The battle had been brutal. Sir Gawain Blackthorn — yeah, the legendary knight with the shiny armor and even shinier ego — was struggling to keep his footing. His sword arm felt like it'd been through a medieval blender, and the mysterious sorcerer opposite him was tossing spells like a caffeine-fueled barista making lattes.
"Take this, foul magic man!" Gawain bellowed, swinging his broadsword in an arc meant to cleave the villain in half.
The sorcerer smirked — the kind of smirk you see in villains who've watched way too many villain origin movies. With a flick of his wrist, a swirling green orb zoomed towards Gawain. The knight barely raised his shield in time; the impact sent shockwaves through his body.
"Is that all you've got? I've fought worse than your enchanted glow sticks!" Gawain taunted, trying to rally his strength.
"Bold words for a dying man," the sorcerer hissed, preparing another spell.
The duel dragged on like an awkward first date. Gawain lunged, parried, and cursed under his breath. The sorcerer chanted incantations, flicking his hands like he was swatting flies but with a much deadlier effect.
Then, the inevitable happened.
Gawain felt the sharp sting of a dagger slicing into his side — not the typical knightly sword wound, but one coated in something icy and unnatural. His vision blurred, the world tilted, and just as he thought this was the end of his medieval saga, the sorcerer's spell exploded in a cacophony of light and sound.
"Wait, what the hell?!" The sorcerer's voice cracked as his spell backfired.
The next thing Gawain knew, he was flying — no, being hurled like a bag of potatoes through a tunnel of flashing lights and impossible colors. Somewhere in the chaos, his armor clanked, sword swung free from his grip, and his last coherent thought was, This is definitely not in the king's handbook.
Then — bam!
He smashed through a ceiling like a confused, very armored wrecking ball.
"Holy crap, what was that?" Hiro Tanaka crouched behind the counter of his antique shop, eyes wide as saucers, heart trying to leap out of his chest.
The ceiling above his meticulously arranged collection of samurai swords, old kimonos, and questionable vintage Pokémon cards now looked like shredded paper. Dust rained down like some apocalyptic confetti.
"Dude, seriously? The roof? You had to pick that to fall through?"
Hiro's voice was calm, but only because he'd just had coffee strong enough to fuel a small army. His hand instinctively went to the katana resting against the wall — not that he wanted to fight whatever just crashed his shop, but old habits died harder than his kendo reputation.
From the rubble, a figure stirred. Clanking, groaning, and looking like he was auditioning for "Medieval Drama: The Musical."
The guy was decked out in full-on shiny armor, missing a sword but still looking ready to yell, "For the king!"
Hiro blinked. "Um, sir? You okay? You kind of just fell through my ceiling."
Gawain groaned, trying to sit up but immediately grimacing. "Where am I? What treachery is this place?"
"Okay... so here's the deal. You're in Tokyo. Specifically, my little antique shop. And yeah, you kinda just fell from the sky. No biggie."
The knight blinked, confused. "Tokyo? This is no battlefield. This is sorcery beyond any I have faced. By the saints, what devilry is this?"
Hiro exhaled. "Look, I don't know what kind of medieval fantasy game you're stuck in, but you're definitely not in 12th century England anymore."
Gawain's hand went to his side, where a nasty dagger wound still throbbed. "I am... gravely wounded. This cannot be happening."
"Yeah, I noticed the whole 'falling through a roof' part. You're gonna need some help. I'm Hiro. Former kendo champ, current antique shop owner slash accidental roof catcher."
The knight gave him a suspicious glance, like Hiro was either a sorcerer himself or part of some elaborate prank.
Hiro raised his hands, palms out. "Nope. Just a dude with a katana collection and zero plans for today."
Gawain tried to stand but stumbled. "Your floor is treacherous. I must rest."
"Rest? You fell through a roof, man. You've got some serious explaining to do."
There was a pause as Hiro sized him up. "Wait, you're telling me you're some kind of knight? Like, actual knight?"
"Indeed. Sir Gawain Blackthorn, at your service. Though presently, I am more... 'Sir Gawain Limping Through Strange Land.'"
Hiro snorted. "Alright then, Sir Limp-a-lot, let's get you patched up before you start breaking any more ceilings, yeah?"
Gawain looked around, eyes wide. "Patch up? What manner of witchcraft is this?"
"Don't worry, it's just bandages and stuff, not the spelly kind. Unless you want me to summon some healing magic. Spoiler: I can't."
The knight finally allowed himself to be helped up. "You are... kind, Hiro."
Hiro shrugged. "Don't mention it. Though if you keep dropping through roofs, I might have to charge you rent."
As Hiro helped Gawain to a chair, the knight scanned the strange surroundings — shelves stacked with odd trinkets, weird boxes with flashing lights (Hiro's phone), and pictures of people in strange outfits.
"This place," Gawain muttered, "feels like the inside of a wizard's den. Only with fewer dragons."
"Yeah, that's Tokyo for you. No dragons, mostly vending machines and weird people in cosplay."
Gawain raised an eyebrow under his helmet. "Cosplay?"
"Costume play. People dress up like knights, wizards, even anime characters. You might fit right in."
The knight groaned, clutching his side again. "I do not believe I will be winning any cosplay contests like this."
Hiro smiled, clearly amused. "Hey, you're one of a kind. Maybe a tourist attraction. 'Come see the real knight who fell from the sky.'"
"Ha," Gawain said, a weak but genuine smile breaking through. "If only I knew how I ended up here... and how to get back."
"Well, you're stuck with me for now, buddy. Let's start with the basics — no more ceiling crashes, okay?"
"Agreed," Gawain nodded, "but only if you promise to explain this strange new world... and find me a sword."
Hiro laughed. "Deal. Welcome to Tokyo, Sir Gawain. Let's see if you can handle the 21st century."