"Respond," The radio crackles urgently, "Unit 7-D, this is Central, respond." I pick up the radio and comply, "This is Unit 7-D, Central, where'sthefire?" A short laugh comes back out, followed by a serious response, "No fire this time, 7-D, but you won't like this one much more than a fire. We got word of fifteen C-class converging on your position. Not sure if they want you or the city, but if they want the city they're rather understaffed. They're coming for ya, 7-D, so get your cyan ass out there and give 'em what they came for." A smile spreads across my features as I grab the rifle to my right, and stand up out of the rickety, metal pre-war chair. "10-4, Central. I'll show these C's how a level 7 handles things."
"Don't get cocky, 7-D," The radio urges, "They may only be C-class, but we both know that a level seven can't beat fifteen at once. You need a diversion."
"10-4, Central, but..." I look through the window at the big green beast outside, "The diversion is already in place."
-))((-
A roar and a stomp later, and all fifteen C-class swarm the A-class outside. It's a well-known fact that A-Class, while horridly dangerous when led by an AA-Class, or an S-Class, are completely, horrendously, hopelessly stupid and docile. It's also well-known that C-Class hate them vehemently, and will swarm to attack an unled A-Class in a heartbeat. This works perfectly for me. I stand atop my building, aiming for the skulls of the C-Class. Unlike those lucky-ass Level 5 and above, we Level 6-25 don't have Cybernetic Aim Modules, or CAM.
That's right. I have a rifle with no CAM. I'm ten stories up. I'm trying to headshot these fuckers. Genius.
Though, my origins are rather helpful. I'm not from around here, a whole other world, in fact, is my home. I'm a Pegasus among humans, as well as these extradimensional beasts I'm trying to headshot. What's the point of this? Pegasi can fly. Pegasi can fly FAST. Pegasi can fly fast with THEIR GODDAMN EYES OPEN. In short, my eyesight is 20/1, or rather, 400/20. In comparison to a human at least.
In short, I'm slaying. SLAYING. BAM! Brains paint the asphalt. BLAM! That piece of skull kind of looks like a penny. KRAKAM! How have they not noticed me yet? KAKABAMALAM! Chunky salsa, bitch.
I quickly finish off the remainder, and the A-Class hadn't even noticed that anything happened. I glare at the human-like crocodilian corpses littering it's feet, and, had I thumbs, I'd have given the big green T-Rex a thumbs-up for being an awesome distraction. But, of course, I haven't, so I don't.
I smile as I re-enter the building and sit back down in my chair, setting the rifle beside me, and call in. "Central, this is 7-D." Static for a moment, before a response, "You gonna get to those C-Class, or just let 'em run you over?" I give a short bark of laughter, "HA! As if. They're painting the concrete as we speak, Central. Mission Accomplished."
"Good work, 7-D! Keep it up, you'll make 6-D in no time. Then you'll get to actually do stuff, and take on those special missions you've been dying to do." I give a chuckle in response.
"You'll finally give me a permanent residence and actually important jobs now, you mean." Static.
"Ahem, er, well... Yes. That's... That's exactly what I mean, actually. Uh..."
"Hey, it's alright. Nobody blames you for not giving any of you soldiers permanent housing. Except, you know, the soldiers, but hey, who care what they think, right? You pay 'em to fight, not think." I smile, knowing I'll have successfully made him uncomfortable with that.
"...This brings you up to 45 Credits, now, right?"
"Damn right, Central. I'll be expecting those when I check in next, alright?"
"Your points have added up to... 98.8%. You'll be here for promotion by the end of the week, 7-D." A smile spreads across my face. I had no clue I was that close. Promotion bring with it a multiplier to payment, unlocks more dangerous and better paying jobs, and, of course, makes you feel better about yourself because YOU JUST GOT FUCKING PROMOTED. I can't wait to cash in the Credits I've earned for this job. 20 Credits a day, and I've been here three weeks... I'll be able to buy one of those synthesized beds so I don't have to sleep on a ratty hundred-year old bed.
"I'll be there shortly. Anything else I should be aware of?"
I can almost hear the radio shut off from the other end before I can finish my sentence. Eh, must be busy. I grab a cloth from one of the drawers, and I start polishing the barrel of my gun.
-))((-
One day later finds me getting called in again. "7-D, 7-D, this is Central, come in, COME IN!" It yells urgently, almost fearfully. "What the fuck happened?" I forgo protocol, this seems a bit more serious than protocol. "SSS-Class." My eyes widen to saucers and my pupils shrink to pinpricks. Not HIM.
SSS-Class, codename 'Lucifer' is the most powerful, deadly being to come through the rift. It's been proven by field-test after field-test that he is immortal. The planet is in this sorry shape because we tried to nuke him. Five times.
"Get the hell out of there, Carlos!" I yell, but I can almost hear him shake his head.
"I can't. I'm on the top floor, he's on the bottom, I'm a weak little human, and he's a god. It was nice knowing you, 7-D. Sorry... This may be the last time I talk to you, fuck protocol. Dash, listen. He can't get what we have. If he gets his hands on the intel, there's no telling what he'll do with it. He'll be able to open a portal to anywhere. ANYWHERE. Now, we know he doesn't like getting his hands dirty, Dash, so we'll us that. If he opens a rift, you go in first. Protect the people. It's your job. I shouldn't have waited so long to tell you, but-" He is cut off by the sound of a massive explosion, ripping through the existence of everything. Static, and nothing else follows.
I sit back in my chair, completely disbelieving, but then the radio cuts back on, I lean in hopefully, before I'm crushed once more. "THIS IS A PRE-RECORDED MESSAGE. IF YOU ARE HEARING THIS, THEN CENTRAL HAS FALLEN. IN THIS CASE, [LUCIFER] HAS DESTROYED THE TOWER BY MEANS OF [EXPLOSIVES]. INSTRUCTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS; [RETREAT],[REBUILD],[PROTECT]. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION, FAITHFUL SOLDIERS OF THE APOCALYPSE. REPEAT." It repeats. I stare. It repeats again. I continue staring. This continues for many cycles, before finally, I snap. An ungodly wail of pure anguishis all that comes from my mouth for the next ten minutes, barely stopping in between to wails to breathe in.
The next hour is spent curled up on the bed, weeping, holding the 'Best Friends' locket me and Carlos made together fifteen years ago, before we even joined the Apocalypse Armada. I lost a good friend today. It doesn't matter what I do from here, does it? I only joined because he did, and only stayed for the same reason. What's it matter if I quit, if I give up?
I wipe my eyes, and try to dry my tear-soaked fur. I grab the rifle, and set off to do what my best friend wanted. I have to follow Lucifer.
-))((-
I count it among many blessings that Lucifer hasn't left the Central yet. The creature fits its name perfectly to tell you the truth. I'm far from Christian, no god would allow this to have happened, but he looks exactly as the devil is supposed to, drop dead gorgeous. Flowing blonde locks, charming smile, lightly tanned skin and bright blue eyes. He is the very definition of dreamy. Too bad he's a nightmare.
He holds a small box, painted black, with a few wires sticking out. The CPU. He has the information, all the information he needs to open a portal and lay siege to another world, one less prepared for the coming of the demonic armada than this one, possibly even my own home dimension.
He must be stopped, but there's nothing I can do really, to stop him. I could attack, shoot him with my rifle, but all that would do is draw att- "You." He says aloud, in a soft, yet firm voice, "I know you are there. I may not see you but I sense you and I would advise you to not try and stop me, this rubble a testament to what happens when I am impeded."
"Your world will be left alone, this I promise, once I have these secrets. There is no need to try."
He's right. There's nothing that can be done to stop him anyway, after all, right? No! I have to... I have to go! I have to fulfill my friend's wish! If I fail him, he'll have died for nothing. I can't let a good man die for nothing.
"You wish to stay, then. Very well, but do not disturb or otherwise impede me, if not in interest for those of this world, then for your own health." I peek out from behind the small pile of rubble I've been hiding behind, and watch as he magically cracks open the box and opens a holographic screen like a computer, navigating the files. He quickly stumbles upon the warp drive diagram. I get nervous. If he has a warp drive, he could instantaneously transfer troops around the- "No."
He next opens a plan for a nuclear bomb. Oh shit, oh shit. If he has a nuke, he'll turn our most powerful weapon against us, we don't have many anymore, so we'd be powerless to- "No."
My eyes narrow. This is going to take a while.
-))((-
I was right. 53 false alarms later, he finally finds the rift drive he'd been looking for the whole time, and, as it turns out, he has no interest in any sort of alternate machine whatsoever. A relief, if only a slight one, but now he knows how to produce rift drives, enabling him to conquer other worlds.
I follow him from a 'safe' distance as he brazenly walks into a Walmart, and starts gathering metal and the like. Within an hour, he has a fully functional rift drive. Suddenly his face looks like he just realized something, something hideously, stupidly obvious. "You wanted to use the rift drive, didn't you?" I peek out to where he can see me, and I respond to him, short, and to the point. "Yes. It was my friend's last wish. You killed him."
"Well, I can allow that." He opens the portal, and does nothing, except for look at me expectantly. It can't be this easy. He can't just be letting me fulfill my friends wish. He must have some ulterior motive.
"Why?" I ask, and he looks at me puzzled.
"Hmm. Why indeed..." He turns to look at the high ceiling. "I've lost someone close to me too. His last wish was, 'Jackson, make me a sandwich.' Before that was 'I want somewhere safe for our people to live.' Our world is dead, as is yours. I tell you, I understand." He turns to me, "And I've decided to find an uncivilized world. It was foolish to try to conquer a world. Mark wouldn't have wanted that. I will send you somewhere you won't be alone. You can make new friends, ones like yourself. We... we will leave any and all sentient races alone. We've caused enough damage as-is."
"And what if I refuse?"
"You stay in a dead world. ALONE."
"How can I trust you?" His eyes narrow, but then he closes them with a sigh.
"You can't."
I sigh. I have to take his word. If I try to take a loophole, he'll destroy me.
"I... I..."
He looks at me with wide eyes, almost begging me to answer, which is odd from a being who could destroy us all instantly if he so chose.
"I... Acc... Accept."