When I woke up, I found myself in some kind of grayish void, a reflection of my newly transformed self standing in front of me as I lay prone on the ground, and unintentionally serving as a harsh reminder that I'm, in fact, not in a dream. "Oh no, you're actually dreaming this time." Wait, what?

I stood up, getting face to face with myself, although still shrouded in darkness and only being visible with a black suit and red tie, red eyes being the only discernable facial features. "We've been here before. Or rather, I should say I have. Confusing, isn't it? But I suppose introductions are in order…" I watched it give a bow. "You may call me Homer. We can't let our true name be revealed until we've decided to make our crossing. Our deal has yet to be concluded after all."

"What deal?" I crossed my arms. "Is it going to bring me back home? Tell me who I am?"

"You are everything you need to be now, and more. After all, this is… hm, how many times again? Eh, doesn't matter. You refuse to truly cross the threshold. After all, you want what's best for those who try and kill you, perhaps even capture you." Homer walked around me as it spoke as if it were trying to intimidate me. "It's our most human trait, after all. To achieve that level of perfection that travelers like us want so badly."

"What do you mean 'like us'?" The confusion only mounted. "The company-"

"Didn't do whatever you might've thought up just now. This was because of something else." Homer would finish my sentence. "Like I said, we've been here before."

I huffed. "Okay, smartass. If we've been here before, how about we cut to the chase?"

"Gladly. My anonymous, snatching, swiping, ambitious friend, I know how to bring your memories back. I told you when we first met in the pantheon of the fabled and mythical, which is where they currently lie in wait to greet you, provided no fox is around to snatch you up." He would explain with a sort of grandiose tone while moving about almost theatrically. "All you have to do is find me again. You'll know where; everything always ends up back there at some point. The only catch to this deal is that I ask you to refine Us the perfect world."

"Define 'perfect'."

"It's nothing much really. All we want is for everyone to be happy, and all the luxury in the world. The kind of fight that makes all the gray hairs. Not like we have gray hairs to worry about anymore." Homer would laugh. "You'll know how to do it when you've developed more. In the meantime, try not to mess up again. Or die. That would be the worst shame since we couldn't meet again."

"You talk like there's somebody I should avoid at all costs," I note with a tinge of worry. "I don't suppose I could talk my way past them?"

"Or fight. Or challenge to a chess match. Or a ranged contest. Or rap battle for that matter." I raised an eyebrow, to which Homer sighed defeatedly. "Unfortunately yes, that was an idea that almost worked to get them off Our back, but We didn't account for one of them secretly being a prodigy at it. You'd never think that level of skill would be in their team, but apparently, the outside world is always full of surprises. Though I wager you could train harder in some of those options, you probably should just run if you ever see them. They cannot be killed or trapped after all, only delayed."

The gray void would begin to lose its color, the world around returning to black once more. Homer would blend into the darkness as they spoke. "It seems we'll be meeting with our first real friend now. When the miracles all fade, and hope requires too much strength, will you still hold onto the dreams? Don't forget the vow we both have made. I'm always with you in the dark, even if we're both no longer Us."

I wanted to respond, but I was just simply too lost. It sounded like he didn't care, yet at the same time cares a lot. Bipolar, much? Regardless, it seemed I was going to wake up for real this time. At least it's with the conscious thought that I knew the reality ahead of me was entirely real.

My newest awakening would be greeted with a hellish feeling of weakness, my senses opening up to the world around me. I was… small this time around. And in a jar on a counter within a very nice-looking home. With a man who looks like a fit weeaboo, who seemed to be watching some news channel, with everyone I've met recently being on it. Belobog, Cunning Hares, a lot of police officers, and some cat girl with a cat bell on her neck accompanying them.

But more importantly, I was in a jar. Safety or not, I wasn't risking the end result of people getting trapped in jars. I struggled to move, which caused the jar to shake and catch his attention. "Wha-? Oh hey, you must be awake, right?" I wasn't able to respond and almost ended up falling off the counter completely, but the stranger caught me with ease. "Hey, quit struggling so much. We're not even in the hollow yet, you'll die instantly without something to hold you."

"The hell's that supposed to mean? Aren't space zombies supposed to be able to walk wherever they want?" I ceased my struggling nonetheless as I tried to make out his intentions.

"Hm…" He'd look at me from the outside of the jar, holding me all the while. "You possessed Damon, right? Tusk and Bearverly said I should've killed you… but somebody who goes out of their way to help others deserves to live. Even if you're an ethereal." I simply blinked at the statement. He… helped me? Because I was kind to one person? Those are some low standards to judge an intelligent space zombie by, who knows if I'd just get hungry or something? I wanted to respond, but it was like there wasn't even air to speak with. However, I was oddly fine, albeit feeling very much cramped. "Let's bring you to our base. Or, I guess, your new base? Oh, and should probably get my disguise on…" I watch as he walks out of sight, only to come back looking like some sort of armored crusader, a mix of Batman with more obvious practicality rather than spandex suits, and complete with a dragonslayer-sized sword on his back. "Gee, what a great disguise!" I thought sarcastically, knowing that this is the most attention-attracting 'disguise' in the galaxy.

He seemed to take me out of the building, and into a car which would seem to drive for a while. "Let's bring you to our more direct base. I'd love to give you a tour, but I don't want to accidentally kill you since you lack a body… and can't speak I guess? Can ethereals even speak?" Well yes- I mean, I think? I was able to say a few words to Damon before… well… "I'd never know. I mean, I feel they all have a certain goodness in each of them… but they would all like to rest instead if they could. I just wish that'd happen naturally." They don't age and talk at large? Talk about terrifying if all they can listen to is that annoying voice demanding that I steal the spark of hope from that naive warrior and use it to make fires.

Seriously. How do people live with this? I never had a voice in the back of my head demanding that I go eat a burger with fries. Ramen was better anyway. It has an acquired taste that just simply beats a burger any day of the week; you learn to adore it after long hours. Also, the occasional salad when you want to lose weight; fiber helps at times. Whatever this place's work culture is like, I do hope it is noodle-based.

Eventually, the car would stop. I had no clue of where we were, besides that we were near a hollow entrance again. I'd watch as the mysterious ally would put some armor on, changing his appearance entirely to that of some kind of hooded warrior. "Oh, and name's Spark by the way! I hope we can be friends, even if you can't hear me." I responded by shaking the jar a bit, making it hop in place twice. "You can? Hey, so we can talk then! Heh, that would've made the ride a little less awkward… then again, I can only ask yes or no questions…" He'd laugh a bit nervously.

Well, this guy's certainly friend-sounding. I guess Homer was some kind of prophetic dream figure. Or my darkness incarnate. What kind of maniac really would want a perfect world? Still, I should try to find where Hollow Zero is when I can. It sounds like there I would find him, and I would rather kill this stranger. The last time I had an encounter with a dream figure, it turned out to be a straight-up monster with not even a shred of reason. That snobby bastard ruined that experience for me.

Also, he didn't give me any names about the people I should be most worried about. Unless I'm supposed to look out for a literal fox. But at that point, I should be more worried about people.

Eventually, Spark and I made it inside a hollow. I wasn't sure if it was the same one or a different one, but it was not the same spot I was using to go back to Belobog. "Alright…" He sets me down on the ground. "I'm gonna let you out, alright? Let you stretch your limbs as long as you don't hurt me. Which you shouldn't, because then I'd have to beat you up." Is that a threat? Well, probably a valid one anyway. I am a bodysnatcher of sorts… but regardless of that fact, he open the jar, and I instantly felt myself growing from it, feeling far less cramped than before as I felt everything loosen like a spring. I found myself ending up taller than Spark by a foot, looking down at him, even noticing that he had tiny little horns when he has his helmet off that are visible on his head, which he had taken off so we could see each other more clearly.

"Is there a reason you had to put me in that?" I asked immediately as I stretched out. "I'm pretty sure hospital beds are meant to be spacy."

"W-Well um-!" He somehow struggled with the seriocomic joke. "You're not human, so, I didn't how I should best handle you! Or- or if you were going to turn into crystals! I mean, some of you have that…"

"I'd prefer not to be labeled as the rest of the space zombies, but I guess I lack a choice here in that regard. Fair point though, I never intended to be this way." I'd sigh as I looked at him. "...I would say I am Damon, but I don't remember my real name. And that's also his name so…"

"Oh, actually, PubSec and HSO already arranged that! You're called a Deadringer." I just glared at him. "Hey, it's their name, not mine! I was going to call you Bubbles, because of your uh… ether bubbles? Also, Doppelganger is already taken so…"

"I think I'll just go by the title for now, since I'd rather try and spend some time to remember my real name…"

"Right…" The silence would be awkward between us before he would clear his throat. "Well Deadringer, you still up for a tour? We only have a little bit before we make it to the base. It's thanks to Ms. Lenora that we can get there quickly."

"Is it through those weird portals I've been seeing around my home?" I'd do my best to express confusion. "Are those her doing? What caused all this in the first place, what caused me?"

He would look at me in confusion for a moment before realization struck. "Wait a minute, you don't know anything about hollows?"

"I feel like I need a crash course at this point…"

"Don't worry, we can learn it quickly!" Spark would laugh nervously, before clearing his throat. "Ummm… the rifts can't disappear or reappear if trapped between elements… hollows kill things to grow bigger, but also get smaller if the things in it die…"

"...That it?"

"I don't know; I'm not a doctor." I facepalmed. "But basically, we use trapped lava to both make a safe zone to breathe in and also an environment that people like you can't go into! Dr. Lenora found this out when she made some visits to the Outer Ring to study Cinder Lake, and Tusk immediately put it to work since he can eat lava" I am only getting even more questions, so I will decide to focus on the specifics that I need to know.

"So how am I supposed to enter your base?"

"That's… the part I didn't think about to be entirely hon- hey, where are you going?" I started walking away mid-conversation, causing me to look back at him.

"To find a body again?"

"But what if you get attacked?" He'd say as he'd catch up. "You're still hurt in some way, right? You look as if you could easily get cut down at any moment, and you don't have a phone!"

I stood there in silence, frustrated but unable to retort that. He was right. When Damon's body gave out, I had lost everything once more, this time with my personal belongings. I didn't even have my original ID or wallet, and I couldn't even so much as attempt to call the police even if I found a new body should it not have a phone as well. Plus, everything still didn't feel right with my current form, or even the gravity around this place. I felt sluggish, and in addition, even weighed down in this area. Either because I was wounded or that this was a new place, it wasn't worth taking the risk of trying to dodge meeting the gang. So, I sighed and gave in. "Fine. What's your immediate plan then?"

"I think the Mountain Lions are currently running a patrol near here with a lieutenant. Knowing them, the boss probably wouldn't care if somebody ended up suddenly betraying them." He'd crack a grin as we'd begin to walk together, not being very silent. "Now, he's not as big and strong as me… but he'd make for someone for you to use while exploring the hollows with us, and give you some autonomy!" He's about the size of the women in my country, but I don't think that matters much either way since he intends to be wielding a sword way too large to use normally.

"These Mountain Lions, are they some kind of federal force? Who're we dealing with?" I needed to be certain if this was going to attract too much attention or not.

"Nope! The Lieutenant is just some really strong guy who admires Razor… but Tusk is thinking that there's a rat in their ranks. Hopefully shouldn't have to worry about them." He'd give a confident smile. "She tends to stick it to the raids for hollow supplies and doesn't seem so interested in fighting for territory as much as she is climbing the ranks. Plus, she's totally stealing the speeches I give around here. How else can she get people to listen to her when Razor is like a total loser?"

"...Are you saying the rat part literally or figuratively, because I'm still trying to comprehend that there are talking bears in this city."

"Is that not normal for you?" He'd look shocked, before then getting nervous again. "You're probably going to be surprised by Bearverly then, but that's also good since…" He shakes his head, seemingly moving on.

"That name is a crime to have on a thinking bear, and her parents should be ashamed. Like seriously, you don't see people calling their kids Manly or Girly!" I thought to myself, before deciding to drop the conversation as well.

It turned out to be good timing either way, as shortly we came upon a group of more hollow raiders. The one in the middle of them all was large; larger than Damon even. I could see why he would be considered a leader, the red helmet gave off a rather threatening vibe, and he looked as if he had practice in fights, though that doesn't say much for me either. The helmet he had was much different too, whereas Damon's helmet had it looking like he was just looking ahead, the design of this one seemed to actively narrow its gaze at you. On his arms were some wires that I could only assume connected to something else to make the strikes hit harder. I wasn't sure how it worked, but I knew that even Damon's body would've not been enough for this guy, and he probably could even defeat ethereals far easier than I had so far.

Spark had crouched down behind some cover as I was deliberating the giant amongst the group. I didn't, because Spark's sword hilt was sticking out of the cover, but I did try to lay on the ground and pretend to be a shadow, making sure to only listen rather than look just in case my raw form had something weird with the eyes. I heard the lieutenant stop walking for a moment, and for a moment I thought the gig was up.

"...Nah, must be imagining it. The Deadringer is in the Cretan, not Lemnian, so there's no way it can be here already." I heard his pace continue. Well, good thing for whatever rep I've gotten as of late!

I looked to Spark after confirming the lieutenant decided to go elsewhere. He seemed as surprised as I was, but nonetheless readied his sword "We got the drop on them… try taking out the little guys. You'll scare them more than I would, so I'll just focus on the lieutenant." I nodded and tried to think about how I could use my crystal powers again. "Also… please avoid killing them if you can."

"Why not? They're just bandits."

"They're people too, y'know. We shouldn't hurt people just for the sake of it." Spark would urge. "We just need one body. Then we can stick it to TOPS for hurting people so much!" Tops… sounds familiar. Governmental for certain. Not that it matters much right now.

I decided to sneak up on the weaker thugs around the lieutenant, mainly to give everyone a scare so I could give Spark a chance to take the lieutenant off-guard. I kept low to the ground, crawling on up almost like that girl from The Exorcist, before breathing in the ear of one of the thugs. He spun around, and just as he screamed I took him to the ground, beginning to restrain him in crystals as everyone turned around to look at me. As I suspected, the Lieutenant was too shocked to react, and Spark took advantage of the distraction to strike at his helmet, cutting it off to expose his face.

"The hell-?!"

"IT'S THE DEADRINGER!"

"RUN AND GUN!"

They all started running, trying to make distance as they clumsily tried to reach for their weapons, but I just put my hand to the ground and thought to put up a barrier where they were running. They were met with a wall of crystals, as their pandemonium spiked to the point of running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I just focused on cornering them in and taking them out one by one, taking out the few grunts capable of hitting me with a melee weapon as those with the ranged weapons did not have the sense to try and stand their ground in the panic. From there, the sweep was clean, and it was left to me, Spark, and the Lieutenant, the grunts all wrapped up in rock-like casings that prevented them from doing anything.

The Lieutenant stopped his battle for a moment to survey the situation. "I see what's going on here…. tamed this Ethereal, have you Spark?" I would round to his other side as the grunts would finally calm and realize that there was only one target. "Isolate me from the men just so you can steal me away from King Razor? And kill?"

"It's nothing personal." It was absolutely personal since that mountain of a bodybuilder's work should be mine. "I'm just looking to recuperate some losses, you're just necessary prey at the moment." I'd prepare my crystals for battle, along to realize I didn't seem to have such ability currently.

Spark was better off, at least. Seemed to be able to land quite a few hits with his sword, but seemed to be getting exerted. "We don't really like to kill… but he doesn't have a choice. Besides, he needs to clear things up with his old bosses!" Uh, no? I am not? Spark, did you miss the part where I ended up only half a man with no head, and that I'm a space zombie? Then again, space zombies don't really talk or constantly have a voice telling them to steal bodies… "And he needs muscles to keep his work up. Sorry friend, but he'll put 'em to good use!"

"At least lie with a more honest face." He gets into a boxing stance, and honestly, I think Spark is being honest… in the sense that he is on the hopium so hard that it would impress even a Shonen protagonist. "In fact, how about I rearrange it to be so after I kill your new buddy, traitor?"

"Sorry, but my looks are already good enough!" He'd chirp, before they'd lunge at each other, the thugs around cheering the Lieutenant on as I would join the fight providing some small support.

Spark's swordsmanship skills were a marvel to witness up close. Although the Lieutenant's boxing skills were just as strong as his size, both were stuck moreover trying to focus on each other. I had a few thrown my way, but after it became clear that focusing on me was the farthest thing from a solution to the issue, I became able to trip up the Lieutenant's movements by causing the ground below his feet to shift, causing him to occasionally be off-balance. Then to my surprise, I suddenly saw a shift in how Spark was fighting, a mere glint in his eyes being the only sign that I saw him about to unleash something..

It was like lightning when I saw it happen; too fast to see, but quick enough to be seen, and for a moment I swear I was looking at a raging demon rather than a simple guy with horns and an oversized sword. The closest I could draw as an example to it is maybe some kind of sword combo on the Sega consoles, or maybe even the Megaman games, as I wasn't quite able to perceive how he could swing that quickly beyond just sheer strength. The Lietuenant's guard tried to hold valiantly against the assault but inevitably gave way when Spark attacked too fast to be blocked, and I don't blame him for not trying hard enough. Nobody could ever hope to block that, much less the sparks coming off the sword as well to dance in the environment around. "Just what are these non-humans made of?! There's no way that can be normal!"

"Urrrgh!" The Lieutenant fell backward from the assault, sliding onto a knee and giving me an opening.

"Go!" Spark would should, but I didn't really need direction. As soon as an opening to touch him without getting my face caved in showed itself, I took it. The Lieutenant thrashed about, trying to resist me as the thugs around let out cries of dismay. For a moment he was; he was still a very strong guy and with presumably some kind of resistance to me. But being a half-solid entity had its perks, and once I felt the world blurring away, I knew I was successful, and eventually I was the one finding myself on the ground.

I stood up, looking at the trapped thugs around me, before punching the ground. "Nobody will believe you. So better to act as if you saw nothing." I told them, knowing that they were going to tell anyway, and suddenly a lot more attention would be thrown the Adamant Wolves' way. I just sighed and turned to Spark. "Remind me again, by the way, why you wanted me to take their Lieutenant?"

"He was just really strong! And- And I just wanted you to also be strong enough to make your own choices…" He seems genuinely upset. "I mean c'mon, it's not like any of us could afford a brand-new mechanical body for you to possess."

"...So you did it for the fight, but also because it was just cheaper? Well, thanks either way. I don't know if I can possess machines."

"You haven't tried yet?" He'd seem surprised. "I thought ethereals would know how to do their corruption stuff out of instinct."

"If I did, I probably would've continued being a skinwalker in Damon's body for a little longer." I'd point it out. "Unfortunately, I don't gain new memories, and I only do those crystal things out of instinct. Can't explain that yet, but it's kind of like I'm corrupting the ground through mixing my energy with rock. I guess."

"Hmm, well we should try and figure those out. The sooner we can find you a machine you can control, the sooner we can all get back to working together against TOPS!" Well, I'd presume there are at least a few nutjobs that would be very against such thinking, but I'm fine with a bit of robot murder, so you do you buddy. "And then maybe we'll also get to work with Section 6!"

"Who's Section 6?"

"Only the strongest ethereal killers out there! Uh-" He'd pause, looking at me as I was crossing my arms. "Well, er, I mean, I-I'm sure they'd make an exception for you! After all, it's just the issue of mechanical bodies, right?"

"I hope you remember to never talk about my true nature while I'm working with you guys…"

"..." He'd cough awkwardly, trying to find a way to cheer me up. "Well, we have our body! So let's get to the base and talk with both Tusk and Bearverly!" I still do hate that name, but it's not like I can do anything about it until I meet the gal in person and beg her to change it.

Eventually, we'd find ourselves at the entrance of a basement. I'd watch as Spark pulled out a gas mask, making sure it was properly secured, before stopping and looking at me.

"...What?" I just stared back in confusion.

"Do you uh, not breathe?"

"Of course I breathe, why are you asking that?"

"Dangit, I knew I should've brought a spare." He'd sigh. "Alright, give me a moment." I'd then watch him open the basement and watch as a huge plume of smoke would come out. I just watched baffled as he'd enter and then close the doors behind him. "So their entrance to the hideout is in a basement constantly overcome with smoke… how do the vents enable this? And will I have to jump into a pool of lava?"

The answer was yes as it turned out, as somehow Spark appeared behind me carrying a mask. I just accepted it as if it were natural. "This won't protect you from some minor burns… but if you jump in quick enough, your new body should come out relatively unharmed."

"You're absolutely SURE-?"

"We have the experiment on tape."

"Stupidest experiment since the experiments on people in World War 2..."

"We fought a planet twice over?"

"What?"

"What?" Spark and I just stared at each other for a bit, before ultimately deciding this wasn't worth our time. We entered the basement, and the smoke was so thick it was nearly blinding. Thankfully, Spark held onto me to make sure I was being led the right way, and before long I saw a sort of dim light on the ground just ahead of me, obscured by smoke. I felt him let go and watched as he dove head-first into the magma.

I hesitated, meanwhile. What if this was just plain luck so far? How does this even work? Hell, why is it that I'm only seeing this on my second day? I momentarily considered just walking away and trying to make a new life on less dangerous terms-

"Oh 'fer crying out loud." I heard a booming, feminine voice with a southern accent behind me pick me up and get ready to throw me in like a javelin. "Get your ass into the portal."

"SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTT" Was the only thought running at full power in my mind as the mysterious person would throw me in. I watched in pure shock at my impending doom to come to me-

…Only for it to have never come, feeling myself rolling on some sort of floor before finding myself staring up at familiar faces in a worn-out place. Spark and the elephant-man from earlier were both standing above me in my prone position, as I then heard a loud thud off to my left that when I looked towards revealed a large bear with makeup, accompanied by two humans male and female. I found myself unable to respond to the sheer mental shock and trauma that I just received from being unceremoniously thrown in like a sack of potatoes.

'Tusk' as I began to learn his name, did not turn out as pleased as both I and Spark thought he would. "You goddamn blubbering idiots. Now everyone knows about this guy being here!"

"...And you're certain that it was that very same Deadringer? The one who took a Damon Armoros?" Yanagi would ask as one of the hollow thugs from the incident earlier would be reporting to her. In his hand would be a book for 'guide to frequent encounters with Section 6'. By her side, Miyabi would be all ears, having paused from eating to see the thug's story out as she sat at a seat in Junior Chop's Noodle Shop.

"Yes, Ms. Yanagi! I'm almost certain the Adamant Wolves have some kind of deal with the new ethereal! If left unchecked, they could possibly infiltrate Eridu's inner workings with that monster and cause even more hollows!" He'd seem almost desperate as he would plead with her. "They took Elias, as they need some muscle for something big. Maybe they might try expanding or even making a new hollow all for themselves!"

"Those two are rather far-fetched statements, as it's unclear what causes a hollow to appear in the first place, and making a hollow grow would mean sneaking lives into a hollow… but the political concerns are valid. Especially since it might even be able to take memories." She'd turn to look at Miyabi. "Chief Miyabi, may I make a suggestion and do a small detour to this Ethereal in particular for our squad?"

"A wolf who takes the wool of sheep is an evil that cannot be left unchecked." She would stand from her seat, forgetting about her soup. "You said they're in the Lemnian Hollow, right? Yanagi, make sure this thug turns themselves in."

"Ms. Miyabi, do you plan on taking this hunt alone?" She would ask with a raised brow of concern. "It is capable of possessing people. If it were to get close and-"

"The Ethereal won't have time to touch me before my blade will." She'd counter, putting a hand on her sword for emphasis. "And besides… it would be excellent training for learning how to track newer ethereals and people alike. If there are more Deadringers, or more ethereals like them, we need to know how they operate just as much as how they fight."

"Understood, Chief." Yanagi would nod, before looking back to the thug. "Alright, let's go to the station. We'll make sure to treat you nicely since you gave us a lot of intel about where this new ethereal variant went."

Hey hey all.

Sorry for missing the update last week and thus doing it bi-weekly. Had a few family events to attend, and it sort of slipped my mind.

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the story so far. If there's anything you'd like to comment or ask about, or perhaps criticize, let me know in the reviews. As for the new batch of OCs, they're a temporary bunch, but are in this sense the MC's own personal 'faction'. We'll be getting back to the actual characters soon enough as the MC evolves.

By the way, unlike some other categories I've noticed on this site, this one doesn't have a catch-all for faction team names… so know that the primary canon focuses are Section 6, PubSec, Belobog, and Victoria. Maybe some cameos from Sons of Calydon or Obol Squad and whatever future factions come in, but other than them the MC really doesn't have much business being around the Sons of Calydon or Obol Squad.

Will the MC get hunted forever? Eh, probably. I'm still thinking of how I want this story to go. I foresee many directions this can take.