Purpose

A Chapter by Peregrinator7

Written with the help of Crazy Dragon Lady

Pain. The first thing I feel is pain. It’s dull and throbbing, and eternal. I am in a world of pain. It surrounds me like the flames I last remember…

I remember the explosion. The fire. The monster that stood over me with the torch that burned me. But I don’t remember anything after that. Until now.

My eyes are still closed, but why would I open them? I could’ve just died earlier, to avoid this eternal hell. My life has no purpose now.

Wait. I see a light. A red light. In the corner of my vision.

Running diagnostics…

Oh no…

I’m sorry, I have to end this poetic soliloquy.

I know I wasn’t fully human before, but now this? You have got to be kidding me.

Diagnostics complete.

I guess I should open my eyes now.

The blurry white light is almost blinding, and I long to close my eyes again, but curiosity overcomes me. Where am I? After the fire, who found me and revived me? Did the Z find me, or my friends? And how long was I out?

I groan and sit up, my eyes focusing. I’m in a hospital room, to say the least. Guiding lines, red dots and scrolling words caress my vision, highlighting the details of the room. It’s very clean. The walls are a blinding bleach white, and so is the floor and the ceiling, and the table, and the bed… everything is white. There are no windows or doors, only a door leading to a bathroom. I’ve never seen a hospital room this clean and undetailed before. Unless… My stomach drops.

“Great flakon mutes,” I mutter.

According to my surroundings, or so it seems, the Z got to me first.

Well, that’s convenient.

I adjust myself in the bed, ready to disconnect the foreign things attached to me when I realize my right arm is gone. Panicking, my left hand shoots up to the empty socket where my arm used to be, and when I touch the raw, singed skin, renewed pain reverberates through my body. I shudder, and pull my hand away, using the side of the bed instead to pull needles and monitors out of me. The pain that plagues me comes on in more force, and I lie back down to continue my work. Once I’m free, I roll over onto my uninjured side, huffing in frustration. How am I supposed to get out of here? I don’t have an arm, and one look under the blankets supports my hypothesis that my right leg is gone as well. I am reminded of the explosion, how Ketil tortured me, and am thankful to my past self that I at least had the liberty to save my dominant side.

Coming up with nothing, I just lay there in the bed and stare at the ceiling, frustrated at my current dependence on the Z. I can’t get out of here unless they either give me limbs or carry me, or else I would be a slow, hobbling cripple that would probably eventually fall and lay on the ground in a helpless heap. I guess it would be better if I laid in a helpless heap somewhere comfortable.

I am also curious. The Z are supposed to despise me. My mother, the Eagle, was a result of forbidden love, the daughter of a Z and a Shifter. That combination couldn’t be any more revolting to the Z. Except that she had a daughter with a cross between a gm’d human, metahuman, Shadow, and Siren, Darknight. That daughter is me.

They should hate me. They should’ve sent me to the Amphitheatre to die already. I’m surprised they didn’t just let Ketil burn me alive right there when they found me. The only reason they would keep me would be to use me for something…. crap.

They should know how strong my metapower signature is. How dangerous a half-breed�" er, well, a really complicated cross-breed, I guess�" can be. They probably know about my fencing skills, how I’ve never lost a fight since I found out Darknight was my father. And that was a long time ago. They probably know I reached full potential in record time for any metahuman. About all the villains I’ve defeated, all without killing them, how even having a no-kill rule couldn’t stop me. And we almost beat the Z, too.

I shudder. I have a really bad feeling that I know where this is going.

A panel in the wall opens, and a slippery-looking man with silvery eyes and hair steps in. Except I know he’s not a man. Never have I seen a human with silver scales for skin and a creepy, sharp-toothed smile. I’ve seen worse, but it’s not the best thing to wake up to after being unconscious for who knows how long. Upon seeing me awake, he greets me.

“Good to see you awake, Patient 965. How are you feeling?”

I frown. Patient 965? “I beg your pardon, but I’m pretty sure you can just call me Peregrinator.”

“Is that your real name?” he asks, seeming interested. “Peregrinator. Some would think that your mom gave you that name, if they didn’t know that is was the scientific name for the bird of prey that you choose to shift into.”

My frown deepens, and I flinch in pain. “It’s the only thing I can shift into, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Ah, but you are. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Tschalekeyoim, but you can call me Alekey if the metahuman and siren parts of your tongue can’t handle that. I am the head of the Advanced Cybergenetic Research Institution, ACRI for short.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Tschalekeyloim,” I say in mock courtesy, my tongue easily pronouncing his long name. “I have a question for you. Why am I here?”

“Because if you wouldn’t, you’d be dead. You’re welcome by the way.”

“You know, that’s the thing. I thought you high and mighty Z would’ve liked to have me dead.”

“The name of my species is the Zrikryb. You know that. And I do hate you, you puny cross-breed, you Zagna, but some higher-up thought that you could be useful.”

Well, just as I thought. I decide to pry him more. “How long was I out?”

“Depends. When did you come from?”

“When?”

“You are aware that time travel exists, right? Or do I have to explain that to you?”

“I wasn’t, but I’m not surprised.”

Alekey rolls his eyes. “Let me repeat my question: How are you feeling?”

“Answer mine first. And if it helps you, I came from 2050. Or, that was the last time I was awake.”

“Do we really have to do this? I asked you first, you answer first. Do I really have to explain human rules to you? I’ll answer yours as soon as you answer mine.”

I huff. “Fine. I’m in a lot of pain, extremely confused, and irritatingly helpless right now. Does that answer your question?”

“Yes. Thank you. You are feeling as expected, after taking out the painkiller IV. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t be feeling anything. Stupid human. And to answer your question, you’ve been out for almost a year since you got here, but you’ve been out relatively for about negative twenty-five years.”

I roll my eyes. “Speak English, please.”

“Have you not noticed that we’ve had this entire conversation in Aalmotari, the shared language of Zrikryb, Shifters, Zagna, and Shadows?” he asks, voice derisive.

“Maybe not, but if you weren’t so condescending you would know that it sounds like English to me,” I shoot back.

“Really? Are you sure that you can’t hear the difference?” he says, and I can instantly hear the difference. Now that I concentrate, I can tell that the words are a lot shorter, and separated. Letters are pronounced differently, and I can almost see how the Z would see humans as inferior based on language alone.

“Sure, I can, but that doesn’t matter.” I glare at him. “Use your wittle condescending hooman terms to please explain to me exactly how long I have been out.”

“As I’ve already explained to you, the time when you last remember is twenty-five years in the future, and you were unconscious here for eleven months, twenty-three days, fourteen hours, and forty-six seconds. Are you sure that you’re a fourth Zrikryb?”

“I’m pretty sure that doesn’t make a difference if I’ve been around “filthy hoomans” my whole life,” I say.

Alekey seems to consider this. “Maybe not. But I would still expect a higher intelligence level, even if you are a fourth metahuman.”

“If you were listening, you would understand that I’m in a lot of pain, extremely confused, and feeling helpless, and I don’t think that would help my ‘intelligence level’.”

“And if you were listening to me, you would know that the only reason that you are in pain is because you ripped out the IV that was giving you painkillers. Your actions have consequences, or didn’t any of your filthy human friends teach you that?” I can tell that he’s switched back into the Z language, Aalmotari, and the more I hear, the more I can tell the two languages apart.

I smile coldly, ignoring his comment. “And what have you done to me while I’ve been dreaming of pain and fire for these past eleven months?”

“Keeping you alive. Trying to keep you hooked to your machines. You have really violent dreams, did you know that? Oh, and installing some cybernetics. It’s kind of what we do here. You’ll find some of our best work in shifters and metahumans like Telyn, Alekai, Nika, Drazon, Tiago, Zephyr, Blackwing, Silverwing, and Blipp. Not that you would recognize any of those names, but there’s a chance that you might in the future. The Leaders have big plans for you. That is, if they can get you to cooperate.”

I grit my teeth against another wave of pain. “Talon, you said? When did she come here?”

“Oh, she’s gone already. And her name is Telyn. You just missed her. She and her Chromashifter friends broke out of here a couple weeks ago. My superiors are unhappy, but I say good riddance. At least you’re part Zrikryb, even if you are an unholy mix of Zrikryb, Shifter, Metahuman, Siren, and Shadow. Seriously, the only thing that you aren’t is human.”

“Big plans, eh? Well, tell your Leaders good riddance to that, because there’s no way I’m helping them.” I pause. “Even if I’m not human at all.”

Alekey snorts. “I wish I could tell them that. Unfortunately, they don’t listen to me, since I’m not ‘on their level’. For a group that wants to create an equal society, they aren’t very good at being anyone’s equal.”

I let out a weak kek. “The irony that’s coming from you.”

“You’re a cross-breed. You’re barely better than Zagna. You are not my equal.”

“Maybe that’s because you Z believe in equality, but not for everyone. There’s a reason I exist.”

“We Zrikryb are equal, yes, but would you give equal rights to dogs?”

“Have you ever lived with humans?”

“Why would I?”

“They’re a lot more complicated than you think.”

“Are you sure? Functioning members of society are either obsessed with their family, social status, belongings, or their next f*** up. About the same as dogs.”

I snort and burst out kekking. I lay there and kek for a long time, rolling onto my back and slapping my knee. “Oh, that’s what they want you to think,” I say when I have finally stopped. “That’s what they want to think. They want to be simple, but they’re not.”

“Are you sure?” Alekey asks, challenge written all over his face. “Because I’ve seen some brain scans and... Some dogs actually have more developed brains than some humans. You humans waste away your brains with drugs, alcohol, TV, your stupid smartphones, even your schools, which are supposed to make you smarter, just make you dumber.”

“But do you know why some of those humans waste their lives away with all that… crap?” I say.

“Because their lives are meaningless. Their lives are worthless. They have no purpose other than to be some data-entry drone for some big corporate company that doesn’t give a crap about them. We’re giving you guys a gift by wiping you out. We’re saving your planet, and all of the other species that you seem intent on taking with you when you kill Terra.”

“Nice try, but you’re wrong.” My expression darkens. “They don’t do drugs because their lives are meaningless, but because they want some meaning. They do alcohol because they think they’re worthless, and all they want is some worth.”

“Restating my words in an optimistic way does not change what I said, rather, it confirms them.”

I frown, thinking of something Wilson said a long time ago. Actually, given the timeline, it was only a few years ago... “Everyone’s broken. The only thing that makes us bad or good is how we deal with our brokenness.”

Alekey snorts. “You obviously have never met a Zrikryb before, have you? None of us are broken, we are smart, strong, independent, hard-working creatures with full stomachs, a meaning, and whatever choices we’ve earned to make for ourselves. For example, our mates and jobs. You humans are so stupid in the divisions you make in yourselves. Don’t you know that we are all stronger together?”

I snort back at him. “None of us are broken, we are smart, strong, independent, hard-working creatures with full stomachs, a meaning, and whatever choices we’ve earned to make for ourselves. Well done. You just stated the human delusion.”

Alekey looks at me. “You just said that you are all broken. You are not smart, there are plenty of stupid humans and you know that. You’re telling me that your entire planet can run a mile in under eight minutes? Do fifty push-ups without stopping? Get through any hardships without relying on substances? Don’t have to rely on the government or substances or other people to get through stuff? You’re telling me that every single human is hard working? I find that hard to believe. You’re saying that all those starving kids in Africa that you make tons of infomercials about have plenty to eat? You’re saying that all of these lost millennials who are having a hard time coping because they don’t know what to do with themselves have meaning? That the kid who is beat every day by his father until he’s black and blue and can barely walk believes that he has a purpose? And that all societies believe in gender and status equality and allow any relationship?”

“Well, tell me. Why did leave your home planet? Because none of you are broken, you are all smart, strong, independent, hard-working creatures with full stomachs, you all have a meaning, and whatever choices you’ve earned to make for ourselves? So tell me, why do you have these Zagna? Why do you destroy anything that doesn’t reach your standards?”

“We left our planet because of you stupid humans and the horrors you inflict upon the natural world around. We were perfectly fine, living in harmonious peace, Zrikryb, Shifter, Chromashifter, Zagna, and Shadow, until you stupid humans flung space debris throughout the galaxy, destroying our planet, and killing all of our young. You don’t realize how much harder it is for Zrikryb to reproduce than humans. Our genes are very different than yours, and it takes much more than just finding a partner and having sex with them. So, we came to Terra. Except, since we were peaceful, our technology had advanced far more than we realized. We got here a couple thousand years before the humans had even developed the technology to launch things into space. We launched an attack, but were forced back when members of our own species turned on us. Shifters and Chromashifters attacked us, targeting our weaknesses, the Zagna. Shadows, feeling no emotions, having no loyalty, figured out that they could make a pretty good living on Terra where they wouldn’t have to do any work, so they fought against us too. Because of them, because of the Zagna, and because of our lack of training, we were too weak, and we lost the fight. We retreated out of the solar system, and there we have lain in wait, preparing to attack again, training and training until we get everything right. The next time that we attack, we will win. We will not let our inferiors hold us back, and we will be prepared for every counter-attack that can be formed against us.”

“So you basically admitted yourself that your species isn’t as strong as you said they were.”

“We are strong as individuals now, because we got rid of our weaknesses. Before, yes, we were weak, but now we are strong, stronger than any group on Terra, even your Seraphimbia and Zasdalu.”

“Congratulations. You Zrikryb, though you may think you are better and stronger, are exactly like humans.” I turned away from him. “I rest my case. And thanks for that monologue, by the way. I can use it to blackmail you later when I get out of this place.”

“You use logic like a human and reason like a Siren. What did I expect?”

“I’m done with you,” I mutter, closing my eyes. “I’m feeling extra painful and helpless right now, so be a dear and leave.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad that you feel exactly what your existence is.” Someone comes into the room and starts hooking me back up to all of the machines. As soon as they put the IV in, the pain starts to dim.

“No thanks,” I say, and squirm in the bed so that the needle slips out of my arm. Like a robot, the person, dressed in white, with a blank expression on their face, puts it back in.

“Hold still, or I’ll slip sedatives into it,” Alekey warns.

“I said no thanks,” I say, my voice hardening, and roll to the other side of the bed, ignoring the searing pain that now shoots up my side. The person grabs my left wrist with ice-cold hands and roughly rolls me back over, inserting the needle back into my arm. Relief again floods through me, and I’m tempted to let it stay. But I’m not fooled for long. For all I know, it could be poisoned.

With that thought, I roll over to the right again, and accidentally roll off of the bed, right onto my burnt side. I screech in pain, gritting my teeth.

Alekey bends down near me, as I try to prop myself up with my left hand. I can see now that he has some sort of a reptilian tail.

“I don’t think that that was the smartest idea, do you?” Alekey asks, just as condescending as the first time that I heard him speak. I lash out with my good foot, which he easily dodges. Instead, my foot hits a couple machines near the bed and topple over from the force of my kick. Alekey make a sort of electric chirping sound and picks me up by my neck. Deja vu from when I was throttled by Fartitudo flashes through my head, and I instinctively grab his arm with my left hand and squeeze.

“Feathery scaley wings, claws, and teeth,” Alekey exclaims in a tone of voice that makes me think that he might be swearing as I hear a crack. Translating in my head, I can tell that what he said is the Z equivalent of several F-bombs along with a few other pretty bad words. He lets go with his right arm, the arm that’s on my left side, and lashes out with his tail to grab my left arm to keep it from breaking his right as well.

“Cheater,” I mutter, and kick him in the stomach. He drops me on my burnt side, and the pain from the fire comes back in full force. I howl in pain, and dark spots dance before my eyes. Must… stay… awake…

I can see Alekey lashing his foot out in a kick, and I roll violently away under the bed, but the bedpost strikes my head. The last thing I see before I blackout is Alekey, shaking his head in what looks like disappointment.

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© 2018 Peregrinator7

Author's Note

Some spoilers to the Metaverse plot, but other than that I think we touched base on some interesting motifs regarding what it means to be human.

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Reviews

Jay_Bluefire

I WANT TO WRITE ONE LIKE THISSSS
with a new character who ends up in a situation sort of similar to this
only with my Z character, not a mean one like Alekey.

Posted 6 Years Ago

View 7 more replies

6 Years Ago

go to groups

6 Years Ago

i am 10 characters
i realized how that sounds
I AM THE ESSENCE OF 10 CHARACTERS

6 Years Ago

yes jay those are insults to the z, stuff like featherless, tailless (tho that one means more like c.. read more

Locke Redwyne (night sy..

Change the line:
“Are you sure? Women are obsessed with their family, their social status, their house, while guys are obsessed with their next f*** up. About the same as dogs.”
to:
"Are you sure? Functioning members of society are either obsessed with their family, social status, belongings, or their next f*** up. About the same as dogs.”