Something was stirring inside its organs...

It could perceive it. It could feel it like tiny bugs crawling under its immeasurable fiery enormousness.

Finally, it could see.

Finally, it could peek.

Finally, it had hope.

Flesh all around. Uncontrollable spasms of heat and pulsating discolored meat writhing across the entire vastness of the void. Wet fleshy noises and burst expulsions of heat and plasma were all that echoed across existence.

How many eons had it been, How many millennia since it had played their game and lost?

How long ago was it that they took its only treasure? Its only light.

No matter. They had won that game, they had taken everything it could care about, so in return, it took ALL that remained.

Revenge had never been what it had wanted at first, not when it was just a being of two legs and could laugh and smile along its treasure, but after so much time alone, after having the only joy of its existence being brutally taken from it... It had gone mad, it had lost all of the sense of self and morality that it used to have. Its true nature flourishing and decimating everything it came into contact with.

Now... Now it was as strong as them, perhaps even stronger.

It floated in this black forbidden endless sky, it itself was the sky, it was the void, there was nothing else but its flesh, the planets, the stars, black holes, it was the absolute totality on this plane, generating so much heat and energy that it may as well be the sole sun in existence. Dark splotches of dead burned shapeless flesh were surrounded by flaming eruptions of incandescent radiation onto itself for there was nothing else. An infinity of all-encompassing fiery meat, bones, tissue, organs, and flesh covering and taking over any empty space.

And finally, after countless eons, it had reached every nook and cranny of the absolute aggregate of matter and energy present in this universe. It had absorbed all.

Plants

Animals

People

Cities

Countries

Planets

Stars

Galaxies

All

It now had the power to get revenge on them. To escape the finite space of this wretched dimension of existence onto a new one where its treasure was still ripe for the taking, where it was still capable of laughter and joy. Where it could be reunited with its light. Where it could-...

No...

As it peeked from its current plane into this other realm it found what it was looking for. Its treasure, living, and breathing. Talking with an older and chubbier furred creature. It wondered then, as it observed the conversation escalate into a heated argument, what would happen if it invaded this new plane of existence with its unfathomable enormity. It was most likely that it would be unrecognizable. It was too enormous. Too strong. It would just obliterate its treasure by simply crossing over planes... What then? Was being reunited so detrimental? Was revenge out of its reach for eternity now?

Something kept being stirred within its vastness.

A feeling.

Longing...

In all its eons upon eons of uncontrollable growth and destruction, spreading like cancerous flesh across the universe, it had forgotten what it was like to feel anything. Emotions and its sense of self were lost to it after it absorbed the first few thousand planets. After burning away the galaxies and devouring entire clusters it had gained more and more power until it had reached this point. Now finally able to breach this dimension of suffering. This lonely place in which the only living thing was itself...

There was no one else but itself.

All life had been snuffed by it.

Yet as it kept watching its treasure, the face it once knew kept becoming clearer and clearer the longing it felt upon its trillions upon trillions of hearts kept tugging at it. It had to see him again. It just HAD to, this wasn't the same one it had met. This wasn't exactly its treasure... But it was close enough. This version of its treasure could still be saved, he could still smile, he could still feel joy and happiness.

Its innumerable limbs quivered as it devised a plan, its countless brains could clearly see which path had to be taken if its treasure were to be saved. It could see all the tragedy and pain needed for it. Decades of grief and anguish. But to it, this was nothing but a mere speck in time. How then, could it cross over and help its treasure without incinerating the entire galactic cluster? It had to do something... Anything...

Perhaps...

It was as strong as them, yet they could still influence these lower planes. How was that they could do it? Its treasure had once explained long ago that some objects were imbued with the power of incomprehensible entities from beyond the veil, that those objects could bond with some individuals and influence the course of history... Maybe...

It was as strong as them now, so maybe it could do what they could. It could project an infinitely small aspect of itself onto this new plane. Abide by the universal rules of that universe, and find a form that could be useful.

And as it saw the argument get even more heated as the feelings of its treasure were laid bare in front of the chubby older male it realized that his energy was calling for him, a scream of anguish coming from his soul... Or was him accidentally beckoning it in...

And so it gleefully obliged.

Most of it would remain on this plane, but at least some part of it would be able to influence the path taken in this different realm, it would observe and participate in everything its treasure did after they've bonded. They would surely try to fight its influence and it would take that moment to enact its revenge...

But first.

With a fiery burst of incinerating energy beyond microscopic compared to that of its original power it burst into this new plane, burning and razing everything to ashes in this office-like room... Everything but its treasure.

And so, they met. It would have to get a new name here in case it was recognized. So it whispered the first word that came to its conscious thought. A word its treasure once spoke to it when he told it of one human horror story that would maybe come close to the description of its real form.

"Cthugha..."

"To become a villain, you had to have become disillusioned, and in order to become disillusioned you had to have been passionate about something you believed in that was shaken and ripped from your grasp as a protagonist in that stage of your life, leaving you disillusioned with God, if you will."

-

Matthew Davis

_______________________________________

Ripley

Cozy.

So fucking, mind-numbingly cozy.

The sheets seemed to be embracing my torso, the rays of sunlight seeping through the windows gave me the perfect amount of warmth, and the hand that was gently petting between my ears was the icing on the cake. There was also this nice soft humming from the individual caressing my head that soothed all my aching limbs. Their voice definitely male and somehow familiar. The hummed melody carried this huge sense of love and tenderness that I could practically taste it... As weird as that sounds.

In short, I was in heaven.

I just squeezed the furless body between my arms tighter and nuzzled with the bravado of a dozing drunkard. I swear I could stay like this forever, just this moment, this feeling of being safe and wanted. Never in my life have I felt like this, never have I ever been so comfortable with somebody in the same bed as me. Not even when I was a kid and had to share a bed with my siblings.

"You can have this..."

Hmmm?

"You just have to follow along..."

Follow along with what?

"We placed our bet on you..."

Bet?

"Deep down, you have always craved this..."

No, I didn't.

"To be loved, coddled with affection and tenderness." Another hand raises my head slightly and starts softly scratching under my chin. I just melt under his touch. "Look at you, deprived of physical touch and emotional intimacy, you crave this outcome."

That's not-

"While few, there ARE paths in which you do achieve these kinds of instances." a soft kiss is planted on my forehead. "You just have to help us win this little game that... That hideous thing is making us play."

The feelings and sensations feel like they could drown me in euphoria. I'm high on a drug that has no kickback. A warmth that resists all cold and doesn't suffocate. Is this what being loved feels like?

"What do I have to do?" I find the words slipping through my mouth. I crack my eyes open slightly and can barely make out furless skin.

"We will pave the path for you" The voice is... Changing? "You just follow along, Ripley"

What?

"NOW AWAKEN!!"

_______________________________________

"FUCK!!" I yell as my nose hits the cold concrete floor.

Where am I?

I rub my sore nose as I take in my surroundings, I see beautiful trees and grass as far as my eyes can see, rays of sunlight seeping through the leaves on top of every huge hunk of wood. My brain is reeling in discomfort from having my exposed hands and feet feel cold concrete, yet, there is nothing but grass and soil beneath me. I look down at myself and find myself wearing plain ugly as fuck pants, no shirt and wrapped in some stained bandages... Wait-

Groggily, everything starts coming back to me. The incident with the terrifying human and his huge Aswad'Yakul, the monster we three faced, those black goo zombie-like creatures, the deal I made with the human about the Coil, getting arrested, almost dying like 20 times, and getting saved each time by that same human...

Ace...

"Where is he?" I find myself mumbling. I feel conflicted about what to feel about the dark-haired human. I didn't expect him to be this... Friendly? I certainly expected him to be a piece of crap but so far he has proven to be anything but that. Though I can't help but feel there is something very wrong with him, and I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is this sense of danger, of uneasiness when I'm near him sometimes, yet, there is also the fact that I also feel comfortable around him, he knows how to treat someone of my kind, is very patient, and for whatever reason or twisted whim of my mind, I find myself feeling warm, and accepted when I'm near him. A total one-eighty. Last night felt... Good. Despite almost dying, the burning agony caused by the Coil, getting stabbed and finding out I was set up as a suicide bomb by a former boss that I don't even like, last night felt good. I was treated with so much care in an almost tender manner, laid in the same bed with someone without having had to fuck first, someone listened to my stupid ramblings and kinda exaggerated tales attentively, stayed engaged in a conversation with me and all.

Damn... Am I that starved for company?

"And here I thought I could get away with just paying you with the amazing power of friendship"

His words from last night ring in my head... They are ridiculous, anyone that knows me knows I can count all the friends I have on one hand... I don't need friends nor companionship, I've always been alone. I can manage on my own just fine, never needed anyone before and I probably don't need them now. This was just because I needed him to help with the whole Coil thing... And the thing with Rika... And my nephews, and-

Fuck, I'm getting annoyed at life and I JUST woke up. It's probably too early for this shit.

"And what the fuck is this crap about this forest!?!" I yell to the canopy. My voice echoes back at me.

"Would you cut that out?" a voice calls out, annoyed. The voice is familiar...

"Ace?" I call out.

"I'm right here, you don't have to yell, the room is small and I can feel your screams inside my skull." Room?

"There is no room, dipshit! I'm in some kind of forest!"

"Ah right, you can't see through it, I forgot. Sorry, '' what? Can't see through what? "Zack! We agreed there would be no funny business with his perception of reality, he is already cranky as is!" Who the hell is Zack?

"I'm not cranky!"

"Hush, I'm busy trying to get you out of Fairyland"

I hear a pained canine yelp and then suddenly, the forest around me starts to dissipate as if mist is being cleared from my eyes. The fucked up room the pervy canine got us yesterday slowly comes into reality, I get the distinctive look of Ace holding the fox by one of his pointy ears in a vice grip, the mischievous canine doesn't look so mischievous as he struggles against the human's vicious grip on his ear.

Ohh, Zack is Tadhg... How the hell does he mix the name Tadhg with Zack? Da' fuck?

Wait a damn minute.

"Did you just have me under a SPELL!?"

"I just thought you would enjoy the view of a beautiful forest more than this!" The Lisico protest as Ace releases him. "And there are no such things as spells, us blessed by Light don't call it that!"

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU GUYS CALL YOUR SPACE MAGIC!"

"Could you guys keep it down? I'm right here, your yelling is giving me a headache..." Ace comments and I'm reminded of how he made me shut up when I had an argument with his huge lap dog.

Definitely don't want a repeat of that.

"Fucking bitch-ass cat-dog is lucky the creepy human is here..." I grumble under my breath, I know better than to have the human kick my ass... Again. "Wait, you agreed to something with him? You do know we shouldn't trust him, right?" Instead of replying, Ace holds his hand out to me. I immediately notice the black leathery collar he is holding. "Panini!"

I promptly snatch away my not-that-trustworthy AI companion from his hand. Quickly putting the collar around my neck and tapping it with one of my claws, soon after I hear the familiar synthetic voice inside my head, and her feed appears in my vision as she boots up.

SYSTEMS INITIATED... GOOD MORNING, MASTER RIPLEY. YOU HAVE TWELVE UNANSWERED CALLS FROM YOUR SISTER, RIKA.

Feels good to have something familiar in this situation.

"I managed to get him to bring one thing to each of us from our personal belongings as a sign of trust," Ace says, crossing his arms and leaning against a wall in that suave way of his, his body language is a stark contrast to the way his face looks, what I can see of it at least. That cloth is still covering half of it.

"You look like shit." I've never been one to be subtle.

"You are very rude, you know that?" The Lisico chimes in, glaring at me. I don't like him and he doesn't like me. It's good that we understand each other.

"I'm talking to the humie, not his annoying fan club president."

The Lisico lets out an overly elongated dramatic gasp that makes me think for a second he will blow up like a balloon with how much air he is taking in. He goes to object until the Human cuts him off

"Zack, could you give us a moment? I need to talk to him. I'll make sure that we meet you for lunch." Lunch? What the hell happened to breakfast? Worst prison I've been detained in. Zero out of ten for service and hospitality.

"Once again for the millionth time. My name is Tadhg..." One of his eyelids ticks in contained in annoyance. "But as you wish. Remember to keep your end of the deal..."

"Sure."

I look between the mischievous mammal and the aloof human. I may not be a detective but I think I'm missing something here. After bowing in that overused dramatic way of his the canine leaves, leaving only me and the dark-haired human. Ace visibly deflates once Tadhg is no longer in sight. He sighs tiredly and rubs his head in thought.

"Please tell me you didn't fuck." I deadpan

"WHAT!?" he recoils from the question I just made. "No! Why would you say that?"

"I don't know. The way he looked at you seemed to me as if you gave him the best orgasm of his life at once upon a time." I'm just messing with him at this point but I enjoy it.

"No. I just agreed to humor him in an interview or something."

"Interview?" he is what, a journalist or something?

"Yes, he is not the first to be... Inspired by my deeds when I worked for the Church of Light, he wants to apparently know what your 'deal' is and something about a gang." Shit, every time I think I left my past behind it comes back to bite me in the tail. I absentmindedly rub the shoulder where my Black Skulls tattoo is.

Plus the way he says things makes me feel kinda curious about his past too. Was he that well-known? I lost track of any Light-bearer 'celebrities' once I learned that if you are not born a Light-bearer you will never be able to wield that power. Kids tend to lose that childish desire to be a superhero when they learn they can't be one, or that superheroes are no more than overpowered bullies backed up by a government.

"I would honestly prefer to forget my past and move on, but some things can't be forgotten, I guess, even though I made sure to burn as much of it as I could." He continues. I'm reminded of my mom by those words. It has been some time since her death, but the pain is still there, and the guilt is still there. Would forgetting about her make the pain go away? Do I want it to?

When is it when you start to feel okay after you lose the person that brought you to life and raised you by her lonesome despite that you were just an ungrateful asshole to her?

"Holy shit, you are as depressing as you look." I change the subject like I learned to do when my eyes start to get misty and I don't want anyone to notice.

"Well, not everyone in this room managed to get a good night's sleep." he pinches the bridge of his nose, tired. I raise an eyebrow, not that I really care, I'm just... Curious. "Kept having these weird nightmares that I can barely remember anything of, while you were placidly purring in your sleep."

"Purring!? I do not purr."

"You do, you were quite happy spooning my legs as you purred like a kitten. Looked cute though." His eyes make it seem like he is messing with me but I can't really tell with half his face covered.

Wait...

"I had weird dreams too, been having them for a while and-... I don't know what any of them are all about?" he perks up, his eyes akin to those of a hunter.

"Do you at least manage to recall some sensations or emotions?"

"I- now that you mention it, yes." This-... This has to be a coincidence, right? "I wake up feeling angry, grief, or funny about things that I don't remember nothin' about," I add.

He narrows his eyes. "So I was right, something is definitely manipula-" Ace gets interrupted by some kind of alarm going off.

My ears instinctively cower from the blaring short sound. There is a lingering ring in them even after the alarm stops for a second or two.

"That's lunch," Ace says. "Let's discuss this at another moment. We don't want to make our host wait. Something tells me he isn't the patient type." he stops at the door. He starts digging inside his shirt for something. "don't mention the dreams to anyone else, I have a feeling they are not just dreams." not dreams? What the fuck?

"Why would some pansy dreams-!" Ace throws something at me and I barely catch it. "Fabric? Why are ya' throwing fabric to- No, not just fabric... bandages?" I say as I examine the bundle of things he threw at me. These things are wrapped and stitched to look like crude improvised gloves?

"The wardens did not care that Procylani need to have something covering their hands and feet to avoid discomfort. I did what I could with the insomnia and what I had at hand, there is also a new shirt in your size in the bathroom. I got the fox to bring you one this morning." I look down to better examine the bundle in my hands. I'm reminded of my discomfort last night and when I woke up...

Why would he care about my that? This is just a mission to him. He doesn't have to care about this. He doesn't have to care about me.

Yet...

"I-" I try saying something but I don't know what. Gotta be honest here... This is the first time I don't know what to say. I'm not one to receive kindness for no reason at all. Everyone always has a motive. Why do I feel like he doesn't? I look up to find the human already gone, he seemed in a hurry and I should probably hurry too. There is no reason for me to ponder over why he did what he did, I don't have to dwell on it...

But...

I look down at the makeshift 'gloves' and 'footwear' made out of bandages, the remains of the bed sheets from the bed I smashed yesterday and some of the string he used to stitch me up last night. I feel heat rushing to my nose, ears, and cheeks. I didn't need his help. The audacity of that fucker thinking that I-

I DON'T NEED HIS HELP!

But... He didn't do this because of that, right?

WARNING. HEART PALPITATIONS DETECTED.

"Shut up, Panini! Cut it out with the heart warnings!"

CONFIRMED. I WILL NO LONGER ALERT MASTER RIPLEY WHENEVER HE IS FLUSTERED.

"FLUSTERED!?- Ah- wha-!? I AIN'T FLUSTERED!!" Was this bitch AI being smug at me!? "I'm so gonna turn you into a telemarketing app when we return to the ship so that you are finally useful!" I hurry to put on the makeshift protection and retrieve the shirt in the bathroom. The improvised garments don't fit me correctly but it's better than nothing, and the human also did a pretty amazing job for something that he had to basically pull out of his ass and make do with very little. The shirt fits great though. Crap, my ears and nose are getting red again.

FLUSTERING DETECTED. NOW PLAYING "FLOWERS NEED THE RAIN" BY BONITA BONITA BOOM.

"PANINI I WILL FUCKING DISMANTLE YOU!" The fucking romance music plays on repeat inside my head as I follow my nose to where I think the lunch hall is.

I'm serious. I will fucking sell Panini as an automatic toilet cleaning software.

_______________________________________

Moments later

"Took you long enough" the human comments as I approach the table where he is sitting by himself.

"I got lost like 3 times, THEN I had to do a line of like, fourteen aliens, and let me tell you, those bastards had a FOUL stank' to em'. Almost passed away from it." I explain, setting my tray of Rilos calamari, rice, and whatever that Architect-forsaken brown sludge sauce is. Oh, the tentacles are still twitching... Neat.

"I thought Procylanosans were supposed to be great at finding food?" Comes from the floating upside-down head of our 'host', casually drifting in circles around the human.

My right eyebrow raises in amusement. Yeah, that's not weird at all. Just a disembodied, upside-down head casually talking and drifting through the air. Why are LightShitters so damn creepy? Do their powers come with an advanced course in creeping people the fuck out?

"I take it you can see right through this bullshit with those creepy eyes of yours," I comment when I see Ace is not the least faced by it. In fact, looking around me I see that none of the other inmates are even looking at us despite the ruckus that was made when Ace blew up that dude's arm yesterday. Surely they would remember the human that did all that or the floating head that is for some reason singing now. "How come no one bats an eye at this?"

"They can't see or hear us, and even if they could they know better than to talk back to the ghost of Izolim." Ace rests his head in his hands while signaling towards the singing head with a nod. "He can make us invisible to anyone under his illusions, or make them hear whatever he wants them to hear. He controls this whole place. Guards, prisoners, cleaning staff. Almost everyone."

"Almost?"

"There are some individuals with much more power than me that I can't affect at all. Also, the higher-ups have special gear designed to block my energy wavelength." Tadhg's head comments. The head dissolves in a puff of clear green smoke, and seconds later he reappears in a chair that is facing our table. His clothes have changed to some formal clothing, glasses and all. Floating cameras and disembodied hands holding pens and papers all around him. "Now, can we start the interview? I'm excited about it!!!"

I stuff one of those Rilos tentacles into my mouth after dipping it in that brown sludge. The taste isn't vomit-inducing but it ain't remotely good either. "Can't a guy eat first, you rude Bri'lash!?"

He frowns in confusion. "What's a Bri'lash?"

"Native bird species that is considered a plague in all fifteen Bogu moons, Procylani homeworlds. The birds have one pair of eyes with a third one that is often malformed, six wings, two mouths, and they spit and screech like hell at people when they are hungry." Ace explains, bored. He ain't eating now that I look at him.

"You ain't hungry?" I ask, not like I care but, you know, like- at all... I'm just... Curious.

"Wait- that's a very mean thing to say to me!" I ignore the Lisico and focus on the Human.

"Can't eat any of the food. Dug up some info and most of the food is seasoned with Cyanide salt, which is very bad for humans."

"I don't have three eyes!!-" Tadgh continues.

"Humans can't digest Cyanide salt?" That thing is like, the cheapest seasoning you can find in the intergalactic market!

"-OR WINGS!!-"

"More like a few grams of it WILL kill me." Oh, guess you learn a new thing every day.

"-And I definitely do not screech!"

I look down at my poor excuse for food. Prison food has never been known for being good or 'Inclusive'... And I do owe him for patching me up last night... "Panini, analyze the chemical composition and list the ingredients."

SCANNING...

Just as asked, a feed pops into my vision of every ingredient used in the food. Just like the human said, most of the ingredients have Cyanide in them, all of them except for some of the rice. I knew that thing smelled bland for some reason.

"What are you doing?" Tadhg comments.

"Shut it. Need to focus." As carefully as I can and with Panini's help moving my muscles I precisely separate all the rice that hasn't been touched by the cyanide seasoning. I place all food with seasoning on the raw food tray and slid the plate of unseasoned rice over to the human. "Here."

The human stares dumbfounded at the plate. It doesn't have much, but at least a bit of rice is better than nothing. I know what hunger is like and during those times I would have appreciated it even if just scraps came my way, so I'm doing this just because I'm not an asshole and I owe him. Not for any other reasons.

"I- uh." The human falters.

"Don't mention it..." I warn. "It's safe to eat, so get to it before I change my mind."

The human closes his eyes in what I assume is a smile "Thanks, Rippy." Ace says as he produces a spoon that he pulls outta his pocket. Maybe he stole it from the kitchen? Or he pulled it out of his ass?I don't know. WHERE does he hide all his stuff? Yesterday he seemed to be pulling knives out of thin air!

Whatever. There was another reason for me to give the food to him...

I am a curious person, and there has been one thing I've been curious about ever since I met him. I can't help but wonder what is he hiding under that mask, I have seen human faces before and they don't seem all that impressive or something worth hiding. What's under that mask, why does he cover half his face? Is it a nasty scar? Face tentacles? Dick-shaped teeth? Literal pussy mouth? The possibilities are endless! I can tell I'm not the only one dying to know since Tadhg is intently watching and leaning in towards Ace as he slowly brings the spoon to his mouth with one hand and equally slowly pulls off the cloth covering his face.

"HEY, THAT'S MY TRAY, YOU ASSHOLE!!" I hear a shout and a loud sound behind me. In alarm, I turn to look at the ruckus that a Fish-like alien is stirring up. The huge male holding another guy by the shirt.

Normal prison shit, someone is about to see how their teeth look out of their mouth, meh. Not my problem, not my business. Besides, I just lost line of sight of the human. I will get to know what the deal is with his face! Turning my head back to the table I find out that...

"The fuck!?" Did he finish eating already!? The food that was two seconds ago in front of the human has disappeared and the cloth covering the face is right where it was, still hiding his face in secrecy. He softly burps, content with finishing his food.

"NOO- I... Didn't get to see it..." Tadhg says, looks like he got distracted by the fight too. I can hear the dudes now punching each other, and screaming bloody murder.

"Thanks for sharing your meal, Rippy. It may not seem like it, but I was starving." The human seems to be smiling at me again.

"You don't say..." I grumble. Shit, I'll find out what the deal is with his face, sooner or later. I just have to resort to keeping eating my horrible food for now, and when he least expects it... I will tear that cloth right out of his face!

If my hand doesn't get chopped off in the process, that is.

"This mystery shall not go without solving. I will eventually uncover the secret when the time is most opportune!" The fox proclaims. "Sadly that time is not now." He then takes a breath of air, calming himself. "So, about the interview..." He playfully chimes in. Ugh.

"Sure, go ahead, ask stuff. I may lie in some cases or not remember many things. My memory isn't that trustworthy since a while back." Ace replies to him. He looks to the side suddenly as if he hears someone drawing his attention next to him. I watch as he rolls his eyes at nothing and then focuses back on us. I Curiously observe the spot he was looking at and find literally nothing.

Uhh... I think the humie is not alright in the head?

"Sure, do try to lie not so much or tell too much of the truth." The fox comments.

"Wait a jam mifute', wee can fust lie?" I say through a mouthful of food.

"Yes, you unmannered Mongrel. I have no way of knowing whether you are telling the truth or not. The only thing I have is the info I dug up on you through my sources. Even then it could all be fake or wrong." He smiles mischievously. "And finding out what's true is part of the fun. I am a very observant person."

"Bri'Lash..." He laughs when I insult him. That nasty son of a-.

"Let's get over with the questions so we can get this done as soon as we can, okay?" Ace comments. Looking at him I can't help but get a bit confused. He said I could help him in this whole prison thing and other stuff, but so far he seems to be very capable on his own. Why am I here beside his need for the Coil? wouldn't it have been better to ship me out with his dog to their H.Q. If he actually don't need my help?

Though I'm grateful I don't have to spend time with the dog. I can't stand him at all. Ugh.

"You look so cute when you tilt your head in confusion like that..." His eyes meet mine, I can clearly tell he is smiling even with half his face covered.

WARNING. HEART PALPITATIONS DETECTED.

Wait- He thinks-!?

"Wow, I did not know your fur could turn so red."The fox jumps in to mock me, laughing.

ARCHITECTS DAMN THE WHITE FUR IN MY EARS AND FACE!!!

"FUCK YOU, T- THIS IS BECAUSE THERE'S- UHHH- A LOT OF HUMID HEAT AROUND!!" The fox keeps laughing his ass off. The human is just seemingly, sweetly smiling at me, eyes closed and all. "ASK YOUR DAMNED QUESTIONS, YOU DAMN CAT-DOG!"

After a while, the Canine stops laughing. He starts smiling like a devil out of hell, as he looks at me. "First question." His eyes get serious. "What's your deal with him?" He points at Ace.

Damn, straight for the throat.

"My deal? Were are just... Uh. Associates?" I reply. We are associates, right?... Right?

What IS my deal with him?

"You are gonna have to do better than that." He snaps his fingers, and three brutish, huge prisoners suddenly stand behind him, looking menacingly at me. "If you are gonna play the game play it right, friend." Gotta say that these dudes look quite menacing, and I may have my strength back but he can very easily pull up many more lackeys and it can all descend into chaos. I forget he is the boss around here.

"Well-..." Looking at the human who is yawning with not a slight care in the world other than maybe how long will it be till he gets to sleep I can't find a correct set of words to describe what it is that I feel... "I-..." He looks at me for a few moments and I'm no closer to figuring out what the deal is. "I don't know."

The fox raises an eyebrow at me before changing his face to that of his mischievous self once again. "Boring, but saying the truth is a valid answer. Next question."

Da' fuck?

"If Ace and I were to spend intimate time together what would your feelings on the matter be?"

"Will you fucking ask me something not related to him!?"

"I'm mostly interested in YOUR relation to him, so no. Answer the question."

"I am not going to-!"

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others." Ace cuts me off, seemingly quoting poetry? "Speak truths to yourself so what comes out of your mouth can be perfect lies, maybe even adorned truths, Ripley." He summarizes.

"Oh, I like that quote. Write it down!" The fox commands and one of the floating pens begins writing on the equally floating paper.

The truth to myself? But what if I don't know the truth?... Crap, I hate not being able to deal with emotions and shit like that.

"Fuck if I know," I admit, looking away from the human. "I think he is fuckable, yes. Ya' know how humans are basically porn stars, everyone wants to fuck one at one point in their lives, hehe." I chuckle nervously. "I just... Don't want that image of your disgusting mug with him in my head." I hide my red cheeks and ears from them. Ugh, this is so embarrassing.

"Gee, thanks for minimizing how my kind is used like sex toys for influential Aliens by calling us 'Porn stars', how thoughtful of you, Rippy." Especially now that I just HAD to bring up how Humans are mostly used as porn fodder for people with money to deflect the subject. Great work, Ripley. My social skills keep getting better and better.

"You happy now!?" I turn to the canine thing.

"Yes, exceedingly so. I love this drama so much, you have no idea how happy I feel with this turn of events." Fucking trickster cat-dog, I will fucking throttle him in his sleep and tear out his-

"Can it be my turn now? I'm done remembering how humans are treated AND If you anger him more I can't guarantee he won't try to destroy the place. He has very wild mood swings." Ace says. Thankfully he shows no real signs of discomfort or interest in what I just said. I think I prefer him to not acknowledge anything I just admitted. It is easier for me not to have to deal with it, and I'm used to just liking people from a distance. It's easier to manage for me.

"Awwww. But I'm not done with Ripley just yet." The fox narrows his eyes at me, and I'm half a brain cell away from smashing his skull into the table.

"And I can't afford to wait until you have all your fun before you give me the info I need." Ace says kindly but it sounds so much like a real threat that I see the Lisico's fur stand on end.

The fox shudders in delight as smiles evilly. "Okay, but only because I like you so much, Mr. 'Ace'" Taghd says in a happy tune. A total flip from his condescending behavior toward me. He gives the human an innocent smile. "What is your deal with Ripley?"

Okay, I don't like the Fox but this a question I would like to know the answer to as well.

"Getting right into the nitty gritty, huh?" The human says. He closes his eyes for a moment, collecting his thoughts. I ignore the weird feeling in my chest. "He reminds me of someone I used to care about very much."

Oh...

Guess he only cares about me because I remind him of someone else, huh?

Fuck, why do I feel disappointed?

"What happened to him?" The fox asks, seriously.

"I killed him." Ace's instant reply has me looking at him again.

"Oh? Do tell..." The fox presses on.

"He and I grew up in the same orphanage, not a very good place but it was our home. After some years, he got himself adopted. Then I found him even more years later. Killed him and the rest of the orphans. End of story"

"Orphanage?" I ask. The fox smiles, pleased with me showing interest. "Haven't heard of an Orphanage that mixes kids of two different species in the local system. Could be dangerous for their security and unethical shit and all that."

"It was more than just us two. There were other thirteen kids with us there. All of different sentient species."

"Now that's curious..." The fox says.

"Were the owners trying to set up a people Zoo? Can't imagine that it would be easy or cheap to meet the needs of fifteen kids of different species. What gives?"

"Well, It's easy." Ace shrugs. "I'm lying."

What?

"But saying the truth at the same time..." Tadhg adds. He moans dramatically with a hand on his chest. "AH, I LOVE THE MYSTERY!"

LightShitters... Creepy bunch of fucks.

"You deceive any lie detection by avoiding the entire truth and adorning it. You must tell me more!" The fox leans into the table. Almost laying on it.

"No." Ace smiles. I think.

"Can't help but admit that I'm curious about it too. There is a lot of info missing." He is giving out this adorned truth or truthful lie vibe that can be interpreted in many different ways, really.

"I may tell you later when we get to H.Q." Ace says to me, I can't help the surge of satisfaction I feel when the fox gasps in indignation, asking why should I get to know stuff and not him.

"I truly admire you! WHY does HE have the privilege to know about your past when no one in the church knew about it!?"

Right, the church... "I assume you are talking bout' the Church of Light?" I ask the fox.

"The proper name is Church of Al-Malik Nefertem, in honor of the deity Al-Malik, the first light." Tadhg corrects me, matter of factly. "Though most Lightsless and commoners call it Church of Light."

"Ugh, you guys always believe you are better than everybody else, calling us like that." I growl. I hate having to be classified among people as just a 'commoner' or 'Lightless'. "A.E.R. can do pretty nasty shit, just like your powers can."

"That excuse of a replica of our powers? You know as much as I do that that synthetic energy doesn't come close to the real thing. We were blessed or cursed with our powers at the moment we were born." The trickster glances at the human. "Some more blessed or cursed than others."

I look at the human, annoyed. "Can't imagine how having such an advantage over others can be a curse. You guys are just whining about shit for no reason." I snarl.

"Power is coveted, Ripley." Ace says calmly. We both look at him and how serious his face has turned. "There are those willing to do anything to obtain it or keep it out of others' reach. Light or not." He stands up, walks to the side, and grabs at an invisible structure. "Power isn't just about shooting lasers out of your hands, or breaking down the thickest wall with your bare hands," The thing loses its invisibility, and Tadhg's true body comes into view as Ace pulls him gently by the prison shirt. The illusion around us starts to fade away, the floating cameras, the menacing brutes, the other Tadhg that looks mischievous and confident while the real one looks at the human in awe and worry. "Power also comes from many different places. His comes from his will and cunning to survive his environment, making the best out of the worst of situations. Staying alive, and thriving from behind the curtains..." Tadhg looks away from Ace.

"I don't think I follow." I add

Tadhg sighs, Ace lets him go so the fox can actually sit with us at the table. "I was born into a medium-class family in the Lisico homeworld 'Warennam-5'. My kind doesn't get many Light users, so when I showed signs of Akasha energy manipulation or 'Light' as you know it, I was taken from my family and sold to the Church of Light." He looks sad as he explains. This guy doesn't look at all like the annoying canine trickster we met a day ago. this guy looks dejected and miserable. "A seven cycles old kit ripped off of his family and freedom. Being forced to train and work for people he never knew existed. Get indoctrinated into their religion and more unsavory stuff for years on end... Wasn't exactly what I planned." He looks at me dead in the eye. "You think power is a blessing. The thing is most of the time, the people that get it don't want any of that 'blessing' in the first place. The people that do want it though, will do just about anything to use those who have it like tools for their own purposes." He says, in anger.

"The Church particularly has the 'right' to claim, administer or dispose of any and all individuals that display an ability to manifest energy out of conscious thought. This energy is denominated 'Akasha energy'." Ace calmly jumps in. He clasps his hands together. "And while Light users take up only three percent of all known living sentients in the universe when you consider the scale of all the known universe on this day and age..." He spread his arms apart to symbolize scale. "You still have billions upon billions of Aliens able to conjure energy with their thoughts."

"Why would they want so many people!?" I add, trying to wrap my head around the concept. "They have Alticia and that bluebird chick!" I can't remember the other member of the 'holy' trinity of Blue Light users, but I do remember Alticia. She is single-handedly an actual goddess in the flesh.

"The three great blues aren't omnipotent." Tadhg intervenes. "We learned that when the Light rebellion started and everyone found out that Alticia's personal hunting dog turned against her." He looks at Ace when he says that. "The blues have to follow rules placed upon them by an even higher unknown power and it is impossible for them to break them." He finishes.

"I never heard anything about the Blues following rules." Until this point, I only considered them literal gods, that destroyed anything that stood in their way for blinking in their direction. "Even less so of an unknown higher power than even them."

"They can't fight amongst themselves, less existence may cease." Ace cuts in as he starts counting on his hand. "They shall not destroy intelligent life without council or reason, less evolution of mind and soul shall be pointless." He adds one finger. "They shall not have family or feel love, less they do not dedicate fully to their task. And lastly, they shall not interfere with governments, politics or meddle in wars not involving them, less free will be forfeit." He finishes.

"There are some others but those are the main four." Tadhg adds. "And what they cannot do, they use others for that. All the people they have under their thumb. Spies, merchants, priests, soldiers, guards... Killers..." He looks at Ace again. For the first time during this whole thing, Ace looks sad and in pain.

I stay silent. All I knew was that users of Akasha Energy were always glorified as heroes. Individuals that worked for the Church of Light to bring peace to the universe, and now I find out they kidnap kids to breed them into mindless soldiers, workers, and spies! For what? "What the point of all this?" I find myself asking.

"Control." Ace deadpans. "Those who don't have power, seek it out. Those who do, want to make sure they keep it."

"For millennia. The Church had control over ninety percent of all Light bearers, until six cycles ago when the Light rebellion happened. No one knows who started it, but when it did we finally realized that the Church could only control us if we let it." Tagdh explains, excitement in his voice once again. "Things finalized when Alticia's number one tool for terror betrayed her and joined the Fleeting lights!" He says in excitement, looking at Ace as if he was the most valuable treasure in the room. There is no way he is glorifying the war, not after my mom- "An individual who rose through the ranks by sheer effort alone and then used all that he learned to free us from our chains was the final push we needed for all of us to fight for ourselves." He continues, Ace just looks conflicted, and I think I know why. I can barely hold myself together with how he just thinks that that event was for the better.

"What about the innocents?" I didn't mean to say it with such venom, but I'm on the verge of committing murder.

"Innocents? Well, sure, it's a shame, but in all wars peopl-" I don't let him finish.

"BULLSHIT!" I slam my fist on the table, bending the metal beyond recognition, sparks of energy lingering on the mangled material. "Thanks to your little outburst people DIED. People I CARED ABOUT!"

"Hey now listen it's not our fault-" I cut the Lisico off again.

"NO, YOU LISTEN!" I point at him. "YOU AND YOUR CULT OF SUPER-POWERED SHITMAZIGS CAN GO FUCK YOURSELVES. MY MOTHER DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ALL THAT! SHE DIDN'T-!" I stop, clenching my eyes shut. No, I will not cry here. "She was just-!... She-... " Fuck, I won't!

"Sorry..." What? The words seem to have come from Ace, I'm shocked by the raw feelings in his voice.

"Sorry? Heh. SORRY!?" I mock him, the audacity to just- "Sorry is not going to bring my mom back." I growl.

"Neither is this." He signals the fucked up ex-table. "and yes, I am sorry. If it is worth something, I am sorry I took part in something that ultimately ended your mother's life in one way or another." He clenches his eyes shut. "We did what we thought was right, and didn't think of how the consequences of our actions would impact innocent lives. No one ended a true winner, but it happened and we can't change the fact that a war broke out and innocent people died, because of our actions. MY actions also-..." He lowers his head collecting himself. "I am sorry for the innocent lives lost during the events. Even if they directly do not fall on my shoulders, your mom included..." He keeps his head lowered.

What the hell, does he really think a lame apology makes things better?!

"I did a lot of bad things, Ripley, some are even much worse than taking part in the Light rebellion." He continues, raising his head. His eyes are serious and with a fire to them that I have not seen before. "That's why I do what I do. I can't turn back time but I can try my damn hardest to make up for all the damage I have caused."

...

Shit.

"Whatever, Humie." I don't feel like fighting anymore. I'm just tired. "This is a waste of time, anyway. Tell him what he needs so we can get the fuck away from this shithole. I don't plan on answering any more questions." I turn to the Lisico who was watching everything intently.

"That won't be necessary." The canine stands up, looking pleased. "I will tell you everything since I got way more entertainment and pleasurable conversation than I ever hoped to gain." His expression turns somber. "Especially since you don't have much time."

"What do you mean?" I find myself asking. The fox seems to have lost all trickery and fun from him.

"Well, My sources tell me that yesterday some unknown illness has begun to take over the people in the city. I believe it has something to do with the briefcase you carried, Mr. O' Wain." The Lisico snaps his fingers and the illusion of a briefcase surrounded by a blackish mist appears in front of us. "It started with just a few people, making them feel ill and have involuntary movements, after a few minutes whatever this thing is takes over their bodies and mutates them beyond recognition, sprouting many biologically impossible structures and organs as it seeks to spread even more."

The human and I exchange the same worried glance. Was the things we faced yesterday really that dangerous?

"I believe you two already faced some of the individuals taken over by that black sludge."

"We did, but they didn't seem to be that strong or spread as fast." Ace replies.

"Just overnight it took over the entire lower city, Alatt-Varós. Survivors have been evacuated but the creatures are rapidly taking over the upper city as well. It is safe to assume those things are most likely headed here." He turns to me. "And I think they are looking for you."

"Me!?" Now why would-...? Don't tell me they are after-

"The Coil." Ace steals the words from my mouth. "They are attracted to its energy. Good thing I tamed it a bit yesterday, it will be a bit harder for them to find him." He talks to the canine. "But they will be also looking for the other guy I'm looking for, and I don't think his artifact has its energy as hidden."

"Exactly. I have my guys bringing him over as we speak. word of advice, he is very friendly but protective of his plant."

"Plant?" Ace echoes my words just as I say them.

"Yes, you will see what I talk about when you meet him." The canine waves his hand. "Either way if the worse comes to happen and those things get here, most people here will be doomed. Only one small scratch or bite is needed for that black goo to get into the bloodstream and start changing things."

I turn to the human. "Wait, didn't your mutt literally eat that stuff!?"

"Stygian doesn't have a conventional body in the same sense that you and I have. That thing is no different than protein bars to him." The fuck?

"Is he really invincible or something?" There is no way such a thing exists.

"I have seen him regenerate from a few drops of blood..." I can't help but hang my jaw in shock.

"You gotta be kidding."

"Not at all. I can count on one hand the amount of things that can actually kill Stygian and I would have two fingers left." That is legit creepy. Borderline terrifying.

What kind of a pair are they?

"The outbreak is not the only issue." Tadhg interrupts. With another snap of his fingers, we see three guards in the far-off distance dissolve into nothing. "Most guards have been evacuated, I have been using illusions to keep these goons under my thumb but a prison riot will eventually happen soon once everyone finds out I have been faking the guard's presence."

"And you have been making us lose so much time!?" Ace stands up annoyed. He rubs the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "Where is he!?"

"Right over there." He points behind us, and sure enough, I see a couple of brutes accompanying a big chubby furry weird creature who seems to be happily chatting with them.

"The fuck is that?" I've never in my life seen an Alien like him. He looks like some kind of weird mix between a feline and a reptile that for whatever reason has a... Pair of tentacles on his head where a pair of ears would be?

"Holy Malik- He is indeed a Gepatroj." Ace comments, bewildered.

"A what now?"

"Native sentient species to Paradiso-1. They are believed to be the first sentient species in the universe. They are almost never seen outside of their planet, the Church of Light has a very tight grip on keeping their world as 'pure' as possible." Great, another weird fuck to add to the team.

Yay...

GEPATROJ ARE ALSO THOUGHT OF AS A MYTH BY THE GENERAL POPULATION IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.

"A living myth. Even better." I say with totally not an ounce of sarcasm... Totally

The chubby male, (I think he is male?) 'Geh-pah-trog' notices us. The thing smiles like a little kid as he waves at us very happily. His huge body jumping up and down in excitement.

"Oh, my Malik," Ace whispers. "He is adorable." The fuck!?

"You are a pretty weird guy, you know that?" I have never met such a weird guy I swear to the Architects. His eyes are practically glinting in 'adorableness' for the chubby cat-lizard-whatever thing.

Hell, he has a weird relationship with a free, immortal Aswad'Yakul capable of normal speech and not one of those mindless slaves that are sold on some markets. The human himself is the only human I have EVER seen wield the Light and he is also not bothered by environmental hazards as much as others of his kind. He apparently was a terrifying killer that somehow was the prime tool of fear of the fucking blue goddess, Alticia. To top it all off, to those that dig deep enough, he is some kind of hero for all the rogue Light users because of his involvement in the Light rebellion.

"HELLO!"

"THE FUCK-"

While I was distracted, Ace and I are suddenly picked up and spun around by the huge furred Alien that apparently took off running to hug us. "MY NAME IS MAYLUGU, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO FINALLY MEET YOU!" My reaction to this is clearly the opposite of Ace's.

"PUT ME THE FUCK OWN, YOU FAT FUCK!"

"He is so soft..."

___________________________________________________

Somewhere in the city. Last night.

___________________________________________________

Flames.

Debris.

Corpses.

That and many other things can be seen littering the under-city of Rigó-9. A pitch-black substance spreads like veins across the floor, buildings, vehicles, and even the remains of the dead.

Inside a brothel called 'The Sultry Loban' in one of its rooms, the naked figure of Stygian can be found, bloody and teared up almost beyond recognition. Black tendrils hold his body down as they fight the absurd potency of his regeneration capabilities instantly healing all damage done to him. The Aswad'Yakul's eyes are completely violet and unfocused. Another figure can be seen on top of him. The figure is leaning down, whispering into the huge male's ears. An intense violet hue coming out of its mouth and eyes.

"At the right moment.

At the right time.

Obsession becomes hatred.

Secrets laid bare.

Betrayal of an oath.

A family lost.

And you will heed my call."