!" She continued to herself.

There was a knock on her door. "Everything okay in there I hear yelling." A muffled voice said.

Yuna opened the door revealing a small woman who had pointy ears. "I was yelling at myself." Yuna said as she opened the door.

"First day summoned huh?" The woman asked. "We've all been there. I remember mine was the day before my wedding, I was going to marry the village chief's son and live my life as a happy wife. Instead I got summoned here and lost everything I love and hold dear with no chance of returning."

"That's horrible!" Yuna said. "And here I was complaining about losing my books and games. I feel like an ass now." Yuna then thought, 'Oh that bozo is going to die a horrible death now. I was thinking poison, but now I am thinking something far more personal.'

The woman just smiled. "My name is Elvin, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Yuna." She replied. "I am sorry to hear about what happened to you."

"It's okay, I understand I needed to come here and try to save this world." Elvin said. "I just wish they would have asked me first." Elvin then eyes Yuna. "My affinity is with magical spells. What is it that you do?"

"I worked for an intelligence service that monitored and stopped global threats." Yuna explained.

"I don't have a clue what any of that means." Elvin smiled.

"Uh, how do I explain it better." Yuna said. "I worked for people who stopped really bad guys from destroying the world."

"So like the heroes guild?" Elvin asked. "We have one of those here! Oh you should come with me there when you feel up to it. I am a third class hero. Always so exciting being with someone on their first time to the guild."

"Sure." Yuna agreed.

"It's a date then!" Elvin said. "I am in room one zero four, so just come knocking when you are ready to go. I will also go with you to the equipment shops afterwards, I know all the best shops!"

"Sounds like fun." Yuna said. "Listen I have to know, are you an elf?"

"Yes!" Elvin said. "How did you know? Do you have elves in your world?!"

"We have a lot of stories with elves in them." Yuna explained. "No real elves though."

"That's neat! Or as my buddy Skeet says neat-o mosquito!" Elvin replied. "Look I will let you get back to your emotional break down now. Just come get me when you are ready to start your adventure!" Elvin said as she left.

"What an odd girl." Yuna said as she shut the door and went back into her room. She jumped on the bed with a thud. "Oh, Yuna what are you going to do now?"