Game 2Game 2 Outline| Game 2 |
Game 2 Outline |
As the Old Man suggested, you spend the next several hours (the rest of the day, even) catching up on and adjusting to your new life. You find yourself adjusting rather quickly; within a week, you have become used to the various aspects of your new life. You find that life as Kelly is calm and peaceful, and while you have not yet completely made the transition to your new life (i.e. you still internally think of yourself as the old you), you are at least relatively content (and relieved that the Old Man has allowed you to be a tomboy).
Tranquility is not to last, however. A couple weeks after you become Kelly, as you are heading out to "take Wolfie for a walk", you think you see something (or someone) standing in the shadows near where the path joins the street, but by the time you do a double take, it is gone. You chalk it up to your imagination and move on. But then once you reach the end of your walk and turn around to return home, you catch a quick glimpse of a cloaked and hooded figure before it dashes off into the shadows.
As you again pass by the spot where you first saw the figure, you unconsciously look off to the side where you thought you saw it, and once again see the cloaked figure, and immediately whirl around to face it before it can run off. "That's it!" you snap, advancing toward it. "Just who are you?"
The figure speaks in a calm, smooth male voice. "Very well, I will show you," it says, "but not here. Somewhere private."
Later, you and Wolfie are standing facing the cloaked figure, just outside the woods behind (what is now) your house. "All right," you say, "What is this all about?"
With a single, fluid movement the figure whips off the cloak and tosses it aside. The creature that is revealed is definitely not human, somewhat resembling an anthropomorphic ferret or weasel. Its long tail has a small spine near the end. Its hands are humanoid, albeit with only four fingers. Its fur is light blue, and its eyes are crystalline and yellow. It wears silver armor consisting only of a chestplate, crotchplate and knee-length leg guards.
You are understandably nervous at seeing this creature, and Wolfie growls and advances, but the creature holds up its hands. "Please, calm yourselves. I have no intention of harming you." At this, both you and your canine companion relax a bit, but you remain wary as the creature continues. "Please, allow me to explain. My name is Vaneth Nirranae, and I suppose I am -technically- an alien. I come from planet Gaston, which orbits the star we call Karesh, in the galaxy you humans have dubbed 'Andromeda'."
Normally, you would be shocked and frightened by this kind of thing, but with recent events, you are not as phased as you should be. "Alright," you say cautiously. "What do you want?"
"The Old Man isn't your only ally, Kelly," he says simply.
His mention of the Old Man, combined with the emphasis on your (new) name, triggers a realization in your head. "Wait," you say, "You know about-?" Vaneth nods. "How?" you ask.
"I, like all members of my race, am skilled in telepathy - the ability to read minds and communicate mentally. That is how I found you, and how I learned that the two of you are enemies of Sakanad."
"Well, that just brought up a whole lot more questions." Wolfie grumbles.
Vaneth glances down at him, as though he understood the canine's words (despite the fact that the Old Man said he could only talk to you), then speaks again. "If you wish, I can tell you everything I know of the situation."
The decision is not hard to make. Despite your contentment, you cannot help but wonder why the Old Man would go to such lengths to protect you, and, more importantly, who or what he is trying to protect you from. "Alright," you say, "Tell us."
Vaneth begins his tale without hesitation. "Sakanad, like me, is a native of planet Gaston. From birth, he was always highly ambitious. As he grew, his ambition turned to an insatiable lust for power. As Sakanad was and still is both highly intelligent and a master at manipulating others, the Council of the Elders - that is, the Gastonian government - ruled that he was a major threat and banished him from Gastonian territory. But Sakanad somehow found a way to vastly increase his power, even granting him powerful telekinetic and energy-manipulating abilities. He returned and overthrew the Council, proclaiming himself King. It was not long before all of planet Gaston was subjugated.
"Fortunately, I managed to get away, and avoid falling under Sakanad's influence. I fled here, to planet Earth, in hopes of escape. But Sakanad would not be denied. He managed to track me to Earth, but fortunately he could not pinpoint my location. I do not know what he plans, but I can assume he intends to conquer Earth just as he conquered Gaston. But I do know that Sakanad influenced a human by the name of Lengths to destroy two certain specific humans - obviously the two of you. I am unsure of his reasons, but can only deduce that he sees you as a threat, somehow.
"The Old Man's solution would certainly protect you from Lengths, and also, to an extent, from Sakanad. Should Sakanad succeed in conquering Earth, however, no one will be safe. I was watching from a distance, hidden, when the Old Man morphed you. After scanning his mind, something he has no doubt guarded against since then, I learned of his and your involvement in the situation, as well as what he had done with you, and why."
You are silent for a moment, letting Vaneth's words sink in. "Why are you telling us this?" you ask.
"As I've said, the only reason I can think of for Sakanad to want you destroyed is if you posed a threat to him. Meaning, your involvement may be instrumental in bringing him down. Alone, nobody would stand a chance against him - he is too powerful. But if we work together, we might have a shot."
"He expects us to help him fight this Sakanad guy?" Wolfie asks you.
"You know, I can understand you," Vaneth says, casting his gaze downward at the canine. "I can telepathically hear your words directly from your mind; you don't have to communicate through Kelly." You notice that Vaneth has not put any emphasis on your name this time, revealing that he only did it in the first place as a hint. "Anyway, I do not expect anything," Vaneth continues, "It is merely a proposition. Your assistance would be appreciated and most helpful, but in no way am I mandating anything, nor am I trying to force or encourage you in any way. The choice is completely up to you"
Written by Shadow Fang
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