Chapter 12

Calling it right now, this chapter is going to get a lot of hates.

The four of us were outside the Ether Mine. I yawned at how early it was. Sharla had suggested we enter Colony 6 by the mine.

At the moment, we were all resting. I hadn't gotten too much sleep, however.

"Unh... hungry," mumbled Shulk, getting out a sandwich from his pocket. He took a few bites from it, but the appearance of the sandwich didn't change. Is that the sandwich he got from Fiora at the beginning?! I thought as he ate.

I sighed, leaning against a somehow solid piece of scenery. Why am I fighting? I wondered. To go back home? Hell, even if I beat this game somehow I might even go back to where I belong! Maybe I should just accept that I'm in the world of XenoBlade Chronicles and won't be able to escape...

Shulk stood, groggy from sleep. "What are you thinking about, Andrew?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

I stood. "Alright. You know how I told you how I'm not from this world?" He nodded. "I was just thinking... maybe there's no way I can even return to where I came from. Maybe I'm stuck here for forever."

Shulk digested my words. "Hm..." He looked thoughtful. "That's a pessimistic thought."

His words reminded me of people I'd known. It was overwhelming, and I had to close my eyes for a moment.

He yawned, tired. "Ugh. Well, you just have to have faith!" he declared. "If nothing else in my life, I'll try and help you go back to wherever you come from! That's what friend are for, right?"

"To help a friend get back to different worlds because that person's here due to reasons unknown at the moment?"

"Uh... no." Shulk blinked. "Friends are supposed to help each other out when times get tough, you know? I've always stuck to that moral myself..." He drifted off for a moment, before coming back to the present. What'd he think about? I wondered.

"Well, just remember that I'm always here if you need someone to talk to," he spoke. "Reyn, too. He's a really dependable person, you know." He sat down beside me.

"I bet," I responded. Of all games I have to be stuck in, why XenoBlade? I thought suddenly. I mean, seriously. I haven't even played the game, I just watched Chuggaconroy play it because... reasons, I guess. Why not something like Pokemon?

Shulk snapped his fingers. "There. That's the expression you have when you're really thinking about something."

"Okay," I replied. I sighed. "Shulk... what did you feel..." I paused for a moment, thinking of how I wanted to phrase this. "What did you feel around your friend Fiora?"

He looked away, sadness immediately flashing in his eyes. "She was always protective of me..." he recalled. "Always looking over me... maybe because I can't cook for the life of me." He smiled. He looked back at me, blue eyes questioning as well now. "Why do you ask now?"

I stood, uncomfortable by his eyes. "Well... it's good to know about history. So that you don't repeat those same mistakes."

He nodded, yawning again. "Yeah... Dickson taught me some stuff about the past for that reason..." He dozed off, sleepy.

I snorted, stretching. Dickson... I thought. He's going to be trouble... he reunites with Shulk briefly when we come out of the Ether Mine, right? I thought. This could end badly...

I drew my sword and looked at it. Huh... kind of looks like Rebellion from Devil May Cry 3... I mused, looking it over.

I shrugged, placing it back on my back, thanks to convenient straps found on a red shirt underneath a white parlour jacket, unzipped.

With a sigh I looked up at the stars. Man... I never used to think so much about my life, I thought. All I cared about was becoming an author... but now I'm in this world I might not even escape from. Why's my life so complicated?! I wondered. Recently, I've been wondering about what the meaning of life is and why humans yearn for friendship... and those are all questions that will never truly have right answers...

I lay down, the stars shining silently above. I shook my head. There's no chance of going home if I don't even try to beat Zanza and everything! I thought. Although I found the ending of the game boring, so I skipped over what exactly Alvis says as the Monado... I shrugged. Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine! Definitely no way anyone will die!... Right?

The question weighed heavily on my mind as I lay there. Soon, I heard something strange and sat upright.

I blinked as something rushed for me. I gasped as whatever the creature was tackled me into a wall. "Ow..." I grunted, getting to my feet. Crap, it's a... a Homs?! The Homs had a cloak, so I couldn't see the person's eyes.

From the edge of my vision I saw Shulk get to his feet. "Huh...?" he mumbled, eyes opening. "Uh... whoa." He drew the Monado. "Wait... so what happened here?" he wondered.

THINK LATER! I thought as he went into his thoughtful looking pose. "I'll tell you later! Right now, we just have deal with it!" I drew my sword. "Look, we don't want to hurt you," I spoke. Near instantly the Homs rushed at me, sword flashing.

I blocked his slash with Defensive Reversal. I struggled against the Homs, easily overpowering me. "Ugh!" I hit the ground.

Shulk gasped. "Stop!" He rushed forward as the Homs grabbed my sword, stabbing.

I managed to move just enough so that the stab wasn't lethal; in fact it was a glancing blow. Blood came slowly from my cheek.

"You must die!" the Homs spat, using the sword he had originally, ready to stab me.

"Smash!" grunted Shulk, forcing the Homs away, though the strike wasn't lethal. The person had used his blade to block the attack. He caught my blade as the Homs lost his grip on it, handing it to me as I got up. "You okay?"

"Fine," I groaned. "My sword..." I looked at it. Now it was a bit longer. What caused my blade to change? I thought.

The Homs arose. "I was right. Because you're not from this world, your blood is special." He grunted.

"Wait a second... how did you know that?!" demanded Shulk.

"Hmph. I'm not from this world either," he responded. "Just like me, Andrew... an Outsider." He removed his hood.

I blinked. "Okay. Who exactly are you and how do you know so much about me?"

"Me? The name's Simon," he smirked. "I'm human, just like you. You... you're an Outsider, like me."

"That doesn't explain how you know so much about me, though..."

"Yeah? Well, I did my research. I know you've always wanted shotgun gauntlets," he spoke. "You're real special, Andrew. You're not exactly human anymore, now."

Then what am I?! I thought instantly.

"Andrew... what are shotgun gauntlets?" asked Shulk.

"Really cool things," I responded. "Simon..." He looks like that character I made in a story once! I suddenly realized. "No way..."

"Now you understand," spoke Simon. He turned so that I could see the blade on his back. It was made of really shiny silver. "Not quite how you remember me though, huh?"

"Andrew... what's he saying?!" asked Shulk, not getting what was going on.

"Shulk... I'm gonna have to talk with this guy," I told him. "Be right back." I walked forward, and Simon led me somewhere. I heard Shulk shout after me, but I didn't hear him.

We walked a bit away. "Okay. This makes my world a lot more complicated," I spoke.

He chuckled. "Not like it already wasn't messed up, huh? Why'd you base me on Dante from Devil May Cry anyway?"

I growled. "Get to the point. Why exactly am I special?"

"I'll have to do this," he spoke. "When you entered the world of a game you haven't played, well... that messes everything up. Wasn't supposed to happen at all, but it is easier if you've played the game you enter."

Did he just reference every single Self-Insert fanfiction ever?! I thought. Or... maybe anime and things too... never mind...

"But you haven't," spoke Simon. "Therefore, two things have happened. One, you need to guide your comrades so they don't die the instant they get out of the Mine."

"Wow. I mess up everything, don't I," I muttered, depressed.

"The second thing... some things you've dreamed of will become a reality," he spoke. "I'm first to arrive, so now you get some of my powers."

"Hold up," I responded. "You... are the first? The first of what?"

He sighed. "Some characters from the stories you've created are going to enter this world. When that happens, you will obtain a bit of their power," spoke Simon. He suddenly smirked. "Now you can use your own Soul Trigger." He drew his sword. "I just have to cut you slightly." He lightly cut my cheek, and an aura of power seemed to rise from inside.

"Ugh..." I let out a roar, feeling different. I looked at my hands, which now looked like black, very sharp claws. "This is like yours, isn't it?" My voice was deeper.

"Yeah," replied Simon. "No regenerative powers, though, so be careful. All you get is insane new levels of power and high levels of speed." He stretched. "If you need forget how it was used in the story, it acts like Mr. Dante's Devil Trigger in Devil May Cry 3, with no wings, regenerative powers and it's the Rebellion state."

I blinked, reverting to normal. "Uh... that was a lot to take in."

"Hey, it's hard to explain something I've had for most of the story," he responded. "Have a good day, Andrew. Because it's not getting any better from here." He started to walk away.

"Wait!" I shouted after him, and Simon paused.

"Yeah?"

"What do you mean, it's not going to get any better from here?"

He smirked. "Hey, spoilers are dangerous, pal. Let's just say your worries about a guy that was around the wielder of the Monado are true, and you should be worried." He walked away, leaving me silent.

I sighed. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO MY WORLD?! I thought, barely managing to hold it inside.

Thanks for reading!