*Authors Note*

Hey everyone and welcome to my first fanfic. I just wanted to let everyone know that I have been busy working on my future and other things at home. I'm happy to say this as I came from a long break, there have been a few PM's I've received from the community about my errors I've left behind for everyone. So I started revising almost every mistake in my fanfic, but it turned out alright. The PM's I have receive helped me in improving my skills as a writer. Thanks to everyone who have spotted the major errors and reading my story. I'll be doing Author Notes like this one in my future chapters to keep everyone up to date. Again, thank you everyone for reading my fanfic. Deacon out.

Chapter 1: Homeland

Today is March, 24 20XX, this will be the starting mark of my journey into an unknown world waiting to be explored. I'm currently staring in the face of death itself, I sat in front of her desk while she marks my quiz from today. Today she wore a green turtleneck sweater, navy blue jeans, and black sandals. Don't know why we're in school. She's a brunette with a soft plush face, but those sharp brown glasses of hers hide a demon ready to bring death to the world, also along with those green eyes that finally locked with mine. This devil, this demon, this woman put her pen inside her pin case, then she casually adjusted her glasses and spoke.

"Alex…" She sighed in disappointment. "I'm sorry, but you didn't pass and you know what that means right?"

I suddenly felt all hope leave my soul. "Yeah" I answered defeated by my own efforts. "No year-end school trip, right?" I asked knowing the answer.

"Alexander Porsche what will I do with you and I'm really sorry for all the hard work you put into helping us fundraise a trip to Japan". She said in a sad tone. "But you're not doing any of the work I give you and you mock about in my class". She then handed me my test with a failure of thirty-six percent. "You should be one to tell your mother, not me."

Nothing could come out my mouth knowing I was a burden to her. "Maybe I should just go," I said sadly grabbing my school bag, which was heavy because of all the work I didn't do.

"Wait, Alex, I have a small deal we could work out here." She said digging into her bag. "Maybe you could have one more chance, but remember this." She pointed at me with determination in her eyes. "Just this one chance and that's it." She handed me a small pocket sized notepad.

"Uh… what do you mean by a deal?" I said a little annoyed.

"Well hear me out ok." She asked politely.

"Ok, I'm listening," I said while I took the same seat across from her desk.

"OK, look… if you write me a journal about your everyday life till the end of spring break, I could boost your mark and send a confirmation to you that you can proceed on the trip that you worked so hard for." She gladly clapped her hands with a bright smile on her face. "Oh and I also want every page filled to the brim with your thoughts, make a story out of it if you want to."

"Uh… yeah… how will this help me in English and why should I put every one of my glorious thoughts into this notepad?" I asked more annoyed knowing I'll be doing more work over my precious break.

"If you haven't heard from the other students gossiping about my sister working as a journalist, some of her friends who are also journalists, by the way, are having a little contest to get a well-detailed report on a teen's daily life." Her eyes then gazed towards me "So my sister asked me to help her with her small assignment by asking one my students to write about their lives, but I believe you're more than worthy of writing a more interesting tale about your life, as a teen that is."

"I don't know… you don't know me, what if I'm Pablo Escobar's right-hand man?" I joked.

"Was~ his right-hand man." She said brightly. "You know he's deceased right."

"I know, what I'm trying to say is that, what if your sister was disappointed in what I wrote," I said. I just want to go home and forget this now.

"Alex… she is expecting the unknown, she loves the unknown, and we all live in it, every single day." She said while getting off her seat. "So please, can you do this for me, and I'll let you on the trip, even boost your mark."

"Why can't you do it?" I asked hoping for an answer.

"Well... I have plans to go overseas to visit a few friends in Europe, and I'll be back in two weeks." She said packing her bags.

"I guess I'll think about it," I said sadly. Damn, I really don't want write in this stupid notepad for my whole break.

"Cheer up Alex, maybe you'll learn something." She said standing by the door that leads out of her classroom. "Alright Alex, I have to close up shop now." She said impatiently by tapping her heel against the floor.

"Oh yeah, sorry Miss Winters…" I said with a low sigh, I'm now standing outside her room.

"Good luck Alex!" She waved happily walking down the hall until she vanished by turning the corner towards the teachers reserved parking lot.

Great, just great, this is perfect, my break ruined because I failed a stupid quiz. Damn, only if I listened to Jackson when he offered to help me study. Why me, "but I believe you're more worthy of writing a more interesting tale about your life, as a teen that is." Yeah right, I ain't no writer or journalist. This is really a monkey on my back, no an ape; yeah, an ape. I thought to myself.

"Sweet~" I whispered to myself.

I finally made it to the train station that wasn't too far from my high school, because it was only a couple blocks away. There I met my best friend Jackson who was also waiting for the train. Jackson today wore a gray thin hoodie, but never wears the hood that came with it, he also wears brown cargo pants and white running shoes. Jackson was that kind of guy who would be there when you needed him to do something technical and hard to understand. Basically, this makes him that one guy to turn to when you need help homework. Jackson and I met when we were kids, we did everything together in middle school. In high school Jackson started getting pretty distant; it's probably because he's working towards his goal to be an engineer. We live only a few kilometers apart from each other, but I don't walk to his house; we play online by Gaming, chatting, and face timing. Jackson noticed me and put his IPod in his pocket.

"Hey, Alex, what took you forever man?" Jackson asked turning towards me.

"Oh, you know how Miss. Winters is; always checking on people's marks." I lied.

"Really… cause I seen you writing a test earlier when I forgot I had to water the plants in the biology class." Jackson said with his eyebrow cocked.

"Damn… you really are a bloodhound aren't you?" I joked knowing he's got me on the ropes.

"Well... that is my online Gamertag isn't it; so why did you have to stay late this time?" He said crossing his arms like a parent questioning her boy or girl if they got into a fight at school.

"Nah, it was just a quiz I had to redo; no biggy." I lied again while taking a seat on the bench.

I think Jackson got the hint that I failed the test, so he stayed silent. We sat at that beach only to hear the wind talking for a few minutes till the train arrived at the station.

Finally, the train made it to its next stop and flung the doors open. I was set free from the cylinder steel cage. As I made my goodbyes to Jackson I headed home knowing that my break has begun. Then the realization hit me when I put my hands in my pocket only to feel what I would describe a small notepad. Great... Already had forgotten about that deal I made with Miss Winters. I'm I really that lazy or just plain stupid? I got out the piece of cardboard and paper notepad to get a better look at it. It had a green a cover which I liked because it was my favorite color, it also had its brand name on the bottom left side of it. Just a regular ol' green notepad.

It took at least fifteen minutes from the train station to get my house by walking. I mostly live in the countryside alongside a few neighbors that live a few kilometers away from us. Jackson, however, has a bicycle hidden in the bushes near the train station located by a few trees, so he could get a faster ride home. That bicycle is pretty rad if I could say so for myself. I owned a bike once but it got stuck in a bog far from my house. I never told my dad what happened to it, I just give the answer that someone probably stole it.

As I approached a two-story building, I pondered why my dad never painted the building, maybe because he was getting old, that's what he told my mom and me, or probably he never could afford it; no that's not it. I never took the thought to why he never did it, maybe I should ask him someday, maybe I'll help him. As I got closer to the building I took a closer glimpse and noticed that only a gray pickup truck was in the driveway. Guess my mother is still at work huh. My dad works for a logging company and my mother works at a daycare in a small town in the country.

I finally made it through the screen door and proceeded towards the stairs to rest. I should really get a new bike. I hung up my jacket, put away my runners, and lazily went upstairs to my habitat. It was one of the places in the world where I could be me. I never really liked reality due to its many laws and rules in everyday society. Now people today are becoming non-unique to me. I opened the door to my sanctuary, at the same moment, a pop canister rolled under my bed. Damn, it's great to be back. I thought to myself as I flopped on my bed. I could just lay here all break and do nothing till school starts again. Or I could go see my peeps online by playing games together.

So I quickly got off my bed to traverse the hills of trash and dirty clothes to get to my console; when I finally made it to my Console to only find a yellow sticky on the top of it. What the hell? I took the yellow piece of paper only to read its contents. Clean up your room. I took a moment to observe my room. I guess cleaning at the start of spring break wouldn't hurt. Maybe I really should hang up that new poster I got from Kenneth. Kenneth is that kind of guy who wouldn't care what you say only if it's about his hobbies or interests. He never really shows up to class, even when he does attend a class he'll just play on his tablet all day long. But he's still a close friend to me, Jackson, and the rest of the crew.

"Perfect," I said looking at the poster I just hung up. Well looks like that's taken care of, now I can happily leave this reality and spend most of my days in paradise. Wait, I couldn't find my controller for my console while cleaning up my room. I quickly grew anxious to find my most prized possession. Damn where is It; maybe in my drawers no, behind the TV no, or probably under my bed no, and it was nowhere to be found. I sat in my office chair In front of my TV and console depressed knowing I won't be playing games anytime soon. Curious I took another look at the yellow sticky note. I noticed that the background of yellow paper was blackened, so I flipped the note around to see more writing.

PS: I took your gadget just in case; love mom.

XXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXX

March 25, 20XX, I woke up to an alarm ringing throughout my room. I slowly rose like a zombie that was disturbed from a long sleep. I lazily rubbed the crust from my eyelids to get a better picture of my now clean room. I continued to lazily slam my alarm clock only for to fall to the floor. Damn did I sleep yesterday? Now I was really pissed off, first I got a stupid assignment for my break, my mother took my controller, and now I wasted my first day of spring break. What could go more wrong? I really should go ask my mother for it before I throw a tantrum. Oh, wait. I took a quick look to my clock that was now upside down facing me. It's like seven o'clock; I shouldn't be a burden first thing the morning. Maybe my controller is in her purse I thought. With the determination of finding my controller, I got up from my bed.

I opened my door into the hallway to find my cat Mr. bonkers lying beside my door, he's a big fluffy gray and white cat. The name Mr. Bonkers came from my dad when he joked about him getting it on with all the cats around our old neighborhood, till we moved into the country a year later. I finally stepped over the fat fur ball, to proceeded to the lair of my parent's room which was down the hall near the stairs. After a while of some awesome ninja-like skills in retrieving the lost artifact that belongs to me is now in my hands. Somewhere in this purse of course. I brought it back to base for closer studying. Before I could dig in the bag's contents, a thundering noise roared in the hallway and stormed into my room. Mr. Bonkers even got up and ran downstairs from the storm that was about to hit.

"AH HA!" My mother roared at me. "I never thought I'd see the day that my own son would steal my purse."

"No, no, no, this is not what it looks like Mother; I was just trying to find my controller!" I explained, trying to come to an understanding with her. "You said that if I cleaned my room I could play my game and now look mother, it's clean like you asked on that yellow sticky."

"Oh… you were just trying to find your gadget…" She whispered to herself but I eventually heard her murmur.

The house fell silent after that sudden outburst of huge misunderstanding; my mother and I stood there waiting for one of us to break the ice. I got up to give back her purse and spoke in a nice clamming demeanor.

"It's okay mother, you just thought wrong about the situation and I'm sorry about taking your purse."

"No, it's my fault, I just woke up and seen you taking my purse, so the first thought I had was… well you know." She muttered in embarrassment. She then started scanning around my room, till she notices the poster on my wall. She put on a fake smile and commented. "Nice poster."

"Thanks…" I said softly, due to the poster showing a young woman in a skimpy maid outfit holding a weapon of some sorts.

"Where did you get it from?"

"Kenneth"

"Oh, that boy with the long hair?"

"Yeah, he bought it for me at one of his conventions."

"Oh, that was nice of him, well your room seems clean enough." She said walking back to her room.

That could have gone smoother, but I should have waited till she woke up and then asked her. I was too anxious and went ahead without thinking. Now that's all over here comes my controller. I suddenly got goosebumps all over. All break, my games and I are never gonna leave each other, I can't wait to play and talk to my friends. What's taking her so long? I thought. She must have hidden it on top of shelve in the closet, smart… maybe in the ventilation under their bed. Damn, she must have other places to hide stuff.

My mother finally came back with her hair groomed and her daycare uniform on. "Here you go, sweetie." She said handing me a plastic bag. "Oh, I won't be back until midnight."

"Why?" I asked.

"Well few of the staff at the Daycare are going out to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Daycare." She said attaching her earrings.

"But, who's gonna cook lunch and supper?" I asked knowing I'll have to cook my own meals.

"Alex... you're seventeen you can cook for yourself; there's pizza in the freezer and a TV dinner for your father."

"Ok, well... have fun at work and at the party."

"Let's hope it goes well…"

Finally, I heard the front door shut and I burst into joy now that I could play my game. I took the plastic bag and dug in it only to find my old handheld Game Dude from when I was only eight years old. I checked again in the plastic bag to find nothing else in its contents. What, no way, are you serious, and it's not here. I yelled in my head. I can't believe it my own mother played me like a fool. She's probably laughing right now in her van driving to work. So I quickly ran downstairs to phone her. I grabbed the phone off the counter. In seconds, I dialed her cell phone and waited.

Ring, Ring, Ring.

XXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXX

"Nothing… she doesn't have a clue." I said laying on my bed.

"Well did you look around your room?" Kenneth asked.

"Yep, top to bottom."

"So you're telling me that your mom took away your old Game Dude because you didn't clean your room and you thought it was your controller for your console." He explained, "I'm I right…?"

"Yeah…" I trailed off.

"So… why did you call me again?" He asked.

"Well, I need to-" I was cut off.

"To borrow a controller from me huh."

"Come on man just one controller" I pleaded.

"Well, you do owe me and all you'll be doing is taking more from me."

"What! Owe you?" I thought for a while to what I could possibly owe him "Owe you what?"

"For that poster I gave you." He snickered.

I started laughing to myself and thought, Kenneth's pretty much always like this, but you really got to know him to like him.

"Okay, when do I come over?" I asked knowing he was joking.

"Oh… uh not today, sorry man I have my cousins over right now."

"So what! Who cares if they're over?" I argued.

"Well… there happens to be five of them and there like ten to twelve years old." He said. "They just so happen to love video games, so I'm gonna need all of my controllers. Copy Red October?" He asked again.

"Copy that Red Ranger…" I can't believe we still do this. I face palmed.

"Got to go, hostiles infiltrated the supply cabinet!" He yelled rushing off his cell phone.

"Over and out..." I sighed.

Damn… now what do I do? Here I am again on my bed doing nothing. Maybe I could try looking down stairs.

XXX~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~XXX

Ring, Ring, Ring

I was about to doze off to sleep due to the boredom I was experiencing, then my cell phone started ringing which made me jump. To my surprise it was Jackson. He hardly calls me, might as well hear what he wants. I pick up my cellphone to answer the call, It's not like I have anything else better to do.

"Yo! Hey, Alex you alright man?" Jackson said happily, maybe to happily…

"Uh yeah, yeah, I'm alright... how about you?" I asked.

"Forget about me, I heard from Red Ranger that you need a controller." He cut straight to the point.

"Oh, yeah I need one," I said sounding desperate, like a dog wanting his bone back. "Do you have one to spare?"

"Well… no, but I know a guy that could help you; he makes his own unique modded controllers."

"Oh man!" I yelled feeling energy shooting back into me. "That sounds awesome, where can I buy one of his so-called modded controllers?"

"Well… he doesn't sell them online, he sells them in person."

"What!? I'm not driving or taking a taxi for miles on end just to buy a controller!"

"No, no, no." He pleaded. "Luckily for us, he lives here in the city."

"Really…" I was astonished.

"Yeah, all we got to do is get on a train to the city and then taxi to his apartment."

"Wait, apartment?"

"Don't worry Kenneth is coming with us, so we'll be fine."

"Ok wait, hold on and just hold on let me sink in all this in first." There was silence between us for almost a minute, then eventually Jackson spoke out.

"… ah Well-" He was immediately cut off sadly.

"So you, Kenneth, and I are going to some apartment to buy modded controllers in a shady part of the city?" I asked trying to explain every detail of our mission. "Also are we going today?"

End of Chapter 1