Sorry for the long delay between chapters. A combination of exams, video games, procrastilaxation and general laziness is not advised. Anyway, I'm going to make the majority of the story 3rd person from now on and reserve the 1st person POV switching for special occasions.

Noxsim Part 1

Chapter 2: Introductions

In which Giacomo answers some questions.

Noxsim sat in the interrogation room, patiently drumming his fingers on the wooden tabletop. He had been sitting there for over an hour after his questioning by Carlini and Giacomo, the old good inventor bad general routine, and he had spent that time getting his thoughts in order. He knew he was not from this strange land he was in but parts of it did look familiar, including Giacomo, Carlini and Petruzzio. He knew that somewhere he had a twin who had a reversed colour scheme to him and that he had memories of his twin's life but not his own. He knew he had possession of some very powerful and familiar technology and weapons which he could materialise at will.

Then there where the things he didn't know. Where was he? As far as he knew he was in some sort of stronghold but outside of that he had no clue. He had passed some windows in his escape attempt but all he saw was miles upon miles of buildings and machinery. So he was in a city, a very industrial city. Who was he? He had a name but he made it up on the spot and even then it was based on his twin's which was all he had to go on. So for now 'Noxsim' should suffice. Where was he from? That was much harder to figure out. He didn't even have any memories of where his twin was from. That would have to be left for later. Why was he here? Another tough one. The answer to that will also have to be postponed. And why was everything so familiar? Maybe he had been here before. But if he had, wouldn't they have recognised him? Just what he needed, more questions.

He leant back in his chair and drew back his right sleeve. There was the strange little shield. Still perfect and undamaged from Carlini's bullet. Not even a speck of dirt tarnished its smooth surface. That was another strange aspect of it. It did not feel like regular metal did. When he ran his finger over it there was no friction. It was perfect right down to a molecular level. It was strange. Just like that rifle, the P.A.M.A.C., it was not like Carlini's. If his rifle had been like this one, Noxsim suspected his arm would've been blown clean off. No, this rifle was much more powerful than any other weapon he had seen. Granted, he had only seen one other weapon so far. Still, it was strange.

Noxsim looked up as the door to the room opened and in stepped Giacomo and Carlini. Giacomo sat in the chair opposite Noxsim while Carlini leant against the wall next to the door.

'Well, we took a vote,' said Giacomo 'it was 2 to 1 so it's decided that we will trust you.'

Noxsim wondered who that 1 was and glanced at Carlini who had a sour look on his face.

'And part of that trust means answering any of your questions.' Giacomo continued 'I assume you probably have a lot.'

'Who are you?' Noxsim asked, his voice monotone and betraying no emotion, not that there was any to betray. "Very 'to the point' isn't he" Giacomo thought silently.

'My name is Giacomo, I am the head engineer of Miana. My brother Petruzzio is the current reigning lord of Miana.'

'Is that him?' Noxsim indicated to Carlini.

'No.' Said Carlini. 'I am Carlini, a general in the Mianan Royal Musketeers.'

'Where are we?' Noxsim asked.

'We are currently in the Mianan royal palace located in the heart of the capitol city of Miana. However, the entire known world we are in is called Aio.' Giacomo replied. 'Anything else?'

'Just one more. Who is The Doge?'

'He's an evil man.' Said Carlini, rousing from his position by the wall and striding over to the table, his prosthetic leg hissing and clunking as he went. 'His only concern is ruling all of the Vinci people. No matter how many lives he has to take.' Noxsim could sense that Carlini hated this man more so than Giacomo but kept quiet.

'Is he Mianan?'

'No.' Said Giacomo. 'He is Vennucian. Their lands lie to the north of ours.'

'Who are the Vinci?'

'All of us, well, except for you. Anyone who uses a technology similar to ours.' Replied Giacomo. A look of pride spreading across his face. 'The Vinci are masters of steam and steel, anything that uses clockwork is guaranteed to had been built by a Vinci.' Again the name was familiar to Noxsim.

After a pause Giacomo asked 'Is that all?'

'Yes, I think so.' Noxsim replied.

'Good, now you are free to go for now but don't wander too far or else you might get lost. If you ever do just ask anyone, most of everyone is friendly around here. We've given you a room in the palace if you want to use it, just ask the guard.' Said Giacomo standing up to leave. 'If you need me I'll be in my workshop, I think you already know where that is right?' Noxsim nodded before standing up. 'Good, I'll see you later then.' Giacomo left leaving Carlini alone with Noxsim.

As Noxsim started to leave Carlini grabbed his arm and turned Noxsim to face him.

'Listen, I still don't trust you, so if you do so much as put one foot out of line I won't hesitate to lock you up and throw away the key, got it?'

'You are just saying that because I shot at you.' Said Noxsim shrugging of his grip.

'That still doesn't mean you shouldn't watch what you do. If you really are with The Doge there'll be hell to pay!' Carlini shouted after him as Noxsim left the room.

There we go. Second chapter finished. It's clear that Carlini still doesn't trust Noxsim, so what will he do to earn that trust? Also this chapter is set about one week before the events in the game. I'm not particularly happy with it but no matter how many times I change it I can't make it better. Reviews are appreciated, as are flaming trolls.