Chapter 8 - "You Are Not Alone."

SPARKS' POV

I ignored everyone around me as we were on our way back to Zirkon, sitting all by myself. I gotta admit, I am very good at hiding my true emotions after the whole thing. Faking happiness and all of that, especially after hearing about this engineer previous story.

My whole body shivers in fear as I think of that… Once again, thinking to myself, will that be me?

What if the earthlings greet us like they do in the films? With guns and weapons, just ready to kill us on the count of three?

What if it is true, that they boil innocent engineers like me, into a crispy tender meal, and eat us all up?

I sigh, and stare out of the window, despite all of the rumors, I still know one thing…

"Hu-mans are so interesting…" I whisper to myself. Knowing the others, clearly fighting over something, are not interested at all, so none of them ever heard me.

We soon arrived back on our own little planet, each getting out of the private limbo one at the time.

"Alright you four, listen up." Plexus begins. "We have a big day ahead of ourselves, it'll be your first official day of training. You hear?"

"We hear!" We say in unison.

"Right! Now… Skip get's the luxury treatment. He'll be over at one of Zirkon's finest hotels!"

"Oh my Kell… You don't mean…." Skip says, almost in an excited voice.

"Yep, you'll be staying over at the Eden Hotel in the largest room on the top floor, over a billion Jorrikas!"

"YES! Take that god! I proved you wrong! My parents are going to spin in circles in their graves when they find out about this!" He says as Plexus throws him the key and leaves.

"Tazer, Razor, you'll just be having the same life you have always had. You two, someday i'll give you a room of your own, but for now, just go home."

"I am perfectly okay with that." Razor says as she leaves.

"Well…. Alright…" Tazer speaks up, and walks off. "Guess I'm training at the dumpster in the early hours!

"As for you, Sparks…" Plexus comes up to me. "I hate to do this as much as you hate me for doing this to you, but I have no other choice to follow the commander's orders. You are forbidden to ever return to your family unless you succeed in this mission."

My world was turned upside down at that very moment, I already know they are never, ever going to forgive me.

"As for Skip's request on where you'll be staying, I will be sending you off to an old abandoned minka that was rumored to be cursed to the original owners. You are free to get whatever materials you may need, but just remember, this isn't like Irumpia. You have a responsibility.

"I know, sir…" I respond. He sighs.

"Look, Sparks, I didn't wanna tell you this in front of the others.. But I know what it is like to go from a normal person to a nervous wreck when something like this gets thrown in front of you. I swear. I'll try to get someone kind enough to help you out with food and all that if you don't feel like going out."

"Yes, Sir…"

"But seriously, if you feel like you are not up for it, then I have the perfect replacement all set up for you. It's all up to you. But remember..." He put his hand on my shoulder.

"It's for the best that you stick around. Some miracle will come your way, and it might be for the best of anyone else around you."

At that response, I gulp. If it's for the better of everyone, and for the best of me, then I'll accept my fate. Even if it comes at a deadly price in the end.

"I'm not going to run away, sir. I'll do it." I speak up.

"Really? You were acting down on your luck a few hours ago!"

"But I still feel like this was all thrown to me because of me being a runaway. I want to show everyone I am the same old Sparks, but new and improved. That I am not surrendering to any other species around me, human, or non-human. I can survive being on my own without clinging onto my own family, I can survive whatever this commander has to throw at me, so, go ahead. Take me to this minka. I am not leaving this team."

"Oh… Well… Alright… Neon will transport you there. I'll go get your things."

And with that, he walks away, I just stand there, realizing what I have just said.

"I cannot believe it… I'm becoming something I'm not…"

The ride took us longer than expected, traffic was everywhere, left and right. I didn't really mind it at all though, I was just looking around the city… It has changed a whole lot since I was gone, it was a metropolis now, the buildings are higher than ever, and with it being nighttime, neon lights were glowing everywhere, almost like some cyberpunk motion picture.

It was so beautiful, I thought, how a species who adored battle can invent something like this.

I am more of a nature lover myself, always eating by myself outside back in high school, but this is even better than the city I purposefully trapped myself in for 10 years.

For the first time since last night, I smiled, and looked in awe… Somehow, Plexus seemed to notice.

"First time seeing the city for the first time?"

"Yeah…! I don't know how you guys did it, but it looks so beautiful to look at now!"

"Well, the construction workers know what is for the very best. They know that this maybe Earth in the near future, you know?"

I nod my head, not caring about the invasion or anything. I am just so amazed. I thought it'll still be small, but now it is truly an amazing place to be in.

We soon arrived in the minka.

"Well, this is it. Welcome to your new home."

I just looked at the house, so I didn't really know what to say in this situation.

"Uh…. T-thank you… I can handle all of this from here."

I grab my luggage and once Plexus is gone, I decide to go in, and look around, it certainly has the feel of a Japanese minka those Earthlings have, except it has a few modern touch ups to make it feel more like our own. I go to the room, and get it all set up, unpacked my stuff, and then I just sigh of exhaustion for the entire day.

Lying down, I just think, this is like, a huge requirement, right? Plus, there is the thing that my teammates are not exactly the kind type, while Plexus on the other hand might only be pretending to be kind toward me. So in conclusion, I feel completely alone in this situation. Hopeless, and not knowing any way to go after all of this is done and over with.

"I'm alone…. Utterly, truly, seriously alone."

I was just lying there for a while, until I heard something, someone struggling.

"PISS! Why won't this damn thing open?"

I sat up, when I heard who it was.

"Libra?"

I thought, for someone like her, wanting her to be an engineer, she'd be a little more intelligent. No offence to Libra. She still seems clueless, almost as clueless and naive as me.

I go and slide the door itself open.

"I…" She stops her little rant when she sees me. "O-oh…! Sparks! Thanks a whole lot… I have never really been in a place like this before. Anyway, I just came to give you all this! Food, laundry stuff, y'know, stuff to help you survive!"

"Oh… Thank you…"

"Your welcome~! I also brought some dinner, hope ya like the stereotypical burger meal!"

"Well, come in…"

I watch as Libra dives into her meal, clearly enjoying every bite she eats.

I was hesitant at first, but as I took that first bite, I found myself having the same reaction she had.

"Wow….! This is so good!"

"I know, right? I'll say it now, since you are still the fish out of water around the new Zirkon, this restaurant opened last year, can you believe it?"

I nod, and continue my meal, that is when Libra decides to strike in a conversation.

"Alright… So, I have questions, I bet you have questions about me as well… But lettme get this out of the way… Since pretty much, I never knew the reason why… I get it, it might be… Ehhhh… Touchy… But still, what prompted you to run away to Irumpia?"

I shallow, and put the final half of the burger down, and sigh. I wipe away the sauce on my mouth as I begin to speak.

"Well, it's complicated… You might be lucky to be so young and still have the joy of life beside you… You see, one day, some strange man came toward me… As I remember, he had some sort of ugly face and grungy voice…"

Upon saying this, I blush in embarrassment… What am I saying?

I somehow notice Libra laughing at the statement. I giggle a bit in response.

"Look, look, look! I know this story is serious and all… But the way you described this guy reminded me of someone I encountered during my middle school years…!" she says.

"Yeah… Is…. Is it okay for me to finish…?"

Libra is just drinking her soda, probably to get her to calm down. "I'm listening now, go ahead."

"Anyway, that man showed up… And he had told me… That my parents were killed, in a fire during a gala that occurs only once every century. So, I winded up going to the funeral later that night… It was gloomy, dark, full of despair… I was on the frontline, silent the whole time, I didn't even come up to speak… I was just too depressed to speak up. After everyone else went out to talk, drink, do all sorts of things, I just sat there, looking at their graves. I didn't wanna speak to anyone else."

"I see… So… What happened after that? Did you just leave without a trace?"

"No… After everyone was completely gone, I was the only one left, still sitting, facing their graves. Something changed inside of me… I felt like… This species of our's, is horrible, they do horrible things, and they won't even apologize for it, no matter how hard they lie toward others. My world was filled with darkness and nightmares… It's like, my heart was in total pain… As a result.. And, call me crazy for saying this… But….. But…. I've cried."

"What the…."

"I've cried… Actual tears, hu-man tears. Normal people's tears. No Zirkonian has ever felt sadness, not even you, I suppose. So, to feel this happening to me…. Is a blessing, yet also an accident…. After that… Since my family was at the afterparty… I packed everything up, and ran away…. I know, I should've gone back when I had a chance, but… I just couldn't build up the courage to do so all this time….! I…. I just feel like I'm so alone right now…. I… I don't know what to do… And if I finish all of this, but betray everyone again, befriending the hu-mans…. I don't know how I can go back to my normal life after all of this is over… Especially if I get banished…. I….. I'll be completely alone."

I placed my hands in my eyes, trying not to cry, little did I know Libra was walking behind me, hugging me from behind.

"You are not alone." she says. "I may not be with you all the time… But still, I will always be with you, even if everyone else in your life goes away…"

I look up, and turn to notice her.

"Y-you mean it…?"

"Of course I do! You have a best friend now, and that comes in the form of me!"

My frown turns into a smile, "Thank you, Libra… I knew you were a special one from the moment."

"I know! Plus, I find it amazing that you can cry… It means you are not like the others, you seem to be some special breed… I promise to you… I'll help you out to get through this mess! If you need me to teach you anything about human culture, lettme know! I actually study a bit of that as well!"

I hug her, thanking her once again. I am so happy….

She's the first friend I have ever got… I don't wanna let her go.

'Please, Libra….' I think to myself. 'Never leave me.'

TO BE CONTINUED….

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh my god… You all have no idea how much i've been waiting to develop the relationship between Sparks and Libra! They might have the perfect chemistry for the best friendship! We're getting into the training sequence portion of the fic, so be prepared for that shiza, kids!

Anyway, I, once again, don't have a lot to say here. I'm gonna go now lol

Read and review!

I do not own anything except for some of the places and characters! Everything else belongs to 20th Century Studios, Regency Enterprises, and Disney!