Terra's Nook of Stories (Scifi/Fantasy-Military/Scifi) (Updated 05/04/17)

[terranspirit]

Helloooo!
I'm new here and I'm not sure how to use this site quite yet. xD
The approval process was a blast.

Now that I'm a little more salted, lets fix this up a bit. xD
I specialize in writing primarily sci-fi/fantasy, Military, and slice of life.
My progress on certain story chains will be hampered by:
Lack of Enthusiasm
Uncontrollable Muse
A pretty butterfly
School/work
Meatbags who are overly critical. (not saying I'm the greatest, but at least give me some good with the bad)

That being said, if there's a particular chain you want more knowledge about, or more work done on, nag me in PMs or
leave a comment down below. Depending on how gushing you are, I might be swayed to focus on a particular project.

ALSO, if you're in need of some lore development/brainstorming for a character, shoot me a pm. I'm happy to spread the creative love.
That's all I got to say today, hope you enjoy my stories, and do let me know what ya'll think.

Edit and Update Log:
1/30/17:
Added additional reserved posts for future creative works.
Allowed comments.
Updated forward fluff

05/04/17:
Updated a place holder for future work "Galaxy Aflame"
Added new story "Poke-Horror"
Updated update log.


Life and Times of Mas'syr si'Jihar
Mas'syr si'Jihar arts

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

This is the first 'chain' of short stories that I'm working on. This chain follows the lives of a character of mine.
She's a shark-anthro by the name of Mas'syr. Survivor of the Apocalypse, Inter-dimensional Traveler, and Talented Explorer,
Mas'syr spends her entire life trying to find her homeworld and a way to undo the death of her people.

LAST DAY ALIVE
In this short, we see Mas'syr as a pup the day her fate changed.
This story serves as a baseline back story for the character,
and a transition point from her world to where she ends up next.

Disclaimer: I wrote this long ago and lost the translation notes. So you'll have to guess the dialogue based on context and clues.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Winds licked hard at the sails of the small vessel, whipping wildly at the single frightened occupant. She sat on the edge of the short hulled vessel, managing the steering and maintenance of the sail and tiller, rope held in each of her five fingered webbed hands. Cerulean hues gazed forward at the familiar island ahead, the small skiff bouncing rough in the heaving seas. The grey-blue skinned shark-kin had to stop regularly to bail the vessel out, not wishing to swim in water so deep. From the sky fell a strange white powder much like snow but more dry and flakey. It rained down, sticking to anything uncovered, and Mas’syr si’Jihar found it irritating to her sinuses, a head ache developing in the forefront of her mind.

As the vessel reached the breakers of the island, the shark-kin had trouble controlling the rudder, the line sliding from her webbed hands, leaving an aching burn on her flesh. Careening to the left and caught in a wave, the skiff over turned almost immediately, sending the frightened pup of eleven winters into the water. Even the ocean felt unnatural, as Mas’syr’s gill slits opened and she inhaled the water through narrow nostrils, her body rolling over the ocean floor before the young amphibious creature stabilized herself, utilizing her long powerful tail to deliver a series of powerful strokes, the long caudal fin propelling her through the water with ease. Breaching the surface, the shark-kin’s eyes gazed at the island only a short distance away now, and ducking once more beneath the waves, began swimming toward the sandy shores.

Pulling her weary and battered frame upon the shore, Mas’syr laid on her stomach clad in wet cloth, breathing heavily. Never had she swam from so far out on the reef into shore. The current had been unusually fierce, wishing to drag her back to the swollen seas. Sitting up upon her knees, the shark-kin gazed up at the forest. The land beneath her seemed to rumble at its very core, sending the sand around her shivering. Terrified, the young Eskarren pup leapt to her feet, standing unsteadily on tired limbs. The shivering sensation of danger ran down her back, and with new found strength, the child bolted into the woods.

Her hands pushed away leaves and branches, forging a new trail through the dense brush that lined the shore of the island. Mas’syr had not arrived where she was familiar, and was now lost. Her tall ear plumes pivoted left and right, seeking some sound of her civilization. Her nose reached out, her nostrils flaring as she sought some smell that would lead her home. But there was nothing but the smell of rot and the noise of distant rolling thunder. Pushing on, the shark-kin’s limbs carried her through the jungle, her light frame struggling to make headway through the thick vine ridden landscape. Choosing speed over caution, the young girl broke into a run, the thorns and low branches around her tearing at her flesh, sending cuts across her rough skin.

Leaping through a line of hedges, Mas’syr let out a startled scream as her feet found air rather than ground. With arms out stretched, she rolled down the steep riverbank, battered by rock and landing rough on the unyielding ground. With blurred vision, the Eskarren pup gazed at the small river, her body resonating in pain. With her energy sapped away, the shark-kin rolled onto her back, and exhaled, allowing a faint sleep to overtake her.

* * *

“Shaji iar, malia caer,” a nasally voice chided, followed by light spurts of giggles. Cerulean hues fluttered open, wincing lightly at the bright sun and blue sky hanging over her head. A figure stepped in front of the brilliant yellow orb, baring a mouth filled with shiny sharp teeth. A smirk crawled up the side of Mas’syr’s face as she sat up, bringing her knees to her chest.

“Tardi Ai jhoji mal ol tia caer,” Mas’syr replied, her tail stretching around her legs. She eyed the creature with a toothy grin. The figure before her was two years her younger, with green brown skin patterned with dull grey stripes. His tail tapped the sand lightly, his fin adorned forearms crossed across his chest. He looked down at her with brilliant green eyes, gazing over the gentle rise of his flattened nose. It was his serious look, and as it weighed upon Mas’syr, the tension rose until at last the young male could not withstand it, and broke out into laughter. An arm was offered to the young Eskarren female and she took it, allowing herself to be hoisted up from the ground. On the shore nearby was a two person skiff with a short mast and sail. It billowed lightly in the warm breeze. Mas’syr smiled in excitement at her companion, moving to the skiff and running her hand over it. The workmanship on the vessel was exquisite.

“O tadi sor orsaer,” the shark-kin asked incredulously. It seemed too fine a job for Merdyri to have made. The younger boy chuckled sheepishly, flashing a wide toothy grin, scratching the back of his head with slight embarrassment.

“Tyr os air. Tia tharaes caelaer ti ei jhyr,” he replied, joining the female Eskarren next to the boat. Mas’syr nodded with a smile, nodding her head. It made sense; Merdyri’s father was the best carpenter in the village and would not entrust his only son to a boat of poor craftsmanship. Looking inside, the boat was fairly simple, with a long bench on either side of the vessel. In a small housing on the bow was a canvas bag containing what smelled like fish. So they were going on an adventure.

“Shaesi eisi shi kyl sar shi vaezeisi ei taer eil ei shyr” Mas’syr asked, popping her hip and resting her webbed hand upon it, eyebrow raised in questioning. The younger boy took her by the shoulder and turned her around, pointing to the island in the distance. It was a day’s swim away, though by boat they could make the journey in much shorter time. The crossing would take them over deep water beyond the reef, where the waves would be much rougher.

“Os taija. Shi shor thor shors sharaes eil mol. Eil Ai eis byr ailaesaeraer ail mostol eir si shae cysti,” She answered crossing her arms. The plan was reckless. Should their boat overturn, it would take the better part of a day to swim back home and there was no telling how crossed either of their parents would be about the loss of the vessel. He held up a bailing bucket, but the shark-kin was not convinced. She looked to the island in the distance, the urge to explore it calling to her.

“Tysti ol, Mas’syr…. vaeri,” he pleaded tugging at her arm playfully, his nasal whine rising in obnoxiousness, “Air shor shi mai tes thel.”

With a low sigh, she punched him in the shoulder and nodded her head. It would be fun, indeed, to see the island neither had been to before. Within her chest beat the heart of an explorer, and though it might be risky, most things exciting were. Besides, it wasn’t as though either were in any real danger.

“Tholi, sher ais mystaerol kyr shyl, air os thar,” Mas’syr replied, taking the bow of the vessel in her hands. With a chuckle, Merdyri helped her and together they pushed the boat into the waters. He clambered aboard first taking a paddle and offering a hand to the shark-kin female. Taking it, Mas’syr gave one last lingering look to the beach before clambering into the vessel.


* * *
Mas’syr awoke with her head pounding, the sky having grown darker and more dangerous. Thunder rolled loudly through the air. The fall of the strange powder had also increased, coming down more heavily than before. Rubbing the purple bruise upon the side of her head, the young shark-kin let out a low groan as she rose from the ground. Her clothing torn and tattered, and her body recoiling in pain, the pup checked her surroundings. The Sentinels smiled upon her. Though injured as she was, she knew the river and knew that following it would bring her back toward her village. Dropping down into the slow moving water, she found peace in the folds of her mind and rhythm of her strokes.

Her mind worried of Merdyri, and the fate that befell him. When the sky grew dark, and the ground trembled, they’d both been buried in debris. She had almost freed him when the great wave had struck, tearing them from one another. The young shark-kin female had been thrown against a rock face, the blessing of the Sentinels being the only reason she was alive. When she awoke, he had been nowhere to be seen. The thought made her heart drop and she forced it from her mind. By fortune, their vessel had not been washed away or destroyed, though it had taken no small amount of effort to recover it from the trees.

She’d waited for what felt like hours, hoping her friend would come rushing from the brush. But as the sky had grown darker, and the ocean churned, Mas’syr lost hope and grew fearful that should she stay on the island she would anger the old gods even more. At first she had been angry with Merdyri, leading her to such a forbidden place. But as she delved deeper into the bounds of her heart, she felt only sadness and pain. Too young to cope with it, she once more drowned these thoughts deep within her heart. It was too much for the pup to deal with, too much for her swollen frightened mind to confront while the world fell apart around her.

Pulling her frame from the water, Mas’syr gazed up at the sky. It had grown nearly black, the surrounding landscaping seeming to have fallen to dusk. With the amount of ash coming down, Mas’syr struggled for breath, coughing heavily as her lungs burned with pain. Her body was weary, her limbs sore, and her mind dazed as she took in her world’s violent transformation. The flakey gray substance from the sky now fell heavily, assaulting her respiratory system, causing the pup to gag and wheeze.

But she wasn’t far now. And she knew the way. With labored breathing, and sore body, the shark-kin straightened her frame, dry heaving in an effort to clear her throat. It would not be long now. Soon she would be home and this terrible day put to rest. Her heart beat frantically as she broke into a run, her webbed feet and powerful legs carrying her forward in lunging leaps. The Eskarren pup had never run so fast in her life, had never felt so much fear. Panic gripped the creature and in that panic, she sought only to return to her nest, the only safety she’d ever truly known.

Pushing through brush and debris, the sky crackled with lightning as the pup struggled up the large hill her village sat atop of. She knew not what she would find, knew not how much time had passed. When the great wave had struck, she had been knocked unconscious by the impact and again when she had fallen into the river bank. Now so close to the village, Mas’syr realized she had no words to tell Merdyri’s family…no explanation of his disappearance. Guilt flooded her heart, and in her sadness, tears welled in her cerulean hues. Rising over the crest, she gazed down into the shallow valley of her village. For as long as she could remember, the stone buildings had been kept safe from animals and elements by the large hills that shielded it from the worse winds the sea could bring. Looking down at the place of her birth, Mas’syr instantly felt something was wrong.

Rushing down the hill top, a powerful gust of wind and low rumbling rocking her small frame, the Eskarren reached the village gate quickly. The heavy wooden door was half closed, as though it had been discarded or left idle. During the days, the doors were lashed open, and in times of danger, they were sealed shut. The shark-kin, too young to understand the significance of the change, continued into her village. What she found scared her more than the terrifying climate.

* * *
“Ai thyl e tali,” Merdyri’s voice called out from the dense treeline. Rising above the green leaf plant life was a sheer rock face, mind-numbingly tall. It stretched upwards, with sharp rocky outcrops and clumps of loose grass growing along its cliff face. Mas’syr let out an annoyed sigh, swallowing the large chunk of fish with an audible gulp. Their fire crackled as the sun slowly continued its journey high in the sky. Her friend came bounding from the high brush, a bright toothy grin spread across his face. Mas’syr regarded him with a raised eyebrow, her hand gripping the stick that held her half consumed fish. She pointed it at him, like a sword, a grin rising along her wide cheeks.

“Shia por o shol mai tes thor ais o eisi byr ky sai aer oer,” She inquired of her companion. A teasing grin broke over his face, and he gently prodded her sides.

“Shaelari Ai cym cyrn tes o jhoji sai aer,” Merdyri replied, pinching her blue-grey exposed midrift. Mas’syr immediately broke out in a blush, a light pink haze developing beneath her cerulean hues as her clawed hand swatted the other away. As embarrassed as she was by his statement, it would not hinder her appetite and she took another large chunk from the cooked meal, tearing the flesh from the fish with a jerk of her head. This bite she swallowed whole, much like the last one.

“Tasaerer, Merdyri, os o shor shi tia baes taer,” the female shark-kin replied, an almost malicious grin spreading over her pale cheeks. Merdyri’s playful smile faded as he gazed into the eyes of his predatorial friend. The two held this tense pose before Mas’syr could contain herself no longer. A fit of giggles over took her and she broke into open laughter, joined by her younger friend. He playfully shoved her shoulder as she discarded the remains of her meal that she did not like.

“Pai byr masi ti jhoji sar, Mas’syr,” He replied. Mas’syr could only giggle in response before regaining her composure, her cheeks a hot pink, her teeth bared in a humorous smile.

“Mai shaesi air sor tali,”the shark-kin female asked, stretching her short statured frame, her arms rising up, her clawed hands running through her silvery locks, pushing the bangs from her eyes. Medyri offered no words, only signaling her to follow. She did so, trudging through the high brush after her grey skin friend. Pushing through trees and limbs, they at last came to a shallow clearing at the foot of the cliff face. Medyri pulled back a low hanging palm branch, revealing a narrow dark entrance only half the height of either of the Eskarren pups.

Crouching down, her cerulean hues gazed into the odd geological structure. The walls were smooth, and the short cave’s entrance nearly perfectly rounded. It was evident to the older female that this was no cave but a tunnel of some sort. Ever the explorative young girl, she dropped to all fours, and with only minute hesitance, crawled into the dark space. Medyri stood by the entrance, watching as his friend moved into the unknown.

Mas’syr found the floor cold, but free of debris, though the wear on her knees produced a minute amount of pain.  However such distractions would not impede her and she continued onward, finding that the tunnel quickly widened and grew taller allowing her to stand.

“Tysti ol,” she would call out to her friend, her cerulean hues rapidly adjusting to the dark room. There was little ambient light, but she gained a limited idea of the room she stood in. It was tall, with an open doorway toward the next room. The manner of construction matched that of her people but she’d never head of anyone carving into a mountain.

“By... air aes pas,” Medyri would reply, his voice sounding odd and distant in the echoing walls of the blackness filled chamber. Mas’syr would scoff at her friend’s cowardly answer, but acknowledged that he was younger and his eyes had yet to adapt to the darkness. Digging into her satchel, she pulled out a small torch and a flint fire starter. With a strike on the wall, a shower of sparks ignited the oil coated rags and the torch came to life.

“Ai cali jhol, byrn byl ti. Eiraes eir sor shar os aidi,” She would comment. There would be shuffling at the entrance and at last the rounded snout of Medyri would appear. He chuckled sheepishly with embarrassment, but Mas’syr was already pushing forward to the next room. Larger than the first, it was clear that the room they were now in was a meal hall of some sort, long stone tables stretched in three columns. Moving amongst the furniture, she looked up to a raised platform that seemed to overlook the room. There was a throne and something behind the tall backed chair.

Moving toward it, Mas’syr felt chills run down her back, a shivering fear that caused a pause and hesitation in her motions. Tense with the sudden doubt, she looked back to her companion, whose ear plumes circled around, his eyes wide.

“O thaer sar sai,” he would ask. Mas’syr would nod, but regaining her strength, she moved forward. Curiousity and the desire to discover drove her actions as she climbed each etched stone step, pausing to gaze at the large throne. The name Cyrni was etched over it, and Mas’syr gazed in astonishment.

“Medyri, Tysti jhyol eir sor,” She said to her Eskarren pack mate, leaning forward to study the etchings. Cyrni had been the seventh Sentinel of Eskarra and was a powerful being when she lived. It was rumored that when an invasion of wild beasts threatened the island of Sholalaer she created a new island for the Eskarren’s who lived there, rich in game and fertile in soil. And to the island now taken by the greedy invaders, she sank it to the depths for defiling her people’s home. The air grew cold around them.

“Mas’syr, Ai pai byr sol shi myr shi caesi,” Medyri said to the older female, pulling close to the other. His protests and desires to leave fell on deaf ears as Mas’syr was entranced by a metal box behind the throne. Finely crafted and beautifully decorated, she was drawn to it. A deep connection filled her, as though the box itself called her to it. Moving closer, warmth filled her, and with a single webbed hand she reached out and touched the box. As warm flesh met cold metal, the ground would tremble, dust and sand would fall from the ceiling and the entire earth rumbled loudly. The torch when out with a sudden gust and Mas’syr let out a frightful yelp, recoiling at the shock. She felt Medyri cling to her as her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden darkness.

As a fuzzy image built, she regained her bearings, securing her hand around the arm of her friend, the two ran frantically toward the entrance as the world continued to shiver. Mas’syr would enter the narrow tunnel first, dropping to her knees and crawling with desperate enthusiasm. Fear filled every breath and her eyes remained focused on the shaft of light at the end of the tunnel. Exiting first, she turned to help her friend out when rocks fell from the cave. Diving out of the way, she heard Medyri cry out in pain, the air filled with short barks of distress.

“Ai eis tystol,” She would cry out, pelted by smaller stones as she reached her friend, whose legs were pinned beneath a large boulder. She would hiss in desperation, clawed hands struggling to move the heavy stone. Her body pumped with adrenaline, her mind focused solely on freeing her dearest friend. Her long claws would scratch at the surface, and more and more frantic tugs seemed to start to loosen the stone’s heavy weight. With the glimmer of hope came the renewal of strength and she threw all the weight and muscle of her small frame into the rock. It started to budge as the earth’s trembling continued.

“M…Mas’syr…. Vel,” Medyri said suddenly, using his arms to push his friend away. Perplexed, she turned to him, but he looked toward the ocean through a grove of trees. A wall of water approached rapidly, forming into a crest that towered over Mas’syr by several times her height. Frozen in fear, she felt the hands of the Eskarren male on her stomach, pushing her away. “VEL, TOS”

At last hearing her friend’s advice, she turned toward the rock face. She needed to get up. Mas’syr set her body to the rock, strong arms and powerful legs aiding her in her climb. Quickly she ascended to four times her height, chancing a look back in time to see the grove of trees consumed by the onslaught of water. Clinging to the rocks as the wave struck the mountain, she felt the very earth trembled by the sudden force. Her grip loosened, her legs slipping from beneath her as the rocks that supported her gave way. Plunging backwards, cerulean hues slid shut as she fell into the churning water. Her head struck something hard and consciousness was lost.

* * *

Emptiness filled the chest of the young shark-kin as she wandered through the deserted town she’d once called home. Doors hung open and vendor stalls left deserted. The temple of learning was quiet, void of the usual lector’s booming voice. The hunter’s garrison was empty, the town hall devoid of life. It was as though, in the middle of the day, everyone Mas’syr had known was gone. Fear filled the void of emptiness, and gripped in the throes of tears, the young pup bolted down the dirt street toward her own home. Pass the nursery where only silence echoed; pass the village healer’s home where no one spoke a word. She desperately sought someone, anyone to find comfort with. The temperature was dropping, the sun setting. Rain fell in heavy drops from the clouds, the wind driving against the battered frame.

Her cerulean eyes fell upon her home, and though Mas’syr’s mind knew what to expect, her heart refused. The Sentinel’s would not be so angry with her, they would not punish her like this. Family was the corner stone of her people’s entire society, it was what made them who they were. Tight knit families, working together in well woven communities that in turn functioned in the best interests of all. Hers were a social, community oriented people. The Sentinel’s would not leave her punished like this. Pushing open the door to the thick walled simple home, Mas’syr stood in the common area, gazing at dishes left half washed, and food half cooked. The smoldering remains of the familial fire pit crackled in the building.

“Tyraes… Kalyraes...,” her voice called out, shrill with fear and weighed in sadness. Only silence greeted her sorrow laden words, and as the last hope faded from her heart, Mas’syr fell to her knees, sliding her cerulean hues closed, tears edging from the corner of her eyes. “Vaeri…. rnisi eisi o.”

She laid her scraped knees upon the fur rugs, her body limp as she bitterly fought back the sobs threatening to overtake her. Everyone she knew was gone. Her dearest friend, her pack mates, her teachers, her village and now…her family… all gone. She knew not what else to do, having sought the comfort of her clansmen but having none now to comfort her. Her eyes slid open, and she looked to the ladder in the corner of the common area, leading to her nest. Rising, the young pup put herself upon the wooden creation, clambering rung by rung until she reached the top. She rolled off the ladder, as she’d done so many times, directly onto the large cushion of fur and cotton that was her bed. Her body immediately found its imprint within the fabric, and like a well-knit glove, she fit into the hollow. Her eyes slid tightly shut, her ear plumes burying themselves in the furs. Mas’syr thrashed, throwing the covers of her blanket over her weary frame, ignoring the gnashing of limbs and debris upon the outside of her home.

It was all a terrible nightmare, a lesson to her by the Sentinels, warning her not to go to the island. A warning not to step into the cave or to disturb the old chest. She would awake and gone would be this terrible reality, and her family would be returned. Tear’s wetted her pillows as she drowned out the world around her with loose sobs.  The shark-kin desperately wanted all these things to be true. She wanted to wake up the next day and confide to Merdyri of the omen she’d received. Her heart yearned for an end, some form of peace against the terrors and horrors afflicting her young mind. But she knew… deep in her soul, that this was the real world, that she was now alone and that whatever had afflicted her people, whatever had made them disappear, was her fault.

Her eyes opened, immediately focusing on the long bone dagger carved by her grandfather from the tooth of a Karusa Whale and given as a bond gift to her grandmother when they became mated. She in turn had given it to Mas’syr when her grandfather returned to the Sentinels. Life was considered sacred to the Eskarren people, and not something to be taken for granted. But the pup of eleven winters had no life any longer. She had no hope, no family…no strength. Pushing the covers from her frame, Mas’syr pulled the knife from the stand it rested on next to her nest. It’s worn hilt and etched words brought a glimmer of a smile to her face as her small clawed fingers grazed over it. The leather sheath came from the long white knife, revealing a slightly curved edge, still sharp after decades of use. What was life without others to share it with… what was knowledge without purpose for it… what was the point of continuing in these lands, when all that made it her place of belonging was gone.

Tears welled up in her eyes, her heart swelling with pain as the reality of her existence came crushing down. Barely old enough to go on hunts, or travel the deep seas. Barely old enough to comprehend the forces that shaped the world around her, Mas’syr was at a loss of what to do, and how to continue. Her grandmother had once told her that the knife was kept so sharp as to ease the suffering of the creatures it was used to take life from. That it was so sharp that the creature felt little pain from the blade as it would pierce the heart. That death was more of a gentle exhale than a hopeless fight of survival.

“Maelolaer… koli ti mael,” She offered in reverence, the soft words familiar to the teachings. The Sentinels…paragons of her people, were said to provide peace and protection. Their blessings were marked on the central stone of every village. No place was considered more safe… more holy than the central stone. With knife held tightly within her hand, Mas’syr rolled from her nest, her heart set on what must be done. She had offended the Sentinels, and they had in turn punished her people. Mas’syr would set things right. The pup would go to the central stone, the place of their power, and to the powers that guided her people, she would offer her life for that of her village. She would pay the reparations of her misdeeds with her blood.

Dropping down into the common area, she gave one last somber look to her home. She wondered if they would know of her sacrifice, of her decision. Mas’syr could only assume that she would be held as one who paid the price. A cautionary tale to be told to others so that her mistake would not be repeated. Nodding her head in set determination, she drove herself from the home of her family, pushing through the fierce winds and heavy rains. Lightning arced across the dark sky, illuminating the path to the central stone. She entered the temple, wiping her feet with the salt laden water as was done by all who entered the sacred place.

Down the winding staircase, carved by the first Sentinel to tame the lands her people had settled, Mas’syr was surprised to find the way lit by oil lantern. The light brought ease to her journey, and with a deep breath, the shark-kin pushed open the heavy doors. The room she entered was large, with a brilliant vaulted ceiling rising up. In the center of the room, surrounded by water of the sea, carried by finely carved channels in the floor, was the Central Stone. Upon its surface, etched into the very rock, were the laws her people lived by. There was no war… no thievery. No dispute of ownership or property. There was only the pursuit of peace, knowledge, and prosperity. Of one’s family, spirit and soul. Forever and for always.

Stepping into the ankle deep salt water, Mas’syr suddenly felt at peace. This was her path. This was where her Hunt was to end. And her life would serve as a lesson to those that would come after her. In the chamber of the Central Stone, the world suddenly seemed so far away. The problems seemed to melt away until all that was left was Mas’syr, the bone knife, and the stone. Taking a deep breath, the young Eskarren bowed her head, holding the knife in both hands to her chest.

“Maelolaer os Vyrdaes,” She spoke, her words trembling as she struggled to find confidence in her Path, “Ai cali shy os eilaes iadyl tia vaedi. Vaeri eilaer tia jhori thys saes… tia shyr thys saes… tia theresi thys saes. Tae tia paer sol thysolaelaers.”

Raising the knife high above her head, her eyes squeezing tight, Mas’syr trembled with fear. The knife came down, but as it met the halfway point, she felt an overwhelming presence around her. Her eyes were thrown open to a brilliant light echoing from the stone. Pupils dilated as the entire room felt charged with energy. The Stone’s etchings shone brightly, as though a new star threatened to burst from beneath the rocky surface. Mas’syr felt warmth wash over her battered frame, her mouth falling ajar as her ear plumes stood upright atop her head. She could feel them… her people, her family, all that she had lost. She could feel them in her heart. A deep rumbling took the chamber, dust spilling from the cracks in the ceiling. The torches struggled as a sudden gust filled the room, sweeping up and wrapping around the shark-kin.

Mas’syr’s heart raced, her mind suddenly falling blank as an infinite peace over took her. There was no fear in her soul, no pain or agony. No sorrow of loss as Mas’syr felt the wrapping of warm familiar arms around her young frame. Her eyes slid shut as a torrent of light shot upwards from the stone, the water rippling wildly around her ankles in waves, spilling from the sloped canals. The chamber rocked, trembling beneath the young pup’s feet. Before her frame, the rock rose, suspended in the column of warm brilliance. A powerful pulse rocketed from the stone outward, and caught in it, Mas’syr’s eyes drove open. She could see her family, her friends, everyone. The whole of her people stood before her, smiling brightly with open arms. And with a single step forward, the shark-kin body vanished within the light. A powerful explosion rocked the building, the rumbling and trembling continuing as the light exploded outward. Travelling through the halls, it consumed the entire building, a powerful torrent of glimmering shafts swirled within the Chamber before gradually dissipating. The water fell back into the sloped canals, and with a low thud, the Central Stone fell to its resting place once more, leaving no trace of the young girl that stood only moments before it.

* * *
“Stacie, I’ve found something. I think we just hit the mother lode,” a bearded man said to his female assistant. The young woman walked from the fine pottery she was dusting off, moving toward the screen the bearded man huddled over. He worked the dials and as he did, the image became defined into a shape the research team had only seen in pictures.

“No way. John…is that what I think it is…” she asked, mesmerized, leaning on the shoulders of the man. He shook his head, unsure as he fine-tuned the ground penetrating sonar. As the notches clicked he suddenly stopped his eyes wide. Turning to his assistant, he tore his headphones off.

“Get Dr. Temple, quick,” a bearded man said to his assistant. The young female leaned over to look at the screen of the ground scanning radar. It had been twelve days into the survey, and they had found hundreds of artifacts in the stone village, but not a single body of the elusive Eskarren race. The pen in her hand dropped and at once the assistant bolted from beneath the prefab tent. Dr. Ellen Temple quickly joined the man.

“Look there, see that block of rock. Well, when we turn up the frequency on the penetration,” He did so and Ellen murmured softly in astonishment. It was hollow, and inside, curled into a ball was the defined shape of an organic being. Dr. Temple leaned over the man, mesmerized. It was perfectly preserved.

“Incredible. Based on her size, she’s just a child, just before adolescence. I’m sure of it. You can tell the gender by the tail. See the notch there. You’ll never see a male with it, or a female without it. This is an incredible find,” she repeated, a smile crossing her face. The bearded man shook his head, a grin on his face as he passed the headphones off to his superior. His heart was racing. This was going to be the largest discovery in xeno-archiology ever made.

“It gets better, Doc. I was getting some funny feedback through the passive listening while scanning over this site. When I ran it through the filters,” he said, adjusting his instruments, a jittery smile on his face. The look on Dr. Temple’s face told him when he was at the appropriate frequency. Her mouth fell slack, the color in her face draining. Through the headphones, as clear and defined as though it were taken by medical instruments was a heartbeat. A soft, but classic wub-dub echoed once every ten seconds.

“Get an excavation team up here immediately,” She commanded, pulling the headphones off her head and handing them back to the grinning sonar operator and squeezing his shoulders, “we’ll need a medical team standing by. I want full quarantine. We don’t know what we’re dealing with….but we’re going to find out.”

Dr. Temple stared at the screen, mesmerized by the shape held upon the display.
“Three hundred years…and she’s still alive.”

[terranspirit]

The Company Wills It

A mish-mash of various science fiction lore and tropes, The Company Wills It follows a group of Company Guard as they
face the threats of a galactic invasion. Combining known tropes with original content, this fan fiction is inspired from
the story telling elements of Band of Brothers and The Pacific, with tones on service, honor, and camaraderie.

Come witness the Glory of the Dragons as the forces of the Company Clash with Dark Angel forces in climatic battles
Across The Galaxy!

TCWI: The Fall of Aegis 7 (WIP)

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Corporal Hanes ran through no man’s land, her heavy breaths filling her ears between the thunderous explosions of mortars. Bright blue beams of energy fizzed through the air around her, some bolts striking the ground in a puff of smoke and dust. She rose up a large crater and dove down into it, landing across the body of a killed soldier. She cried out, face to face with the dead private. Rolling off, her mind quickly gathered itself and she peaked over the edge. The heavy thud next to her signaled a reinforcing of her position. She turned in surprise to see Kao, the pink haired girl startled with eyes wide at the dead soldier.

“Kao, get me Sarge,” Hane’s shouted, pulling the girl back to reality. The mission had gone FUBAR, with their initial landing force badly spread out. No one was where they were supposed to be, and enemy resistance was fierce The young corporal marked a few positions hastily, calling in suppressive fire before taking up her rifle, loading a heavy shaped charge slug into the large caliber mount beneath the barrel. Her eyes lined up the shot on a low visibility bunker built into the rock wall. The shell fired, rocketing out in a loud pop. Through the gun port it arched, slamming into the steel plate of the entrenched position. A bright flash and smoke rolled from within the bunker. She grinned as her hands hastily ejected the spent casing. Kao gave a thumbs up and Hanes directed the girl to lay down suppressive fire as enemies fired on their position.

“Misfit One Bravo, Misfit One Charlie, over,” Hane’s radioed in, her suit’s long range receiver antenna extending from the built in backpack radio set. She observed Kao’s carefully measured shots, tracking the girl’s ‘score’ in the corner of her screen. As green as she was, the pink haired squirt had a hella good shot. The radio crackled and Hane’s focused on the noise in her ears.

“One Bravo, Copy, go ahead.”

The gruff voice of Sergeant Mitchell brought a level of calm to the corporal’s heart, knowing that so long as their NCO was alive, they could coordinate some level of action. Corporal Hane’s looked back behind her, counting the number of her Lancemates were deployed and alive, her HUD identifying their positions seamlessly. She ordered a reinforcement of their position, the crater proving to be in an apparent blind zone in the enemy defenses. That would change once mortars lined a bead on them.

“Sarge, we’re six klicks south east of our rally point. I’m down five, and it looks like half of Archon is wiped out. Their transport was hit before they finished offloading. We’re pinned down by entrenched positions overlooking our route to the RP,” Hanes reported in, watching as Hughs and McGonnel crossed over and joined them in the massive crater, taking up firing positions.

“Whole line is fucked, Kat. We’re down ten and haven’t made it past Zeta. Command is reassessing the situation so entrench and tend to the wounded,” the reply came back. It didn’t sound very reassuring, but the Corporal had her directions.

“Copy, One Charlie Out.” She said before rising up high enough for those behind her to see. She signaled the platoon size group of survivors to dig in. Every troop not suppressing the enemy would use their field trowel to reinforce their position.

“Kat, what’s sarge say,” Hughs yelled, as the Corporal took up position next to them, pulling out her ‘nocs’ and sighting the enemy entrenched positions. At the very least, SpaCom would have targets to shoot at if they ever decided to lend a hand.

“Entrench and wait. Command is reassessing,” Was all she gave them to banter about, dropping next to Kao. The pink haired teen barely flinched, focusing and firing only a couple of bursts per enemy. Gotta get this girl a fucking sniper rifle, Hane’s thought.

“Kao, what are we facing,” Hane’s asked over the sound of their magnetic pulse rifles, the sharp bark of the weapons marking a heavy slug sent back at their enemies. Kao paused to reload the weapon, sliding a new box into the chamber. In the brief moment, Hane’s watched as the girl’s crystal blue eyes dilated with rapid eye movement.

“Fifteen emplaced repeaters, nine anti-armor emplacements, five mortars. Likely over three hundred garrisoned,” She recollected rapidly, blinking as she regained her senses. Hane’s observed the teen’s dismal thoughts over the information dispensed, and patted the girl’s shoulder, flashing a bright smile across her dirt smeared cheeks.

“Don’t count the odds, kiddo. The Company beats them daily,” She chided as a lull in the fire granted a relaxation of nerves. Their enemy was smart enough to not waste ammo on entrenched forces. Through her field glasses, she could see they were moving wounded and rotating forces. They kept only enough heat to keep her forces thoroughly pinned. Corporal Hane’s knew she needed to close distance with the enemy defenses for a flanking action, but the lack of cover would prove suicidal for assaulting the bunker complex that guarded the city entrance.

“Kao, get me a count on how many satchel explosives we have, I have an idea,” Hane’s ordered out before ordering her squad to spread out. Smoke grenades were popped first, blanketing the area before The intensity of fire increased. Her forces moved into a wider spread, making it difficult to suppress all her troops at once. One guy took a hit, but he was still firing and didn’t appear so much injured as infuriated.




South East, three Klicks North of LZ 1 Sergeant Mitchel’s fired his heavy pulse cannon from the hip, mowing into a stand of combatants behind a thin barricade. Their APC was making slow progress up the curving mountainous path, but the protection of shields allowed their forces to move up relatively unscathed. Someone had said earlier the hard part was over, but every ten meters they hit a booby trapped roadblock, and their advance was delayed. Mitchel hoped there was plenty of juice for the tanks, else it’d be a bloodbath to complete the mission. Taking a knee, he stopped behind the rock face to reload his weapon. Next to him, Tech Sergeant Reckons fired her rifle, picking off enemies hiding along the walls and barricades. He’d thought he’d have to babysit the grease monkey after plucking her from the burning hull of her tank, but the scrappy little NCO seemed to have a knack with weapons.

“Suck it, bitches, you cannot withstand,” she shouted, firing the KEG launcher slung under her rifle barrel. A glowing ball of energy sparked out, striking the small gun position ahead. It melted right through the concrete structure and exploded in a blinding light. Mitchel stood and was about to congratulate the young woman but was interrupted by the fired up engineer. “Let’s move it up, I wanna go home.”

She ran up and leapt onto the side rail of the tank, smacking the driver’s hatch with the butt of her rifle. Mitchel walked beside the moving vehicle, firing his weapon and sending the enemy forces retreating. They would be waiting at the next roadblock and the battle would resume again. The Armored Personnel Carrier kept it’s heavy rail cannon silent to devote as much energy to shielding as possible, though this would cease once they made it to the main gates and breached the walls. Strike teams were supposed to infiltrate ahead of main deployment to disable enemy anti-armor and strategic shielding, but intel had massively underestimated the garrison size holding the city. The bunker walls were thoroughly manned. Reckons fired her rifle one handed as the tank rolled forward, it’s machine guns blazing at the cliff wall above where the sneaky opposition liked to congregate and fire down on them.

“Misfit One Bravo, Charlie Oscar, over,” his radio echoed and he paused to take cover behind their tank, walking with his hand upon the rear panel.

“Go ahead,” he replied, hoping it was good news. There was an unusual amount of static on the radio channels, and Mitchel took a knee, peering around the corner of the APC. Reckons fired her rifle fiercely, depleting the rounds effortlessly. Her Combat Engineer Kit included a micro fabricator for manufacturing combat necessities, in this case plentiful amounts of ammunition.

“That‘s a negative on air support at this time, the city has been deemed too hot.. Infiltration teams are to dig in while Hammer continues its way up the ramp and beyond the perimeter wall. At which point, infiltration teams will attack while the enemy is distracted. How copy, over?”

Mitchel processed the plan unhappily, and felt he needed to voice his concern. Already his team was down to half strength. The mission was trashed, everyone knew it. The best response would be to fall back. Before he could reply, the tank he took cover behind opened fire with it’s main cannon. A breach of the no fire rule meant ill for his company of armor. Turning the corner, he scarcely avoided the exploding vehicle’s remains as he was knocked to the ground. Standing between the two hewn chunks that once made up their lead APC was a massive armored creature with jet black feathered wings.

“ANGEL,” He called out on the radio, rising up. Reckons was mere feet from the creature, face down but moving. Depressing the trigger, he held it as the weapon charged. A single, high velocity round was fired, smashing into the giant, staggering it briefly. The coldness of danger rolled across his neck as his eyes met the turned head of the elite combatant. He charged another shot and fired as it encroached on him him. It only made it half way before stopping, shaking wildly.

“For the Company, cocksucker,” the radio crackled, an Mitchel held his fire, staring in disbelief at Seargent Reckon’s squirming body, her tech suit’s arch welder applying a paralyzing shock into the towering warrior. Her hand gripped her pistol, firing it point blank into armored chest plate of the elite troop. The anger it felt became apparent as it released a sudden cascade of energy. Mitchel was thrown to the ground, as was Reckons. The veteran Sergeant struggled to rise to his feet as he watched the dark angel lift his comrade by the jaw, her squirming grunts and struggles vain against mighty strength of the creature. Mitchel fired his weapon, and was ignored, his rounds doing nothing to the protective armor the mythical combatant wore. A glow of darkness extended around the creatures hands, and Reckon’s screams filled the microphone. Mitchel looked away, filled with rage as he pointed to the Main battle tank. I’m sorry kiddo…

“Glass it”

A thunderous shockwave rocked the air as the round as propelled at seventeen times the speed of sound. The Anti-tank shell, flung by rail technology, struck the creature, exploding the moment it breached the armored body. The following explosion tore it asunder, the energy released in the high density warhead blossoming outward in a bright blue fire that faded into deep black smoke. Mitchel moved in as the smoke quickly cleared and the creature struggled to rise, it’s body stripped of the armor, it’s limbs lacerated and bruised. Mitchel signaled again and in a repeat of beautiful energy, the abomination was purged from the living world.

[terranspirit]

Galaxy Aflame
This is a literary Re-vamp of a roleplay I shared with the user BunnieNijah.
She's a great roleplayer, and ya'll should seriously check out her profile if that's your fancy. TO BUSINESS!!!

Plot Summary: After years torture and experimentation, Simoun Baron, feline bounty hunter extraordinaire is freed from her prison
and now seeks to uncover the secrets that have come to shroud Eskarra and her shark-kin mate Mas'syr. Joined by
her AI assistant, Flex, and her most loyal friend Sachiko, Simoun enlists the help of the android sisters, Ethel, Lilith and Luna
so as to travel to the tropical ocean world and find, once and for all, the truth she so desperately seeks.

Terra's main Characters:
Ethel, Lilith, Luna, and Mas'syr

BunnieNijah
Simoun, Flex, and Sachiko

Under Construction

[terranspirit]

Pokemon Horror Fan-fiction
Mix of Deadspace and Pokemon

Chapter One: Gen 4 Splicing

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

A low groan echoed from the corner of the dining room as the smell of coffee filled the air. A stack of mail lay unfiled on the dimly lit table as Evelyn let out another noise of restlessness, her tiny black nose pressing to the cool window, jet black hues gazing at the wet world outside. Her yellow furred ears folded back, hearing the voice of her owner and friend.

“No, I've got to stop by the ranch and see where we're at,” a brunette young woman said, entering the kitchen and pulling the milk from the fridge, “I understand that, but we're doing the Gen 4 splicing and I want to make sure it goes off without a hitch.”

The lid to the milk came off, and even from this distance, Evelyn could smell it's foulness. Rising from her soft bed, the Jolteon walked idly from her nest behind the chairs, taking a seat on the edge of the carpet to watch her owner curiously.

“I will be there, I'm just as invested in this as you are. It's my eevees providing power and climate control, but we wouldn't even be here if it weren't for the ranch,” the woman continued, taking her thermos and pouring the coffee inside it, “I'll be there, stop your worrying. If I'm late just stall them. Yes....yes I remember what happened last year...”

The milk jug tipped and loud clumps could be heard falling into coffee. Evelyn was aware of her trainer's flare of frustration and idly licked the side of her paw before grooming the bristling collar of fur, patiently waiting as the young woman threw away the coffee.

“Look, I'll call you when I'm done at the ranch, I've got to go.”

Turning around, Alexa looked to her sweet companion, patiently awaiting her attention. Her hand reached out, finger tips drawing through the furry collar, dragging down to the she shoulders of her electrical pet. Bending at the waist, she hovered her face just in front of Evelyn's, hazel hues peering into those deep black orbs.

“You want to go out,” She asked the yellow furred creature, a smirk raising the corner of her mouth. She received a huff of air to her face and watched as Evelyn walked from the room, “Well... apparently no one is as excited about Gen 4 splicing as I am.”   

*         *         *

Alexa's helmet rang noisily in her ear as she rocketed down the remote country road. Despite it's distance from the city, the road was well paved, and maintained. Either side was massive fields of protected woodlands and groves, occasionally broken up by large climate controlled interior habitats. This was Gen-Spec Institute of Pokemon Research, or colloquially known as “the Ranch”. It was the crowning achievement of Alexa's parents, a legacy that she sought to build upon today. Her finger pressed the touch activated bluetooth in her helmet.

“Yeah, I'm almost there,” She said to Charles, her primary lab assistant. Evelyn disliked when her trainer talked while driving, and instead turned her attention to the fields. This was a place she recognized since she was but a pup. There were strange people who surrounded and prodded her body after she awoke from the long darkness. It was frightening at first, but it was also her first memory of the human beside her. That first moment told her all she needed to know. That this human was her friend, and that everything would be okay.

“Well look, bypass the secondary safety measures, and connect the sequencer directly to the artifact.”

Evelyn let out a huff and turned her dark eyes toward the large white building in the distance, though quickly growing closer. It was the head quarters of Gen-Spec and quite a sight to behold. Standing fifteen stories in height and nearly an acre in depth and width, it was only the crowning tip of an iceberg consisting of underground labs and tunnels that connected all the facility buildings together. Evelyn was familiar with most of the lay out, having run the halls with her owner through out the years.

“Look, just have the technicians handle it. I mean, what are you afraid of, it's just a bit of glowing rock with interesting DNA characteristics. It's not like it can hurt anyone.” Alexa growled into the mic, becoming aggravated with the cowardliness of her staff, “And make sure it's done before I get down there.”

Evelyn drew a long look at Alexa, the sun glinting off her dark eyes, sending a shimmering of teal through her concentric teal rings. Her human noticed the look and offered an innocent smile, but the pokemon was not convinced. Something felt off about this day, and only grew as they neared the facility.

Alexa was waved in immediately by the security staff, parking her bike in her executive spot near the front door. Perks of being the heir to a scientific dynasty. As she entered into the lobby, she was met with a bright smile from her personal assistant. Evelyn followed quickly and approached the dainty woman with a calm expression on her yellow cheeks.

“OH MY GOODNESS EVELYN, You're so big now,” The cheerful woman exclaimed, her hazelnut skin beaming a bright smile as she pet and stroked the eeveelution. The jolteon nuzzled and rubbed the short woman's legs, her puffy spiked tail wagging happily.

“She's never that friendly with me, how are we looking Deets,” Alexa asked, only a smidgen jealous of the attention Evelyn was getting. She could feel the cutting glance of her assistant. Denise O'Malley had been pressing Alexa for years now to loosen up and become more sociable, rather than burying herself into her work. Letting out a sheepish grin, the young scientist mogul rubbed the back of her head, “I mean... how's the family? Charles mentioned Tamela was having trouble sleeping.”

“Mmmmhm, well, he's right about that. Tamela's been having nightmares ever since we moved closer to the facility. I think it's just the stress from her classes,” Denise replied, waving her boss to follow. Evelyn required no command, sniffing after the darker skinned human as they moved toward the non-public section of the main building. “As for how the launch event is, well. Mr. Nelson is already in the control room, and I tell you, he is very nervous. The man is sweating more than a Glaceon on a summer day.”

Alexa smiled at the comment. Robert Nelson represented the majority shareholders interests, and had been anxiously pressing Alexa for more information regarding the Gen 4 splicing. He attempted to use his position on the Board of Directors to gain an insight into what had often been referred to as 'an expensive boondoggle' from investors. It frightened him and all the money pushers, but Alexa owned a majority stake in the company and was her father's daughter. She'd proven herself time and again with her pet projects, from introducing a self healing gene to shaking up the pokemon battle leagues with her split-type specimen. And each time the shareholders had made a fortune. But this project, it was more costly, more time consuming, and more problematic than anything Gen-Sec had attempted. And that worried the investors.

“Well when we make history, they'll thank me,” Alexa replied, earning a snort from her adorable pet who cast another long look to the scientist. The doors to the elevator closed, and they began the descent down to central control room.

“You know, Alex, making history and making money aren't the same thing,” Denise replied teasingly, “But apart from Nervous Nelson, we've got representatives from all the major scientific journals, the general press, the pokemon league media corps, and even a congressman or two. Most of your invite list has shown up and are making their way to the amphitheater now.”

“Good, good. Just a little song and dance, some fancy lighting, and voila, we've created a new species of pokemon and the stock holders can add designer decisions onto their list of money making schemes.”

Evelyn let out another huff, pacing unhappily in the tiny metal box. Her head ached slightly as they dropped lower and lower, and something felt off. She tilted her head, casting her eye up to Alexa, who misinterpreted her signal and instead petted the top of her head.

“How much larger will Evelyn get, she's already as tall as Eva,” Denise pondered aloud, updating her list of attendees and passing them to her boss. The secretary was well aware that Evelyn, along with many of the custom created pokemon, had been given genes for gigantism, and already the Jolteon was up to Alexa's hips.

“She'll be large enough to ride in a couple years. I've been monitoring her weekly, and thus far there haven't been any problems. A relatively easy splice, and one that eevees take with few problems, unlike our attempts with Pidgey and Spearow,” Alexa said with a half-hearted smile. Those tests ended with protests of their building, the deployment of security teams, and six dozen pokemon who exploded when their organs grew faster than their skeleton.

“Well hopefully this experiment will go far better,” Denise let her eyes rest on Alexa and she couldn't help but smile. She had been Alexa's father's secretary in the last few weeks of the man's life, before cancer took him. He'd worked feverishly, and with dedication, hoping for one last break through, one last notch to his legacy. “Your father would be proud of your work. You didn't let anyone get in the way.”

The doors to the elevator opened and they entered the control room. The ceiling above them was domed and transparent, allowing those in the amphitheater above to view down. Alexa adjusted her blouse and slacks, taking a deep breath as she met with the engineers. Evelyn's attention was drawn elsewhere, to a pair of amber red hues.

Eva was four years old, and fully grown. She was a generation two hybrid pokemon created here in the facility and so missed the gene implantation for gigantism, but the black furred pokemon more than made up for it in pure intelligence. Those red eyes locked onto the Jolteon, and the two approached. The yellow furred pokemon pressed the top of its head against Eva's neck, and the two embraced in this manner for a few seconds. The pheromones they released were of happiness and a rekindling of an old friendship. Evelyn remembered Eva as her foster mother of sorts, keeping her company when the humans were busy, or when Alexa was away at work. They were sisters out of love and affection, and Evelyn reached up and nipped the umbreon's ear. This would usually draw a growl and tug from the black furred eeveelution, but instead, Eva was frozen. Releasing the ear, Evelyn looked to Eva in puzzlement before following her gaze to one of the computer screens.

There upon it was a cctv feed of the double helix artifact, glowing red and appearing ominous. She could smell Eva's stress pheromones, but never once did fear enter the mix.

“Hey there Evelyn,” A man's voice rang out, and the jolteon and umbreon both turned to look at Scott Key. The man reached out to pet the yellow furred pokemon but received a hiss and a sparkle of electricity in response. He pulled away his hand, shaking it.

“EVELYN,” Alexa's voice cried out, pulling herself away from concerned scientists and statistics. Their worries were unfounded, and she couldn't allow her pokemon to act a complete butt, “I'm so sorry Scott, she must be a little stressed.”

The man beamed an honest smile and shrugged.

“Or she isn't over our break up,” he chuckled sheepishly before his serious face replaced those pleasing angular features, “Most my team is in place. We're not expecting any trouble. There's more press outside who have been trying to interview anyone stepping foot in the door. But all the guests have signed the confidentiality agreements. Anything that happens in these walls will stay in these walls.”

“Good, last thing I need is one of these criminal organizations getting wind of what we're doing here. Last time they tried to steal half our stock of Gen 3 Eevees, and it was a PR nightmare.”

“Only because Eva here doesn't take prisoners,” Scott replied, chuckling as he pet the furry umbreon with his heavy hand. Eva let out a low groan of protest trying to pull away from the hand but only getting more pets. This brought a snickering wheeze from Evelyn and with that, the two began wrestling, and growling. Alexa and Scott watched on for a while before business called.

“Ms. Novos, Ms. Novos, Charles needs to see you right away,” a lab assistant called out. Alexa looked to Scott, feeling a little awkwardness between her and the man she'd dated for two years.

“I...erm, I should get that, HIM, get him...see him..... I'm gonna go,” She rushed off, leaving a smile on Scotts face as Evelyn let out a low harumph and admitted defeat to the umbreon atop her.


“Look, if you can't make it happen, then I will find someone else who can,” Alexa shouted to the man before her. Charles Ambrose was a brilliant scientist and head of Gen-Sec's R&D department. And unfortunately, he'd grown accustomed to these increasing outbursts by his friend and boss. He assumed it was just stress, but everyone had been off since Activation. He'd voiced caution but was over ruled by the heiress at every turn.

“I'm just saying it merits more research. We haven't even completed analysis of the signal it's been giving off. Direct interaction with the artifact is dangerous,” He replied  back, struggling to keep his voice calm. “Everything is set up, but I'm telling you, this is a bad idea.”

“We can't back down now. Just do your end, and I'll handle mine,” Alexa replied sternly, letting out a bitter sigh. It was make or break, and she was determined to put her name down in the legend of her family. Climbing the stairs, back to the control room. It was time.


Bright lights flashed as Alexa took the stage, a set few seconds for pictures before the speech would begin. Taking a deep breath, she put on a smile, her heart pounding as she addressed her company's board of directors, the several VIP,s and the major media outlets. She picked out Scott, dressed in a plain black suit. Eva was no doubt nearby, skillfully hidden and waiting.

“Ladies and gentlemen, friends and collegues.
Today is the day we've all waited and hoped for. As some of you know, we discovered an artifact unlike anything previously unearthed. Fortune and time both spent on the research of this newly acquired piece of living technology. This is the culmination of this research.”

She paused and flipped a switch on her podium, switching the view screens to their CCTV live stream of the artifact room. The double helix artifact glowed red, as technicians roamed the base of the large room.

“We've discovered that his artifact can create a new type of pokemon. And we will soon have a viable subject,” She said, looking over at the media as they furiously wrote. She paused as pictures were allowed, the bright flashes echoing off her dark hues. “We already offer designer choices for Pokemon trainers, thanks to my parent's research on evolutionary stones. With this continuation of knowledge, an entirely new hybrid of life will exist.”

The questions began firing immediately. But she waved them down, looking at her watch, a signal that she was ending the speech there.

“My PR director will answer any questions. Thank you all for coming, we will have an unveiling soon,” She said with a wave. The press continued relentlessly, and Alexa could feel her temper beginning to flare. Eva led the way from the stage, escorting her through the crowd. She shook hands, smiled and tried to ignore the questioning journalists. Scott pushed some back as they neared the elevator and they boarded it together with the Umbreon. Once the door closed, the female scientist let out a long sigh.

“You did good out there,” Scott stated, breaking the scientist. Looking up, Alexa smiled.

“Thanks,” she replied, “Now I just have to make sure my hunch was right, and we can relax for a while.”

“Knowing you, relaxation will be the last thing on your mind,” Scott said, bringing a smile to Alexa's face. She let out another sigh and nodded her head.

“You're right, there's still so much more to do.”

*         *         *

In little under ten minutes, the experiment had been set up. All the simulations had determined a successful outcome, the test chamber had been cleared of all non-essential personnel. The two remaining personnel were dressed in quarantine suits of plastic and fiberglass and the room had been scrubbed clean. One held a blackened helix stone, shaped like the artifact,though small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand. A perfectly crafted evolutionary stone.

“Signal is strong, we're ready for the next phase,” Charles reported flatly, crossing his arms as he looked over to Alexa. Nodding she disembarked. Evelyn followed her, letting out a rare whine. She paused, briefly to looking to the Jolteon and offering a charming smile. It did little to ease the pokemon's nerves and she crackled with electricity. Alexa couldn't help but be spooked, but it was too late to turn back. Taking a deep breath, she embarked onto the elevator that would take her down to the room where the artifact was kept.

When she exited in the artifact room, she was clad in the same quarantine suits the others wore. By her side was a crate containing one pure bred eevee, a fine specimen developed for this specific purpose. She lifted the hatch and pulled the small dog like pokemon from the container, her gloved hands cradling it gently. The animal trembled in her arms, but she held it steady, her own heart beating rapidly. The artifact glowed solemnly, and she could not help but be entranced.

She stepped toward the stone, held carefully by the tester. Two more stood by with stun baton at the ready, in the event the resulting creature was threatening. Alexa slowly set down the Eevee onto the concrete floor, her hand gesturing for the carved evolutioary stone.  As she brought it near the small brown furred creature, she watched it flinch. But it did not flee and she pressed the stone to it's forehead.

Everyone stepped back, the technician readying a tranquilizer on the end of a short pole. The stone and creature were consumed in a blinding white light, and Alexa could not help but watch with wonder.

[terranspirit]

RESERVED FOR FUTURE WORKS

[terranspirit]

ReSeRvEd FOR FuTuRE Works!!!!

[terranspirit]

Reserved for Future Works