Curious Find

Under any normal circumstance, a charging, bipedal lizard would be a rather horrifying sight, yet right in this second, Thomas couldn't help but be decently calm, if not, more excited than anything else.

Almost as if on instinct, his pike drops and Thomas lowers his guard, opening his arms wide. The charging raptor slows down just a shred before almost barreling straight into the black-clead warrior. The now easily recognizable Pack, as his name is, closes his eyes and nuzzles his head in Thoma's shoulder.

"This is super bizarre." thought Thomas, softly stroking the lizards near-shining scales. "Something within me just automatically recognized him."

Pack is a Utahraptor. At 2 meters 20 tall and about 5 and a half meters in length coupled with his long rows of razor sharp teeth and sickled feet, Pack cuts a mean figure but doesn't frighten Thomas at all.

"Damnit, if nothing else, it feels nice to see you. I'm not alone, for one. Other than that thought though, I really do feel strangely warm with you around, as if we are somehow connected." mused Thomas, the raptor now backing off slightly and looking at its master as he spoke.

"Well, all saddled up and everything. I guess this means I have a mount."

As Thomas looks around once again, Pack following his lead and observing his surroundings, a thought hits Thomas pretty hard.

"Hold on. If Pack's here, what's not to say my other mounts made it through as well?"

This thought got the translocator to think for a second of his future plans. Trying to get an understanding of the situation as it is is impossible for the moment. Having no understanding of where he is, who else is in the area and what he's even doing there in the first place are only questions that can be answered if given more context.

Thomas needs to find civilization.

Nodding to himself, finding his resolve, Thomas mounts Pack as if it were second nature.

"Ok pack, let's find some human life, ye?" Seemingly understanding his master, Pack utters a shallow call of apparent enthusiasm before moving in the directed path.

Traveling through an opening in the forest, abound a path lightly traversed by the local wildlife proved no problem for Pack. The speed at which he ran was for him a jog, otherwise equal to a race horse at full tilt.

Such speed was nothing Thomas's new body couldn't handle.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

In an unknown dark expanse, rocks jutting out from the walls and ceilings, a lone figure stood. The light exuded from a handful of crystals along the walls painting the person and everything around her in a light blue hue, just barely making the girl visible.

Clasping her hands in front of her with eyes closed, the short, platinum haired beauty spoke in a soft voice.

"You've finally returned. I've brought you back to me after all of these years."

"We will meet very soon. A few issues must be resolved before our time together."

Her eyelids open up, revealing crystal blue eyes of unparalleled beauty.

"Until we meet again, my love."

The girl disappeared as if never there in the first place.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Shivering on the spot, Thomas commented "Brrrrrr. Damn, why'd I get the chills all of a sudden? Eh, who cares…"

Having been on the move for over an hour in an unknown direction, Thomas had come across a road, one that seems to be used by carriages from the looks of the tracks, albeit probably not too often if the lack of human life is any evidence.

Even after continuing his speed, Pack doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon, all the while Thomas doesn't seem to be having any signs of fatigue either from sitting down for so long.

"Probably the new body" was the warrior's thoughts.

After passing a bend in the road, heading around a few trees, Pack suddenly slowed down, head jerking to the right. Thomas naturally followed his partner's gaze only to feel something coming from the given direction.

Rather, something else that's strengthening that cozy warmth given by being in proximity to Pack is in that direction, through the trees. A snappy click of his boot's heel striking Pack's side signals the raptor to move in that direction.

Even with the slowly dwindling warmth returning with this new development, Thomas didn't let his guard down considering he was entering unknown territory which was having some kind of effect on him, positive or otherwise.

Pack seems to be as calm as a summer day, maybe even… excited?

Traveling between branches and shrubs for only a minute reveals, much to the warrior's shock, what drew him in that way.

"Dear god all mighty…" came Thomas's utterance as he stared up at the massive gates in front of him.

Metal reinforced wood, rough in appearance yet clearly sturdy was supported by a stone frame, easily 10 times his height. A solid stone wall went around to bend on either side of the gate, almost as if the structure was like a large circle.

"Well color me impressed. My whole base made it through with me. But why did I appear somewhere completely different to my base?" Asking the question to himself, Thomas could only scratch his head in confusion.

"Ahhh! Who cares, I refuse to look a gift horse in the mouth. Just this time."

Approaching the gate, Thomas seems to be able to open it with ease, as if he were just pushing open a solid wooden door of ordinary size, maybe putting a little more effort in than ordinary.

The creaking of the hinges audibly portray the great size of the gates, opening up to what would otherwise be his base as normal, only now everything looks so much more real.

And if the decent number of creatures charging him without himself feeling any fear gives anything away, it would appear his other tames are very much real as well.

Charging the man was 3 more raptors, all of various colors. Much like Pack had done, they too nuzzled into Thomas at the same time.

"Ahhh yes. Carlos, Jen and Jim. These 3 plus Pack used to be my go-to when I first started. Saved my ass more times than I can count. I couldn't just get rid of them after I moved on to better tames…"

With the 3 raptors acting like puppies still in his arms, Thomas casts his gaze up towards the last 2 creatures that seem to be in the base.

"Ah, how could I miss-"

Thomas's monologue was cut off abruptly by a sharp crack that would have normally pained his ears if not for his new body.

Turning around quickly, he seems to be the only one startled by the noise as all tames seem to be used to it.

The culprit? An auto turret…

And it would appear that the corpse of a deer shredded in half by the single bullet fired means the turrets are currently shooting most everything that moves.

"Damn is that cool, although how'd they know not to shoot me or Pack? Hmm, although I'm glad I wasn't lit up on sight and that the game's functions seem to still be in place, I'd rather look into this a little bit later…"

Shaking his head and returning his attention to the other tames, a smile takes up Thomas's face as he's approached by a softer friend.

At almost twice his height when standing, back straight, Gamma, Thomas's argentavis, bends over and comes close to Thomas's outstretched hand. A few scratches from her owner causes her to… purr?

Almost.

Gamma is essentially a massive eagle, capable of carrying 1, maybe 2 people on her back. Only thing stopping her from carrying 2 or more is a question of size rather than strength. She's got some powerful wings given her size.

Most of Gamma's body is a dull red, almost ginger albeit slightly darker, with her wings and tail feathers tipped with white the last 20 centimeters or so. Her dark eyes are piercing, but, like all other creatures here, give Thomas an odd yet not unwelcomed warmth.

Removing his hand and going on, the black-clead warrior approaches easily one of, if not, his strongest tame.

Asmodeus, the rock drake.

Larger than any other creature seen so far, Asmodeus can be a rather vicious girl if approached willy nilly to all but Thomas and his other tames. She stands tall and proud, neck tilted up, all four clawed feet cemented firmly on the ground.

Showing her neck exposed like this shows her deep trust to her owner who instinctively understands.

Her feathered limbs and tail show a few of the rainbows colors although are predominantly a dark blue.

Lowering her head to, you guessed it, nuzzle into Thomas is an action that could be considered odd for such a large and dangerous looking creature to enact yet isn't strange at all to the solo tribesman.

"Damn. These guys are all here. Although… I'm missing 2." Throwing a glance around the compound, all structures are intact, even the crops in the greenhouse can be seen through the somewhat foggy glass. "They are probably around here somewhere, just probably warped somewhere else like I and Pack… Ok. I will find them as time goes on. I still need to find civilization."

With the creatures and base now found, Thomas has an official HQ. Before leaving however, Thomas eyes the auto turrets, some issues needed to be resolved.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hey guys. The story did ok the first time around and I decided to add a bit. Please do expect updates very often if that wasn't apparent already.

I mostly write when I enjoy it and I'm taking advantage of my vacation to write a bit at night. How often I'll update is very much an unknown.

Once again, I'll take whatever critique I can get that isn't just baseless flaming.

I'm pretty much the only person on this crossover so I have no reference points to work off of.

Thanks for the support from the few of you that took the time to read the first chapter.

Until next time.