//-------------------------------------------------------// Synthetic Heart -by Muffinlord- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// 1. The Fallen Star //-------------------------------------------------------// 1. The Fallen Star To me there is nothing that matters more than to be the perfect model for my company. At least that is what I tell myself everyday to keep from using my titanium arm to tear apart what remains of my life. There is contracts after contract, each wanting me to showcase or install more technology. With more of this technology being integrated, Am I still human? "Ugh. This sucks.", I said with a hint of a growl in my throat. I come back from destroying an entire army of elves. Yet somehow, they were all carrying about as much valuables as a small animal. Yes I said elves... Maybe I should explain where I live exactly. There are three kingdoms. I hail from Science. A place where bad stuff happens frequently. The main factions that reside there are the Cyborgs, Gentech, and Juggernauts. I don't normally have things against other people, but when those Gentechs declared holy war on us for a future that didn't happen yet. You tend to get a little peeved. Juggernauts are essentially mechs that have squishy pilots inside. But good luck getting to them. Also they have a nuclear silo in their backs. And to top that off, other juggernauts can add their missile to make it an entire giant salvo of death! Yeah, We would totally be dead if not for the fact there are two other kingdoms. Each with their own residents and agendas. Let's move over to Science's counterpart. Fantasy. I swear for every organization in Science, there are 2 in fantasy. Fantasy has medieval level technology, but makes up for that fact with innate magic and terribly hard to kill knights. I swear I would've had better luck with a juggernaut. At least I knew something was piloting it! But facts aside pretty nice. If you like giant dragons and terrible warlords plotting the end of the world nearly every other minute. The third kingdom is someplace I have never stepped foot in. Probably never will. Chaos, A giant swirling vortex of massive randomness. I swear I hear cyborgs talking about there being great stuff there. Those that come back anyway... I was on my way home to my trailer in town. They call it Pinnacle. Pinnacle is a grand place. No fights. No murders. Just peace. I looked in a store window to see the man-machine hybrid everyone knew as Johnn I was in jeans, a white tank-top, and hiking boots with woolen socks underneath. My curly black hair was shoulder length. I have a well-muscled build, but that wasn't the scariest thing about me. I have a partially filled knife bandolier. My left eye is yellow, and natural. Don't ask me how. Just was born that way. My entire right arm is replaced by a titanium implant that does a pretty good job at imitating it except it is all metal, no synthetic skin, nor muscle replacements. It is pretty bare bones. But my other systems make up for it. Nanites are located in my lower back. Which can be released to consume and convert anything or anyone into precious power and materials. They took out my right eye and replaced it with a optical laser. And before you ask it, doesn't work well for seeing. Below par vision with targeting. That's it. Finally I have in my left hand retractable blades that come out of my finger-tips. Oh and to power this, they put solar panels all over my skin. I felt a knife pressed against my throat. "Gimme ye..." That was all he said before my nanites were released and he was converted to materials my body could use. He screamed for all of about 3 seconds before he was dead. The nanites didn't stop. They deconstructed each and every part of him. There wasn't even a single droplet of blood left. I now stare at the tattered cloths and the well crafted weapon he pressed against my throat. Slowly I grin. I walk down the alley with my calling card left, and a new knife for my bandolier. I look up at the night sky. The one thing I miss in these kingdoms is that darned show they canceled. They called it, My Little Pony. It kept me upbeat in this terrible world. Kinda made me feel like a kid again. I see a particularly bright star chasing across the sky. Those changelings in that show were the cutest things I had seen on television. A shame everyone lost interest in the show after they turned Twilight Sparkle into a princess. I could've seen more of those beautiful insectoid creatures. I wish... I wish I see something, anything from that world... one more time Knowing how futile that wish was, I walked over to the back door. What happened next was unexpected. My left eye noticed something injured barely living. It was next to the the dumpster behind my mobile home. I recognized it immediately. Rushing toward what I knew was no dog, I find what my natural eye couldn't believe. Their in the fetal position shallowly breathing was a Changeling. Upon hearing my heavy steps she looked up to me with tear filled eyes. I couldn't take it. There is one more implant up my sleeve, But I scarcely use it. I charge my nanites with materials and a great deal of my power. I then mentally concentrate on repairing the damage to the poor changeling. The changelings gasps, as a black cloud engulfs her. Repairing every single injury. Broken bones mended, Cracked horn repaired, torn wings reshaped. The best thing of all was she was looking up to me with those big blue eyes. With what appeared to be a smile. "Why don't we go inside?" I moved to help her up, but she is still scared. She runs away from the dumpster, and straight into my double-wide. I would face palm, but seeing as I was right handed that might give me a skull fracture. Or less face than I already have. I put my arm around her , and slowly pull her crooked horn from the now indented double-wide. "Listen, I want to see you helped not hurt." Then I remove my arm from around her neck, and with my mechanical one raised her hoof and kiss it. I really hope that gesture is universal. I then look to see the Changeling was peering at me. As if I was wasn't real or something. I then open the door, and beckon her inside. "Your new home awaits." She eyed me up carefully then trotted slowly inside. I look up to those stars, and shed a few tears. Whoever did this, Thank you. I have something to live for again. I then wipe away the tears and enter the mobile home. //-------------------------------------------------------// 2. Canine Conundrum //-------------------------------------------------------// 2. Canine Conundrum The changeling was looking around my medium sized living room.  She was also peering at the bookcase set up against the front door, books and all. Door's been locked since I first stepped through the front door. Then I bought a bookcase filled it with both classic literature and novels. Now not even a Juggernaut could open that door... maybe I overdid when I welded a bunker door to my front door. Now for those of you wondering how I know she is actually a she. I have met many many different animals and aliens throughout my travels. Somehow, I knew the gender of each and every one. My sister always said I'd make a good druid... I should really give her a call. She might be able to help translate. Luckily she lives in pinnacle too. Rather, outside pinnacle. The changeling was looking scared, then I forgot, Tzar my chihuahua hasn't met her. If you think I am tough, just wait till you meet a white coated chihuahua that ended up red with the blood of a full grown dragon before I even laid a hand on the beast. But then again as soon as something snarls or so much as looks at me wrong, Tzar tears out it's throat. When I went to the pound there was this mean little chihuahua pup that growled and snarled at everything. My sister Rhea, was with me at the time. She was saying how if someone didn't do something the poor thing was going to be put down. I was eating some fresh made jerky at the time. Tzar noticed this and immediately started giving me those begging brown eyes. So I took my second strip from my pocket and put in it through the chain-length fence. "Johnn, I've tried your jerky, You say it is beef, but even I have my doubts. Now why would you give him something that he is going to dis... Did that chihuahua eat the whole piece?!", Rhea exclaimed. Now one thing I can admit, Is I am a horrible cook. My jerky is fine for my taste buds. For others, it tastes horrid. I saw that mean little dog, sitting down and wagging its tail. Patiently waiting for seconds. That is when I knew I would have a friend for life. I even made a pact with death so that the Tzar can come back from mortal wounds at any time. Man though, I don't think I will ever face a drake goliath again. Left me one arm fewer than normal. So long story short, I am going to have to introduce a killer chihuahua, to a scared as heck changeling. Man, I hate mond... OOF! Last thing I heard was a giggle and a tiny tongue lapping at my face before I blacked out. Damn that little dog hits hard...