THE MOMENT
"What did you say to me?" Alexander asked the question as he stared down into Johan's eyes. He held the stone relic in his hands and his goal was almost achieved. This was an unexpected wrinkle but he could still work around it.
"I'm going to stop you! Here and now." The shorter teen stared up and straightened his back to stand firmer. Alexander closed his eyes and sighed in disappointment.
"That's what I thought...," he said. "...it's not even the right line; what's your favorite number?"
"35!" Johan answered instantly. He didn't know where the answer came from, nor that he had a favorite number; but, he wasn't going to be distracted. Alexander killed his father and he was about to become more powerful than anyone on Earth. "Give me the mask and turn yourself in!" Johan added to show he was still focused.
"Uhhhhh....," Alexander's eyes darted around glancing at seemingly every corner of the mansion. "Okay...., this is still fine...," he said.
"I WON'T LET YOU BECOME A VAMPIRE!" Johan dashed forward and knocked the mask out of Alexander's hands.
"DUDE!" Alexander snarled in frustration as a delicate glass tiara took shape above his head of rainbow-colored locks. Rainbow light glowed from within the glass and he used a more commanding voice. "RELAX!" he said. Johan felt compelled to sit on the floor in a comfortable position with his arms around his knees. Once he was seated, the crown vanished from sight.
"First of all, I'm already a vampire, dumbass," Alexander opened his mouth to show his fangs at Johan as he reached down for the mask. "Second of all, there's a lot more going on here than you know. If you'll listen to me for a bit-,"
"You killed my father...," Johan said. He found it difficult to work up any anger because he was still feeling pleasantly mellow.
"No I didn't," Alexander chuckled.
"I saw you, Alexander!" He managed to raise his voice a bit; but, not too much.
"I killed an NPC you thought was your father," Alexander answered. "Oh, by the way...," he materialized the tiara-shaped rainbow above his head again for just a moment. "...since you're Unique now, you will address me by my full name; Alexander Royce Kingston."
"I know who my father was, Alexander Royce Kingston," Johan replied. He didn't know what an NPC was; but, he had memories from his childhood. He knew his father was a generous man and he'd always wanted to grow up to be like him.
"Yeah, see... no," Alexander chuckled. "Up until... hell, I don't know. Whenever," he shrugged. "You were an NPC too. You're just a character in a game I'm playing; this whole world exists for my entertainment."
"That's ridiculous, Alexander Royce Kingston!" Johan replied. He readjusted himself into a less comfortable position. He was finding it easier to get angry the more he used that name.
"Oh, you can see this now," Alexander said. He made a flicking gesture with his wrist and a smokey grey pane of glass appeared in front of him. "I mean, you can see that I have a Slate; but, obviously you won't be able to read what's on it."
"What sorcery is this, Alexander Royce Kingston?" Johan managed to force himself to his feet.
"It's just nanos," Alexander shrugged. "You'll get the whole explanation from a Mundo, that's not my job."
"If you're already a vampire, what do you want with the mask?" Johan asked. He didn't know what to make of the Slate or about nanos but he still felt he should stop him.
"It's a quest I'm working on," Alexander answered. "The mask is my reward, and it's an equipment upgrade that I need."
"So you are seeking its power!" Johan replied.
"I guess in a roundabout way; sure," Alexander shrugged.
"I'll stop you," Johan said. However, it was more of a voluntary suggestion than an outright decree.
"....ehhhh, no you didn't." Alexander placed the mask on the grey Slate and it disintegrated down into the glass. "Quest done," he said. "I'm leaving now; but, someone will show up to talk to you soon," he said.
"Hey ARK!" Alexander flinched at the sudden voice. Johan turned to see a pale teen girl in a white suit. She was as pale as Alexander and they had similar rainbow-colored hair.
"I'm not here," Alexander replied as he threw a black card on the floor. It opened a hole that he stepped onto, and began to descend.
"See ya later, Ark!" the girl waved at him happily while the pale teen disappeared below the surface and the black hole closed.
"So, you're Awake now, welcome to the AlterNet!" she turned to Johan with a smile. "My name's Monday Sharp, and I'll get you to a Mundo so you can get everything explained," she gestured at the air beside them and another black hole opened, this time it hung vertically in the air like a doorway. "Any questions before we get going?"
"Are you... related to Alexander Royce Kingston?" he asked. He didn't know whether he would trust her more or less if she was; but, he still wanted at least one proper answer before he followed her into the portal.
"Nah," Monday giggled and shook her head. "I can see why you think that though, we're both half vampire and half unicorn," she said. "But, thank goodness he's an only child; the multiverse doesn't need any more of him," she laughed some more.
"Multiverse...?" Johan asked. They used a lot of words he wasn't familiar with; but, he could piece together what multiverse meant.
"Oh, he didn't tell you that? There are infinite other Earths out there; I'm taking you to a different one now to get you caught up with what you can do, and what's out there."
"No..., Alexander Royce Kingston said no such thing...," he shook his head. He felt ready to follow her and stepped forward to show he was willing. He didn't know what was happening yet; but, she promised answers on the other side.
"Oh, that's gonna get annoying fast," Monday shook her head. A rainbow crown of light took shape over her head. It wasn't as detailed a shape as the tiara Alexander used; and, the light flowed freely instead of being contained in glass. "You can call him Ark if you want," she said, then the crown vanished and she walked forward into the portal with a giggle. "He really hates it."