Cyber-Werez 2147

Chapter 1: Nerd Gets an Upgrade; Cyberwolf on the Hunt pt.1

The Year 2147

Location: United Cities of America (formerly United States of America)

Scrap-Iron City (formerly the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles)

The two cities that were once San Diego and Los Angeles, were now a combined larger city known as Scrap Iron City. After World War III and the devastating Earthquake known as the San Andreas, aka The Big One, the former cities of California were left in ruins. For a whole century, the city had been going through slow construction and through mergers, had become one of the larger cities in the former USA, rivaling that of Neo York, formerly New Jersey, New York, and North and South Carolina. It was one of the largest and most advanced cities that were controlled by the corporations that had survived the war and gained a somewhat corporation government system that coexisted with the Factories that connected to one of the only surviving floating cities of the Space Age, the floating City, OLYMPUS.

OLYMPUS itself was a floating spiral city that hovered miles above the twin-combined city, and tethered down to it via subway-sized cables that stretched upward connecting to the spire city, and to the ruins of the old below. No one was allowed to go up there, let alone fly up to it. No one knew if it was abandoned or automated systems, but what was known was that it always dumped garbage down below, which became the Scrapyard: a huge hot spot for advanced but dumped technology. Hence the name Scrap-Iron City.

Due to the severity of the bombs going off after WWIII, humanity had to change as a result. Thankfully with the advancement of technology as it was able to be saved, as well as OLYMPUS dumping its scraps and garbage, the city of Scrap-Iron city became one of the largest locations famous for its cybernetic prosthetics and enhancements. The city's inhabitance began to augment themselves with cybernetic improvements that could improve or enhance traits like vision, strength, speed, make them be able to survive any environment. This also came to be as a form of evolutionary lifestyle as well as a way of life that was called by those who could afford it, Cyberization.

Because of this, now the line between Machine and Man was blurred, and would soon to disappear.

But when new technology arose, so did new conspiracy and new chaos.

Gangs began to cyberize themselves to make themselves more unstoppable forces to deal with. As a result, the devastation and havoc wrought upon these gangs caused violent rebellions and uprisings, as well as crimes involving hacking, kidnappings, drugs, and so on.

To counter this, the Factories created new Law Forces to take care of the problem. The Anti-Cyber Police force which were in charge of policing, monitoring, and controlling rogue cybers. But also a new elite and freelance force was developed to balance the ACP. A force with the power to dispense both justice and punishment… for the right price. They were called Sweepers.

Like Bounty Hunters, Sweepers, whether cyber or human, dispensed justice and situations like the Adventurers you would read in RPG mangas and games. Whether solo or in groups, they would get the job done, all for the dream to make it big in the new world.

And this night, a particular Sweeper's journey was finally about to take root in the City of Technology.

Below Scrap-Iron City

Sewers of the Old

The Sewers of the Old were actually the ruins of the old cities of which Scrap-Iron was built atop. After the Big One had gone off, the earthquake had sucked down most of the ruins of the city down below. The remains were divided and smooshed into hills and a canyon caused the tectonic plates and wreckage caused by the earthquake, and as such road bridges and walkways were built atop the canyon crevices that made up the top of the ruins. It had become a virtual maze of a sewage ruin. Whatever Scrap-Iron City dumped or flushed, it ended up in this watered tunneled maze of a sewer system. And it was also the perfect place for criminals that had no territory to hide out, or to be forgotten for a while until the heat died out. Though it was also perfect to locate said scum if you were a Sweeper.

At that moment, life was moving through the ruins of the dead. A Caucasian man around in his 30s or 40s, brown hair and eyes, a look of exhaustion and panic on his face, built well despite his age, as he bolted a corner. He was dressed in ragged patched jeans, black running boots, a pale blue shirt and a jacket as well, with a utility pouch satchel, or chest phany pack others would joke on it, with a futuristic looking neon pattern on his jacket and pack, with the back of it having a kind of metallic Ogre's face on it with a broken horn. His shirt was drenched in sweat, while his shoes and pants were caked in mud and dirt; signs indicating that he had been running nonstop.

Chasing after him, a swift figure in the shadows was catching up to him. The figure must have been a ninja of sorts, as they were bolting off the ruins back and forth like a ball, chasing after them. It stopped at a downed tower, and used it as a sniper area. The figure then held up what appeared to be a green modified Renham 9 mm pistol, and it was being aimed right at the man that was running.

The figure holding the gun then spoke up, "Grenade."

Suddenly, the gun responded, as green lights on the gun lit up, and a green slip of light on the side of the barrel went up, as a small screen showed an icon of a grenade being lit. Once it made a beep sound, the figure fired, as the projectile sailed through. Time seemed to stop as the grenade shaped bullet flew right at the perp, as he turned to slowly see the shot. He freaked out, but the bullet passed him and made impact with the walled fork in the road before him. An explosion shook the area, causing dust and debris to fly away, including the perp himself. Once it died down, there was a smoldering smoky hole that had made impact, and the target was on his back, slowly trying to recover as he shuffled slowly onto his stomach. But at that time, it seemed the explosion tore at his clothing, but mostly his left arm… which revealed to be a silver and copper colored cybernetic human arm.

At that moment, the one who had fired the shot had jumped down and landed on the ground, as he held his gun out aimed at the target from the shadows. But he walked out allowing the moonlight to touch him and reveal who he was.

He was a Caucasian eighteen year old American male, short blonde hair cut in a forward buzz cut with still enough hair to cover his forehead, a slim but small muscled figure to give him the buff showings of an athlete, and green eyes. What he wore was a full black body suit that went from the neck to his feet with green military-ninja stylized armor. He wore a green chest armor piece complete with a neck collar guard, with the upper part of his back armored complete with a green backpack, and on the front still his stomach was complete with a green plated ab/stomach guard. His shoulders had green and black shoulder guard pieces while his biceps had green armor plating that didn't interfere with movement or flexibility, and his forearms had green forearm armor guards with black straps on the inside, with the upper part having a hexagon-shaped armor piece with a dark green circle in the center, and black fingerless gloves with green backhand guards and knuckles. Around his waist was a utility gun belt, with the holsters on the back, with another gun holstered on the left, with a green, silver, and black katana hilt holstered on the right side of his backpack, with a fence-styled hilt guard with a green highlight mark on it. He wore black combat-style pants for military usage with two black holster strap packs strapped on the sides of his thighs with the left having a strap attached to the left pack. His knees had black trim green knee-guards in the shape of vertical rectangles, and on his lower legs from knee to ankle were green and dark green greaves and ankle guards, with his feet in ninja-boots with the back and toes akin to shoe toes and heels, with a green tongue guard on top.

He walked towards the recovering perp, as he raised his left hand up to him. The back of his hand lit up, displaying a holographic screen and mini-screens scrolling up and down. But the main screen had a profile pic of the guy in the form of a wanted poster, as he read the following aloud, "Dale Boyd. Age 45, Caucasian, Cyborg. Crimes are: 24 counts Theft, 11 counts Assault, 6 counts Sexual Assault, and 30 counts Rape. Bounty is worth 1.5 Million credits: Dead or Alive." The screen then went away, as the young man's attention was back on Boyd, as he concluded, "The game's over, Boyd. I'm taking you in to the Factories."

Dale Boyd managed to get on his knees, as he groaned, "Since when the hell is this the way you Sweepers work?" He then managed to roll back on his butt as he glared at the young man, "Bounty or no bounty: I'm not resisting here, man!"

"Not now," the young man replied, not looking too happy at the guy. "It took me one grenade to get you to stop running away. And even before then, when I called you out, you ran away, shoving people and crying out like an idiot."

Boyd snarled at the kid as he shouted, "Hey! You can't just…!"

BANG!

Boyd stopped in his words as a gunshot was made. Though it didn't hit him, it merely struck the ground six inches from his hand. The realization that this guy was gonna kill him stopped, as he looked at the kid, and continued to reason in his favor to him, though his voice shook with fear, "You… you can't shoot me. Th-They'll revoke your license."

"Does that line work all the time," the boy asked, as he walked over. "Sorry to say this, but this is how a Sweeper works. And Dead or Alive, you're coming with me. Though I prefer alive, because I don't wanna drag your carcass with me or stuff your head in a bag."

For a moment, Dale Boyd was shocked to hear that, but his anger returned, as he snarled, "Dammit. My partner will have something to say about this."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," the young man groaned, knowing this was a common threat thugs or bounties made when they were cornered. "All bounties and scumbags of Scrap-Iron City are all the same. I'm guessing this is the part where you make threats and such, right?" The young man sighed, as he calmed, "Look, Boyd. It's either this: you let me take you in now, and all you'll go into is an Iso-Cell. Though if it were another kind of Sweeper, your severed head would go in a Meat Wagon for the Bio-Recycler. Be lucky and grateful I'm not the latter. At least for tonight."

The perpetrator finally got back onto his feet but showed his back to the young man, "Okay, alright. I get it. Take it easy. You got me, man. I give up." He then walked to the wall and placed his hands on it above his head, "You can take me in."

The young man then pulled something out from behind with his free hand. It was a pair of Ziploc lines used for handcuffs, as he walked over, while still holding his gun out at Boyd's body. But as he got closer, Boyd looked a little to the side, being careful not to peek over or be noticed by it. Once the footsteps got closer, Boyd smirked as he let out a cackled chuckle, and shouted, "DIE!"

Suddenly, the forearm and hand of his Cybernetic arm cracked open and folded the hand back to give way to an automatic gun nozzle and clip. It then did a 180 bend back and began firing at the Sweeper's direction in all possible directions. Once it stopped, Boyd turned around smiling to see his kill. But then paled, as he gasped, not seeing a body, or blood stains. He whipped around with his arm returning forward, as he looked around, "You gotta be kidding me. Where'd the body go?"

"On your left."

Boyd nearly turned to face it, until he felt a gun's muzzle on his left temple. Then suddenly, the Sweeper reappeared as if a veil was pulled off. Apparently this guy was using Stealth technology and managed to avoid being it, let alone seen. And the kid was not looking happy, as the Sweeper sighed, "No offense, but that was kinda predictable. Even for you, Boyd. You get yourself a Cyber-limb, modify it for combat, and suddenly you think you can outsmart anybody just like that, thinking they've got half a brain. Well, let me give you a lesson, Boyd. There are two types of thugs: Intelligent and Violence. Intelligent actually think things through and have backup plans. Sure they don't work out if they're up against someone with more resolve and brains, but that's how it works. Violent Thugs… well, they mostly shoot a gun at someone when they just hear sirens. Meaning, they're knuckle draggers. Guess which one you are."

Boyd retracted the gun as his arm returned to normal, as he held his hands up his head, "C'mon, man. Don't shoot me."

"I'm not going to, but you're making it difficult to take you in alive," the young man replied.

"Look, man, I'm just a small-timer. I steal what I can to make it by," Boyd explained, trying to appease this guy into letting him go. He turned to face the boy, as he nervously smiled, "You said it yourself; my bounty's 1.5 mil. Whatever the Factories' payin' out, it's not worth killing me for."

"I just said I wasn't gonna kill you," the young man said. But he noticed Boyd walking towards him slowly, as his grip on the gun never wavered, "Boyd, I'm warning you, stay put. I don't want to get rough with you as it is."

"Tell you what. Let's make a deal, alright," Boyd suggested while still moving close, "Whatever they're paying you, I'll double… no, triple. Whatdaya say?"

"I'd say I'm gonna have to decline," the young man replied. "This isn't just about the money. It's about justice. And those 30 women you raped are in need of what you…"

SHNIKT!

The young man's eyes went wide, as at least one eye was shown, and his limbs dropped, allowing him to drop the gun too. Before he knew it, Boyd's arm had folded and morphed again. This time into a pair of claw blades, which had skewered him. One blade was right in the boy's right side of his head, through the eye and skull, while the other one was through his heart. Boyd smirked, as he relaxed a little, letting his other arm down, as he cackled, "Ha! Stupid rookie sweeper! How's that for a Knuckle-dragging Thug?! You're planning for me to go to jail over some whores? Like that's gonna happen! If anything, they loved every second of it." He then attempted to pull the blades out, but they didn't budge a bit. Boyd attempted to use both arms and use is foot for extra leverage by pushing on his chest. Finally, he got fed up as both feet were down, as he shouted, "What the hell?! Why aren't these budging?!"

"You're still so predictable," the young man replied, as he looked to Boyd with his still-usable eye, and looked unfazed at what had happened.

Boyd freaked out, as he tried to make sense, while trying to pull away to no avail, "Wh-What? What the…?!"

Suddenly, before Boyd who freaked out more, the young man's body began to melt and shuffle, like a giant slime. Only this slime turned silver, dark gray, and bright green as it shifted to the left, while still holding on to Boyd's arm. Finally, the blob shifted back into the young man's form, only something was completely different. Instead of a blonde and flesh-skinned 18-year-old, there was still an 18-year-old, but everything was now different. In place of his blonde hair was bright green hair with a gray streak in the sides and back, his face was now gray metal with two rectangle green circuitry patterns on his cheeks, his ears were dark gray shapes while his neck was gray as well, but had two green jugulars with a green Adams apple on his neck. His eyebrows were dark gray, and his eyes were now black with bright green irises, and his fingers were dark gray showing from his gloves.

Boyd freaked out, as he nearly screamed, "What are you? What kind of monster are you?!"

The young man's cool demeanor, turned into an annoyed frown, as he grumbled, "Now that's just plain rude, Dale Boyd. The name's Drew Nanmitz, I'm a Sweeper for the Factory in Sector 13 of the Maverick Sweepers Guild. And I'm a Full-Body Cyborg. And that's all you need to know."

Drew's grip on the forearm of Dale's Cyber-Arm was tightening up, as the straining sound of metal was heard. Dale Boyd grunted and groaned, clutching at the arm as he tried to wrench free from Drew's grasp, as he groaned out, "S-Stop it!"

"I did say we'd do this the easy way or hard way, Boyd," Drew replied in logic, as he looked angry and annoyed at the bounty, "But since you keep resisting arrest… I'll still take you in alive. Though when I'm done, you'll wish you were just a head in a bag."

The forearm was then crushed with ease, as Boyd shouted in pain, but not before Drew swung him around 270, right into a wall, with a look of shock and pain in Boyd's face. The impact didn't kill him, but boy, the guy looked like he was through the ringer from that one swing.

As Drew saw the body fall to the ground unconscious, his annoyance melted into pure exhaustion as he slouched over his shoulder, groaning, "Why the hell do I keep getting these idiots?"

Now I know what you're thinking: what does this have to do with me? Yeah, the silver and green guy is me, Drew Nanmitz. But before all this, I used to go by Andrew Kognitz, and believe it or not, I was 100% organic. So why am I a full-bodied cyborg with a malleable polymorphic frame and going by Nanmitz? Well, it all started about 2 years ago… before I went from Flesh to Steel….

2 Years Ago

District 09 – San Jose

San Jose was one of the four major cities that made up California, next to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego. It was known as the Economic, Cultural and Political center of Silicon Valley, and one of the largest cities in Nothern California. After WWIII, it still remained that way, though it was more of a slum city habituating slums and homeless people; namely Lower-Class citizens. The ruins made up hotel/apartment Blocks, housing anything you'd need: shops, stores, restaurants, and so on. Even home/living quarters for singles, families, or groups. If you could afford it. If you couldn't afford it, you'd live in the scrapped ruins. Those who lived near Santa Clara Valley on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, lived High-class citizens; those who could afford to live the high life. Namely those that had their own private housings. Those who could live like that either worked for the Companies that ran California, or basically founded/owned those companies.

Like San Angeles, San Jose also promoted Cybernetic lifestyle and style-of-life. It was booming with the High-Tech Company industry, even before the war. Hench why it was nicknamed the Silicon Valley City. Even now, when it started in the 1990s, San Jose and the rest of the Silicon Valley City had become the global center for the high-tech and internet industries, making it California's fastest-growing Cybernetics and Technology central.

And even though it was still high tech, schools were still in business. As such, one school in particular where this story happened.

Mission San Jose Highschool

The place was a rather nice and tidy as well as modern high school. Surrounding it and on the roof edges were plant life, though it was either artificial, since plant life was scarce and could only be found in greenhouses in some parts of the cities like O2 factories for terraforming or for vegetable produce. Though there was some graffiti in some areas, though it was not seen by others, so it was mostly in shadow areas that weren't seen. The high school known as Mission San Jose or MSJ was a public co-educational 4-year school founded in the mid 1900s. Its many competitions were Quiz Bowl-Style tournaments, debates, Chess with A.I.s you could program or challenge from others. But the biggest selection was the Athletics, but mostly with the sport Motor Derby. A cybernetic version of Roller Derby, but more extreme and dangerous.

As the late bell rang out, teenagers of all shapes, races, and sizes were entering the school. Though amazingly, most had cybernetic implants or prosthesis; some human, few humanoid or otherwise, meaning a few had spider-legs, hind-legs, or caterpillar treks for mobility, or just had a quad lifter for a lower bottom of their body. But there were a few that had no cybernetics and were all naturally organic.

Some had cybernetics that were barely noticeable. Such as one young lady making her way to the lockers. She was a young woman of American/Asian mix, sixteen years old, fair skin, medium-length brown hair styled into a rough bob-cut and light blue/grey eyes, and a physique that was fairly average, with a moderately sized bust and waistline, and slender legs. She did have a cyber implant on the basis of her back neck which consisted of four jack ports, and another one behind her right ear. She was dressed with a black vest with a white long-sleeved button-up shirt, a black mini-skirt with black thigh high elegant tights, brown buckled boots and a silver crucifix around her neck that rested atop her chest. Her name was Maria Takashi.

That's Maria Takashi. An innocent soul among a place that's part of the City of Lost Angels and Cybers. An Idol among the school, even though she's not really an idol. She's any guys' dream of true love. And to be fair.. I did have a moderate crush on her.

Walking to her sides were two gentlemen who were acquaintances of hers, as she seemed to smile when they popped up as they were heading for their home room.

The first gentleman was a Caucasian sixteen-year-old good-looking guy; good looks, althetic body, smarts, and an overall good personality due to the smile on his face when he greeted Maria. He had silky brown hair and gentle blue eyes, with a toned and slender body all about 180 centimeters. Though he did have cybernetic augmentation, such as on his face with two crescent moon-like markings on his cheeks in silver, and the same neck jack ports on the back of his neck. He was dressed in blue jeans, a white turtleneck shirt, black vest and had a bulky armband-like watch on his left forearm. His name was Kalvin Redick, the class rep and all around gentleman; a true term to the guy that described him best would be 'Hero Material'.

This guy is Kalvin Redick; the class rep and to RPG nerds like me, he's considered the Hero of the school. Though he's more annoying than he looks, but his word usually is the last one. He's a kind and fair guy who's overflowing with sense of justice. However, since he never thinks he's wrong, he's got a bad habit of interpreting adverse situations to his own convenience.

The second guy was around seventeen, Caucasian, had long blonde hair tied back into a ponytail held by an orange and gray band, strong thin build, and bright orange eyes; he was quite handsome with a face to match. He had two bands on the sides of his jaw, the same jack ports in the back of his neck, and his forearms had strange circuitry patterns of silver etched, with his knuckles orange and his fingers black. He was wearing black pants and a black skin-tight shirt that looked almost like chainmail, with an orange and white trimmed jacket, with had a black hood, and wore reddish orange and black stylized futuristic sneakers. His name was Emile Fairclough, and he was considered the pretty boy of the school, as well as Kalvin's right-hand man.

This fellow is Emile Fairclough, the friendliest guy you'd know. But beneath that, he's a bit of a player who goes after anything with a pair of legs, boobs, and pretty faces. He's got high levels of self-delusion and willful ignorance, if not plain idiocy. And the worst part is, he only hears what he wanted to hear and ignored whatever might upset him. So when a guy like me tries to say he's wrong, he just up and ignores it until it comes back to bite someone in the butt.

A fat kid stuffing down jelly donuts behind them with a few implants around his neck was present as they entered the classroom.

I wish I could say this was me, but no.

Clanking was heard from behind them all, as the late bell rung out, just as the clanking got to the door in time. There, leaning on the door frame was a sixteen-year-old Caucasian male with shaggy blonde hair, green eyes hidden behind glasses, and a scrawny frame to boot with fair skin. He was dressed in blue jeans, a white button-up t-shirt with a rust brown long-sleeved shirt and brown shoes made it in. though he had one odd feature that wasn't the fact that he was 100 organic: he had a gray exo-skeleton strapped to his body from neck to heels with a battery power pack on his upper back. This was Drew Kognitz, one of the few people that didn't have cybernetic implants.

Yep. That scrawny toothpick is me. Drew Kognitz. I'm one of the few humans that doesn't have cybernetic implants or prosthesis done to me. Mostly because I couldn't afford that much to begin with, as cybernetics can literally cost you an arm and a leg; despite the fact that you needed that replaced anyway. Why do I need cybernetics? It's mostly because of my body; it's sick with some kind of bone/muscle deficiency that causes my bones to be weakened and brittle. That's why I need the exo-skeleton to move around at be at average strength. It's basically a crutch to help me, and it's one of the reasons I don't have any friends.

Drew managed to make his way to his desk and avoid everyone else. For him, he dreaded starting school, not just because some students who have cybernetics get cocky and arrogant, using it to make themselves feel big by bullying the little guy. As Drew sat down, he was greeted by the one reason he dreaded school.

It was Maria, as she pulled a seat in front of Drew's desk, and greeted the boy, almost as if they were friends, with a warm caring smile on her face, "Good morning, Drew. How was your weekend? Did you work too long? You seem a bit tired."

However, Drew calmly looked at her, blankly and unflinching in surprise. Although he was stone silent and quiet, inside… he was freaking out, as inside his head, a chibi-version of himself was screaming around, 'MARIA'S TALKING TO ME! WHAT SHOULD I SAY?! I CAN'T THINK! WHY DOES SHE DO THIS EVERY WEEK?! CRAP-BISCUITS!'

Yeah, that was part of the reason I don't have friends; I don't know how to interact with others. I'm basically shy around everyone or just don't have any confidence with dealing with people. I'm lucky that I have a part-time job. It also doesn't help that I'm hopeless when it comes to girls. But this girl, Maria Takashi… for some reason, she genuinely talks to me like we're friends. Which is odd, since we don't have out with one another. But that's also the other problem. You see…

Even though Drew's outside appearance was calm, innerly, he stopped freaking out and froze, as he heard voices all around him. Behind Maria and her dazzling smile, the other students glared daggers at him. Drew didn't have to pretend what they were thinking as their faces said it all. Glares and sneers aimed right at him just for being talked to by Maria so casually. This ended up having attract a lot of animosity towards the poor boy. Some of the boys would look at him, and he'd swear it was reading like, 'Why the hell is this nerd favored by Takashi, the Goddess of San Jose High?' or from the girls, it would feel like, 'You're just trouble to Maria, so bad off.'. It was almost as if Drew could hear with they were thinking, even without jackports on the back of his neck, which were standard cybernetic augments. This was another reason why he hated going to public schools.

But Drew ignored the glares and hate-gazes directed at him, as he looked to the girl in front of him, and had to wonder to himself: why did she like hanging around him? What was so special about him that she would want to hang around him? He wasn't an athlete, he was strong, and he didn't even have any cybernetic implants or prosthesis at all. What nobody knew about him was that at home, his specialty was computers, cybernetic physiology study, and programming. Why would someone like her, who was considered a goddess among the school, associate herself with a guy like him?

Drew nodded, and finally managed to speak to her, albeit broken and droned like a robot, "The weekend was… good. Thank you.. Miss Takashi… for asking."

Maria smiled, as she giggled, "That's the first time you ever said anything to me."

'Well, it's mostly because I've been practicing with someone's help while at home,' Drew thought to himself, not wanting to tell the others about his only friend. But his thoughts wondered on her behavior towards him, 'Why is she so happy with me returning her greeting? It's kind of odd she only does this with me and no others. I mean, sure there's Kalvin…'

"Why do you bother with him, Maria?"

The blonde spectacled boy sighed and slouched, 'Speak of the Devil.'

Sure enough, the one who spoke up and got both their attention, was Kalvin Redick. Accompanying him was Emile Fairclough, along with a new face. He was a rather handsome seventeen-year-old dark-haired man, slim but well-built frame, cut but long black hair reaching his jawline, cold blue eyes, and on his face two slash circuitry patterns on his face. He was wearing a black shirt with white pants and black shoes, but his noticeable feature was a cyberized left arm in black and white coloring. He was Ren Itsuki, the kendo club champion… and Maria's bodyguard.

Ren looked to Drew, non-threatening but rather sympathetic, as he berated politely, "Still staying up late? You're cutting it close to the bell."

Emile, looking smug, as he shrugged, speaking to Maria, "Forget about him. There's no use to talking to such a useless weirdo." He then turned up his nose at Drew, as he finished, "He can't even afford any cyber-upgrades."

Drew wanted to counter that, but nothing came out. It wasn't because he was shy, it was because he believed that whatever he said would be contradicted as something rude or obnoxious. No matter what he would say, they would just brush it off like it didn't matter.

Even Kalvin didn't make it easy for him, as he walked up and looked down at Drew, as he lectured, "Kognitz. When are you going to stop fawning over Maria? She can't give you attention forever."

The poor boy merely grimaced, as he innerly groaned, 'Ugh, it's the opposite. I actually want her to leave me alone…'

"But I talk to Andrew because I want to," Maria innocently replied.

Everyone was surprised to hear that, but Drew just sighed, as it happened again. Everyone's eyes were darting him with envy and rage, and all the poor boy could do was suck up the hatred they were spewing at him. Though he did tell himself innerly, 'I got this. Two years. Just two more years, and then I won't have to be this uncomfortable.'

Later

After Class

The teen, whom nobody noticed in the crowded hallway, Drew, was practically unnoticed to all. Which was okay for him, since he wasn't all that accustomed with people. He probably just didn't connect with anybody there. The only ones he ever connected to were his parents. Sadly, they had passed away two years ago. It was hard for him, but he managed as best he could. The only downside was that there was no one he could talk to. Nobody he was comfortable around.

He walked down the hallway, gliding or pushing himself through the crowded hallway. Even when he walked down the hallway, no one seemed to notice as they went to their lockers, to the bathroom to freshen up, or any of that stuff. However, there were kids that looked at him with much disgust or looks that said 'You Don't Belong Here'. But Drew didn't care; in fact, he could care less about what they thought of him. He didn't need everybody to love him, though it would have helped to have at least one friend on the outside world. But he knew that right after school and work, he'd be seeing his best friend afterwards, and that game him some real solace.

He walked over to his locker, but noticed a teen couple was making out over it. He sighed, knowing full well it was gonna be one of those days, but reminded himself that he had two years for graduation. As they turned a little, he walked over, and typed in his combination on the keypad lock that was built into the door like all the other lockers there, and attempted to open it. Unfortunately, the couple was proving it difficult for him, as they rolled back and closed the locker door. Though, he managed to get his books out alright, and stepped back, as the making out couple rolled over it closing it.

However, the girl stopped, as she looked at Kognitz, disgusted, as she shot out, "Do you mind?"

He shook his head, and walked away, as he got what he needed. He put them in his book bag. But just when he was about to leave, something fell out of his book stack he retrieved. He blinked, as he picked it up from the floor. Apparently, it was a letter, and from the patterns of hearts drawn on it… it was a love letter.

Drew blinked, as he asked himself, "Is this the fabled love letter?"

Truth be told for Drew, he never got one of those. Not ever. Not even on Valentine's Day or a form of pity Valentine. Heck, he never even got any chocolate, pity chocolate, or even leftover chocolate. He shook his head, as he opened the letter, and it read:

Drew Kognitz,

During the next period, please come to the back of the gym. I have something to tell you.

Maria Takashi

The poor boy's mind was flooding with shock, as he went wide eyed, and screamed in his head, 'WHAAAAAAAAA...?!'

Later On

Next Period

Back of the Gym

Despite next period, Drew showed up anyway. And even though it was a love letter, Drew was even more confused about Takashi now. Why did she have strong admirational feelings for him to begin with? The blonde looked down at the letter in his hands as he pondered to himself on this situation, 'It's just a letter, nothing more. I don't feel anything to her, so I'll just turn her down softly.' He then thought again as he looked up at the cloudy skies, 'I mean I do have a slight crush on her but that's about it. In honesty, she's a daughter for one of the corporations, so she's one of those privileged people who don't live in the slums. I don't really know why she sent the letter at all.' He shook his head as he looked forward in front of him, 'Nope, I'm just gonna turn her down flat; I'll even tell her to leave me alone from now on…' and then sweatdropped, 'If I don't freeze up like I always do.'

He blinked, as he looked at his watch, and realized the time, "It's been almost two hours, the last period's over and the next period's halfway over. Where is she?"

"I'm guessing you're waiting for Takashi then, eh?"

The blonde boy in the exo-skeleton blinked, as he looked upward at the windows, to see Emile and a few girls with him. Emile was smirking as he spoke up cocky, "You already missed last period. And now you're skipping the next period before school's up? Man, for a nerdy guy, it's strange for you to play hookie."

Drew turned around and looked upward, confused on this, as he asked, or tried to, "Huh?"

"Looks like I won the bet; gonna have my buds cash in on this," Emile chuckled, and then looked down at the confused Drew. "What? Did you really think Maria would actually show up for a cowardly loser like you?"

On the outside, Drew's calm demeanor showed no violent shock, as he looked a this with wide eyes and an open mouth in shock, but inside… he was screaming, 'WHAT?! I'VE BEEN TRICKED?!'

Emile chuckled, as did his 'harem', "I only wrote down to come behind the gym. It never said she'd meet you there. How could Maria like you at all?" And then they all just walked away, leaving Drew to feel like an idiot.

Drew felt it couldn't get any worse than this. Unfortunately, it did, as turning the corner, a middle-aged Caucasian man with combed graying brown hair, glasses hiding his eyes, wearing a teacher's suit and a permanent frown on walking nearby. Once he saw Drew, he called out, "Mr. Kognitz!" Drew jumped, as he looked to the man.

Drew freaked out as he knew who this was, "Mr. Tanaka!" he was the last period's teacher. And he was supposed to have taken a test with his class.

The teacher adjusted his glasses, hiding his eyes with a light glare, as he scolded, "You were supposed to take a test in my class. You dared to skip my class and the test that went with it? I will not allow this!" he adjusted his glasses to showcase a gray brown eye colored glare at him, as he assigned, "Silence! Staring this weekend… DETENTION FOR A MONTH!"

The form that Drew was in was a sight like his life had been sucked right out of him. He was ghostly pale with no pigment with him at all. His eyes were cold and lifeless with a purple aura hanging above him. And flying out of his mouth… was his soul, as both echoed in their heads, 'Why, World? Why…?'

Next Chapter: Nerd Gets an Upgrade; Cyberwolf on the Hunt pt.2