Zander was walking through field.
He kept on walking until he saw a tree with a single apple growing from it.
He reached for the apple, only for it to rot.
Then, he woke up.
Zander woke up from his dream, lying on the ground in some sort of glass cell. He still couldn't believe what had happened.
One minute, the creature who was controlling Cheeks body came in and started to kill everyone in its sight, the next, armored men managed to restrained it and took Zander into custody.
"Just laying down there won't do you any good."
Zander looked to his left, to see the frog in a meditation position.
"Says the frog who is doing the same." Zander said as he sat up.
"This is meditation. It helps one mind."
"Yeah, well. I'm not much of a meditating kind of guy."
The two just sat there, waiting for whatever comes next.
Then suddenly, a man in a suit came in, looking formal.
He took out a chair, then sat down with a pen and a clipboard.
"State your name stranger." The man asked.
Zander sighs, knowing that he has to answer the question that might come his way.
"My name is Zander Van Sanguis."
The man wrote down the name in his clipboard.
"Where are you from?"
"I was born and raised in Olathe."
"Where is this place?"
"Somewhere in the USA. But to be honest, I don't remember which state. Ever since The Flash, time hasn't been the same."
"I see." The man said as he wrote it down.
"And what is this Flash you speak of?"
"No one really knows about it. All I know that it just happened out of nowhere, and all of the women just disappeared by it. Oh! And it caused time to be fucked up, according to some blabbermouth I met at a cliff near Aurora Town."
The man writes down it down as Zander was speaking.
The frog opened his eye, listening to what Zander was saying.
"One last question. Do you have any relationship or connection to the creature we managed to contained?"
"Well, I know that he used to be some guy named Cheeks, but he was dead when I found him, then some black stuff came out of him and tried to attack me. Other than that, I barely knew the guy."
"Uh huh." The man said as he writes it down.
"If that is all, can you let me go?" Zander asked, only for the man to get up and walk out.
"I doubt they would let you go after what had happened. But I should thank you, even though many lives were lost." The frog said.
"Yeah, well. You can't blame me for that. That thing came after me. I didn't know it was going to attack." Zander said as he walk to the bed that was in the cell.
"But still, that creature managed to extend my execution for a bit. So I'm somewhat grateful. My name is Bullfrog." Bullfrog said.
"Well, you already knew my name." Zander said as he stares to the ceiling when laying down.
"Where am I exaclty?"
"You, my friend, are in Eden."
"And he knows little to nothing about the creature. Other than what it used to be." The man said to the council.
"This puts a wrench into our agenda. Having to deal with the cyborg, taking out that wretched newsman who killed our colleage, and now this!" One of the hooded council member said.
"Not only that, but this man claims to be from what Eden used to be, and that all of the women died by some sort of flash!" Another one said.
"But despite that my friends, he doesn't seem to pose a threat to us. The creature on the other hand. Allen! What are the reports?" Another said before turning his attention at the suited man.
Allen, the suited man, coughs and begins to talk.
"The creature is safely contained. Though we lost seven of our men, and that is when it did something unexpected. It took the bodies, and it begin to merge it with its own, with the heads having a large smile and white eyes."
The council begins to mutter amongst themselves.
"From what we have learned. That creature seems to be a younger version of the others that's been appearing in Eden recently."
"And then, the guy managed to shoot a laser from his finger tip and made that guy bald. That was the easiest free beer he got."
Zander was telling a story to Bullfrog, who was still meditating but was listening to his story.
"Interesting. Does eveyone from Olathe have that kind of power?"
"Not really. It's just genetics, but I never really focused on that." Zander said.
"Huh. Interesting. Do you think that you have powers such as that?" Bullfrog asked.
"I don't know. But maybe one day." Zander said, only for Allen and four Eden soldiers entering, with Allen opening the cell door, with the soldiers aiming, mostly at Bullfrog.
"Zander. After much consideration, the council have decided that you are not guilty for releasing that creature. So we are releasing you back to the public. But cover yourself up." Allen said as he hands Zander a blue shirt with Eden symbol on it.
"Thank god. But what about him?" Zander said pointing to Bullfrog after putting on the shirt.
"It's fine my friend. I've accepted my fate. My fight is none of your concern. Live long." Bullfrog said.
Zander was about to speak, only for Allen to close the door and escort him away, with Bullfrog looking.
Bullfrog then went back to position.
He then felt happy, but it wasn't anything like that.
He began to smile, and smile, and smile, and smile some more.
His eyes opened to look and see that he couldn't stop smiling.
He was about to reach for his mouth, only for his head to jerk a 180, then his eyes became white.
Zander was dropped off at a homeless shelter with only a hundred given to him.
He looked at his surroundings, and he was amazed by what he was seeing right now.
The buildings were covered in neon lights, floating cars and vehicles driving around, people using some sort of device that acts like a phone, and it had many features on them! (Painful, Joyful, and any other fan-made mod probably takes place around the 1980s or 1990s, so all of this was new to Zander.)
Zander had never seen such wonders in his life.
Then his stomach growled, making him regain his focus.
"Oh yeah. I hadn't eaten in a good while."
Zander begins to walk, passing by people and creatures who he heard were called hybrids.
"This is something. No pain, no one dying, people living their own life. And the women are all here, and happy. God it's been so long since I've seen this. I've missed this." Zander thought to himself.
Zander then entered into a restaurant, where he was guided to a seat and given a menu.
"Man! Look at these prices! Then again, I'm not in Olathe, so the prices are different."
Zander then ordered a burger with lemonade and begins to think while he waits.
"That hole I jumped in is what got me here. And those stars. I've heard about it. Alternate dimensions, I think? Other worlds different from ours. That is what that professor said. I should have paid more attention in college." Zander thought.
As his food and drink came, Zander begins to chow down, loving the flavor, since he ate nothing but jerkys and liquor.
"Maybe, if I find another hole. I jump in and maybe go back home. Then again, why go home? Maybe it's because you might die out here. But I'll die back there. Say, whatever happened to baldy and the girl. Cheeks said something happened to them. I'll think about this another time."
After finishing meal and paying for it, leaving the rest of the money as a tip, Zander exit the restaurant and looks up.
He couldn't rely on just a hundred dollars. Especially since he is homeless now.
There he saw some sort of mechanical blimp with a large screen on it.
On it was the limbless creature he saw before, being a newsman.
"Huh. Must've interrupted his show." Zander said to himself.
Then it began to rain.
"Oh great."
Zander began to walk faster, back to that homeless shelter, only for a fancy car to stop and opened, revealing a muscular suited man.
"Get in."
Zander justed stared at the man then at the car, and sighs.
"I know that I can't fight you, so sure."
Zander got in the car with the man, and the car floated and drove off.
"Are you sure that this happened after he left?"
Allen was talking to one of Eden's researchers.
"It's true. He just turned all of a sudden."
"I guess the execution is a no go." A red robotic ninja said, leaning against the wall.
"Shut it you. Now go find out what caused this." Allen said before walking off.
"Is this really necessary, dealing with this scum?"
"You may have dealt with them before, but they are important if we want Eden to survive." The researcher said as he went back to his study.
In front of the two was Bullfrog, who is bigger and a bit fatter, and is covered in the black substance, smiling as it bangs its head on the glass.
"Still, can't we kill it? We got more than enough." The red ninja said.
"But this is a recent one. We had many who got infected for who knows how long. With this speciment, we might find a cure."
Crack.
The two turned to see that the creature used its tongue to break the glass.
It smiled at them, before lunging at them.
Zander was dropped off at a fancy apartment, with the car leaving.
"Nice place."
The door opened, revealing the limbless newsman in a robe.
"Why thank you, but if I have to complain, it's a hassle cleaning it up in the inside."
The newsmans beckoned Zander to follow him, and the two entered the apartment, where it is revealed to be such a mess.
"Damn, you live like this?" Zander asked.
"Oh no, not me. Just the former Rayman."
"Former?"
"Yeah, well. He and Eden had a little fight, so they have me to replace him. We weren't going to replace him. Just have me fill in for him for a while. But then he got angry and started to screw shit up. In fact, your sudden appearance just saved Eden from going downhill. The guards managed to get him, and last I heard, he escaped and is heading somewhere." "Rayman" said.
During the conversation, "Rayman" poured some drinks for the two, and offered one to Zander, who accepted it.
"Ok, but why did you have that guy take me here?" Zander asked.
"Well when we first met, I have to say I kinda admire you. Kinda like, love at first sight. You just seem so different. Not like the other people I've met in Eden. Not to mentioned you are different. Like shaped different." "Rayman" said as he drank.
(Note: Zander is obviously going to look different. For example, an anime character meeting a cartoon children character.)
"So I bribed one of Eden's police men to follow you and Allen, and wait until you are alone to pick you up. Best way I've spent the money."
Zander just looks at him for a while, then out the window, looking at the neon city.
"You know. I should thank you for that. I mean, they just pretty much left me to rot."
"I know. They are assholes, but hey. The pay is good." "Rayman" said as he puts away his cup.
"Yeah. Kinda reminds me of that bald guy who offered me drinks. Only to knock me out and tied me up. Rather not go down that memory lane." Zander said as he finished with his drank.
"Oh I can assure you that nothing will happen to you." "Rayman" said.
"Thanks, I guess. But what now?" Zander said.
"Well, we can talk for a while. Besides, maybe I can get you in my show. Give the people a good word about you. People are curious about you and that beast, wanting to know about the man who fell from the sky." "Rayman" said.
"Sure, why not." Zander said as he sat down on a couch.
"That's nice to hear."
After a good while, Zander and "Rayman" were having a good time, talking about their lives.
"Yeah, that was the last time I ever trust those fishers."
"Haha! Man, you had bad luck then."
The two chuckled as Zander yawned.
"Hey, mind if I crash on your couch? If that's fine with you."
"Oh sure, that's fine. It's getting late, and I have to work tomorrow. So I'll see if I can out in that good word."
"Rayman" then left for his bed, while Zander laid down on the couch.
"I have to admit, that guy seems to be a cool dude. Wish we hadn't met that way." Zander thought to himself.
Zander then felt something poking him, and reached for his pocket.
He then took out something he recognized.
It was the knife he used from the hut.
He must have taken it with him when that creature was chasing him.
"To think this knife was going to kill me, but it saved me."
Zander observed the knife, looking carefully at it.
"Maybe I should get a sheath for it. Don't want to cut myself with it." Zander thought.
He then placed the knife on a table, then he fell asleep.
The next day, Zander woke up feeling refreshed.
It had been so long since he slept on something comfortable, even though it was a couch.
He got up, took the knife, and walked towards the kitchen.
"Rayman" wouldn't mind if he ate some of his food.
But when he opened the fridge, all that was in it was just a carton of eggs, a carton of milk, and an apple.
"Really?" Zander said as he closed the fridge.
He then heard a low groan.
"Hey Rayman. If you are complaining about the food, you should have gotten more." Zander said as he turned around.
What he saw, shocked him to his core.
"Rayman" had black sludge attached to his floating limbs, and it seems that they are deformed.
As for his head, it looks like it is bloated with his eyes being completely white.
"Hehehe. Hungry."
"Rayman" then swings at Zander, who manages to dodge it in time.
Zander gripped his knife and began to slice at the creature.
He didn't know what came over him, but it made him determined to take down this creature.
The creature lazily swings its limbs at Zander, but he manages to dodge it.
After slicing "Rayman" for a while, it fell to the ground, groaning from the pain.
"Woah! I didn't think I was that fast. Or maybe you were slow." Zander said, catching his breath.
"Llluuuuree youuuu iiiinnnn. Gggeeeettt rreeeevveeennnggge. Rrrrruuuuuiiiinnnn mmmyyyy sssshhhhoooooowwwww!"
"...seriously? That is why you lead me here?! To get back at me?! I thought you were my friend! Asshole!"
Zander then kicks "Rayman"'s head, but it doesn't do much, it just moans.
"Aw crap. You know what, fuck this! I'm out."
Zander then ran out of the kitchen and running towards the door. Once he opened it and closed it from behind, he saw Eden, burning to the ground.
More of those dark creatures were destroying the city, and consuming the people who lived in it.
"What the hell?"
Before he could do anything else, the building began to shake.
Zander looked down to see the creatures destroying the base of the building.
Before he knew it, the building began to fall.
Zander held on for dear life until he saw that it was falling towards a nearby building.
With nothing to lose, he ran towards a nearby building and jumped towards a window.
He crashed through it just as the falling building behind him crashed down.
He looked up panting, seeing that he ended up in some guy's apartment, but no one was in.
Getting up, he decided that he needed to get out of Eden.
But where would he go? There isn't a place safe enough for him.
"Oh god." Zander said to himself as he sat down.
"ATTENTION PEOPLE OF EDEN!"
Zander shot back up and looked outside.
"HAVE NO FEAR! WE HAVE THE BEST SOLDIERS STOPPING THESE MONSTROSITIES! UNTIL THEN, STAY INSIDE UNTIL THE THREAT IS CLEAR! WE HAVE LOCATED THE SOURCE OF WHERE THESE MONSTERS CAME AND WILL TAKE PROPER ACTION TO NEUTRALIZE IT!"
It was the same blimp from last night, with the screen showing a large hole with Eden's soldiers and scientists surrounding it.
It was then that Zander realized something.
That hole looks similar to the hole that he jumped in back in Olathe.
"Ok, so I can either stay here and wait for it to blow over, or go to that hole, avoid those monsters and bullets that might come to me, and jump in." Zander said after he saw the screen.
"Ah fuck it. It's better to leave a burning building."
Zander was running through the streets of Eden, avoiding the citizens who were running away from the monsters.
It took a long while for him to figure out where the hole was, but it wasn't hard to find it, he just had to follow the shooting and find where the most soldiers were.
After a while, he found a blockade where there were multiple bodies lying on the ground, yet there were two hybrid soldiers left, one a snake and the other a cow.
"Fuck man! This is insane! What's taking those eggheads so long?!"
"Look dude. There hasn't been a monster in a while, so I think we are in the clear."
"Yeah, but still. I think we should leave. Get out before Eden falls."
"I don't know man. It seems like a bad idea to leave."
"Well, do you have a better idea?!"
"I do! It's stay and wait! It is a whole lot better than your dumbass idea!"
Zander just watched as the two soldiers argued, until suddenly a lanky creature that looked like a robotic red ninja came crashing down.
Its limbs were completely black, and its neck was elongated by the black mass, with its jaw being ripped off, being replaced by more of the black blob.
It grabbed the cow soldier and ripped him in half, while the other began shooting at it.
The bullets were landing on it, but it wasn't bothered by it as it grabbed the snake soldier's head and crushed it.
It then turned to Zander who was shocked by the sudden slaughter.
They stared at each other for a while, until it spoke to him.
"hUMaN?"
It spoke in a corrupted yet understandable way.
Zander was nervous but nodded.
"GoOOoD. nOT FrEAk."
The lanky monster then jumped over Zander, who looked on to see the beast jumping towards the city.
"...well that was goddamn terrifying," Zander said as he headed towards the blockade.
After getting across the blockade, he walked through the campsite that was built around the hole.
Multiple bodies were strewed around, with some having large bite marks and others just ripped apart.
It seems that they were trying to figure out what this hole was, but it seems like they were attacked.
It wasn't long until Zander spotted something in the distance.
It was a table that had weird and unusual items on it.
They consist of a comically large hammer, some sort of futuristic ray gun, an unrealistically large burger, and a small pouch of familiar blue pills.
"Holy crap." Zander said as he walked towards the table.
He observed the items carefully until he made it to the small pouch.
"Wait. Isn't this Joy?" Zander asked himself as he grabbed the pouch.
"I see that you are familiar with one of the items we found during our study."
Zander turned around to see Allen, the man from before.
But he is in worse condition, having his left arm ripped off, his suit ruined, and holding a sword with his remaining arm.
"Hey! You're that guy! The one from before!"
"Indeed. I'm sure that you are aware that Eden has officially fallen, with most of its citizens leaving or dying." Allen said, not bothered by his wounds.
"Ok. So before you drop dead, how did you get these things?" Zander asked, being a bit curious.
"... considering the council is probably dead, I'll tell you."
"You see, just before Eden fell, this hole appeared out of nowhere, with some sort of substance erupting from it. It has corrupted many innocent victims, including Red, the one you saw mauling the last of Eden's soldiers."
"After that, we tried to figure out about this hole, to understand it, but we couldn't get anything from it, other than the items from it and the monsters coming out of it."
Zander then put his two cents to the conversation.
"Well, a professor I knew did mention about alternate universes. Where each one is extremely different from the other. Maybe this is a gateway to those universes."
Allen went silent for a while.
"Of course. That explains your appearance, and your different history."
"Pretty much. So if you don't mind, I think I should jump in the hole."
"What?! Why?!"
"Well, believe it or not, I jumped in one of those holes. How did you think I came here? But this is bigger than the last one."
"I'm sorry. But I can not allow this. Everything was going well until you came. The last researcher before dying believes that you caused the end of Eden. So if I kill you, it might stop those monstrosities, at least for a bit."
Allen then suddenly jumped and sliced at Zander, who dodged just in time, grabbing the pouch.
Putting it in his pocket, he took out his knife and charged at Allen.
They then begin to swing their blades, or more accurately, Allen swings his sword while Zander avoids it.
Zander manages to get a few swings at Zander, but it does little damage.
Then Allen swung hard, causing a large cut to appear on Zander's chest.
"GAH!"
Zander screamed in pain, falling to the ground.
"It is not fair, you got a sword while I get a knife!" Zander yelled at Allen, pointing at him.
But when he did, a laser came out of his finger, hitting Allen in the head, and piercing through his right eye.
Allen stood there, motionless, until...
"The Garden of Eden was supposed to be a sacred place until Eve bit it's fruit. And you were the Devil who told her."
Allen then fell, face first onto the ground dead.
Zander was shocked by what he did.
"D-Damn. S-sorry man, b-but you m-made m-me do t-this." Zander said, starting to feel the blood loss.
Zander then felt lightheaded, losing more blood from his wound.
"N-need to leave."
Zander got up, and struggled to make his way to the hole.
As he stood on the edge of the hole, he looked back at Eden, in its destroyed state, then fell into the hole.
"Ok, let's see what we got."
A young parrot-like creature was rummaging through the trash, hoping to find something for the settlement.
"Wait a minute."
The parrot then pushes the trash away to see a man, one who is alive and wounded.
"Holy shit! He's alive!"
The young parrot then placed the man in his wagon.
"Hold on dude. Maybe the doc will help you. That is if he can."
The scene pans out to reveal a destroyed city, with the parrot dragging Zander toward the settlement.
The settlement of Favelal.
End of Chapter 2.