Chapter 1: Welcome to the New World

"Wait non-human suit" No. "Not human" No, NO. "Your aliens."

"I am. Zeru's not." Urthus replied. "What is it human culture liked to have us say? We come in pieces? Take my to your ruler? One of those, right?"

"Hey I'm practically a time traveler. Nice to meet you names shadow." Marcus said with a laugh. Bloody impossible I tell you human.

"Urthus. Frentiu Fanalan Asa Urthus. Most just call me Frank as trying to say my real name in your language hurts my ears."

"Well Frank nice to meet you, mind telling your friend to stop aiming a gun at me I'm sure its normal but then again." Marcus said, remembering he had a gun trained on him

"Not really. You got a secondary life inside of you and I'm forced to assume you don't have absolute control over It's body. Not to mention I have yet to see it's full capabilities, and this equipment is very valuable to me. We'd rather not take chances."

"Have you been looking at camera recordings while we were talking" Marcus said, stunned that he knew a little bit about his unpredictable powers

"No, but it's an educated guess." Urthus replied, smiling behind his face obscuring mask. "I can't actually see anything in this suit besides what my eyes would normally see, plus a small augmented reality bit about radiation levels and atmosphere toxicity. Helps for when I enter the Void. Don't ask about it, it's complex. I'm still learning about it and I've been at this for many many years."

"I'm already confused" Marcus said, "Well alien I see you don't mind my host, you don't smell hostile"

"I very much mind, actually. He is, and you are as well, an unknown variable in this situation. My line of work involves eliminating unknown variables and replacing them with known variables. So before we remove the safety of the gun, tell me what you intend to do in this area and why I should let you near my expensive gear."

"Now he smells bad." Dark let his stronger snake out of Marcus's back ripping the hoodies back. "God damn it, look I was looking for a place to train and sleep and this was the first place we could find, I walked though a maze until I saw this light and then the events happened. I won't touch anything unless they are very shiny buttons" Marcus said, soon grabbing the snake by the head and trying to push it back into his skin

~Tecchie~

The next thing I know, my eyes flutter open, with the pain in my head gone. I'm not where I was when my eyes closed. Instead, I'm on the staircase, leading down to a subway. There is no sign of life anywhere. This must be the abandoned station. Suddenly, I hear very strange voices from the station. I stand up, but my legs feel weak. I must still be under some effect of that button the guy pressed. Slowly, I walk down the staircase, trying to stay quiet. When I near the bottom, one of my legs malfunctions, and I fall down five or so steps onto the platform, in plain sight of the figures.

Now though......what knocked him out? James wondered. He saw a bruise on the guys head, definitely from a blow. Something hard no doubt. Standing up, he looked back to Kristen and said "Kristen, come on we should go. The cops will be on their way, and we may as well let them arrest this sicko. Ma'am, what's your name?" he asked of the hostage. She blinked, still having her eyes closed and face scrunched up at the smell of all the blood. "S--Sarah," she stammered. "Sarah, the cops are on their way right now," James said, and it was true. Gestalt had managed to get into the police dispatch and was able to send an alert out to the cops. A patrol car was already on the way.

"Sarah, we're going to bring you outside and I want you to wait for the cops. Don't worry, we're gonna be close by to watch over you until they pick you up. I promise." Sarah seemed okay with it, or perhaps she just wanted out of the building, though James couldn't blame her. They left the building then, James wondering who knocked out Michael.

Sparrow managed to get out, already on the opposite rooftop. Christ, what the fuck was that girl? she thought. Not willing to stick around, and with the painting still on her, she began making her way back to her apartment.

Chris and Amy were about to return home......when with a sigh, they turned around and went off in search of Stella. If only to see what was wrong. Amy, ever the tech savy hacker, used her tablet to hack into the city cameras in the area, and track down the girl. They found her, sobbing, with Chris immediately asking "Holy crap Stella, what happened?"

Zeru heard the noice and instintctively pulled out his other pistol and aimed it at the new intruder"who the hell are you" he hollerd while still being wary of shadow.

~Tecchie~

Still laying on the ground, I pop my laser rifle out of my left arm, along with my visor popping out in front of my left eye to see anybody that's not visible right now. The rifle is trained right on the head of the man who just asked the question.
"I think I deserve to know who you are first."

"i don't think so buddy you have no reason being in this area so better start talking fast"he responded/

~Tecchie~

"I have no reason to be here? It was your friend who screwed up my programs, knocked me out, and brought me here! Why did you need those blueprints so bad? Why do you need me here?" I scream at him, keeping my arm steady. I keep my eye on his trigger-finger, so I can shoot if he tries to first.

"what the fuck are you talking about i don't even know who let alone what your even going on about"

~Tecchie~

"You sent a guy to my apartment to grab my blueprints. When he left, he did something, and it screwed with my programming. I fall over with an extreme headache, and everything goes black. Next thing I know, I wake up here. If you guys want to kill me, let's have a fair fight at least!"

"i still have no clue what your talking about and sorry to say but we got an alibi during your so called timeframe"

~Tecchie~

"You honestly have no clue what I'm talking about? You didn't even see a guy come through here or anything?"

"the term guy is a bit vague there buddy kinda doesn't give a whole lot to go on":\

~Tecchie~

"He was... I can't even remember. It happened so fast." I pull my laser back into my arm, and start to get onto my feet, seeing no immediate threat from these guys.

Zeru lowers his arm and put the pistol back but stayed on his guard."if your part machine then couldn't you plug into something and go over the last recorded images you had before the blackout?"

~Tecchie~

"R-Recorded images...? Why didn't I think of that!? I'll definitely add some sort of device to save the images as soon as I get this all sorted out." I walk with a slight limp over to the man, and stick my hand out for a handshake.
"Woah! What is up with your eyes, man?" I shout, jumping back.

Chris and Amy's appearance caused Stella to jump. She looked over. Dead end...she slowly turned to them both, shaking.
"...I can't tell you. Please." She begged.

"You don't get that option," Amy said. "Did someone hurt you? Are you in trouble? Tell us what's going on, please."

Stella looks at her feet.
"...I have a crush on Chris..."

Both Amy and Chris, in what was clearly going to be a common occurrence, blinked. "Uh.......come again?" Chris said.

"You asked who I liked...and who I wanted to take to the dance...it was you Chris...I have a crush on you..." Stella didn't look up. "That's why I ran. I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Oh......uhm......wow, this is taking awkward to new levels," Chris said as she rubbed the back of her head, Amy going a bit pink. "Yeah, no kidding," she mumbled.

Stella whimpered. "It's why I decided to run. It would do nothing...what has my admission really done but make this friendship start off strained?"

"Well," Chris said as she sat next to Stella. "At least we're getting off to an honest friendship. Beats us lying to one another."

Stella actually laughs. "Thanks..."

Amy didn't sit, but said "Stella, I'm sorry it all came out like this. But I appreciate you being honest. Look, if you want we can still hang out?" Chris didn't say anything, but was against it if only because they needed to get back home.

Stella looks up...then nods. "I'd like that..."

James, led the group out, leaving Sarah out on the street in the light of day for the cops to find while he stood on the roof, cloaked, and asked Kristen "So.....this where we part ways?"

"Cool.....though maybe not today. I've got stuff to do back home and Chris has a house to decorate with James."

Stella nodded. "Than...thanks." she stood up, then offered her hand to Chris.

Chris said nothing as she shook Stella's hand, and Amy sighed before saying "Well no need to get all choked up you two."

"Wow more interesting people that seems to be heavily argumented, another Rev." Marcus said allowing his amour to grow over his cloths and his two snakes were let out. "I'm just gonna be back up."

Stella blushed. "I should go..." she paused. "Thank you both."

"Sure thing," Chris said. "And look, don't let this whole......thing, beat you up too much. Okay?"

Stella nods. "Okay." She relaxes. "...thank you."

"ok i am getting really sick of people doing that and the next person who makes rude comment about my eyes rght now is going to be shot"zeru responded getting really annoyed.

I followed James out of the building, stopping once we were out of view.
"Tell me what you meant." I demanded, arms straight by my side.

"Kristen, when I said I was scared for you I meant I was scared for what your choices might make you. I mean, do you want to kill people? Even bad ones?"

"No problem Stella," Chris said. "Well we gotta go. See ya around," she said, walking away with Amy.

"Why would I leave a threat alive?" I said, echoing what I'd said before, "Good or bad doesn't matter. Threats have to be neutralised."

~Tecchie~

This guy seriously threatened to shoot me. I could kill him right here with my blade, but who's to say he's got the same weakpoints as a human? And what if I can't kill these other two fast enough? That guy's a freaking robot, and did that guy... Was that armor there the whole time?
"Sorry about that, just didn't notice them before."

"Neutralized sure. But killed? Especially like that?" James said with a shake of his head. "Taking them down shouldn't be as important as how, we take them down. Makes us better than them."

"How does not killing them make us better? He's going to go to prison for the rest of his life, and probably kill himself there." I said, frowning, "Either way he dies."