Exiles: Strangers in Time – The Gathering
The six strangers had been going about their everyday lives, doing their everyday activities in their own realities. Quite unexpectedly, a dark pinkish portal quickly opened up above them and within a split-second, they found themselves in different surroundings.
These new "surroundings" were ...bland to say the very least. They were standing on a hardwood floor that expanded for what seemed to be forever and above them nothing but blackness could be seen. Though there was no sun or any source of light, the floor remained illuminated somehow. There was some sort of ambient light coming from somewhere, so they didn't have any trouble seeing. And it was within this empty blackness that the six travelers appeared before one another.
For some reason, they knew that there was someone waiting to arrive. Someone who knew what had happened. Someone who could hopefully explain their sudden "teleportation".
"EEEEEEP!" Fluttershy cried out as she cowered in fear upon seeing the other five strangers standing in such close proximity. The yellow pegasus covered her eyes with her hooves and hoped that it was all just a bad dream.
"Error: physical substantiation compromised. Running diagnostic of presumed faulty systems." Legion spoke up, his eye flashing a bit as it surveyed the others.
"I know! I'll try the universal greetin'! Ahem..." Kup held out his hand as the others gave him their semi-divided attention. "Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep mini bong!"
"Umm... hi." Krumm responded, eyes blinking rather curiously as he stared up at the much larger Autobot.
"Woah! This looks like the Ice Queen's doing! Right Cake? Cake?" Fionna turned to look around for her feline companion who was never too far from her side, but Cake was nowhere to be found.
"Hold on!" Samwise chimed in as the others barely understood one another with the exception of a few of them. "How did we get here? And where's Mr. Frodo?"
"I believe that I can answer that," The voice had come from a little man who seemed to appear out of nowhere. He was about 5 feet tall, chubby, and wearing a green vest over his neatly ironed shirt, yet the pink bow-tie seemed to really stand out. He was also balding. He had a little bit of dark hair around the back of his head, stretching from ear to ear, in that `horseshoe` style.
He spoke loud enough for even the towering Transformer to hear, he said, "I am the Timebroker. It was I who brought you all here." He paused for a quick moment. "Speaking of `here`, this place, as you may have been wondering, is The End Of Time. It is one of the few places in which all realities meet."
He waited another moment until he had everyone's attention. "I have quite a speech here, so listen carefully...and hold your questions until after I'm through." He cleared his throat. "All realities and dimensions are connected. They make up what is known as the `chain of reality`. If a certain event occurs in one of these realities, it will have a ripple effect, travel through the chain, and eventually have an effect on all the other realities. As of late, there have been `kinks` within this chain of reality. A group of heroes is needed to fix these kinks before they lead to the destruction of all life as we know it."
The little man began to pace as he spoke. "All of you have been selected to travel from reality to reality fixing these problems. And you personally have been selected because of events that have the potential to take place in your realities. For example... Legion: during your assault of the Collector homeworld, you will be carried away by the seeker swarms due to Miss Lawson's inability to hold the biotic field. And Kup: after being found guilty by the corrupt Quintessons, you and your friend Hot Rod will meet your end at the claws and teeth of the Sharkticons."
Samwise walked up the man, still remaining a foot or two shorter than the Timebroker. "And what of Mr. Frodo? Why am I here and he isn't?"
The Timebroker sighed. "Deep within the Mines of Moria, your Fellowship is overwhelmed by the forces of Sauron and you and your companions meet a grisly end, Samwise Gamgee. You are here because you were the very last to die."
Sam slumped to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. "Mr. Frodo... I've failed you."
"There there, lad." Kup said as he knelt beside the weeping hobbit, trying to comfort him while shifting a steely eye at the Timebroker.
"Wait!" Fionna spoke up, making her way towards the man who was responsible for bringing them all here. "What about me? And the others?" She motioned to the yellow pegasus and the monster who had been patiently waiting with a rumble in his stomach.
"Fionna, my dear: you are frozen forever by the Ice Queen who steals Prince Gumball away to be her husband."
"She's ALWAYS predatoring on dudes!" The human girl stomped her foot in frustration as Fluttershy and Krumm made their way closer to hear what their horrible fate would have been.
"A-and m-me?" Fluttershy stuttered.
"My dear Fluttershy: when Discord sent you all into the maze, you were about to become a mean and cruel pony due to his tricks. That, I understand, would be a fate worse than death for somepony like yourself." The Timebroker explained.
The Timebroker then shifted his gaze towards the last remaining stranger: Krumm, a student at a monster academy and friend of Oblina and Ickis.
"Krumm: Simon the Monster Hunter gets the better of you and your friends, proving that monsters do indeed exist. The entire monster world is put into jeopardy and everyone is forced to flee to avert capture. You were not so lucky..."
"Wow... that really stinks. And I know a thing or two about stinks." Krumm said as he gave his armpits a sniff, if only to calm his nerves.
"You will all suffer some sort of horrible fate, whether it be death, living in torture, or having not being born at all. In order to save you from those fates, you have been teleported here. Failure to fix the kinks in these realities means that you will end up with that horrible life...or death."
He continued pacing. "You have been given the power to change your own destinies. I highly recommend you take this offer."
Knowing there were a million thoughts running through their minds, the Timebroker concluded his speech. "One of you will carry a device with you called a Tallus." He reached behind his back and revealed a large, golden bracelet with an oval-shaped jewel in the center of it. He slipped it over his hand and up past his wrist. The Tallus was so large that it covered most of his forearm. "This is what will guide you through dimensions. It will tell you what the situation is and what you must do to complete the mission." He held out the Tallus towards the group, wondering who would take on the "official" role of team leader.
"Remember," The Timebroker added, "you have been specifically selected to save the universe from collapsing on itself. You are now part of a team that will inevitably become the greatest group of heroes through all of time."
"So... if we fix what's wrong, nothin' bad will happen to us where we came from?" Samwise asked as he stood between the other strangers and the Timebroker.
"Correct. If you manage to fix the kinks in the timelines, you will be returned to a safer version of your home reality." The Timebroker answered.
"Then count me in." Sam said resolutely.
"Me too!" Fionna added.
"Affirmative. Valuable data could be salvaged." Legion chimed in.
"You kids better count me in too. I gotta look out for the younger generations." Kup chuckled.
"I hope there's some good garbage wherever we go..." Krumm looked down at his grumbling stomach.
The group looked between one another and then to the sixth of their group: the yellow pegasus Fluttershy.
"C'mon now. Don't you want to go home too?" Sam asked as he approached her cautiously, offering his hand to her in friendship.
"Oh yes of course I do, but it all just seems so dangerous and I know I would only get in the way..." Fluttershy argued.
"Inferred analysis: team cannot depart unless all six temporal exiles are accounted for."
"What did he say?" Krumm asked the Autobot standing next to him.
"He's sayin' that unless she decides to come with us, we can't get out of here just yet."
"Please? Miss Fluttershy was it?"
The yellow pony nodded slowly, the pink locks of her mane falling into her face.
"We've all got homes to go to, and we could really use your help. We'll keep each other safe if that's what you're worried about. Cross my 'eart."
Reluctantly, Fluttershy gave a soft nod of her head and walked ever so slowly towards the group.
"That's a good head you've got on your shoulders, kid. Here, I think you ought to wear this thing." Kup said as he handed the Tallus to the hobbit.
"I dunno... I don't think I can handle bein' responsible for somethin' like this." Sam argued, but the others looked to him expectantly. He slipped the bracelet over his arm which conformed to his size almost immediately and began to give off a faint glow.
"Alright, then," The Timebroker started, "good luck to you all."
"Before we go," Fionna spoke up once again. "What can we expect to find in these realities? And what about our weapons and gear?"
"Current self-inventory reveals that we are currently still in possession of our former equipment." Legion explained.
"Although Legion is speaking for himself when he says 'we', it is true for you all." The Timebroker motioned to all of them. "Any equipment you may have had with you at the time of your 'departure' is still upon your person."
He gave a hefty sigh. "As for what you will face, the Tallus will inform you of the situation in that world and what must be done to fix it. It seems the first reality is ready for you. Good luck once again..."
And before anyone could react, a pinkish portal exactly like the one that had brought them all there, appeared above them. There was a BLINK and the Tallus activated the teleportation to the first reality.
AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:
Hey there everyone! Welcome to the "Prologue" if you will of what I hope to be a long-standing series based upon Marvel Comics "Exiles". I have always been a fan of the series and thought "Hey, why not write some fanfiction?"
I understand that the beginning is a bit short, but I believe it serves its purpose for now. It took awhile to select who to put in the first group of Exiles, and hopefully I made the right choice.
As far as chapters go, I will be placing them in the appropriate fanfiction categories based upon the world they are visiting (which means if you want to read more about their exploits, you will have to follow me through my Twisted Rabbit Hole) Prepare to see movies, games, television, anime, and even twists of all sorts in this work, and I do hope that you enjoy.
Also, I like to picture the Timebroker as Danny DeVito, so please do so as well if you like.
Happy reading!