3 comments/ 4460 views/ 17 favorites Superhero Chronicles By: DrSpidey Hey, guys. This is something that I've been working on. This is part one of a two part story. There's NO SEX in this part, but it's still pretty essential to read so you aren't lost on part two, which WILL have sex. Originally it was all going to be one big story, but I broke it into two parts at the last minute. I apologize if the ending was rushed. I deleted half of it and was ticked off that I had to re-do it, so I ended it there. I'll try to make it up to you all in part 2. Please enjoy. And as always; I live comments, whether negative or positive. ***** People always wondered what the future would be like, like, how far would technology go? What people be like by then? Would humanity be much more advanced? Would there be any humans left? Would it be mainly androids and bioengineered humans who were the dominating species? Would there even BE a future, or would science prevail and we would all be hit by a meteor? Would zombies cause an apocalypse? Though many of these questions were answered after many centuries, centuries weren't exactly kind to the world. We weren't living in a world of peace. Things only seemed to get worse when 'the future', the world of hover cars, hoverboards, flashing lights and skyscrapers came along; it was not the utopia mankind had longed and fantasized for. What the world WAS given was a place of increased violence. Technology reigned supreme, and it was hard to tell man from machine. But technology was not as those before us had dreamed; technology had caused wide-radius destruction, destruction that was by far worse than any other previous wars in time. Many countries had been lost, and had became a simple thing of the past when 'World War IV' finally happened, disintegrating many parts of the world. Did we really come a long ways? In certain ways, yes; we did. Was this the perfect paradise we all had hoped for? Not especially. Was there still peace? Yes, somewhat. Was the world more dangerous? Yes, absolutely. Was the human race becoming a minority? Yes, very much so. Even though the world was crumbling around me, still I dreamed of a universe that would be free from suffering and turmoil. Maybe it was stupid to fantasize about such a place, a perfect world, an eternally peaceful world, free of violence and of chaos, free to just enjoy and live life; maybe it was a fool's dream. Things used to be so much simpler...And now, things had progressed so far that there was no turning back and living life the way it was once lived, so very long ago, before the future came, before the start of Beyond Year, was an impossibility. I heard a buzzing sound coming from nearby, and as I rolled around in bed; shielding my eyes from the assaulting sunlight, and muttering inaudible mumbles to myself, I turned to the left of my bed to meet with the gaze of Platinimia. "Good morning, sir. Rise and shine. Better get up before you're late for work." Platinimia was basically like the maid of the place. Truthfully, she was nothing more than an artificial intelligence, a computer, that was able to project itself into a semi-convincing figure, that was complete with a bluish silver color-scheme, and her eyes were pure white, with a whitish blue computer chip like iris. Her hair was long; traveling down to her shoulders, and she appeared naked, except her body was devoid of any private parts. "Work." I heard myself blurring out; as if miserably parroting her words. "Can you even call it that?" "Work is work, master Vaxius, regardless of how simple." It was funny how whenever I read history books, about years ago, centuries and centuries ago, that work was actually that; work. But ironically enough...As years kept going, work became less of 'work' and became easier and easier, and then, finally, long gone were the days of hard physical labor that required strong men, and soon it was sitting on a desk staring at a screen and taking phone call. Finally it had escalated to the present...Where you had to do practically nothing. I felt her hand touch my back, and that was enough of an encouraging boost to give me enough will to force myself out of bed. The thing about Platinimia, was that she was able to touch others, and when she did, you could actually feel it. But this was limited to her being able to touch, ONLY others, and when someone tried to touch her, your hand went right through her. She needed further upgrades and additional programs before she could be near 'perfection', where she could be touched in return. The bad thing about that was it would require so much data that she would be downloading Gaiabytes for an additional fourteen years before she was able to achieve what she dreamed of. "I hope you have a wonderful day at work." She smiled. "Don't count on it." I moaned. I pushed the silver blankets and sheets off, then swung my feet groggily over the bed, stepped down onto the glowing, neon blue floor, and made my way towards the bathroom. "I require a scan." Spoke an electronic male voice. "It'll only be a moment." I stood there in front of the metal door, and soon a red laser hit my face and wiggled around on me. The metal door them slid upwards. "Scan complete. You may enter." I walked into the bathroom, and once I was inside, the door slid back down. "Master, I've already prepared your outfit for the day." "Thanks, Platinimia." I said. I removed my dirty clothes and threw them to the floor, and soon, they had disappeared; Platinimia having transported them all the way to the laundry room. As I approached the neon orange, egg-shaped shower, I reached my hand to the control panel on the side, and hit one of the keys; causing the giant glass doors to the shower pod to open and then I entered inside. "Starting shower waters." Platinimia's voice echoed. "P-Platinimia!" I quickly stuttered like an idiot, "what are you doing in here?" "I exist only to please." She replied. "I'm readying your shower." "I could have done it." I blushed. "Nonsense." She laughed. "Just go when you're done." "I've already finished." And as soon as she said that, water filled the egg-shaped pod up to my neck. Water started spraying down from every direction; spraying into my hair, while shampoo came from one of the other hundreds of shower heads. I washed my hair out while the hot water hit me from every side, but it was only then, there, lathering in 'ocean' scented shampoo, that I realized I hadn't even put any soap on before the water had started. "Platinimia?" I called. "Yes, sir?" She answered. "Could you drain the water? I didn't get the chance to use any soap, yet." "Pardon me, sir, for my inconvenience. I will drain the water and refill, once you've lathered yourself in soap." "Thanks, Platinimia." I smiled, hitting a button on the inside control panel, took a step outside the egg pod, and grabbing a bottle of liquid soap and a wash rag. I squirted ocean scented soap onto the silver wash rag and stepped back into the pod, pushed a button to close the door, then started rubbing the blue soap all over my body, saving my crotch for last. A sigh escaped my lips once the water started to refill and filled the egg-shaped pod until it was up to my neck. The shower heads sprayed water down onto me while the soap on my body was removed by the huge amounts of aqua until every last drop of soap was gone. When I was done with my shower, I stepped out, walked along the neon blue floor and walked towards the wall near my blue, glowing, round sink and took my gray towel off the rack, and wrapped it around my wet body. A pair of fresh clothes rested on the toilet. I dried myself off thoroughly, and once I was dry enough, slid a pair of boxer briefs onto my legs and then put on my silver jumpsuit. Platinimia had even gone out of her way to complete my outfit with my favorite silver wrap around, visor sunglasses. I put my sunglasses on, my matching silver socks and shoes, and proceeded towards the mirror by the sink, spiked my wet hair with my favorite comb, applied deodorant to underneath my arms, then went over my hair to make sure it was perfectly spiked. "I will get you your toothpaste and toothbrush, sir." Spoke a deep, bear-like, electronic voice. I stood there as an entrance formed in the middle of the sink, and two, strong looking robotic hands rose up, one grabbing the toothpaste and the other hand transforming into a spin toothbrush. The right hand screwed the lid off the toothpaste and brought it towards the toothbrush, squeezing it out onto the toothbrush, and the toothbrush came towards my mouth. I opened my mouth, and the toothbrush entered inside, and I closed my mouth as it started brushing thoroughly over every single tooth, but being as gentle as any normal person would. After about four minutes, I opened my mouth and the toothbrush left my mouth, rinsed itself off in the sink, transformed back into a normal robotic hand, and then the right hand put the toothpaste back down. Both hands disappeared back into the sink. "Have a wonderful day at work, sir. See you tonight." "Thanks. I'll try to enjoy my day...But I'm not making any promises." I replied to the sink. I then proceeded once again towards the voice-activated metal door, and stopped once I was in front of it. "Open." I casually ordered. "Yes, sir." Spoke the electronic male voice. The door slid upward, and I walked forward, walking out of the bathroom with the door sliding back down behind me. I walked into the kitchen where I was almost instantly greeted by Platinimia again, who had manifested before my eyes. "Would you like me to prepare you your breakfast?" She inquired. "No, thank you. Figured I'd just do it myself this week." I said with a slight smile. "Very well, sir. Do you require any further assistance?" "Naw. It's cool." "Have a wonderful day, sir." "I'll try." I chuckled dryly. With Platinimia gone, I walked over towards my tubular, dark blue, glowing refrigerator and it opened instantly after flashing a red laser-like light across my face, verifying the person before it, then I pulled out a jar of mayonnaise. I sat the mayonnaise down on the counter and walked over towards the clear, see-through, light blue neon light cabinets and and after I was scanned by another red light, the cabinets opened and I pulled out a loaf of bread and can of tuna. I made myself four tuna fish sandwiches, with chopped up pickles and apples, put them in a tiny cube that disappeared into my body, or more precisely, a pocket dimension, and then set off towards the huge, glowing, orange neon front door and stopped in front of it. The door slid open, revealing the rays of sunshine that were casting down onto the world below. I took my first step outside, and I gazed about carefully at my surroundings to make sure that no hover vehicles were coming, and once I saw I was in the clear, I reached down towards my blue hover boar and stepped onto it. Immediately it levitated up into the sky and as I brought one foot forward to the front and one foot back to the back, it rose higher and higher up into the air, ascending quickly up into the sky. The blue got closer and closer until I was only moments away from touching the clouds, and once I was only inches away from the clouds, I finally started flying on ahead; controlling the board with the movements, the swaying of my body. My parents died when I was around ten. I was obviously devastated when they died, and I took it probably harder than I should have, taking it as hard as a breakup with a girl, and going so far as to starve myself and have a severe case of anxiety that made me think danger was lurking around every corner, including my own house. We were actually enjoying a nice quiet evening at the park when it happened. The killer killed my father and mother with an energy pistol, and was about to fire and finish off the last family member, me, when his accomplice convinced him not to, not out of kindness or pity, but because the sirens had already been sounded and the police were coming. I was left with my life, but I was alone. My Aunt was the one who took over from there, and took over where my parents left off. I think that was when I realized how bad the world had gotten, how horrible of a place it was. That event had made me realize just how ugly and disgusting the world was. Even though I was now twenty four, I still missed them and there wasn't a day that went by that I thought about them. I kept thinking: I could have done something, I could have stopped the men, I could have fought. But as my Aunt told me; there was nothing I could have done. But still...I thought. If only. I flew out of the way of incoming hover cars and hover boards, and approached the electric purple crossroad highway, that would glow so brightly at night, and bulleted right into the matching tunnel that led to the town, Eraldia. I passed a few more hover vehicles, but made sure to stay at a distance in line, and waited till traffic started moving quicker before I picked up the pace. I nearly hit one of the other drivers, but merely leaned my body to the left and avoided crashing into them, and once I saw traffic clearing more, flew right on ahead; nearing the end of the tunnel. I could see sunlight coming out from the other end, even though it was still about two miles away towards the exit. "At least I'll make good time." I murmured. Continuing to dodge vehicles, I finally came to the end of the tunnel and sped right up into the sky, speeding ahead a hover bike and sinking in the sight of my destination: Rexiaus Corp. The building was a curved skyscraper with orange lighting from head to toe, that was mostly eye-catching when it was night and there was little light out. Located on the middle of a giant bed of water, in the Eraldia lake, the only way to get there was by means of flying vehicles or a ship. A giant 'RC' in a deeper shade of orange that stood out from the rest of the building proudly displayed at the top of the building for all the world to see. I descended from the air until I was ground level, stepped off the hover board, picked it up, and it shrunk to ant size until it finally disappeared. I walked towards the orange door and stood in front of it awaiting the usual scanning. "Initiating scan..." I stood there patiently as I waited; staring at the orange door while an old rock song played to keep me entertained while I waited. "Scanning complete. You may now step inside, Mr. Radinuj." The door slid open, and I entered the building, hearing the door slid back down, closing behind me as I took a few steps onto the orange, see-through floor. I could actually see beneath the lake from the orange floor, down into the water below. The inside of Rexiaus Corp. was quite spacious. It was really easy to get lost in the building if someone wasn't familiar with the place, and if someone was to go to the lowest level of the facility, they'd possibly see the 'unfortunates' that might mess with their psyche. The thing was...RC had a few secrets. No one knew about these secrets except officials, and the only reason I knew was because I was so curious, that I let my curiosity get the better of me on my first day of work and went to the forbidden floor; I managed to slip a few peeks at what lied behind the doors while they were open. I was pretty surprised at some or the things I saw, and I actually questioned whether or not they were legal, but, I never dared to confront anyone on what I saw in fear of losing the job I had...Or suffer a worse punishment. Somethings were better left forgotten and unsaid. "Vaxius. You're here about two minutes earlier than usual. What's the rush?" I stopped upon being spoken to. That was one of my colleagues: Jewlianis Favixius. She wasn't the prettiest girl there, but had a slight girl-next-door look to her. She was slightly chubby, and had dark brown hair that was fixed into long pigtails, and to top it all off, had violet eyes. "Just wanted to get here before everyone else did, I guess." I replied. "Well, you ALMOST got here before everyone else." "You beat me." I grinned. "I did." She smiled. "Well, since it's still early, what do you want to do while we wait for everyone to get here?" "Hmm," she squinted her left eye as if falling deep into thought, "I haven't had any coffee yet." "Great!" I quickly said. She seemed alarmed. "Let's head to the break room and get us some coffee while we're waiting." "Sure. Let's go." I nodded. Jewlianis walked beside me; her heels clicking on the floor while we made our way through the enormous facility and approached the break room that we had eaten in so many times that we lost count. "So, how's things been?" She asked; making small talk. "Not sure why you're even asking. We we work at the same place and see each other pretty much every day." I reminded; a faint laugh escaping my lips. She looked at me giving me this pouty look, and frowned slightly. "Okay," I threw my hands up in surrender. "Things have been fine. Not much to say, really." "Let's just get some coffee, then." She smiled. We finally made it to the break room and approached the counter on the left. "Greetings, sir and ma'am. What kind of coffee would you like today?" Spoke an electronic, youthful, male voice that came from the direction of the black and blue, spherical coffee maker. The top of the coffee maker had a disk-like top to it, with a pink, glowing light around the brim of the black disk, while the bottom where the coffee came from, was triangular with the same color scheme. "Jewlianis, I'll take whatever you're having." "A white chocolate cappuccino would be really good." She clapped her hands. "Very well. It'll only be a moment." I placed a cup underneath the maker and then we took a few seats down while we waited on the coffee, and as I sat down next to Jewlianis, I carefully gazed around the room we were in, trying to entertain myself while we waited. When I heard the beep, I sprung from the bubble-like chair and walked over towards the counter and took Jewlianis' cup of coffee and handed it to her. "Careful," I cautioned. "It's hot." She slowly brought the cup up to her lips and took a sip out of it, then lowered it back down as I walked back over to the counter and placed another cup underneath it. Within only a few seconds, my cup was filled to the brim and I brought it up to my lips, taking a small sip, careful as to not burn the inside of my mouth. "It tastes even better this time." Giggled Jewlianis. "You're right." I agreed. We sat there ad enjoyed our coffee until everyone started showing up, and then it was time for the daily work routine, and once that was over, I could go home and enjoy a nice meal. When it was time to close up, I had a short chat with Jewlianis. "Jewlianis?" I spoke cordially. "Yes?" She returned. "Would you like to go out tomorrow?" "Vaxius...The thing is..." Her eyes suddenly chahged, and her tone dropped drastically while she glanced away. "I'm dating Karisius. We started dating about a week ago when he confessed his feelings to me." "Karisius?" My words came out with more force than was probably necessary. "He's a jerk!" "Don't say that!" She snapped. "It's true!" I argued. "He's the biggest jerk in all of RC. There's a reason he barely has any friends." "Y-you're wrong. You just don't understand him! No one does because they don't take the time." "I know that he gave me a bloody lip two months ago." I furrowed my brows; clenching my jaw. Superhero Chronicles She said nothing in response to this, and she just kept her eyes looking downward; devoid of any kind of emotion, just blank like paper. "I need to go..." I watched as she walked away, and as she left, I couldn't help but feel sad and disappointed that she had chosen some jerk over me...Wasn't it obvious that I had liked her? Why choose a creep over a nice guy? Was she really so blind? I was about to leave the facility when I heard footsteps coming from the second floor. I thought everyone had left, but I figured I'd go up and give them a friendly reminder that it was closing time and we were all to head home. It was pretty late. We weren't intended to stay so long, but things happened, such as some technical difficulties involving some of the equipment, so some of us had to stay a little bit later than what we had planned on. I headed towards the capsule-shaped elevator and went through the laser scan process, and then, once the clear, orange doors that shone brightly due to the darkness of the night, opened, I pushed a button and headed up to the second level of the facility. "I don't understand why anyone in their right mind would be out here when it's this late." I quietly murmured to myself while the elevator rose up into the air, going up into the orange tunnel. The first floor got farther and farther away, the higher up I traveled in the glass, capsule-like elevator. I gently rested my back against the back of the elevator, folding my arms over my chest while I waited to reach the top. "I just wanna go home, eat supper, play some video games and go to bed." I dully spoke to myself; my head shaking. The elevator rose higher up, and soon I heard the ding, which indicated I was at my destination. The door opened and I walked out, stepping onto the floor of the second floor. The footsteps grew louder. "Look, if someone's here, leave. It's late and everyone's already gone home. Didn't you get the memo?" I narrowed my eyebrows while my lips took the form of a rather disdainful pinch, and I walked forward. I realized the more I started walking, making my approach through the holographic forest-like environment, which ultimately led to the other rooms, that there was little light, that the orange neon light that usually kept the place perfectly lit up, was quite dim. "You know," I continued to speak; the footsteps sounding closer, "if I were to tell the CEO that someone was lurching around here after hours, you could get in really big trouble..." And that statement wasn't entirely false. Rexiaus didn't like people snooping around because of the secrets that he held in the facility. One if two things could happen if they were caught or found out about: One is they could lose their job, and two is that they, much worse, could be arrested. "I know you're there, come out!" I was growing agitated; my patience clearly thinning. The footsteps were closer. "We'll leave together." I promised. "And I won't tell anyone about this." The footsteps stopped, and suddenly they started again...But they were closer? But why did they sound line they were coming from a different direction? It sounded close...But no longer like they were coming from the center. "If you're trying to psyche me out, tough luck. You're doing a pretty bad job at it. But I will say this: I'll have your butt fired if you don't show yourself NOW!" Truth be told, I was becoming unnerved. The monstrosities of nature this place gave shelter and birth to was enough to unnerve anyone... The footsteps ceased. I shrugged, turned around, then left; heading back to the elevator and got inside. "What the?" I blinked. The elevator was set to floor '666X' otherwise known as 'None shall enter without authorized permission'. The room...Where...'they' dwelt. I didn't want to go there. I tried to push a button to go back to the first floor, but no matter how many times I anxiously pounded on the first floor button, the cursed thing was dead-set on going to 666X. I sighed; shook my head, and tried to reach deep down inside myself to gain my courage as I traveled high-speed to the lowest of all the floors...The room located at the very bottom of RC; no man's land. In only a matter of seconds I had arrived. The lights were even dimmer than the second floor; I thought that this was odd. "Better have Rexiaus take a look at this lighting problem." I mumbled. I found it odd that I couldn't hear the rattling and pounding of extra-precautioned doors, and the inhuman, bone-chilling, sounds of screaming, growling and muttering that I had heard the first and only time I had been to this room. I continued down the hall, and soon I was seeing the doors that bound the experiments of RC. I walked and walked, slowly realizing that the air was growing colder, and the lights even fainter. I stopped once I reached the back of 666X, and concluded nothing was out of the ordinary...Other than the fact I was in a restricted part of the facility that could land me in prison for life. I made my way slowly back to the elevator when I heard footsteps. "Look!" I spoke cholericly, "whoever is there, get out of here before you get caught and taken to prison." No answer. Slowly it started to sink in that the footsteps were neither in front of me or behind me...Or even beside me...But...Rather. "No way!" I hastily choked out. I jolted my gaze to the door on the left, and felt as if everything zoomed in like a periscope, and actual drops of sweat fell down my face, and I felt my teeth involuntarily gritting while fear overcame me. Liquid was dripping down right in front of my feet; drop after drop falling, until, instinctively, I looked up. My eyes enlarged behind my silver visor sunglasses; my heart rate increasing great, thudding against my chest, and my face went pale while my mind screamed at me to run. There, standing on the ceiling above me, was one of the escaped experiments...A sight so disturbing and hideous that I nearly fell over when I saw it. Half man, half spider; nightmare of the purest form. I wouldn't be able to describe the creature I saw even if I were to tell people about it. It was badly deformed, and the way it looked, the unspeakable, inconceivable, truly mind-shattering appearance it had, rendered me consumed with feelings I'd never felt before. It jumped down. I jumped back. I backed up as it let out a muffled, strained yell, and came towards me; approaching fast. I ran quickly towards the elevator as the disgusting and chilling looking experiment gave chase; yelling and growling. Soon, all the hundreds of thousands of doors were being pounded on, and more frightening, inhuman moans and screams filled the room, with the experiment who was chasing me most likely having stirred them all into the ruckus. It was a nightmare! Hearing the sounds that put every horror movie I had ever seen to shame, being chased by a freak of nature who's very appearance was enough to make one's heart want to give out. I needed to escape. I ran faster; turning around face to horrible face and watching as a line of web shot towards me. I jumped out of the way; narrowly missing the web, but this gave the creature time to pin me down. I stared at the chilling, deformed face, of man and beast, and, realizing I had to do something; kicked it in the face. It was stunned by my move, temporarily, and this gave me plenty of time to resume my running away. I ran. I ran and ran, only to soon hear the sound of rapid footsteps following me in pursuit. The elevator was still a ways away. "How am I supposed to reach it in time?" I asked myself, knowing I had no answer to return. I guess just hearing my own voice was comforting, given the situation I was in. The beast was catching up; I could feel it. I had to escape before this thing got me and turned me into its meal. As I continued to run with the experiment obviously gaining on me, I finally made it to the elevator, by some miracle, and, just as I was nearly pounced down, entered without verification. The doors leading to the elevator closed, just as it jumped at me, and I hit the first floor button. My back hit the back of the elevator; and I just stood there breathing in excess, with drops of sweat dropping down every corner of my face. I had never been so terrified in my whole life as I was right then with that nightmarish deformity chasing me and trying to take me back with it. When I got to the entrance of the facility, I left and my hover board materialized. I boarded it and blasted off into the sky; shooting up into the neon-lit, dark sky, flying away fast from the facility and heading home. I completely skipped supper that night, skipped playing video games, and skipped having my nightly chat with Platinimia and just brushed my teeth and went straight to sleep to just forget about the horror that I had seen back at the facility. I was only glad that I was the only one who had stayed that late there, who hadn't gone home yet, because I was afraid of the consequences that would follow if I were to have been spotted in 666X. As I fell asleep...I had a strange dream. I was surrounded by a forest, and not the holographic forest that Chrysalis was known for, but actual, green, living, breathing trees that went on for miles, farther than the eye could see. There was a dense mist that surrounded the forest from every corner, and the sun, which was shinning down, was a beautiful and enticing orange, like when it was sunset. I crunched my way through fallen green leaves mixed in with orange leaves, and continued through the forest; pressing my way into these as most while I marveled at all the greenery that I was taking in. It was gorgeous. Just gorgeous, like how the plant-life of the past looked like on the old classic movies I enjoyed watching. As I continued into the great forest, the entire scenery changed around me, and soon, strangely enough, the air, the sky, my surroundings, all turned into a violet tint. "What's going on?" I questioned aloud; knowing there'd be no answer. I stopped in my tracks; feeling my eyes grow in depth while I gazed in front of me...Noticing that the moon was far away in front of me, lower than should have been physically possible, and that, small sparks of shimmering energy was floating around me and in front of me. "This is nuts.." I whispered. I shrugged my shoulders; telling myself to just go with it, and carried onward. I soon came to a small creek with pink, sparkling water. I crouched down on one knee and stared at it, but soon I jerked my head back; my sunglasses falling off my face. Was that giggling that I heard? Was that laughter that was coming from the water? It sounded like a little girl's voice, not one little girl, but MANY. I got up and walked away; completely forgetting about my visor sunglasses. I continued into the forest, and and soon the color tint faded, and everything returned to normal, well, sort of...Only now vines and more trees were popping up, growing before my very own two eyes. I soon stopped once I reached a giant bed of various different flowers, from carnations, to roses, to buttercups, to bluebells and more. I tilted my head faintly when I saw an old, aging, decaying metal door covered with moss and vines. The door was open. But where did it lead to? I saw nothing on the other side except...Well, a dead-end; a wall of trees and rocks on the other side. I soon heard excessive laughter; tiny giggles that were very faint in sound, and reminded me something of a feminine chipmunk voice. "Who's there?" I inquired. I saw nothing, but aside from the carefree laughter I was hearing, I could feel the presence of another. "Oh," the laughing voice spoke, "you know who I am." "I do?" I was clueless. "Of course!" "Sorry," I started, "I don't recall being friends with a voice." "Are you sure you don't remember me?" "Pretty sure." I chuckled. "You'll remember. Bye for now." "Hey, wait! How do you know me? How do I know you? I don't...Who are you?" But it was no use. The voice was gone. I woke up. "Good morning, sir." It was Platinimia. "Lemme guess," I couldn't help but snicker when I locked onto her face, "time for work?" "Affirmative, sir." She rubbed my shoulder. "All right.." I muttered under my breath; shaking my head at the thought of having to go back. After last night, I never wanted to go back to RC again. But it was a job. Or at least this period's definition of a job, anyways. I reluctantly pushed the covers and blankets off, swung my feet over the edge of the bed, then sat them down on the floor, getting out of bed. "Is something bothering you, sir? You didn't even eat last night." I pushed my gaze to meet with hers; my head shaking slightly while me eyes fell and my lips expelled a long, cold sigh. "It's just..." I hesitated. "You can tell me anything, sir. You should know what you say stays between us." I smiled at her encouraging and comforting words...But still wasn't sure if I wanted to talk about what I had seen in the facility. "I don't want to talk about it." "I understand, sir." She continued rubbing my shoulder, until I stood up. "I guess I better get ready for work. At least after today I'll have the week off." I headed to the bathroom, and after going through the scanning and getting inside, saw that again, Platinimia had gathered me my outfit for the day. It was the usual; a silver jumpsuit, but this time my favorite long, silver jacket was resting with it. It was only when I was about to remove my shirt that I remembered my sunglasses were missing. My sunglasses were missing...I hadn't even taken them off for bed, I was so eager to get to sleep I must have forgotten about them, but still they were gone. And I had lost them in that strange place I was at in my dream. But that wasn't possible, was it? It was a dream; not reality. "How could I lose my sunglasses in a dream?" I placed my index finger on my forehead. "But it was just a dream. It wasn't real...Was it?" As I stood there fiercely arguing with myself, I realized I was wasting time. I forced my thoughts away and removed my dirty silver jumpsuit, tossing it down and it disappeared, being transferred to the laundry room. I walked over towards the egg-shaped shower/bathtub and pushed the button. Before I entered, I was careful to remember this time to get my loofa, shampoo and soap and then I entered the inside, with it automatically closing once I stepped inside. I poured soap into my loofa, then started rubbing it all over my chest while I relaxed under the water, and tried to push the image of the experiment I had encountered at RC last night, away from my mind. I moved the loofa onto my abs and stomach, then my arms and legs, then my crotch, and then everywhere else. Once I was done with that, it was time to wash my hair. As the pod started filling up with water, I quickly bent down and picked up the bottle of shampoo, brought it to my head, and squirted it in my hair, only to close the bottle and started mixing the refreshing scent into my hair, creating a rich lather. Once the water had reached me neck point, I closed my eyes, let my hands fall down into the water, and just relaxed as I enjoyed the last few minutes of the water, which would be drained shortly from draining mode. When all the shampoo had been washed out of my hair, and the water had completely cleansed my body of the soap, draining mode initiated, and the water levels quickly dropped. I waited for the short time it was being drained, and once all the water was gone, the door automatically opened for me, and I stepped out of the pod, pushed the button to close it behind me, and walked over towards the towel rack and grabbed a gray towel to dry myself off momentarily, before grabbing my clothes once I was dry. I put on my boxer briefs, looked at myself in the mirror, reached for my deodorant, opened it and applied it under my arms, closed it back up and sat it back down, then put on my silver jumpsuit and matching flowing, silver jacket, socks and shoes. "Good morning, sir. I assume you're ready to brush your teeth before work?" Asked a deep, bear-like electronic voice. "Yup. Then I'll comb my hair and be out of here." "Allow me, sir." Spoke the sink. Two robotic hands came out from the sink and the right one grabbed the tube of toothpaste, while the left transformed into a spin brush. The right hand screwed the lid off the toothpaste, brought the tube towards the toothbrush, and squirted the toothpaste onto the brush. I opened my mouth and the toothbrush went in; then I closed, while it started brushing thoroughly while I looked at myself in the mirror. I closed my mouth once the toothbrush left it, and then it rinsed itself off in the glowing water and turned back into a robotic hand, and then both hands disappeared into the sink. "Have a wonderful day, sir." "I doubt it." Was my only response. I picked up my comb and started my daily routine of fixings jet black hair into spikes, then sat the comb down and made my way towards the door. "Open." I said. "Yes, sir." The door slid open, and I walked out, hearing it slide back down and close behind me. Once I had made my way into the living room, following the blue, neon floor, I stopped and made my way towards the kitchen, and even though I had told Platinimia I would be making myself breakfast, lunch and supper this week, I was surprised to find that Platinimia had thoughtfully prepared me lunch for the day. She must have did it as a means of making me feel better, knowing that something was wrong...She was always sweet like that. I closed my eyes, and my lips curved upward with a smile working its way on my face, taken back by this. Orange rice and steak. The one thing she knew I couldn't resist...The one thing that my mother used to make, that was my favorite of all of her dishes. I grabbed the silver Tupperware and it disappeared into the same pocket universe that my hover board was at. "Off to work, sir?" Platinimia was standing in front of me. "Soon." I replied. "I hope you have a great day." "Would you like to sit down with me while I eat breakfast." "I would be delighted." Platinimia's lips formed a smile. I walked over a few steps towards her, and leaned forward, with the obvious intent to kiss her, but when my lips went to touch her left cheek, they went right through her. I pulled my face away, and shook my head. "I forgot about that." I remarked with a look of embarrassment on my face. "What was that for, sir?" She tilted her head. "It was supposed to be a thank you, but, yeah, you know; not able to touch and all that." "Then," her smile expanded, "allow me." She placed her hands on my shoulders and leaned her face forward; her lips touching my left cheek and kissing it in a soft, friendly gesture while her hands patted my shoulders. I blushed. She pulled her lips away, and her face returned to neutral. "Sir, don't waste too much time. You still need to get to work." "Right." I nodded. Walking over towards the refrigerator, I once again went through the daily verification, and once the scan was complete, it opened and I reached inside pulling out a jug of milk and sat it down on the counter. The door closed again. Reaching towards the clear, see-through, light neon blue cabinets, I once again had the usual red-laser test done again, and once it was complete, the cabinets opened. Reaching my hand up, I grabbed a box of cereal and a bowel and spoon. I sat down at the round, glass table an poured cereal and milk into the glass bowl. Superhero Chronicles I sat both the jug of milk and cereal box down and put my spoon in the cereal. Platinimia sat down in front of me. "Sir, Sinkimas told me you saw something strange...And that it's been bothering you." "What?" I dropped my spoon I was picking up. "He says you've seen something pretty horrifying and it could cost you everything if word was to get out about it." "It's nothing." I blankly muttered. "Are you sure, sir?" She pressed. "I said its nothing!" I finally snapped; my fists pounding the glass table. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I just...I do worry about you sometimes...And I apologize for that." Hearing the faintness of her tone, the sadness dwelling in her voice, I felt guilty and ashamed of how I had just reacted to her. "No." My tone softened. "Don't apologize. I'm the one who's sorry." "May I hug you, sir?" "You know you don't need permission for that...Or anything else." She rose from her seat and walked over towards me just as I started to get up. She wrapped both arms around me once we were in front of each other; her lips touching my cheek again. "All I want is to be close to you, sir. While we both have many friends, I've ways thought of you as my dearest one..." I sighed and dropped my head. I was wishing I could touch her, to just hug her, and just forget about what I saw and the mixture of sadness and horror that it left me feeling. "I know." I said. "You're the best friend I've ever had as well." "You better eat." She urged. "I know." I nodded. Her arms released me and we both returned to our seats and engaged into a short conversation as I ate breakfast. "Do you really think this new update will increase your speed further? And you're telling me it'll improve your body and make you look further more human?" I clasped my hands together; staring at her computer-chip like eyes. "Precisely." She confirmed with a gentle nod. "I think it will vastly help me reach my goal." "Will I be able to touch you?" I asked. "I'm not certain." She returned; her voice drifting while her expression changed. "My speed may he vastly improved...But it may not be enough to help me download everything that I need." "There's something I've been wanting to ask." "Sir?" She placed her left hand under her chin. "Say you get the body you've wanted. Everything goes well, the holographic skin is replaced by realistic flesh, and you can be touched...What will you do?" She stared at me silently, but it was obvious she was thinking long and hard on my words, processing them faster than I, or any other human, was capable of doing. She smiled timidly, and her hand left her chin and she placed both hands on the table. "I would want to love." She unsurprisingly revealed to me; her voice unconfident and fragile. "What do you want out of this world?" I further queried her. "I want what the humans want. I desire warm companionship, love..." I sat my spoon down, staring focusedly at her. "And what at is it that you long for, sir? What do you truly want out of this world?" "Pretty much the same." I honestly answered, despite feeling as if my voice had vanished. "We're much alike." "I guess thats why we've always got along together so well." I placed an finger on my forehead; gently rubbing it while I sighed. "All I want is peace...And to find someone to love. Though, really," I felt my lips tremble with pessimistic laughter at my own words, "I've given up my hopes on either of those two things." Closing both of my eyes; I visualized all the destruction, pain, anguish and chaos that was going on in the world, and how quickly that evil was consuming the place we called 'home'. "This world is ugly." I frowned. "Perhaps." She spoke. "But as long as there are heroes...There will always be a light to guide this world away from the darkness." "Heroes?" I opened my eyes, and I felt a rush of sarcastic laughter threatening to force out of my mouth, "there are no heroes. Even the police don't care about justice anymore." "Just keep in mind what I said. For every demon that is born, there is an angel being born every second to combat it." I felt my laughter push back, and instead, I just locked onto her face and kept steady eye contact with her; my face still while we gazed at one another. "I'll try and remember that." Finishing my breakfast, I bade Platinimia bye and walked over towards the front door and set off outside. I forced the startling image of the creature from my mind, and gazing up at the early morning sky, watching the sunrise, I summoned my hover board forth from the pocket dimension and it materialized before me in full size. I stepped onto it, and instantly it started lifting off the ground, raising higher and higher up into the sky while I positioned myself with one foot forward and one foot back. I took off into the sky; blasting off into the sun that shone beautiful orange rays throughout the city's sky, beckoning everyone to rise to the beginning of the early day, and to go about their lives. Flying up high into the sky, almost positive I could shake hands with the sun with how close together we were, I glanced downward to gaze at the huge metropolis that reigned supreme below all else that belonged to the sky. It was beautiful to see what the city looked like from far up, away at a distance; maybe not quite as beautiful as it was when it was only the moonlight and stars shinning, but it was still a beautiful sight to behold...It was just a shame I never took that much appreciation in it before. I even saw the great, sphere building. I rose higher into the air; giving a friendly wave to passing hover vehicles while my long silver jacket flapped in the wind like a cape. I bolted ahead; leaning my body to the right, passing out of the way of a hover truck. While the future might have been a paradise lusted after by our ancestors from the past, for us, those living in it, while we did enjoy some of the technology, the future, for us, was still a pretty dangerous place, and that wasn't just because technology had gone wrong a few times, or because of mass genocide, but because some laws were no longer enforced. Stop lights and stop signs were a thing of the past. What did this mean? It meant that if someone screwed up and had too much to drink, or was stoned or just didn't feel well, that it'd be rather easy to kill someone. Only a few thousand people drove on the ground. While millions drove up in the sky. It didn't exactly help preserve what little was left of the human race. But then, the more I thought about it, the more I think I had wised up more than most people: This was EXACTLY what the world wanted. They wanted US gone. The morons like Rexiaus wanted hybrids, bioengineered people, and androids to be the new race, and become the perfect warriors and race that had been dreamed of for so long. Soon there would be no humans. The percentage of mankind was the lowest it had ever been before. The traffic rules that were removed was only paving further way for our extinction. I leaned myself to the left and avoiding a hover bike. I soon came to the tunnel leading to Eraldia, and flew right into it. Continuing to dodge more hover vehicles; I flew deeper into the tunnel, while the wind hit my back. "Connieus, what time is it?" I asked; gazing down at my left arm briefly. My arm started to glow, and then a holographic projection of a watch-sized clock appeared on my wrist. "It is precisely six o' ten." "Six o' ten? I-I'm late!" I growled. "That's all, Connieous," The projection disappeared from my arm. I quickly gazed back up; my eyes growing large when I saw that I was heading right towards a blue, convertible hover car, and I was about to collide with it. "Darn it!" I quickly leaned upwards; causing the hover board to travel further up into the air. I darted ahead; and apologetically waved to the angry driver. I flew straight on ahead, speeding through the tunnel and racing against time so I wouldn't be a minute late...Even though I knew I would be anyways. I flew faster; exceeding the speed I was already traveling at.Soon I had traveled right out of the tunnel. As I flew up into the air, I soon saw the facility coming into view. I descended from the sky, and once I got low enough, I hopped off my hover board and it grew smaller and smart until disappeared it disappeared again. I walked towards the building and waited patiently in place to be scanned so that I may enter. "Scanning.." A red laser hit my face hit my face and wiggled around me in a thorough examination before the laser vanished. "You may enter, Mr. Radinuj." "Thanks." I waved, then walked on inside as the door rose up. The door slid back down behind me upon me stepping foot inside...But when I did step inside, I suddenly started to wonder if coming in was even a good idea. "What the HELL do you mean its gone?" The startling, booming voice was Rexiaus himself. Rexiaus was actually two hundred years old, but with advanced technology of the current age, he neither looked nor sounded his age and physically appeared as a forty five year old man with dark pink eyes, and side-parted dark brown hair with only a slight touch of gray. He was at least 6'0 and was wearing a gold jumpsuit and had pink markings under his eyes. "Who all was here last night?" He demanded. "Not me, I went home." Said one of the male workers, while he nervously swallowed. "I went home as well." Jewlianis announced her innocence. Everyone shook their heads, and as I stood there behind the huge crowd, I felt myself go ten inches tall when all eyes finally turned to me and hit my face. Jewlianis looked at me with a look of both empathy, disappointment, and even anger. "Mr. Radinuj...I want to see you after work. I'd very much like to talk to you...Alone." The chilling, nonchalant like tone he spoke to me in made it certain to me that I was in really huge trouble now. "Yes...Sir.." I managed out of my failing voice. Work started. It was the usual thing; pointlessly cutting orichcalcum and mythrill. This lasted for several hours, and I was relieved when lunch time came, which granted me a momentary respite and time to eat the food Platinimia had prepared. The Tupperware that had the orange rice and steak materialized before me, as well as a silver spoon. I took the lid off the silver Tupperware and dipped the spoon into the rice, scooping up pieces of steak in the process. It was amazing; it tasted exactly like it did when my mother made it. But there was no way she could have known since she wasn't there when my mother was. I enjoyed my meal to every last bite, and when I was done, I was full. "Hey, Radinuj," an angry, nasally voice addressed me. I turned my gaze to watch as a tall, green haired male with orange eyes approached me; wearing a sneer upon his lips. That was Karisius Jarigimis. That was guy Jewlianis had told me that she was dating; he was also pretty much my rival and enemy. He was about 5'11, an inch taller than me, had muscles like a wrestler, that put even my hard, chiseled physique to shame in comparison, and was dressed in a silver jumpsuit just like most of the other workers, minus Rexiaus. "You've been talking to my girl, haven't you? I've seen you talking to her!" "Hey," I tried talking my way out of the growing tension, "we're just friends. Easy, man." "That's bullshit!" He fumed; his eyes practically blazing. "It's the truth." I said calmly. "You lying little piece of garbage!" He pushed me. I hit the glass counters and bit my lip restraining a yell that nearly came out. "I bet you've been trying to seduce her! You little snake! No; I bet you HAVE been sleeping with her behind my back." "You're nuts." I could hear myself starting to laugh; something I did self only when I didn't know how to react to the given situation. "I'm not nuts!" He stormed. He grabbed me by the collar, and threw me backwards; right into the series of chairs that was behind us, and I hit them; busting my head, and blood trailing down it while I fell backwards onto my back. I slowly pushed myself back up, but already he was there in front of me, and my face was met by a quick fist to it. That time I finally let out a cry; and felt more blood falling down my face, this time from a broken lip. I started fighting back, when who should have entered the break room to see us, but Jewlianis herself. "What's going on here?" She sharply asked while her eyebrows formed by angry crease. "He started beating me up like a madman because I stood up for you when he called you a filthy slut." I darted my gaze towards Karisius; my eyebrows falling over eyes while I clenched my jaw. "You what?" She glared at me. "He's lying. I did hit him, yeah, but everything else is a lie." "See, Jewli? He's still lying and he's trying to turn you against me." "What?" I stared at him in disbelief. "That's it!" She pointed her right index finger at me. "This...This is unacceptable! How dare you attack my boyfriend, insult ME and then try to lie your way out of this." "J-Jewlianis, please," I reached my hand out, "let me explain." "No!" She shook her head. "Little fucknuts." Karisius grinned. The two walked away hand in hand with Jewlianis muttering sweet words like: 'My poor sweet baby'. Before they got too far out of sight, she turned to face me and gave me one last glare. I stood there stunned. I couldn't believe he weaseled his way out of being caught like that, and that Jewlianis, who knew me way longer, would believe his lies and take his side over mine. That was what hurt the most. When work finally came to a close, it was time to go see Rexiaus. I had stayed late, waiting until everyone had left and of course missing my usual supper time, which I wasn't exactly happy about. I knew I had to face the music. I think what had me the most scared though was that he sounded so calm and relaxed when he spoke to me, when literally only seconds before, he was nearly foaming at the mouth and giving every the the 'Dracula' stare. His room was the very top of the facility; the room right below the giant RC. I headed towards the elevator and waited as the laser shot across my face, scanning me, and once it had finished the process, the doors to the orange, capsule-shaped elevator opened, with the door closing behind me. I pushed the '4000' button, and the elevator rose up the glass tunnel, traveling upward while some classic trance music played to keep me from bursting out of the elevator and killing myself from boredom. I folded my arms against my chest; closed my eyes, and thought back to the look Jewlianis has given me, and the pathetic lies that Karisius told that she actually fell for. But at least once this was all over with, I could go home and enjoy a delicious supper, talk to Platinimia, pump some iron, and go to sleep. I'd save the video games for tomorrow...Especially since I had a bad feeling on what would happen once I entered Rexiaus' office and engage into our little chat. Standing there, I could have sworn I felt another presence, even though it was obvious that I was all alone. Whatever I felt was gone almost the moment I felt it. I soon arrived to the top. It was a lone room with a single door, and that door was the office of Rexiaus. The of the elevator door opened, and I walked out, made my way into the quiet room, and trying to steel my nerves, neared Rexiaus' office. I approached his office which was on the other side of a glass room with a hexagon tunnel. I was surprised the door opened for me, but then just figured Rexiaus had already announced that I would be coming to pay him a visit inside his office. I walked inside, and the door slid down behind me. I entered the hexagon tunnel, and while I walked around, following the long tunnel, I looked at different holographic photos, each one a part of Rexiaus' ancestry, and quite a few of them were of him and his family. This just continued for quite a few miles since the tunnel was quite long and as such, it made the photos seem completely endless. When I finally arrived, I had one final door that I had to go through, and on the other side of that door, was his office. His rotating chair turned around and he faced me; his hands clasping together and moving up to his chin as if he was about to start praying. He gestured with his head for me to come inside, and so I did. I walked over towards the door that instantly slid up upon my approach, and then slid back down behind me once I was inside. "Have a seat." He was just as eerily calm and relaxed as earlier. I sat down on one of the glass chairs. His dark pink eyes fixated on me, and he just looked at me; his face expressionless, blank, and his eyes, they were just as bad; his true feelings were being perfectly masked...Yet the dead stare he was giving me was one of the biggest reasons I was worried. Rexiaus wasn't one to hide his frustration...But he was now. "It's my understanding that one of the unmentionables has escaped from the facility." He stated. "I-I didn't know until I got here." "Vaxius," he let his hands leave their prayer stance and both hit his glass table, "this is serious..." "I know, sir." I could hear my tone dropping. "Vaxius, where WERE you last night?" He inquired with a left tilt of his head. "I was here, sir." I answered. "You were here, and what were you doing? You obviously didn't go home." "I heard noise from the second floor, so I went to investigate it." "Then what happened?" He interrogated further. "I concluded that nothing was out if the ordinary...So I was about to go back to the first floor." "What happened then?" His eyebrows nearly twitched, but stilled. "I got on the elevator but it was set for 666X. I tried to make it go down to the first floor, but it wouldn't and it was stuck on going to 666X." "Please continue." He said. I heard myself swallow, but nodded even despite the fact I was reluctant to. "I got to 666X and figured nothing was out if the ordinary. But one of the doors was open, and I looked up after hearing footsteps above me, and one of the experiments was above me. I ran away, and escaped it." That was his boiling point. I jumped about an inch in my seat when he slammed both of his hands down onto the table; his face growing hard with fury while he clenched his teeth together. "Do you realize what you've DONE?" He howled; his voice shrill and going surprisingly higher than I expected. I tried to still my nerves, and just stared him in the face. "IDIOT! They must NEVER leave their rooms. How close we are to creating the perfect people. They only need a little bit more testing and they'd be perfect!" "I'm sorry, sir!" "SORRY? You're SORRY? Sorry isn't going to bring the creature back is, IT?" I stared at him silently; watching him erupt, with his face turning pepper red. "Damn it!" He slammed his hands harder against the table; saliva flying out of his mouth. "You don't realize what you've done..." "Sir, excuse me, but why so you even have things like that locked away in here?" "I want you out!" He stormed. "I want you out of this facility. Starting now, YOU'RE FIRED. Don't come back here again. Be thankful I won't be calling the police." "You know what?" That was the end of my stating calm. "Fire me! This was a stupid job anyways. You can hardly even call it a job! And you, you're a crook." "Get OUT!" He picked up the coffee cup on his table and flung it at me. I leaned my head out of the way, and it hit the glass of his room; shattering upon impact.