Earth is far behind the rest of the planets that exist in the ever-growing universe; we all know this. Thousands of species have been lost in the dark warp of time, and thousands more survived to re-tell their tales and share wisdom among their people. While some terrorize planets and leave behind a large, forever-lasting scar, others have learned to keep to themselves, content, safe, and happy.
The complexity of the universe is beyond many species' minds; only a small handful can truly grasp the fact of how vast the universe and its galaxies are. Some are constantly exploring the cosmos and pushing the boundaries of time and space. Some have no interest in such things and work on growing as a race. Some have gained the wisdom and have learned a cold fact: while knowledge is powerful and valuable, there are some things worth keeping unknown.
Truly it would take a dizzying intellect to understand how many species, how many different kinds of people, are out there. The complexity of the human race alone is mind-blowing. Think of it from an outsider's perspective: a species broken up into different races based on geographic location, the planet broken up into one-hundred-and-ninety-six "countries" – each with its own ruler(s), traditions and laws – and the cultures and thoughts of all of the races and different kinds of humans in very confusing. Which country is known for the best laws? Who is gifted with weaponry? Why is one known for love? What is their history? What have they learned?
And that's not including the hundreds of thousands of alien species that dwell in the endless stars and galaxies.
Several humans have been captivated by their universe and how unexplored it is, eager to learn more about it every day. A young male-human, somewhere in his mid-twenties in Earth-years, enjoyed star-dazing through his electric telescope and looking at monitors' graphs on his highly-advanced laptop. The warm Floridian air felt cozy and the music of the insects and other creatures that shared the planet with humans sang into the starry night as the man and his co-workers observed and studied.
As the young man looked at his telescope, a light of red from the corner of his eye caught his attention. He tore away from the telescope and rolled his chair over to the laptop to read a report sent in from a satellite near Saturn, strong enough to detect action happening millions of light-years away. His hazel eyes grew small with a mixture of fear and amazement and he put a hand to his forehead and leaned against his chair.
"Sir, you might wanna take a look at this." The young man called.
An older gentleman with peppered-hair walked up and peered at the screen his scientist was staring at.
"Something alien is heading straight towards us. It might be possible it'll hit the moon, but it's not likely." The young man said.
"How far away is it?" The boss asked.
"It hasn't even reached our solar system yet, sir." The worker replied as he typed away. "But it's moving at light-year speed, far faster than anything from Earth! It'll most likely hit in twenty-four hours."
"Let's gather as much as we can before we call the media." The boss said as he walked around and started calling out orders to the other scientist. "We can't afford to stir the planet up for nothing, but it is our duty to warn people about this sort of thing. You, see if you can tell what it is. And you, pull out the list of national news-station across the world."
As the scientist got straight to work, the first man to spot it enhanced on the film of the strange beam of light flying through the sky and watched closely. To what would seem like a shooting-star to far too many people, the scientist knew that this was different. It didn't seem quite like a ship, but how would he know he's never seen one! The enhancing made it clear and the young man swore he could see some sort of person inside the beam of light, but he decided not to say anything in case he was wrong; the image was extremely fuzzy.
But nevertheless, a creature was flying towards Earth.
The man and many others worked tirelessly with the help of coffee and doughnuts all throughout the night and well into the noon, trying to figure out what this anomaly was.
Up in the northern half of the country, Metro City was a buzz. Noon in the summertime was always active and loud with many different types of people crowding the sidewalks. Some hurried to a diner or fast-food joint to eat lunch and have a few minutes to relax and before they had to get back to work. Cooks and servers worked non-stop, beads of sweat trickling down their skin as they worked harder than most people at that hour. Some were families finally leaving the house for a day on the outskirts of one of the Great Lakes, giving a sea without a beach. Fathers had their infants sit on their necks, smiling as they played with their hair, making the mother laugh. Some were couples walking with their fingers entangled, talking in endless pleasure or looking for a place to hold each other and have their lips meet in pure love.
Normalcy was a rare treat for the city, but was becoming more frequent in the last year since everything changed. A long-time hated villain named Megamind had proven that the impossible could become possible: he was now the hero of the skyscraper-decorated city. After the supposedly defeat of Metro Man, the takeover of Metro City and the creation and defeat of Titan, things were haywire. Backwards was forwards, upside down was downside up, good was bad and bad was good.
But that was okay. With time, the people were accustomed to the new "normal". Broken streets and buildings were rebuilt, a new museum was made newer, and Megamind had reigned as Metro City's hero and savior for over a year. Many rumors flew around, almost like jokes or the latest celebrity craze. Some teased that Metro Man wasn't really dead because Megamind was too good for that, but others would say that it was an accident. But it hardly mattered; Metro Man would always be honored, but things have changed and people have moved on.
Some people loved to whisper about Roxanne Richi dating the new hero of Metro City. Years ago, people had done the same with her and Metro Man, but now the man had changed and people seemed more intrigued into the new couple. Not that they were public about it, but when you're seen kissing at a restaurant, saving Roxanne from a falling building, caught hugging and crying and looking at each other in that certain way, it was hard say that it was just a rumor.
The day was hot, but hardly mattered to Megamind, who grew up wearing his favored black-leather tights. He rarely ever heated-up and quite enjoyed the sun on his blue skin. However, with the crowds swarming around and his attitude too good to ruin, he had used his holo-watch to buy lunch for Roxanne and bring it to her apartment, planted there to finish a report. She didn't like the fact that Megamind hid under the hologram of Bernard, but he made sure to deactivate it before she saw him and he wanted to walk freely without looks, good or bad, and no camera or questions or autographs, so Roxanne let it go and accepted the lunch and hour with Megamind without complaint.
When he walked for the lair after his little lunch-date, Megamind felt refreshed. He had enjoyed his time with the girl that changed everything, hearing her report and giving input, watching her play with her bangs when thinking, teasing her and flirting with the same sly smile he had used for years. He could see the whole day in front of him: finish a new plan with a fresh mind, finish in time for dinner, patrol the city, and tomorrow he and Minion would start building.
Dressed as Bernard, Megamind walked by workers hurrying back to work to avoid trouble with their bosses and children playing tag with their parents, barking and running after them to stay close. It felt good to be able to blend in and to get to escape every once and a while, to have the freedom to walk and just breathe.
Yes, an occasional burglar would strike, a case usually ignored my Metro Man with his attention on Megamind, and Megamind would act upon it and send them to jail, easing the police's worries, but really, there were no real villain to fight at the moment, no real threats. Though the coming of so was inevitable, Megamind did not let the relaxed months nerve him or make him grow lazy, therefore taking up small crimes when possible to stay fresh.
After some time, Megamind left the inner-workings of Metro City and entered a graveyard of factories and fish-hatcheries. They had proven over the years to be full of resources and materials Megamind needed for his inventions; what someone might see as junk, Megamind truly saw as treasure.
He walked up to one building with a fake observatory on the roof and walked right into the hologram of a wall that read in graffiti, "Go away. Nobody lives here." Megamind turned the rim of his watch and reappeared as himself. He sighed as the cool air of the once-evil lair touched his heated skin and smiled at the back of Minion and walked up to him; the fish was at the Death Ray and telescope controls and was working hard.
"Sir," Minion said, not looking away. "You might want to take a look at this."
Minion moved to the side and Megamind pressed a green eye against the telescope. Moving at an alarming rate flew a streak of light, heading for Earth.
"I heard the national news give a small report and thought to investigate while you were gone, sir." Minion explained. "I've calculated its landing point and it may be heading for Metro City."
"Anything familiar?" Megamind asked.
Though they were children when forced to feel from their home world, Minion remembered little things, vague details, about space and their home, which was better than what Megamind remembered: nothing. But Minion shook his head.
"I have no clue, sir. I have never seen a light like that before." Minion said. "It's moving incredibly fast and, according to the news, is a meteorite."
"Well, we will be keeping a close eye on it and making sure it doesn't do any harm. Make sure the Death Ray is fully loaded and ready. And no 'warming up's!" Megamind warned.
"You got it, boss." Minion said and the real work began.
As they worked, the hours ticked away and the sun touched the lake and started to sink below, creating stretched shadows for children to play with and dogs to bark at. The cool of the evening began to set in, and the streak of light could now be seen by the naked eye and it was clearly going to land in Metro City. Workers hurried home for dinner, showers, and bed. Teenagers and young adults were taking their place in the streets for a night on the town and partying the summer away.
Roxanne had drove up to the lair and ran in to join them. At the sounds of her steps, Megamind turned and smiled.
"Roxanne!"
"Megamind!" Roxanne breathed from all of her running and stood next to the hero of Metro City. "I'm guessing you saw the meteorite."
"Yes, but we'll take care of this soon enough." He promised the girl of his dreams. "Is the Death Ray ready, Minion? No 'warming up's?" Megamind asked the fish.
"Fully ready and operational, sir." Minion said, a hand on the switch.
Megamind grinned at the streak of light, his eyes flashing in excitement, and then yelled as he pointed to the machine, "Fire!"
Minion pulled the lever and the satellite shot right at the streak. The intensity of the beam drew a breeze and lifted some dust from the ground. The streak exploded from the ray's power and a loud screech, much like a siren's, blasted through the sky, making Megamind and Roxanne cover their ears and the brain-bots around the lair whine and hide in pain. The ray ceased the screeching, and the object fell directly below and crashed into the lake.
"Was that a person?!" Roxanne gasped as she cautiously unblocked her ears.
Rubbing a ringing ear, Megamind ran out and called, "Minion, get the car! We have to see what we hit!"
"On it, sir." Minion said and he and Roxanne followed.
The two defenders of Metro City and the reporter ran into the car and Minion drove around the outside of the lair and up to the harbor. They were able to stop right as a red hand crawled up from the water and tried to pull a body up onto the little patch of green before the planks of wood of the lakeside harbor. Some sort of creature coughed and groaned in pain and it pulled itself out of the lake and laid on its back, trying to catch its breath, its eyes closed.
Megamind, Minion and Roxanne got out of the car quickly and Megamind held out an arm to block Roxanne from any harm. They simply stared at the creature and Roxanne gripped Megamind's outstretched wrist.
"Megamind." she breathed.
His green eyes were small and lost his spark in shock. All of the sudden, he was overwhelmed with regret for what he had done. After all these years of life on Earth, of never thinking of what was out there, too consumed in his own silly life, something with the key to everything now laid at his feet.
Another alien had landed on Earth.
The alien slowly opened one of its eyes and saw the Earth-dwellers. It sprung up, turned to them, and got on its feet. The four stared at one another for a moment as the sun set behind the girl.
The alien appeared to be female, her skin a perfect red and her clothes maroon and raspberry. She had white hair that was pulled into a top doughnut-bun with a decorative, golden pin sticking out of it, and she had a bow carried across her chest. A dark, perfectly circular birthmark on her forehead hid shyly behind her pulled-back bangs.
Her shirt and pants were singed and holed; her skin was cut and bloody, she had old scars scattered throughout her body, and the right side of her face was burned and blistering; her silver eyes held anger and a twinge of fear. She stood as tall as possible, determined not to show weakness and appeared to be as tall as Minion.
"It's O and the K." Megamind called patiently, moving his hands in a sort of 'settle down' motion. "It'll be the O and the K."
Roxanne tried hard not to giggle or correct Megamind on how to say "okay". The alien stood frozen, as if observing the three. The alien's eyes were filled with confusion and fear. She pulled out the bow from around her chest, and laced her palm at her birthmark. When she pulled her hand away, a silver arrow emerged in her clutch and she quickly attached it to her bowstring. She aimed her weapon at the blue man, who shook off his amazement and put up his hands in surrender. She said something in a warning tone, but it was in her own foreign language.
"Sir, what are we going to do?" Minion asked. "She has no idea what we're trying to do, and we don't know why she's here."
Megamind stared. He wondered what she had been through. Did she escape from a black-hole that swallowed up her planet, much like he and Minion did? Or did she simply come here to invade Earth? How much did she know? What was her story?
The alien relaxed at his expression. Her eyes softened and she lowered her bow and arrow. She looked so confused and hurt. She may appear to be the same age as Roxanne, but for a moment, she looked like a lost child, scared and alone.
The alien gave her arrow a flick of the wrist and it disappeared. She put her bow back around her chest and ran towards Megamind at high speeds to attack. She picked him up by the collar and pushed Roxanne away, making her hit the invisible car. Megamind gasped for Roxanne's safely and cringed at the sight of the alien that held him hostage, ready for a punch. What he did not expect, was a kiss full on the lips.
His eyes were wide open, but the girl's pair of eyes was closed. Megamind tried to push her away, but she had a tight hold on him. Minion covered glass bowl head with both hands and shut his eyes tight. Roxanne grew red and looked around for something to use as a weapon. At last, the alien threw Megamind to the side and begged him in English,
"I do not know who you are, but please… just leave me be!"
WHAM! Roxanne had found an old ore from a boat and smacked the alien on the right side of her face, making her scream and bend over as she put a hand to her burnt cheek.
"Only I'M allowed to do that!" Roxanne yelled in fury and aimed to swing again.
The alien saw the second blow coming and rolled to the side to avoid it. She pulled out a new arrow and shot it at Roxanne, who shielded herself with the ore and the arrow stuck there. Roxanne pulled the arrow out of the ore and threw it like a spear at the alien.
She bounced over and dodged it. "I do not want to fight you!" she yelled.
Megamind pulled out his gun and shot at her as she ran, leaving a trail of singed wood behind the girl. "Then you shouldn't have shot at Roxanne!" He yelled.
One shot got the alien at the ankle and she fell with a small roll. The alien shook her head and started to get again, but then her eyes got small and she looked around wildly. Megamind aimed to shoot again, but the alien's actions halted him. The alien started holding her head and squeezing her eyes tight as she groaned in pain and misery.
Roxanne ran up to Megamind's side and watched the girl. She shook her head like a wet dog and tried to see with her blurring vision.
"MOTHER!" She screamed, making the three heroes wince. "MOTHER! I AM TRYING! I AM…" She could not continue to speak, the pain too great.
"What is wrong with her?!" Roxanne asked.
"She is clearly deranged." Megamind observed and moved closer to Roxanne, ready to protect her if needed. "Minion, have the Sleeping Powder ready!"
"Yes, sir!" Minion said and quickly went to the car.
"Sleeping Powder?" Roxanne whispered.
"Much like the Knock-Out Spray and the Forget-Me Stick." Megamind hissed. "But better for farther distances, and I don't want to get to close."
The alien held her head and opened her eyes widely to try to see. Roxanne could see tears in the silver eyes and her anger was gone, leaving only fear. The reporter took a step forward, but Megamind grabbed her forearm.
"Roxanne, be careful!" He warmed, keeping an eye on the alien. "We have no idea what that thing is!"
"But she's hurt!" Roxanne said, watching the creature. "Maybe we could…"
The alien took in several deep breaths and seemed to be fighting whatever pain she was in, but only barely. "Mother!" She yelled at the sky. "Mother, I am trying… I am trying to see!"
The alien looked at Megamind and Roxanne and stood up straight. Megamind held out a protective arm in front of his girl and pointed his gun at the alien. Before anything else could happen, Minion used a gun from the car to shoot a smoke-bomb at the girl and hit her right in the face. White powder clouded her as she wheezed and coughed, her eyes turning red and puffy.
"NO!" She gaged. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
She fell on her knees and coughed and hacked hideously, the smoke tearing up her throat and making her eyes fill with tears, her mental pain mixing with her new physical pain.
"What on Earth was that?!" Roxanne asked.
"It's just Sleeping Powder!" Megamind exclaimed, fearing he may have hurt the alien more than intended. "It shouldn't hurt it! Just make it fall unconscious! Minion?!"
"Perhaps it is because she's a different species?" Minion guessed sheepishly with frightened hazel eyes.
The alien's breathed slowly calm and her energy weakened. Her arms gave way and she fell, struggling to keep her eyes open and her mind active.
"Mother… I am trying…" She breathed before the powder overcame her and forced her into sleep.
Megamind and Roxanne rushed to her and Megamind lifted her head and felt for a pulse, but she was still breathing and seemed okay; she simply had an over-reaction to the chemicals.
"Minion," Megamind ordered as the fish joined them. "Put her in the car; we'll keep a hold of her until we know everything. And make a note to do additional tests on the Sleeping Powder."
"Yes, sir."
"Megamind," Roxanne said as Minion picked up the alien bridal-style and gently put her in the back seat. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
Megamind gave her a piercing look before turning away to head to the car. "What other choice do we have?" He asked. Roxanne didn't have an answer.
Once they got the stranger into the lair Minion headed for the First-Aid Kit and Roxanne looked over the girl. Even in her slumber, Roxanne could tell that she was still in great pain. The reporter grazed a soft finger on her right cheek and felt her blisters and burns. Was it just her, or did the burn seem smaller?
"I suppose that's from the Death Ray." Megamind said, interrupting Roxanne's thoughts, his elbows on his knees as he sat in his black chair.
His eyes always said it all, his face always very expressive. In the rain after he was unmasked, after he defeated Titan a year ago, every time words failed him, his eyes spoke. Roxanne read that he was conflicted, confused, unsure of what to do, and ashamed of hurting her with the Death Ray.
"Megamind," Roxanne said quietly to get him to look her in the eye. "Are you okay?"
Megamind looked away and let his head rest on his right hand. "I've made a terrible mistake shooting her. What on Earth was I thinking?! She could have been killed. I don't blame her for attacking."
Roxanne took his other gloved hands and said sweetly, "It'll be okay. You can't blame yourself; you didn't know. And we'll sort this out. Together."
Megamind looked back up at her and gave a small smile and a gentle squeeze of her hand. His smile did not last, and he muttered, "I wonder what she knows ab…"
Minion came in and opened the kit, cutting Megamind off, but the bald alien was grateful for it. "Okay, I suppose we could start off with…"
"Look!" Roxanne gasped and let go of Megamind's hand.
The alien's cheek was healing itself. The skin seemed to be rebuilding itself at an alarming pace and the specks of blood were being cleared away. The alien's face still look troubled as the burn healed, but she seemed more relax than before, like she had finally fallen into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
"Amazing." Roxanne breathed and grabbed a blanket from the couch. "She… I guess she can heal much faster than us." Roxanne threw the blanket over the alien and smoothed it out, making the stranger comfortable.
Megamind smiled as he watched Roxanne make sure the pillows were right so her neck wouldn't hurt, keeping an eye on the healing burn, and checking that the blanket covered her neck to toe and would keep her warm. Roxanne always saw the good in people; saw everyone as equal and worth giving a chance, even Megamind. To see her give that same chance to another alien, someone else who didn't deserve it, made his heart sing.
Roxanne turned from the alien and whispered, "Let's let her rest. We can talk to her in the morning."
Megamind nodded and put an arm around his girlfriend. With Minion following them, they left the living room and the alien alone.