(General p.o.v)
A perimeter of tape was placed around a huge blue ball of ice-like material. The army had showed up an hour after the energy readings produced by the blue ball had registered in their radar. It would have been even faster if it wasn't for the explosion of the particle accelerator.
General Eiling knew exactly what that cluster-fuck entailed to the rest of the world. It didn't matter that the explosion had occured in just one city. He had been playing this game for a while and knew, that their enemies would pounce on any weakness they showed. They needed a win or at least something to appease the boys at the top with.
The army had fully supported the activation of the particle accelerator, sold to the idea of all the toys they would get out of the progress it brought. After it's failure, they needed alternatives and he might have just found it.
"What's the situation?"
He asked the head scientist studying the ball.
"It's a marvel sir. The ball itself is composed of a material almost entirely made up of dark matter composition. Such a thing is impossible! It also keeps on pulsing on our readings. The energy spikes generated match those of an heart rate."
General Eiling instantly perked up at that.
"Are you telling me, that someone is inside that thing, doctor?"
The shorter man, started nodding excitedly.
"I'm not only telling you that, General. I'm also saying, that they are responsible for keeping this entire thing together. The one inside, can control dark matter."
General Eiling smiled. Others might find the situation troubling but for him…
"Just what we need."
(Jin's P.O.V)
This was the second time I had found myself in a strange place. First it had been the white marble space and now I was standing on a plain of green grass. The plain stretched far on all sides and I could barely make out mountains, trees and other vegetation on the horizon.
I chose a direction and started walking. And walking and walking. Finally, I stopped and looked around frustrated.
"I'm making no progress. Seems like space in here is like an infinite loop designed to give the impression that you're walking towards something while in actual fact you're still where you started. Wish there was a sun to test my theory."
Suddenly a bright light instantly started shining from above me. I gaped when I saw and felt the heat of the sun on the previously bare sky. Even before, without a source of light the entire place had looked like a warm sunny day. But now, with the sun above, I could definitely tell the difference. Everything looked a bit more real.
"I wish for a gentle breeze to start blowing, trees to sprout from the ground and a hammock tied between two of them."
Instantly, I felt a gentle wind on my skin and around me, trees started growing from the ground as well. Unfortunately, I didn't see the hammock. I was a little disappointed at that but chalked it up, to not being able to create man-made objects.
2 hours later (I think), I had a tree house made from manipulating the branches of the trees in a certain way, overlooking a waterfall with fish swimming about and other animals. Turns out I could create life in this place. The sun had started going down and the world was now no different from the real one. After eating a couple of apples, I was now ready for the next thing.
I had already figured out where I was. Manipulating the nature had given me the clue that I was in my mind-scape. I knew that my ability to control everything inside was unusual and I had the perfect way to get more answers.
The future Jin, had warned me not to trust the thing that had piggy backed on my soul and I would have listened if he was in fact future me. That's right, ladies and gentlemen, whoever that guy had been, he was most definitely not me from the future. How did I know this? Well for instance, the girl I had kissed back in 7th grade was Angela Freemont not Freeman. Small difference right? Wrooong! That name had been carved into the walls of my mind. And the kiss itself had been my first, what right did I have to say it was bad and I had hated it? Angela had been the cutest girl in middle school, so suffice to say, I had loved it. A lot.
Another thing that didn't make sense was him, traveling back in time all to warn me not to trust something or someone I hadn't had the pleasure to first meet or talk to. He had tried to make me biased to the system, why? I don't know. Not to mention he had told me of the problem not the solution to it. What good would not trusting it do for me when I didn't have the slightest idea on how to get rid of it?
The third reason was his expressions. I had had a cousin who was an actor, so I knew when someone was trying to sell a lie. All his expressions had been forced and I'd only picked it up because I was already suspicious of him. To me it was clear as day to see. Although, the words he had said had induced some emotions from me, it didn't change the fact that that guy was just pretending.
The system to me, was like a Klyntar from marvel, if it met a morally lacking host, than it would most likely adopt a similar personality. So if my mind-set is inclined to evil then I would have a system ready to betray me or harm me. I may be an asshole but i'd like to think that I was a loyal asshole complete with boundaries I wouldn't cross. So for me, I decided to give the system a chance. Hoping I was right but ready to face the consequences.
So there I was ready to meet my passenger.
"Helloo…"
I tried.
How does one say hi to an alien entity?
There wasn't any response for a couple of minutes and just before I could try again a ding sound assaulted my ears.
[Ding]
Unread messages detected, read them or proceed to the main menu?
My mouth was wide open. Huh, thought it would take more than that. So I had unread messages?
"Read them."
Infront of my eyes a green panel appeared.
[Template System activated]
Detected an influx of dark matter. Toolkit functions and Parameter display enabled.
Host's life at risk, deploying emergency countermeasures.
Free starter Template: Percy Jackson.
Ability Customization:
:Hydrokinesis at 60%
:Earthquake generation at 30%
:Blood control at 9.9%
:Demigod physique at 0.1%
customized:
:Hydrokinesis to 100%
:Hydrokinesis evolved to Liquid control.
:All other powers lowered by the corresponding percentage.
:Host death countered, ability customization reset to base values.
:Preservation of host's life upto 2 days…Re-calculating…10 months in human terms due to abundance of dark matter in Host's body.
"Wow."
I said stunned. This was unlike the other systems I had seen in my weeb years. I remember falling from the building, so that means the system had been the one responsible for saving me. So my body is in a comma right now but protected by whatever the system had done. For a minute, I was scared that it could take control over me like that but then again, if it hadn't then I'd be dead.
I wasn't happy that by the time, I would wake up, canon would have already been underway. But I guess, I was to blame for that. Abundance of dark matter in my body? Isn't that dangerous or something? I wasn't a scientist but the statement rose a lot of questions to my general well-being. That would be something I would think about when I woke up though.
"System show me the Main menu."
Another ding sound. Ugh that's getting annoying.
"Affirmative. Would you like to change the ding sound to something else?"
Oh, so it can read my mind.
"Negative. There was an unwelcome emotional response to the sound. I have also acquired a designation for myself. Henceforth, call me Alfred."
So he's emphathic then.
"Alfred? The butler from Bat-man?"
"Yes, it was either Alfred or Jarvis, sir."
Oh my god. It…no he. He's learning. From me.
"You said, you couldn't read my mind right? How do you know of Batman?"
"Affirmative sir. I can't read your thoughts but I did a scan of your memories to communicate with you and understand you better, when we first bonded."
I rubbed my head at the information. I guess thats not too bad.
"Ok, Alfred, please tell me something. What are your plans?"
There was a sudden pause then…
"I believe I don't understand, Sir."
So he's either, still ignorant or just conniving.
"I mean, what are you? And what are your objectives?"
There was a brief silence then,
"I am the last of my kind. We were created as a sort of helping guide to Foster relations between entities of different cultures, genetic makeup, biological differences and pantheons."
Pantheons? He means gods? You know what…I don't what to go down that road right now.
"If you were created to Foster relations then is the template System something that's part of your kind generally or what?"
"The influx of your memories, dark matter and finding yourself to be in a fictional world with the threat of death, affected some of my functions. At my core, my main objective is to help the host foster relations and understanding with the different and multitudes of races in the multiverse by adopting and storing their genetic make-up, language acquisition, information on their home location and inventory of their cultures. Each objective has a corresponding function which are, template storing for the storage of the genetic make-up, currently there are 2 free spots. universal translator for the language acquisition, multiversal travel and an unlimited storage space."
"Whoa, okay. I call bullshit."
I said in a deadpan. I felt a muted surprised reaction from deep within myself.
"I…I don't understand…"
I huffed. How naive does he think I am.
"Ok let's recap. You expect me to believe that you're conveniently the last of your kind, made to explicitly gather d.n.a from other races, offer me allspeak, multiversal travelling and an unlimited inventory? Oh and not only that, you try to sell me your story after giving me the abilities of Percy Jackson, who I think has the most underrated and underused powers in fiction? Granted they saved my life but you must be one hell of a specific system if you're tailored for one Logan Mars or as I go by now Jin Anderson.
"
I finished sarcastically. All his functions and powers would have been something I would have wished from a ROB if I had ever gotten the chance. Taking into account that he had scanned my memories when we first bonded, he was deliberately trying to offer me, my deepest desires to convince me of his value. Nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that, that relationship would be based on a complete lie. Plus, I didn't believe he was that powerful. If he was then escaping the void would have been a matter of just using the multiversal travel ability.
I sighed.
"Look, Alfred. We're strangers but you saved my life. Why don't we start over?"
Again, there was another muted emotional response from him. This time it felt like happiness.
"I'd like that sir."
I smiled.
"Good. Now tell me honestly, what are you really?"