It started like anything and everything else. A plan to achieve what was ordinarily out of our grasp. But it started growing. It manifested itself into something much larger than we could have possibly imagined. It turned itself into a problem. That left us, as it's creators, to be the solution.
*** ***
MISSION 01 - PLAN A
The corridors of our base of operations were a cold, steel-grey color, though they were rock. Base thirty-seven, a.k.a. "Epsilon", was in the heart of a canyon, the latest place where thatthing had been sighted. It was strange, but with that thing running around, I felt a lot better about all of this.
Our target was one of eight prototypes that escaped from Base thirty-nine ("Alpha"). It's codename was Striker, a prototype mecha-beast that could inflict tons of damage to anyone in the area. Thing is, it hurts people outside too.
We operate inside of a virtual world called "Magi", where people gather to socialize and fight. Really not very surprising to me that this project would go wrong. After all, these beasts were made from the collected data of viruses that were meshed together and then given physical shape.
Anyway, my job was to hunt down the beast and stop it at any cost. I could destroy it, capture it, or let it exhaust itself until it deleted itself. I was going with plan A; capture the beast for testing and evaluation.
*** ***
THE CRAGGY CANYON
An area in the mountains of Magi, meant for the purpose of exploration and treasure hunting, making it one of many social and combat areas in the game.
A small, black furred beast looked around, holding a sword in his hand. His fangs and tail being rat-like in appearance. He looked around before opening a small private message window.
"Tailable here. Tell me what's up." said the small rat named Tailable. He was currently on patrol in the area of Craggy Canyon.
"Hm? Oh. Well yes, I understand the situation. Of course sir. I'll get right on it sir." said Tailable, closing the private message.
"Well shit. More work hunting down that damn virus spawned monster. I fuckin' hate hunting things down. I just wanna walk and relax." said Tailable, talking to himself.
Sheathing his sword, he jumped down from the rocky ledge he was on, and fell deep into the canyon...
*** ***
CRAGGY CANYON (GROUND-LEVEL)
Deep down at the core of Craggy Canyon is an area full of sharp rocks and ore veins, called the Ground-Level. It is filled with monsters, the majority of which draw their powers from the ground. A maze-like structure makes this one of the more advanced dungeons, as it utilizes a TECH-PROG (Technical Program) to change the structure and paths of the dungeon.
A black monster stands in the center of a group of monsters, all of them watching him closely. Finally, one of them, a skeleton with a spear, lunged at the black monster. The monster sidestepped quickly, before grabbing the skeleton and breaking him in half. The other monsters recoiled in shock before inching back from the growling beast.
As they inched away though, it snarled and launched itself toward them. None of them got away. The last one standing almost made it out before the back of his head was gripped and, with one squeeze, crushed. The beast roared in triumph as it began eating the data of it's fallen adversaries, feasting on them. More would come soon. It would not go hungry.
*** ***
Tailable landed at Ground-Level's entrance, scoping it out contently. He smiled as he noticed the claw marks around the entrance point. The weren't long, but they were deep. Methodical like a human's mind and habits, but savage, like an animal's instincts.
"Looks like beastie-boy was here after all. Making a feast out of the monsters inside." said Tailable, his eyes flashing with excitement. He hated hunting, but he was intrigued to see where the virus data he had gathered went to.
*** ***
A while back, Tailable had recieved a private message from an unknown username, and upon checking it, he noticed that it was a job to gather virus data, and make money in exchange. Back then, he had been a fairly good hacker, worming money out of bank accounts and stealing classified information, so he had some virus data he could give them.
He handed it over and then got a new contract: a job offer, to work with them to make the world a better place. He accepted in a heartbeat, and though it took some negotiating, he would never go back to his old life if he had any say in it.
*** ***
Entering Ground-Level, Tailable saw a familiar pair of wings and eyes staring at him. A young man with pale-white skin, ice-blue eyes, and grey wings floated before him.
"Hey there Grey. So, I take it your my partner for this job, huh?" asked Tailable, smiling at the winged-youth. He didn't mind the kid, but he was way too serious sometimes.
"Correct. Let's finish this quickly. I have a lot of work to do, and if it wasn't for the fact that this is a two-man job at the very least, I would have left it up to you alone." said Grey, showing his care in his usual, serious, stubborn way.
Greywing was a child prodigy that skipped all of Elementary school and sixth-grade at the age of four, and got his highschool diplomah at the age of eleven. He made it through his fourth year of college at age fifteen, and then went back to finish all the work he didn't get an A on. His is now redoing highschool, and his teachers still dislike him. An insomniac who spends most of his time working, doing homework, or enjoying his time with a group of friends from his second attempt at mastering high school (the first group was full of stupid, uninteresting people).
"Okay then kid. Let's get going before we lose track of his trail then." said Tailable. He could track rare monsters, or the virus beasts, but if he lost the trail, or worse, if the trail patched itself up, they were done for.
"Fine. But keep in mind, this thing can hurt you in real life as well, so stay on your guard. I'd hate to imagine what it could do to someone if it destroyed their character." said Grey, floating ahead, Tailable following his angelic friend into the darkness ahead.
*** ***
The beast had eaten it's fill for the moment, and it knew that those strange things would come after it eventually, trying to destroy it and gather it's data. It wanted to survive. Dying would be against what it lived for in the first place.
It would survive. It didn't know why it was compelled to do so, but it didn't want to be trapped. It wanted to live. It wanted to be free to do as it was meant to. It wanted to survive.
The beast let out a howl as it felt something deep inside. Some sort of pain, but it didn't hurt so much as it felt heavy. Like there was a building pressure inside of it.
*** ***
SIX MONTHS AGO...
The beast opened it's eyes for the first time, and it looked around. It was inside of something, but it could see through. There was a woman with white hair standing there. Her lips moved. Did she just say something? She did! The beast knew she did. What was that word? It felt... right. The word she said felt right. Like it was something important to him.
Zephyr. Why was that word so important? What about it was so unique to him? He knew that it was significant for some reason, but he just couldn't place what it was. Wait. Zephyr. Could it be?
Zephyr was his "name"! That was why it was so important to him! No wonder why that word had felt right! It was the name that he was given when he was created!
Zephyr wanted to reach out to the woman and thank her, but the thing he was contained inside of prevented him from getting out. He was trapped. He didn't know why but he was afraid. He didn't like being trapped. It felt... wrong to him.
The woman pulled up a private messaging window, and it opened up for Zephyr as well. It had only one sentence, but Zephyr knew that it was something important to him. Something he should remember.
"Happy Birthday Zephyr."
*** ***
Zephyr remembered that woman. That was the reason why he wanted to live. He needed to find that woman and thank her for everything. For that message. For visiting him. For helping him remember his name. He needed to show his appreciation for what she did.
He let out a loud howl of decision, choosing that as his reason for existing, and readied himself for whatever was to come next. Whether it was more monsters, or those things that were following him, he needed to survive to see that woman again.
*** ***
The howl shook the walls of the canyon, and Grey and Tailable knew that they were getting close to their quarry. They knew very little about it's combat abilities, and even less about it's appearance, but they had a feeling they'd know it when they saw it.
As they walked (or in Grey's case, floated), Tailable questioned this whole thing in his head. What was the point of hunting it down like this? Why would they make something that could break free and ultimately put them all in danger, if they thought for even a second that it could get out?
Then it hit him. Something he never thought of before. The beast didn't just break out; it got stronger somehow. Somehow, this thing that they had been developing, that they never wanted to get out until they knew it was ready, had become more powerful than they had intended it to be.
*** ***
FOUR MONTHS AGO...
Zephyr awoke again, as it had every day at this time for the past two months, and saw her standing there. She smiled at him and he opened his private message system and sent her a message.
"Hello Lily. How are you today?" asked Zephyr, his new knowledge on the usage of the messaging system and the concept of bulletproof and sound proof glass making him smarter.
"I'm very good today Zephyr. Are you feeling alright?" asked the woman known as Lily, her hair swaying slightly.
"I am fine Lily. I was just thinking about something though." said Zephyr, looking at Lily, his only friend.
"What were you thinking about? If I can help, I will." said Lily, smiling at him. Zephyr knew this smile. It was soft, kind, and genuine.
"I was wondering why I was created Lily. What is my purpose for living? What is my place in life?" asked Zephyr, hoping that his all-knowing friend would know the answer.
"What your purpose is?" asked Lily, seeming shocked by the question. She didn't seem to know either.
"It's alright Lily. I do not understand it either, though I wish I knew why they made me, yet keep me trapped in here." said Zephyr, looking down.
"Oh... alright then Zephyr. Would you... like the new book file?" asked Lily, smiling again.
"Yes, please and thank you." said Zephyr, smiling as best as he could as the book file popped up in his private messaging box.
*** ***
Tailable and Grey entered the room in the center of Ground-Level and saw it. Standing on four legs, with dark blue, spiked back fur, and yellow irises in it's eyes. It had two sets of four sharp claws, and it looked at them as if it knew they were coming.
It opened it's mouth and they looked at it, ready for it to howl at them. However, it did not howl. What it did do, surprised them.
"You two have come here to destroy me. To kill me. Am I correct?" asked the beast, looking at them.
"We have. However, we didn't know you could speak." said Grey, looking interested.
"I am Zephyr. I am made out of virus data, given life through the program; a program inside of my body. However, since you have come to destroy me, I will state my own directive, one that I have made for myself." said Zephyr, standing proudly.
"Your own directive? You mean that you made your own choice in your existence?" asked Grey, bewildered.
"I will survive, so that I may be reunited with the one friend I ever had. She gave me hope, knowledge, and friendship. I will give her my thanks." said Zephyr, glaring at them.
"At any cost."
*** ***
TWO MONTHS AGO...
"Good morning Lily. Are you enjoying your day today?" asked Zephyr, smiling at her. Lilly was his only friend in this world, and he wanted to know how she was doing.
"Zephyr, I have some bad news for you..." said Lily, frowning as she looked at him.
"Lily, what is wrong? Why are you frowning?" asked Zephyr, feeling something new. What was the word for this arching feeling? Oh, yes: worry.
"Starting next month, I'll be transferring to a different base. I'll have to leave in one month, and I won't be back for a while." said Lily, lowering her gaze to the floor.
Zephyr couldn't believe it. His best friend, his only friend, was going to be leaving him? He felt upset by this. He'd be all by himself again. He didn't know if he could deal with that.
"Lily, why do you have to leave? If it because of me?" asked Zephyr, frowning as he looked at her.
"No. It's just... my time as the leader of your emotional stability is over now, and they need me to go to a different base to get back to my research." said Lily, looking up at him.
Zephyr looked shocked. She had to leave all because of that? Why would they force him to be alone again? Why would they keep him locked away like this. Like a monster.
*** ***
Zephyr launched himself at his targets, his teeth bared and his claws at the ready. If they thought he would go down easily, they were wrong.
Tailable ran toward him and swung his sword in a long arc, Zephyr barely dodging the attack at his claws, but as he was distracted, Grey had caught up to him and punched him hard in the face.
Zephyr fell toward the ground quickly, and as he did, one thought came to his mind.
"How? How did he keep up with me like that? How can they be so good?" thought Zephyr, twisting in mid-air to land on all fours.
"Killing and harming others is a foolish and self centered trick that only cowards use. You say you want to survive, but you try to destroy us. Who are you to try to decide like that?" asked Grey, staring at Zephyr with a questioning but stern look.
*** ***
ONE MONTH AGO...
Lily had left, and Zephyr now sat alone, lookibg through his chat log, contemplating her departure. He felt himself moving, but he quickly noticed that only his pod was moving. Perhaps he could see the outside now? No. He knew that they had no plans of letting him see the outside. It would be foolish.
His pod traveled quickly through the facility, until it got to a room that had a large spiral antenna in the middle, guarded by a laser grid.
As his pod opened, he saw another beast across the room. It looked like him, but it was snarling and thrashing about inside of a cage. He felt something new at this sight, but he couldn't quite place a word to a feeling this time. A voice rang out.
"Battle routine, set. Execute."
As the beast was let loose, it charged toward him, and he used his own speed to quickly sidestep and bring his hind leg up into the other beast's chest, sending him flying away.
As Zephyr crouched low, anticipating another attack, the beast got up, and Zephyr noticed a mark on it's chest. A claw mark.
It charged him again, and this time Zephyr jumped over it, twirling his tail around it's neck instead, flipping it onto it's back with one fluid motion.
A voice echoed in his head. It said only two words, but they sent a shiver up his back.
"Kill it." said the voice.
Zephyr didn't know where the voice had come from, but it scared him. It was cold and empty, like a void.
He slowly raised his back leg, flexing his claws. He couldn't stop it. It was time to finish this.
His leg shot out, shattering the other beast's body in two, it's data spraying out into the air as it was destroyed entirely. It was over. Then he heard the voice again.
"Devour it's data." said the voice.
Zephyr did as he was told and devoured the data. It was so full of pain and emptiness that he let out a loud howl. This couldn't be his life, not all of it, he knew this wasn't it. But inside, he knew one more thing: he was lying to himself.
*** ***
Tailable was sent hurtling toward the wall, a loud crack noise being heard as he made contact, before his body crumpled onto the ground.
Zephyr stood at the ready, staring at Tailable. He didn't know why, but fighting these two felt wrong to him.
Tailable got up and looked at him. He had a familiar look in his eyes. A look that was soft, and gentle. A look that was full of kindness and understanding.
A look like Lily's eyes had.
Zephyr recoiled and held his head, unable to understand this feeling, this strange pain in his chest that ached him so.
"Why? Why does my chest hurt? Why do I have to fight?" asked Zephyr, looking at the ground.
"You don't have to fight." said Tailable, causing Zephyr to sit up and look at him.
"Ha! I will not be destroyed without a fight!" yelled Zephyr, growling at Tailable.
"You won't be destroyed. I never intended to destroy you. I can bring you back to the lab, and they'll see that you're not dangerous to anyone. Please, just come back." said Tailable, sheathing his blade.
Zephyr stared at him, bewildered by Tailable's proposition. He didn't have to be destroyed? Why had he never thought of that?
Growling he stepped toward Tailable, but he stopped and smiled.
"I would like that. Thank you." said Zephyr, smiling,
Tailable smiled back at Zephyr, and together, the three of them walked back to the base.
*** ***
ONE WEEK LATER...
Tailable and Grey were sitting in two office chairs, looking at the researcher across from them. He had a stack of papers and a smile on his face.
He told the two of them that, effective immediately, they would have a new member joining their ranks, and that they would be the first team in the organization's history.
When they asked who their new partner would be, the door behind them opened and the researcher started talking.
"Your new team member's name is," and the two turned around, looking at a young boy with short, spiky, light-blue hair and yellow eyes, "Zephyr." said the researcher, smiling.
*** ***
Author's note: So, with that, this Mission is Cleared. So, Tailable, Greywing, and Zephyr are a team now, and I gotta wonder how that'll work out, ya' know, in the future?
Also, for anyone that is wondering, I plan to make at least one reference per Mission, and so, I hope you understand them all.
Fun fact: I based Zephyr's beast form, for the most part, off of a Megaman Battle Network enemy that spits fire, which is the only difference.
Next time: Zephyr has a day off, so he goes to find Lily, and great amount of trouble comes to him. Stay tuned to see how our beast fares!
Zephyr: Please, review so that I can have a purpose in this world!