[+100 CP Milestone]
[100 CP]
It's strange being able to feel two heartbeats at the same time. One is not pumping blood from what I could tell, and the other one is normal, at least as normal as I could tell.
Heart rate was steady. In fact, it felt even better than when I was younger. Everything just seems more vibrant. My muscular definition has become more pronounced—not on the level of a bodybuilder, mind you, but this would take years' worth of work to achieve.
Well, no matter, I will take all of the advantages I can get. The only thing not making sense is the information flowing into my mind. The information pertains to the creation of artificial intelligence from a world where magic and science are so interconnected you could barely tell one from the other.
I feel as if I could go up to an average computer and create an artificial intelligence on the level of many you would see in science fiction novels. But for now, the information is useless without the resources to create it.
I walked over towards the nearly broken metal gate. All of it seemed burned. The metal was fused together and making a broken X symbol. I couldn't even make out the words on the gate, but considering the fact that the property is in such a state of disrepair, I imagine there is no one else here.
As long as I could find a tarp and some soft objects, I can make a bed for the night… wouldn't be the first time. Thankfully, there were enough holes in the brick walls near the gate that I could walk through, and as I did so, I headed towards the ruins of what looked like an old mansion.
There were two separate craters along the main entrance—a sidewalk leading towards a set of double doors, with one crater on my left, the other on the right. From what I could tell, this is seemingly the work of some type of high-yield missile—maybe something related to phosphorus or even some other chemical.
I can't smell any chemical residue, so it's either been a couple years since this place got blown to hell, or it was something else entirely. The place itself was causing my spine to feel like it was tingling. Except I wasn't afraid. No, it was an almost familiar feeling.
But I don't follow unknown feelings, so as I made my way inside, I found that the entire thing had caved in—or in this case was seemingly blown away by whatever caused the two explosions out in the yard.
I tried seeing if I could find a basement, but I couldn't find any stairwells… not to mention the fact that I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.
Taking a look around, I made sure to look left, right, and up, as well as behind myself. Someone could appear from any of these angles, and while I found nothing, I couldn't shake the feeling… for now, however, I managed to find a broken table along with some other shattered parts of wall that I could use to build a basic tent. The actual fabric is mostly burned, but thankfully they didn't have a lot of holes in it.
The food situation is going to be looked into tomorrow, as physically I am not very exhausted, but mentally it feels as if I've gone through multiple rounds in a cage match.
My head feels like it's splitting… after tying all of the wood together and making the basics of a tent, I sit down under it and just take a moment to breathe… I thought back to that thing that gave me whatever this is…. As I placed my hand on the right side of my chest, I could still feel it beating. But I could tell that it wasn't physically there.
This whole thing could just be in my head, but it feels too real… I close my eyes and try to relax, doing some mental exercises to calm my mind. But as I do, something strange happens… small parts of wood begin to float up into the air, barely the size of small splinters, but for a second I just watch them float in the air.
I reach my hand out towards it and grab it out of the air, and as I do so, I feel my concentration break, and all of the wood splinters fall to the ground. I feel a dull ache in my head, and again I wonder if this is some elaborate dream of some kind.
But that wouldn't make sense, as I would be dreaming of something much better than this… in my dreams, I would be in my room, just watching the sunset with someone by my side… mostly as a means to share the financial burdens… or maybe something else, I don't know. Dreams are meant for people that can wish for more.
Inhale and exhale, focus on what you can see and hear and smell, be in the moment… as I do so, I feel that same sensation as if I'm grasping something with an unseen limb… like an invisible hand, grabbing something that I cannot see.
And as I reopen my eyes, I see the wood again floating in the air. In that moment, I just stared at something blatantly impossible… I don't see any strings, and I do not believe I've taken any hallucinogenic substances, but there was news that some eggs were bad, so maybe I just had some of those.
But that would be impossible, as I always make sure to buy the best dairy products. Well, you weren't exactly able to use the float test. The shake test is usually pretty reliable, and none of the eggs seemed to be bad, so that can't be it….
Stomach Growl
Great, me thinking of eggs has made me hungry… for now, I'm just going to have to focus on something else—maybe trying to find anyone within a reasonable distance to take me to the nearest city. Jaywalking is never fun, but it is the best form of travel if you don't have any other options.
However, as I'm thinking of a method to gain some easy transportation, I hear a small crack behind me, and as I look up, I see two eyes staring down at me from atop a nearby broken wall…
For a few moments, we just stare at each other as if sizing each other up. I reach my hand around a sharp bit of wood that seemingly fashioned itself into a small stake…
….
…..
Complete silence… my mind erased with options as I looked around for a means of exit. Thankfully, I managed to stay on the first floor, and I had a broken window right next to me which I can hop out of. My fight or flight response was ringing in my ears, but seeing the size of this thing, I immediately thought of fleeing and, if it got close, using my wooden weapon to stab it in the eye.
However, the decision was made for me, as the beast lowered itself to the ground, and as it stood eye to eye with me, I saw flickers of intelligence in its eyes. And as it stared down at the weapon I had in my hand, he smiled, showing sharp teeth… its blue fur was almost shining in the dark… the fangs looked better than any predator I've ever seen.
Yet instead of running at me, we just stared at each other before it reached its hand out towards me… I saw his eyes lower down to the wooden stake I had in my hand and back to his outstretched hand, and I decided to play along, given the fact that I had another one in my pocket behind me. So as I gave it to him, he crushed it in his hand.
"You know if you were going to fashion a weapon to deter me from attempting to attack you, you really should've thought of getting something more sophisticated…" a rather articulate but deep voice came from the beast, and as I slowly took my hand off of the other weapon I had in my pocket, it seemed almost amused.
"But where are my manners? My name is Dr. Henry McCoy. And who might you be, my mysterious stranger?" He held out his hand outstretched, asking for a handshake, and as I did so, I felt the firm grip—much stronger than anything I've ever felt before.
"Elias Stone… I'm a bit new around these parts… but I assume you could already tell… you've been watching me ever since I passed the gate." The beast simply smiled and nodded as if amused by my deduction.
"Well, I have had other troublemakers try to loot this place before. Never have had anyone try to stay overnight. Now, my young friend, why are you attempting to build a temporary domicile in this area?" It's a very articulate way of asking why are you building a hovel on my property, but I can understand.
Taking a second to think of an answer, I decided to be honest… "Well, I don't exactly know where I am in the first place. I just saw this place had some space and maybe something to crash in, so I took my chance. If you wouldn't mind, let me know where exactly I am."
A confused look appeared on the beast's face as he responded, "Well, to be specific, you are in Westchester, New York. This used to be the home of a very good friend of mine. As you can see, it isn't exactly in the greatest shape these days. Now, you said you didn't know where you were. Do you know how you got here?"
"Well, I was going to say that I may sound crazy trying to describe it, but given your… stature, you may be more accepting of what I'm about to say." Again, the beast simply smiled as if amused by the conversation.
"I have seen a lot, my young friend. There is very little that can surprise me these days. But for now, I do believe we should continue this conversation somewhere more private, if you would follow me." Given the fact that there didn't seem to be anyone else around for miles, I decided to take my chances.
Dr. McCoy then revealed the secret entrance that led down to a hole in the ground. McCoy then began to jump from wall to wall, heading downward. As he did so, he pointed towards a nearby ladder that led down to the bottom.
As I made it to the bottom, we walked down the hallway towards what I assumed to be his laboratory. As he pulled up a small table and two nearly broken chairs, I sat down as he did.
"Well, to begin, I'm not entirely sure what happened. All I remember was meeting something, and the next thing I knew, there was a flash of light, and I found myself here. The circumstances by which I got here are entirely unknown to me. I apologize for lacking in details. Other than that, what exactly is today's date?" McCoy then looked towards one of his monitors and pointed towards the current date.
And to say I was surprised was an understatement. On the monitor, it said that it was 17 October 2008.
"That can't be right. From what I could remember, it was July 2025…" I could see the intrigue on McCoy's face, but also a bit of pity.
"Are you saying that you have reversed through time, Mr. Stone?" That much was obvious, but as I grabbed a newspaper that was on the table, I saw news pertaining to someone called Senator Kelly, and I can definitely remember that he wasn't a representative.
"I think it's a bit more than that, Dr. McCoy. From where I'm from, I've never even heard of Senator Kelly, and I have definitely not seen someone looking like you before…" Instead of looking like he didn't believe me, I could see that same analytical look.
"Fascinating. If what you're saying is true, then you have not only traversed time but entire dimensions. To think of a world without mutants… I wonder what such a thing would look like… however, I am sorry to hear of such a thing. But I myself have a question—if your universe didn't have Senator Kelly, and it didn't have outward news on mutants, how are you a telekinetic?" Is that what I was doing before?
"Again, I must give you the unsatisfying answer that I myself do not know. The last thing I remember is heading to work and then meeting something, and after that, I found myself in front of the mansion… I've never exactly been able to move things with my mind before." Dr. McCoy then pulled out what looked to be some type of scanner and began taking some readings.
"Interesting. Your X-gene is clearly activated, but the rate of activation is that of a new mutant. But given your age, you must be an incredibly late bloomer, or whatever you met somehow gave you a mutant ability… other than that, I'm not getting any other readings… no chronal distortions or extra-dimensional energies… whatever or whoever sent you here has left barely a trace." As he placed the scanner down, he then placed his other hand on my shoulder.
"I am sorry for what has happened to you. No one deserves to be ripped away from their life like this. But I have a small deal for you if you're willing to accept." I looked at him inquisitively, wondering what he was planning to offer.
"As you can see, this place has seen better days. And as you can imagine, you're wondering what caused such a thing, yes?" I nodded in agreement with this question.
"I have spent nearly an entire year trying to understand what happened, but I have found nothing—no reactions, chemical or molecular, along with most energy types that I could find with the materials I have on hand. At least that was until I found you. The readings you gave off when you were using your telekinesis were similar to that to the day of the explosion. If you are willing to stay, I can offer you basic room and board. A new identity is going to be needed, but I do not have the technical skill for that. However, I do have associates that may be able to assist us if you wish. If you do not wish to take this deal, I will give you some food and send you towards New York City. The rest is up to you." The deal itself seemed quite good. He seemed like a knowledgeable guy, and given the fact that he wasn't trying to rip me open to see what made me tick yet was a good sign.
For a few moments, I considered my options, but considering the fact that I know virtually nothing about this new world, I needed information, and here I had a scientist willing to give me some, so the decision was obvious.
I stood up and held out my hand, which he took gleefully… "Thank you again, Mr. Stone. Now it is late. If you would give me a few minutes, I may have your bed set up. We can begin running tests tomorrow. And don't worry, it's nothing too invasive. Feel free to peruse my books. However, do be careful on messing with the lab equipment—even in its current state, it is very expensive."
"You don't have to tell me twice. Besides, I wasn't much of a scientist anyway. I mostly dealt in programming and computer code…" This, however, seemed to catch his interest.
"So you're a programmer then, Mr. Stone? What was your main field of study?" He began to get another scanner and began scanning me.
"Mostly dealt with the creation of artificial intelligence and virtual intelligences. However, they were pretty lackluster—mostly just used for basic writing comprehension and image creation… didn't really have the resources to make anything more advanced." For a few moments, I saw McCoy beginning to deliberate something in his mind, and after walking over to a nearby cabinet, he took out a small tablet and handed it to me.
"I am very interested in seeing what you can come up with. Feel free to use this if you want to continue improving your work…" I was genuinely confused.
"Why are you helping me so much? I could be someone trying to trick you or rob you blind while you're asleep?" I truly couldn't understand what his angle was other than trying to find out the root cause for whatever caused this much damage to the mansion.
Dr. McCoy looked away as if reminiscing on something. A small smile appeared on his face as he looked back at me. "This used to be a place where young mutants could feel safe and learn to use their powers for the betterment of both mutantkind and humanity as a whole. But then everything went wrong. I never stopped believing in his dream, and given the fact that you seem of the trustful sort, I do not believe I'm making a mistake. Besides, I am a scientist after all—I can see through all of the variables. Now you should head to bed. I will see you in the morning. I am so excited. It's been such a long time since I've had a lead on the incident." In an almost excited tone, he left the room while I just sat there and wondered what I've gotten myself into.
[+50 CP Achievement: Meet Your First X-Man]
[+100 CP Achievement: Cut A Deal With Beast]
[+150 CP Achievement: Find Shelter In Two Hours]
[400 CP]
I felt that feeling of something racing through my veins. My second heart began to beat, and everything slowed down. My perception increased to the point where I could see the individual motes of dust floating in the air.
I took a breath as I felt something change within me.
I staggered towards my room and laid down, closing my eyes, wondering if I'm going to see the same view tomorrow….
Perks Rolled:
Free - Protected Sex/Something Unlimited: Even if you're immune to things like STDs (which this perk also makes you), there are still risks when you're banging superpowered beings, even more when they can't control their abilities properly while they're …too excited. For example, Cheetah tends to scratch her partners with her razor-sharp claws while they're banging, Giganta can wound her partners due to her size as she sometimes grows when she's turned on, Livewire can enter in short circuit and potentially electrocute other people if she orgarms or if she is covered with certain fluids, and Killer Frost tends to freeze her partners, however Killer Frost's actions might be more intentional than accidental as she's a sadistic psychopath.
Fortunately, this perk will protect you, allowing you to safely have sex with anyone without having to worry about damaging yourself or any of your partners involved in the action along with the environment around you so if you for example, have super strength or your partner does, you don't have to worry about breaking them and they don't have to worry about breaking you or causing a major earthquake. Even actual wounds that aren't intentional or are meant to be only a kinky thing during sex will heal perfectly without leaving a scar behind. Unfortunately, if your partner decides to actually attack you during sex, this protection will disappear.
Free - Proficiency In Paperwork/Kyonyuu Fantasy: Even the greatest of lords can be taken down by one great enemy: paperwork. However, it seems that you have an affinity for filing paperwork out at an almost supernatural rate. Have to organize months of census data? Sounds like an easy day's work to you. Of course, there is much more to ruling than just paperwork, but at least with this perk, you will not get bogged down.
-200 CP - Grey/Marvel Erotic Phoenix Saga: You are an attractive host to cosmic, and even not so cosmic, entities. And I don't just mean sexually. Not only are you exceptionally good at containing cosmic power or entities or objects, letting you easily handle much more than most people can store with far fewer problems and drawbacks, but you also appear to attract such things to you. You'll find that those entities you host grow to like you more and more. They'll also find a way to enjoy your sexual activities and the sexual pleasure that you give and/or receive. But you can expect entities that need hosts, whether symbiotes or cosmic gods, to look at you as a quality host worth extra effort and leeway when working with, and to be near the top of their list when they look for someone to serve as their host, herald, or receptacle of their great power. This strangely attractive quality ensures you're not just some random man/woman, but someone that cosmic entities accept, even if you lack the power of one, as a player on the cosmic board. This won't mean that they will listen to you, or fear your power, but they at least recognize that you have a right to a place at the table and to be heard. Whether you have the right to be listened to, or the power to actually play is something else, but they are much more inclined to at least give you a chance to talk. This all said, while the downsides are reduced and you can fit a lot in you, neither of these protections are perfect. You'll find yourself far less influenced emotionally/mentally/spiritually than others might be, but while you can store a lot more than most, don't try stuffing multiple cosmic power sources down your throat without seeing if it'll be too much for you first. However, you can tone down the attraction level should you not want to be a beacon for said cosmic forces.
-200 CP - Way With The Beast/MY FUSION SYSTEM: FUSING A THOUSAND CHICKENS AT THE START: You seem to have a way with creatures and magical beasts. The animals that you care for will grow up to be more powerful and larger than they would be normally. This ability will enhance elite and legendary variants into even more powerful versions of their species. As a side effect of this you will also be considered an ally of the animal kingdom. This will make it so that animals including normally aggressive species will be calm when dealing with you. They will not attack you unless you do something to cause this like attacking them or stealing from them. This effect will also work when dealing with intelligent animals or beings that share animal traits/bloodlines. For example mermaids or werewolves will still fall under this perk due to their bestial aspects.