No amount of preparation could allow me to handle this stress. On the upside every box is helping me grow stamina. The last box finally goes up into the apartment, right next to ten others. Outside the skyscrapers towered above everything, below people walked in-between streets alongside vehicles both airborne and earthbound. Around five years ago they added a HYPE walkway, from there the entire city was upgraded little by little. Knocks emit from the door. Behind it somebody I've never seen before stood bearing cake. After some discussion she leaves taking the cake with her, turns out it was a prank hologram. When the woman leaves my phone rings. "Hello?"
"I don't care what it looks like flames always add up to better sales! Hello Matt-er Doland! We're a little short on staff, do you mind coming over a day early?", of course. Call the grunt when the worker won't show up.
"On my way." Now I won't say Carter is mean, instead only people who can read minds will know. Airplanes could be heard passing overhead. Funny, if you asked young me he would have said pilot not scientist. Yet here's old me walking towards a company laboratory meaning buisness. By the looks of it everything seemed taken care of except...metal reconstruction. Here we're learning why this world's metals have regenerative capabilities. The monitor had a sticky note on it, 'Watch previous station worker's video prior to working.' The video detailed said worker's failed attempt at tearing a bar apart. Welp, let's see what we can do. Later, an alarm resounds throughout the hallways. An intercom warning came on as the ground shook.
"It's alright everyone. An escaped experiment just busted out via the front doors." Oh that just sends waves of relief up and down my body. Sure enough there's a gaping hole leading outside. An alert was put out regarding this incident, telling citizens to be vigilant for our beast. We continued our work overlooking the jailbreak. Yes you heard me use those words correctly, I've seen what's beneath the building. After everything else happens we're let loose. Hundreds float out onto buses and their own cars in hopes of beating rush hour. Some descended while others went along HYPE routes. Okay let's see input my tears into the nearest bank, pick up some groceries, then check in and see how Roseanne's doing, from there go home. To my left a familiar earthbound road dimly lit itself in vain. Nobody would ever travel on it again, not after the firefight that took place at the end. My family lived there...emphasis on 'lived'. The digital clock on a nearby building said 5:59 P.M., more than enough time to spare. Without warning a car almost runs me over. The owner runs after it, yelling insults at his car's A.I. And the populace wonder why there's been an increase in accidents.
This section was left unchecked, so it's kept the natural look. One particular junk pile catches my attention. Wood and metal Earth-1 originated stacked on top itself, hard to believe this material once made a home. Something moves amidst the rubble. At first I planned on running, but then there came groans. Immediately my hands start digging through junk. Now you would think a person would be found, but surprise it's an animal! Or what's assumably an animal, it was insectoid in appearance, insect wing tail, beetle horns, had a dark red and green coloration, pony shaped, and it's chest was adorned with jewel-like appendages. Okay what now? Can't say I'm exactly shocked. Weirder things have shown up in my life, though none that could be described as cool. A series of growls sets me on edge. A sudden movement in the dark causes me to pick the creature up knowing full well that it could mean death.
We make it back without harm, unless you count jumping into somebody drunk feet first. See evading people is hard living in a city, especially when something delicate is being kept underneath your jacket. So when someone who's walking above suddenly falls through they panic and may strike another pedestrian accidently. Anyway, here we are inside my still unpacked apartment. This was probably a bad move. Suppose this thing can contract diseases and transmit them through touch. Perhaps it's so agile my wrist could be cut, but I wouldn't know. The creature stirs. Open eyes revealed pure violet. Yep, definitely insect related. For some time the creature studies it's surroundings, not noticing my existence. Then our eyes meet. Only outside noise could be heard, then with one blink the giant beetle disappears. My wrists were fine, from what I saw. No symptoms, yet. Following a frantic search knocks once more emitted from the door. Oh come on!
"Hang on! Kind of-oof!-busy!" Knew that table would bring bad luck. "Who is it?"
"Remember this morning's prank? You know exactly who it is." Behind the beetle returns, about to fly away. Without thinking I tackle them. They struggle, and then something happens that completely catches me off guard. The creature shapeshifts into a tazer. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah! Forgive me, but could whatever you want wait? I'm in the middle of sorting things out!" Footsteps signal her leaving. "And now you. Please, I'm not gonna hurt you. Taze me if you want, but I'm not purposefully gonna hurt you." The tazer stops electrocution.
"Why should I believe you?!" They can talk...seems legitimate. After an explanation the beetle rushes to take a look outside, "E-Equestria?"
"Actually Earth-3's second moon: Arcane." Never heard of 'Equestria', but it's safe to say he's not from here. What follows is a detailed story about how his home comes under attack while he's asleep. In an act of desperation his brother sends him away via a spell.
"He could be dead and I wouldn't know until...oh-no Thorax why?" Let me guess, he doesn't know how to get back. "Hey don't you guys have any magic libraries or something that could help?"
"Doubt it. Magic isn't something that's real like in your world? We mainly focus on tech rather than the supernatural." His face frowns at this statement.
"Of course. Seems I can only hope for something to happen." He looks at me, then extends his hoof. "Name's Pharynx." My hand reaches and shakes it. He goes on to question me about Arcane. He then gets a crash history course from when the moon was named, how humanity first colonized it, up till now with the development of Corona 15. "Well now that's some history lesson, sorry if I don't memorize any of that. What now?" Good question. An explosion sends me and Pharynx searching for the cause. When we arrive on the balcony a smoldering piece of metal lands mere feet from hitting us. Below multiple cars had crashed into each other. In one of them the woman from before was seated. Without hesitation I head downstairs. Pharynx flies down, and that's when he shapeshifts again. This time into a person. We manage to drag her onto the sidewalk. It's then that I notice how every onlooker is recording the scene. Pharynx tells them off, though they ignore him. The paramedics arrive and little by little the area dies down. Why do people insist on doing things like that? "Well that happened. Mind telling me why you jumped at the chance of saving her?"
"Can't say I have a reason. Why did you follow me?", I respond.
"I'm the one asking the question. And don't say it was just instinct." After some moments of silence Pharynx becomes fed up, "*sigh* Whatever, can we just talk more about how I can't get back." He walks back up rather than flying. The next morning comes, and guess what's lying in the bathtub. Somehow Pharynx sleeps through me wandering around the bathroom. Only after closing the door does he awaken. Thankfully the boxes were unpacked so there's more room to move around. After gathering myself, the first thing that happens is that experiment from yesterday hits me into the bathroom. If there's any consolation, the landlord intended to redecorate this floor. As the creature charged something drags me out of harm's way. Pharynx lifted both of us over to the upper street. The likes of which were littered with burning vehicles and broken people. The creature jumps as we run. Yeah I've never been to the neighboring Earth, but I'm sure that stuff like this doesn't happen there! Okay, here's hoping that monster misses me hiding behind this car. A peek revealed my insect friend shooting at the creature. He can perform shapeshifting, telepathy, and now has offensive shooting capabilities. He's officially got my respect. Thankfully nobody else besides us were outside at the time.
A sudden backhand sends Pharynx cannonballing into me. The glass-like giant rushes us. Mere feet away a gun lay temptingly close.....What happened? My entire body has absolutely no feeling. With some effort my head is tilted, and what is seen sends chills down my spine. Pharynx was being beaten without mercy. Gathering what little strength there was I start shooting. The creature holds the insect by his wings, which must've been painful. The guy transforms into a dragon and procedes to couterattack. At long last the creature is taken down. Glass pieces fly everywhere. An army of flashing lights alongside sirens were quickly approaching, in response we book it. Or however fast two injured characters could run.
"So that thing was locked up under where you worked and went mad, destroying everything that it came across. You would think someone would've pacified it or killed it beforehand." He had a point. How come the authorities didn't find and inconpacitate the thing? Either way it was dead and everyone could rest easy. My boss said not to come in today, for obvious reasons. Night came soon after everything that passed. News said that an unknown source killed the experiment. "I see you staring at me. What?"
"What's your species?"
"...Changelings. Why?"
"Curious, didn't want to know you as 'grape moose beetle.'", I say smiling. Pharynx rolled his eyes and went to his tub corner. Don't know why, maybe it's related with his bug half. Either way my turn.
The following morning brought yet another surprise. Rather a few: the landlord had upgraded the floor in our sleep, Pharynx sleepwalked outside, and a crazy looking female stood watching him. Never in my life has so much happened in such a short amount of time. The purple dressed figure speaks first,
"Strange little bug isn't he? Such an array of unique abilities. Makes you wonder if he was born this way." Don't know who she is, or what she thinks of herself, but this woman is giving off awkward vibes. "Tell you what, what do you say to me taking him off your hands?"
"No"
"I see. Well then you will probably need this.", she then throws an intriguing necklace in front of me. It had the shape of a silver heart. Pharynx awakens and upon noticing the visitor immediately jumps into some kind of defensive position. "There are plenty more were that one came from." The person then leaves. Silence overcame the city's noises. Me and Pharynx stared off into nothingness for some time. He finally speaks, "Please tell me you know how to fight." I don't, I honestly don't. Well this has been quite the turn of events. Two days ago this city first saw the likes of me, later that night after almost dying at the hands of a runaway car I meet Pharynx, we end up living together for whatever reason, and now we find ourselves involved with a possible conspiracy. Plus Pharynx is far from his home with no promise of ever seeing his brother or anything else he knew again. If neither of us are alchoholics we might be driven to drink. On the plus side there's still-nevermind. Nobody bothered to fix the street outside, now it's collapsed onto the one below. Hopefully Pharynx doesn't mind flying me to work.
Author's Note
Feel free to give constructive criticism. Also apologies if Pharynx or the changelings aren't represented correctly.
