I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

Anniversary Extra – Grow-up!

Katsuragi Kenta: Egg timer

Six years old

Sitting in the eight tatami living room, Kenta switches on the TV and the PS2. His soft, delicate face brightens in anticipation, as he can't help but jump around the living room.

Not that anyone was home to complain about his horsing around.

But how can't he be happy? He's finished with his homework and can now play games.

Of course, he doesn't forget the egg timer, calming down a bit, he set it on one hour. His one hour of gaming per day.

Nobody is here to control it, but Kenta stays faithful to the agreement: One hour of TV or gaming every day. Playing games is much more exciting than watching TV, as everything he does get responses from games.

Though one question lingers in the little boy's mind: Why can't he have the brand-new PS3? That's weird! The PS2 is also a used one. Kenta wants to have the newest console!

But right now, it doesn't matter, time to play some Atelier Iris. He stopped during synthesizing items, trying to figure out the best combos of ingredients. In this game, you're able to substitute some ingredients in an alchemical formula, and sometimes the items become better, at times it become worse, and sometimes you create a whole new item.

He has to choose the mana Popo this time. Kenta doesn't like Popo, that attention-seeking sprite, who constantly asks you during the synthesizing process, who your favorite mana is.

Of course, it's Luplus, because he wields time. Is there a way to get Luplus in the party? Kenta is willing to bear Arlin again if he can also get his hands on Luplus!

Ah, he ran out of drops. He has to farm some more, back to Mull's Castle.

- Oh, one of those white balloon thingies. Let's turn it into a lot of elements.

- No, don't! Better use Klein this turn to heal.

- Why can't you stand closer to each other!? This wastes another turn because Lita can't one-kill all of you!

A lot of these kinds of thoughts run through young Kenta's mind, as he plays the game, only to be interrupted by the ringing of the egg timer.

Already?

Back to a saving point.

Saved.

Kenta feels a bit hollow, as he turns off the TV and PS2.

Now what?

He's still alone. But it's not that bad.

Ah, maybe he can draw a picture. About cool Luplus eating annoying Popo.

Ten years old

Lying on the bed of his small room, blanket over his head, Kenta's dulled eyes are looking onto the screen. His fingers nimbly move around an SNES gamepad, as he moves his character away to avoid retaliation. Secret of Mana, a classic game.

So far, he's not that impressed. It's charming, but there is no room for customization. At least the story is good, while still very simple.

There are no mind-shattering scenes and revelations like in FFVII or Tales of Symphonia, but there are some very unusual choices here and there, like having the girl character chasing after her fiance, instead of being the constant love-interest of the boy.

Kenta isn't fond of love, but most people would think of that as usual, seeing his age. It's not the time for boys to be all interested in the other sex, it's time they play hard, talk hard, and fight hard.

Not that he involves himself with others much. Those other kids are crazy and stupid.

Better to spend his time on gaming. Much more relaxing.

An egg timer is on the ground, indicating how much time he has left until he has to go.

He has to save soon. Otherwise, they'll just turn the console off, and he has to re-do everything. Again.

What a pain.

Of course, he set the egg timer for himself, so that he won't be surprised like last time.

“Phew...” Too bad that he can't set up a TV everywhere. Otherwise, he would find a hiding spot to play more.

For a ten-year-old, his timetable is already bursting.

Fifteen years old

Sitting at the table in his spacious, untidy room, Kenta is studying. Besides the school book, he has two reference books, an additional exercise booklet, and three notebooks: One with his notes from school, one with those notes rearranged, extended, and cleaned up, and one which encases the vital parts, which will help him to revise them for later classes.

Studying is not about doing much, but doing it efficiently. Just trying to cram whatever the teacher says is just dumb, it's not like the teacher puts knowledge into your brain.

You learn by yourself. The teacher can only try to stimulate those processes.

So whenever you cram, try to do it your way. But seeing how stupid the rest of Kenta's high school class is, he doubts that any of those have figured out, how they can learn best themselves.

There are some simple ways to memorizing stuff more efficiently. Writing them down, for instance. Reorganization also let you spend more time about thinking about the learning material, instead of just trying to get words into your head.

In the end, it's all about interacting with the content you want to memorize.

The egg-timer is ticking. This indicates how much Kenta will study until he fully immerses himself into his hobby: Gaming.

But during studying time, Kenta doesn't waste time thinking about gaming. As long as he gets results, his parents have agreed to let his obsession with games slide.

So while this egg timer runs, he's only thinking about the stuff, which he's studying. “Dammit, Taniguchi.” That teacher is the worst, as he'd be unable to give a proper class, even if his life depended on it.

Switching some portions, giving some examples, having a clear structure, doing that would give his math classes much more of an impression and sustainability. Kenta can see, why so many students have problems following him.

He should just quit as a teacher. Get a job as a garbage disposer or something like that, this way he would be an actual benefit to society. Kenta respects the guys who take out other people's trash.

Kenta hates Taniguchi's classes, as those are a waste of time. He wishes to study the right way during these boring as f*ck lessons so that he opens up more time for gaming.

Well, he could also play 3DS instead, but because of Kenta's reputation, he'd be easily spotted doing that.

What a pain.

The egg timer rings and Kenta quickly tidies up his desk. All thoughts of school suddenly vanish, as he turns on the PC, excited to spend the rest of the evening in the world of Eorzea.

Momokawa Kyou: Sunday mornings

Six years old

“Kouki, don't watch too much TV, Kaa-chan (mommy) will be angry.” Playing with her dolls, Kyou is looking to her little brother, who is three years younger than her. At his age, he's, of course, watching all these baby programs, Kyou is much more of an adult than he is.

She also has an appointment, just like Tou-chan (daddy). Teru-chan will come over, asking her to play. This is an important meeting, which will keep Kyou busy today. Just like Tou-chan.

In contrast, seeing little Kouki watching TV shows he's still a child. He still goes to nursery school as well, while Kyou is already in elementary school.

“Tou-chan, Tou-chan!” Kyou runs up to and embraces the legs of a young man, who just enters the room. “Good morning!”

“Hey, stop climbing me.” Yes, the little girl tries to climb her father. “Seriously.” Grabbing her by her waist, Momokawa Yoshiro lifts his daughter up and get her on face level. “I'm just up.”

Kyou kisses Yoshiro on his cheek as an answer.

“Ah! Me too.” Kouki also approaches his father and gets lifted up.

“Geez.” Yoshiro holds both of them for a while, but the weight of two children is draining enough to put them slowly down after a minute. “Tou-chan is still tired. Give me a break.”

Kyou doesn't like her tired Tou-chan much because he's always tired on Sundays. She knows that Tou-chan works much, but he also has a job as her Tou-chan.

So little Kyou's cute face is pouting.

“...” Yoshiro begins pinching those lovely, pouting cheeks: “When you grow up, you'll be a little princess.”

“Stop,” laughs Kyou, as she's unable to keep that joy and amusement hidden, when her Tou-chan smiles at her like that.

“I'm going to the kitchen to help Kaa-chan. We'll have breakfast soon, so play until then.”

““Yes,”” the Momokawa children reply cheerfully.

“Nee-chan, nee-chan. Let's watch teereevii.”

“It's TV, Kouki. And the show is stupid.”

“No, it's not. It's great.”

“It's a baby show.”

“No, it isn't!”

“Hey, stop pushing me!”

In a very typical way, both siblings start pushing each other, but being two years older, Kyou holds an advantage. Kouki begins to cry, Yoshiro storms the living room and scolds both of them.

Sometimes it can be very hard to agree on a TV-show, especially as siblings.

Ten years old

“Nee-chan, please let me watch it.”

“Shows like that makes you stupid.” Kyou knows because all of the boys in her class were all about those shows for the past few years and all of them are idiots.

“Pleeeeeeaaaaaase!” Kyou has the remote control, giving her the ultimate rights to decide the channel this Sunday morning.

“What's wrong?” Yoshiro enters the living room, looking at the siblings.

“Nee-chan hogs the remote!”

“Kouki is lying! He just wants to watch trash!”

Kyou can see how Yoshiro is considering the case, but she also knows that he will end up choosing Kouki. She can sweet-talk her father into everything lately, and he just became aware of it.

“Today it's Kouki's turn.” As expected.

“Yay, Tou-chan, I love you!”

“Tou-chan, Kouki will be all violent and stupid.” Many shows for boys are full of guys beating up each other instead of being an adult and talking about their problems.

“Being a boy means to be wild at some point.” Tou-chan laughs at Kyou's worries.

“Nee-chan, the show is great! Please watch it!”

“...fine, I do it, to prove to you, that it's stupid!”

During the show.

- “Wait, why is he- wah!”

- “Turn around, please turn around!”

- “Fight! Don't give up!”

- “Kouki, in one slash! One slash!”

Sometimes you can grow rather addictive on TV-shows you just thought of as stupid before you watched them.

Fifteen years old

“Kouki, it's time.”

“Nee-chan, I don-”

“Where is your remote?” Even though both Momokawa-siblings have their own TV by now, Kyou always barge into her little brother's room every Sunday morning.

Because he's the only one who knows about her secret, who can talk about it with her. She can't possibly tell her friends, that she's interested into those kind of shows.

That's an advantage of having a younger brother.

“Nee-chan, you're in high school now! Aren't you too old!? I want to stop watching them. I'm almost at middle school.”

“Kouki, you'll watch them with me, like every Sunday during the last five years. Then we discuss the episode afterward.”

“No! If you don't stop, I'll tell your friends.”

“...sigh. I knew that day would come.” Kyou takes her phone from her pocket. “Let's see, there: Takano Honami, Hirai Mayuka, Masaki Sumiko...”

“How did you get the numbers from the girls of my class?”

“I'm a big sister.” Of course, she has a plan for when her little brother is rebelling: “Which picture should I post them? How about the time, you fell into the channel?”

“Y-you took a picture of that?”

“Of course. Ah, here are you in the bathroom, when-”

Panicky, Kouki tried to grab Kyou's phone, but she easily avoids his attempt.

“That was close, I almost pressed on the 'sent'-button, and girls are so quick to start and spread rumors...” She smiles at her brother in a way only a true devil could smile. “I don't ask much of you, Kouki. Just spend around two hours per week with your big sister. It's not worth ruining your whole school life.”

“You... you monster!”

Sometimes, you realize how much you're just struggling on the palm of your big sister when she wants to watch a certain TV-program.

Katarine von Stolzherz: Playing with sticks

Six years old

Katarine plays knights with her brother, Eberhardt. Both of them are using sticks as swords, as they try their best to hit each other's sticks. This is a serious duel right now, showing which one of them is the better fighter and therefore knight.

The blonde girl is already studying to become a fine princess, but when playing with her younger brother, she's just whatever they want her to be. Her long hair is braided, and a golden circlet is around her forehead to keep the last strands of hair out of her face.

“I'm bestowed with the name of Kati, Knight of Feuerberg. While we're both knights of the kingdom, I'm unable to overlook your words insulted me and my honor. Be prepared to be brought to justice before my blade. Hiyaaa!” Katarine steps forward, trying to hit Eberhardt's sword, but Eberhardt jumps back in an overdramatic way.

“In the name of Feuerberg, I, Sir Eber, will bring you and your insolence to the judgment of the sword. Hey!” His attack was a wide swing, which his sister effortlessly blocked.

“Take this, fiend!”

“Take that, swine!”

The servants, unable to interfere with the two eldest of Feuerberg's heirs, are looking at the two children, who are playing with each other hard enough to actually hurt each other.

But by order of the king, they have to only watch out for fatal injuries, as Feuerberg's royal family are of the blood of Hagen von Stolzherz, a supreme warrior and hero.

Of course, his descendants would feel the need to prove themselves in battle, even at this age. Handily, the main temple of Feuerberg is also close, so there is easy access to magical healing, for when an emergency arises.

After hacking and slashing at each other's weapons for a while, another man entered the courtyard. He's an old man, whose stance and eyes are rather youthful and full of energy. “Watching you gives me physical pain.”

“Ah, it's Gottfried, the monster of legends, the deviant devil, the abhorrent aberration!”

“Lady Kati, we need to stick together, to cut down that vile villain!”

“You want to take me down?” Gottfried opens his sword belt and throws it aside, just to grab one of Katarine's and Eberhardt's substitute sticks. “I'm serious about every challenge. So you'll better apologize and withdraw it, otherwise, I'll make you cry.”

*Gulp*

Both children are royalty, there should be no one besides their family members, who have the right to make them cry.

But Gottfried is the friend of their granduncle and grandfather. He even sometimes talks to their father from above, even though their father is the king!

“Eber, it's time to make him pay!”

“Yes!”

“I'll go from the front, try to take his side!”

“Yes!”

Gottfried just stays still, as he watches both children going into position. “I'll only use this stick. Even Heinrich will be mad if I start brawling with his brats.”

Both children charge at the same time.

Eberhardt lifts his stick over his head, only to feel how the weight got suddenly lighter. Suddenly, the upper part of his weapon falls. It's cut down, though just effortlessly flicked into his direction.

Not knowing how to process it, Eberhardt's knees gives out, his eyes are tearing and a nasty smell waves off him. But he's only five years old and just saw the fine line between death and life.

Katarine, still in motion and enraged by Gottfried, who devastated her little brother, attacks Gottfried with all her might. She swings her stick over her head, just like her little brother did.

“Wielding a sword over your head is often a bad idea,” Gottfried explains, as his stick suddenly is at Katarine's ankles, pulling them up and therefore throwing her whole body into the air. “A real blade is heavy, it messes with your balance,” without breaking the movement, his stick draws a cycle only to be brought down on the princess' torso: “and the whole point of having a sword is to have a big piece of metal between you and your opponent to guard you.”

Katarine's body hits the ground hard, her back first, followed by her head, and finally her limbs. Her stick has left her hands at some point.

The pain kicks in, and there is only one reaction a six-year-old can do in this situation:  “Whhhyaaaaaaauhaaauhauuu!” Crying.

“Come on, don't be a ba-” With a swift movement of his stick, he cut through another stick, that is about to fall on his head. Katarine's weapon, she lost during Gottfried's swift combo. “Is that coincidence or were you ai- stop crying!”

“... Sir Gottfried?” Another voice chimes in, a strong voice which is used to give orders. “Why is Kati crying on the ground? And Eber looks devastated as well.”

Gottfried is a sworn knight of Lidwiga von Stolzherz, Katarine's great grandmother, and he's a friend of Meinolf, her granduncle, and Kormin, her grandfather who married into the family.

When he was young, he became an extraordinary servant and friend of the royal family.

But this can't quench the bloodthirst of a worried father, whose children were just taught a valuable lesson.

Ten years old

“Adi, you need to try harder.” Katarine just sent Adelbert von Stolzherz to the ground with ease.

Adalbert is also Katarine's brother. She's the oldest out of seven siblings, followed by Eberhardt, Yvonne, Teresia, Adalbert, Karlmann, and Innozenz.

Adalbert and Karlmann are now the children playing with sticks, but Katarine is on a break and helps them 'practice,' despite still being a disciple herself. Her long hair is kept from her face by a bandana.

After starting formal combat training, she was quickly snatched away by Gottfried for direct tutoring, particularly in swordsmanship.

Gottfried is a legend, though not being a hero, he's fought since forever and attain some reputation. Sometimes people are traveling from afar to challenge the retired knight to a duel.

Usually, it doesn't go well for them. Gottfried may hold back against weak opponents, but he has a brutal way of teaching challengers a lesson.

Same goes for his disciples.

Adelbert stands up, trying to convey Karlmann the next step of their strategy to overcome their big sister. Of course, they already had everything in motion.

“Kati, Adi, Karl,” Princess Yvonne walks on the courtyard to give all of them a message.

“What's wrong, Wonne?” Katarine lowers her stick-sword to listen to her younger sister.

That's precisely the moment her siblings were waiting for. Her brothers attack both at the same time, while Yvonne draws a small stick from under her dress to stab her older sister (playfully).

First, Yvonne receives a fist directly into her face, followed by a knee into the stomach.

Second, Adelbert's stick is hit by Katarine's causing it to bounce back right into his own face.

Third, Karlmann's wielding arm is hit by Katarine's sword, who just deflected Adelbert's attack, causing him to lose his weapon and leaving a dark mark on his arm.

The audience of servants is shocked seeing this sudden display of movements, while the victims unifies for another activity: “““Aaahaaaaauuuuuuuhurghhgh!””” Crying.

Someone jumps from the balustrade of a tower, a free fall of twelve meters (40 feet), landing on his feet like it's no big matter. It's Heinrich von Stolzherz V, the father of all four children here, who were watching them as part of his break.

Being a king doesn't mean that he can't be a worried father as well.

Fifteen years old

Katarine von Stolzherz will leave Esse to travel to Wächter tomorrow morning. She has grown into an elegant lady, though she now has a much shorter haircut. She wants to be readier than ever before for upcoming battles.

That's also why she assembled her siblings this night. While Eberhardt, Yvonne, and Teresia are away for educational reasons, Adelbert, Karlmann, and Innozenz are still here.

“It's the final night. So I like to play one last time with each of you. Here.” She shows her siblings the wooden training swords she took from the training grounds. “The last fight between siblings.”

Her radiant smile shows her sincerity to connect to their siblings one last time before she heads off to another path.

“““No, thank you.””” While her siblings are smarter than that.

Ara'ainn: Always the same?

Six years old

Ara isn't like the other children. Her behavior is concerning, the things she enjoys strange, the way she speaks not appropriate to her age.

Her child-like, almost black eyes, are looking at her mother, while her long ears show that she's confused why suddenly the same barged into her room.

“Please, Ara-tan. This can't go on!” Her mother, Kae'ovar, is especially worried about her child. She asked her friends about it and came to the following conclusion: This girl isn't following the normal development.

“Mother, would you mind? I'm studying.” Though she doesn't have books or paper.

Ara, like all alfar, is connected to a large system built on magic, giving her access to many information with her mind. Thoughts, images, sensory impressions, everything which is experienced by one alfr can be shared due to the network and brought to every alfr, who likes to experience it themselves.

There is a schooling program for children to run with additional input for especially eager learners.

“But that's the problem!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ara, when was the last time you set something on fire?”

“I've never put something on fire.”

“When was the last time, you put itching powder in someone's neck.”

“Last week, why do you ask?”

“Last week!?”

“Sorry, the week before.”

“What about stealing one's possession?”

“I really wanted that insect.”

“For what?”

“Experiments.”

“Ara, I don't know what to do anymore. You're... sometimes I have the feeling, that I need to remind you to slip in hairs into the drinks of our guests.”

“But cutting some hair is too exhausting.”

“Are you sure, that's the reason? I sure hope so, because you're worrying me. You're just not acting your age!”

“You're overexaggerating, mother.”

“Ara-tan, please! Go outside, burn something down, make other kids feel miserable, maybe raid a house or two, if you need to, you can even try playing with other kids, but please stop studying!”

“But I like studying.”

“No chance for today!” Using her own magic, Kae'ovar cut down Ara's connection to the network.

“Hey!” The child is still too young and inept in magic to restore it by herself. “I'll make you pay for it at dinner!”

“Please, do so! I beg you. But for now, go outside and cause mischief!”

“...”

Some parents get overly worried, whenever their children are straying from the path that's considered normal for their age.

Ten years old

“Mother, I'm finished with the education program.”

Kae'ovar hears this while eating dinner and let her cutlery fall in shock. “Don't tell me-”

“Yes, I've broken the rule of not studying during nights and completed it three years ahead of time.”

“Ara-tan... I don't know what to say. I love, how you broke the rule I set up, but to do what?”

“Studying.”

“Do you want to become a researcher? Is that it?”

“I don't know?”

“But why are you studying then?”

“Because it's fun?”

“Are you trying to receive an 'ainn' as title-name?”

“Ara'ainn does sound elegant.”

“Ah, that's it, right? You just want a cool name, right?”

“Not particularly.”

“So let me repeat: You've broken my rules and gone ahead in education for no reasons, right?”

“That's correct.”

“Plus, you talk like some big-shot, because you think you're so smart.”

“Ahem.”

“I sure hope, that you use that smart head of yours for some fine pranks. I want to brag with my child.”

“No.”

“Why, Ara-tan!? Why!?”

“Because you're my mother.”

These words hit hard. Kae'ovar suddenly realized, that her daughter, her own daughter, has put up a scheme to make her suffer throughout the years. All that studying, all these undone pranks and mischiefs, everything was set up to pull Kae'ovar's leg for good.

“Ara-tan,” Kae'ovar doesn't cry easily like all alfr, but her ears are twitching, showing how emotional she got. “Just for me, you--- you're the best daughter ever!”

Affectionately, Kae'ovar begins massaging Ara's ears. That child is already much of an adult.

Sometimes a parent is delighted to see, how much their children grow in character, and can't help but admire how adult they can act.

Fifteen years old

Already grown up for a while, Ara'ainn is now a full-fledged member of alfr society. She has a job as an accountant, and following the alfr working morale, she makes no jokes about her work, but a lot of her fellow colleagues.

Of course, being a researcher may have been better for her, but as an accountant, she has an easier time lazing off, as research has a much higher value than management.

Researchers have to fear about rivals and political stuff, while accountants have an easy life, as the plants and the network do most of the work connected to it.

Trading itself is more of a negligibility, as people have everything they need to survive by doing almost nothing.

Being an accountant means having a barely paid job, but one worth lazing for.

On the side, she can study whatever she wants, while others try to research on a professional level, always beware of those who tries to outdo them.

A beautiful, calm life. That's all what Ara wants.

Sometimes children grow into adults, who barely use all the work, worry and resources parents put into them.

Give it some years, they may be summoned to a fantasy world, which will make them use everything you tried to taught them to somehow find their way in this unique lifestyle.

Only to get further deranged by some mythological demialfr at some point.