Chapter 1: The Unusual Encounter

Chief Inspector Emma Pandora had hit another dead end in her latest murder case. Rain pounded relentlessly against the city's dimly lit streets as she trudged back to her apartment, carrying the weight of another failed assignment on her shoulders. The memory of the crime scene haunted her, leaving her to wonder what she could have done differently.

In search of solace, Emma found herself at her favorite pub, Drunken duck Bar. Its neon sign flickered above the entrance, a familiar beacon offering refuge from her troubles.

Emma, a woman in her twenties, was a striking figure with her long, dark hair and enigmatic black eyes. Standing at an unimposing 5'5", she possessed an air of quiet determination that belied her youthful appearance. She took a seat at the bar, where Anne, the bartender, greeted her with a knowing look.

"The usual, Anne," Emma sighed wearily.

Anne raised an eyebrow. "You mean five bottles of beer again?"

Emma couldn't help but smile at Anne's dry wit. "What do you think, Sherlock?"

Anne sighed in response and began pouring Emma's order. As she worked, she discreetly dialed a number on her phone.

"Hello, Myra, are you there?" Anne asked when the call was answered.

"Yes, what's going on?" Myra's voice crackled over the line.

"We've got a 2319 again," Anne said, using their code for Emma's occasional bouts of excessive drinking.

Myra's tone conveyed both irritation and concern. "I'm on my way. Please don't let her near vodka."

"Yeah, yeah, just hurry. She's already on her second bottle," Anne replied before ending the call.

Emma continued nursing her drink, her thoughts still consumed by the failure of her investigation. The alcohol provided a temporary respite from the weight of her responsibilities.

As the night wore on, Emma's frustrations boiled over. She suddenly shouted towards a random stranger seated nearby.

"IF ONLY I DIDN'T BOTCH THAT SHOOTING! THE VICTIM COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED!" Her words, fueled by alcohol and frustration, reverberated through the bar.

The stranger, clearly unimpressed, retorted, "I don't even know who you are. Get a bath, you fleabag."

Emma's temper flared, and she reached for her concealed sidearm. Panic swept over the stranger, who hastily retreated from the bar.

Observing the escalating situation, Anne knew it was time to intervene. She called one of her associates, Kurt, with a sense of urgency.

"Kurt, keep an eye on Emma. If she pulls out her gun, use the taser. No hesitation."

Kurt hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you sure about this, Anne?"

"I'll pay you extra. Just do it," Anne affirmed.

With determination, Kurt prepared the taser, its electric charge crackling ominously.

"Szzzzt! Goes the taser! Hahaha!" Kurt whispered to himself, trying to muster some humor in a tense situation.

Minutes passed, and Emma found herself reaching her final bottle of beer. Kurt, with a mixture of disgust and apprehension, took a deep breath and made a call to Anne.

"She's taking off her clothes, Anne!" Kurt's voice conveyed both shock and unease.

Anne didn't hesitate. "Tase her."

Kurt's uncertainty vanished as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Alright."

He aimed the taser at Emma and squeezed the trigger. With a sharp crack, the taser darted toward her, but to their astonishment, it had no effect.

"Ehh?? Nothing's happening to her," Kurt observed, bewildered. "That's strange. She usually reacts like a fish out of water."

Emma, still clutching the Taser's wires, erupted into a maniacal laughter that sent shivers down the spines of those around her.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FOOLS! I'VE LEARNED MY LESSON THIS TIME! THAT'S WHY I WORE A RUBBER SHIRT AND RUBBER SHOES! WAHAHAHAHA! YOU CAN'T STOP ME FROM DRINKING THIS SWE—"

Before Emma could finish her triumphant declaration, a loud, unexpected noise filled the bar.

"BOOP!"

Myra had arrived, wielding a baseball bat. She swiftly struck Emma's head with it, causing her to collapse, unconscious.

"Don't worry; she has a hard head. I've known that since we were kids. Relax; I'll take her home now," Myra said with a sigh of relief.

Anne, ever the businesswoman, cleared her throat and reminded Myra of their routine.

"Ehem! Are we forgetting something?" Anne asked, her right eyebrow arched.

Myra frowned but reluctantly reached for her wallet. "Not again."

With a playful grin, Anne stated, "That'll be 2500 pesos. This girl better match her lifestyle."

Myra paid the bill, and they left the bar together. Myra drove Emma to her apartment, and by the time they arrived, Emma had regained consciousness.

"Thanks, bestie," Emma mumbled as she stumbled out of the car.

Myra couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Bestie, your face! Pay me 3000 pesos now; you didn't settle the bar bill."

Emma reached into her purse and handed Myra a generous sum of money. "Here's 5k. Thanks for the lift. Bye!"

As Emma headed inside her apartment, she suddenly remembered the words of the random stranger at the bar.

"Yeah, that guy was right. I do need a bath," she conceded while wrinkling her nose at her own scent.

On her way to the shower, Emma noticed something unusual: a cat was sitting in the bathtub. She hesitated for a moment before cautiously approaching it.

"I'm not a fan of cats," Emma muttered, her unease apparent. She gingerly picked up a broom that was leaning against the wall.

With a careful swing of the broom, she attempted to shoo the feline out of her bathroom. However, to her shock, the cat didn't flee or hiss. Instead, it simply spoke.

"Ouch! That's not how you treat a guest," the cat said, its voice remarkably human.

Emma's eyes widened as she took a step back, her fear giving way to astonishment.

"Did you just talk?" Emma asked incredulously.

The cat nodded, a mischievous grin forming on its feline face. "Yes, I did."

Emma blinked, trying to make sense of the impossible.

"You want me to believe that a cat can t-talk?!"

The cat chuckled softly. "Believe it or not, I do have a name. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Nica the Neko."

Emma, still clutching the broom, watched in bewilderment as the cat began to change before her eyes. Its fur shimmered, and in moments, it transformed into a young woman with cat-like ears and a tail.

"What the... Oi, what's going on here?" Emma asked, her surprise mounting.

Nica smiled; her feline features still subtly present. "Listen to me first."

"NO! YOU LISTEN, YOU FREAK! I WILL NOT ALLOW A CAT TO ENTER THIS HOUSEHOLD I HAVE LIVED FOR 20 YEARS WITHOUT A SINGLE FUR IN THIS HOUSE!" Emma's voice cracked with frustration, tears welling up in her eyes as she stood in the dimly lit bathroom.

"Chill for a second, Emma. I came here for a reason," Nica said calmly, her voice a soothing counterpoint to Emma's outburst.

"For what?!" Emma's voice trembled with anger, her exasperation evident.

Nica regarded her with a determined expression. "You are chosen to fix the glitch in humanity."

Emma's initial reaction was skepticism. "Ha! Nice joke, Nica. Get out now."

However, at that moment, an otherworldly music began to permeate the bathroom, filling the space with a majestic and ethereal presence. Emma's eyes darted around in bewilderment.

"Where is this music coming from? That's weird. I never installed speakers in my bathroom," she muttered, her confusion deepening.

Nica, momentarily setting aside her irritation with Emma, said, "Ugh! Wait for me to finish, please. Enough nonsense blabber."

Apologizing, Emma nodded and listened as the music swelled, wrapping around her like an unseen force.

"We have chosen 5 brave warriors to restore mankind," Nica proclaimed, her voice now echoing with an almost divine resonance.

Nica went on to explain the dire situation Earth faced, where humans and animals were merging, causing a chaotic imbalance in reality itself.

"So, that means?" Emma asked, her voice filled with curiosity and a touch of trepidation, trying to make sense of the surreal situation.

Nica sighed, her irritation evident. "Ahh, fine. Fix this, and you will be granted a wish if successful. You just need to find the source of this reality rift and bring balance to the world."

Emma raised her right eyebrow skeptically. "So, to get things straight, you want me to battle weird creatures from another world that are probably dangerous and could kill me to save the world?"

Nica nodded, her expression unwavering. "Quite so, young maiden."

Taking a deep breath, Emma steeled herself for the challenges ahead. "Let's do this."

As if in response to her determination, the room was filled with a holy music that seemed to emanate from nowhere. An ethereal light enveloped Emma, and she felt a powerful surge of energy.

Light struck her upper back near the shoulder, leaving a glowing seal of a hero. She examined it with a mix of awe and confusion.

"Emma L. PANDORA, Assassin level 1," she read aloud. "Well, that was anticlimactic. I thought I'd get some wicked gear or something," she said, her voice tinged with sarcasm.

With the room now returned to its normal state, Emma looked at Nica with determination in her eyes. "Let me get my watch and let's gooooo!!"

"I love the enthusiasm" Nica chuckled.