We fell in a heap on the floor, the familiar whirring of machines and hum of the electric lights above me. Groaning, I sat up, realizing part way that my body was laying on Aura's lap. Rather quickly, I sat up, quite confused and irked of the idea of using Aura like a cushion, like those scenes in a particular anime that I did not want to replicate.
The first thing that was very clear was that the mechanoids were very worried about me. They had all crowded around me, with me in the middle of a circle of idle mechanoids wondering what was wrong. A constructoid used it's cameras and small claw apparatus to check on me. Although it was small and only reached up to my ankles, it was scurrying in between my legs. The lifters had procured several first aid kits and a stretcher, and though I didn't need it, a glass of apple juice. And the tunneler. With it's massive crab claws, was trying in some attempt to rub my shoulders. I glanced at Aura confusedly, who watched the whole ordeal with what appeared to be amusement.
"Hey Aura, what's happening?" I asked.
"Your mechanoids are worried for you." Aura stated. A warm yellow glow emanated from her being.
"Yes, but how do they know about my ordeals? Weren't we above ground and they below ground?" I asked back. A lifter was now trying to push the glass of apple juice into my open hand. Although I was attempting to discreetly refuse, it seemed a little saddened with even a low 'beep boop' sound. Begrudgingly, I accepted it, in which the lifter left quietly to do other things.
"It's your mech link." Aura responded. I subconsciously held my right ear, where my mech link was supposedly underneath. "Your mech link was modified by your predecessor self, in which thanks to the software upgrade to all of your mechanoids, they can also feel your emotions whenever, wherever. So they must have felt how you did throughout the exchange of being caught in that alley, forced to battle, and then forced to repel the paparazzi."
"Oh." I said. The lifter from before had now given a fluffy blanket to the tunneler, who's staggering two and a half tall stature very gently took and placed around my shoulders. It was very awkward, as I had know idea how to feel for these machines. For one, my only experience about them was when I played the video game featuring their little 2D sprites, so having them in the flesh as moving, working 3D objects with actual worries, feelings, and motivations was a completely new experience. I guess all I could do was stand there and experience it.
About the battle. It was quite... inexperienced and panicked. I had no idea how to control. No clue what moves Aura could do. No clear path on what Aura should do next. Although many times in my past life I always tried to act like someone with leadership, anything that dealt with animal feelings of strategy, I terrifically lacked at. I needed insight, and maybe, I would need some help.
"Say... Aura." I began. Aura, who had taken out the fossils and placed them on a nearby metal table, turned towards me. "What did you think about that Pokémon battle with Zircon?"
Aura metallically hummed, sounding like a small turbine engine. "It was nice, but something was lacking."
"Although I missed a good battle, it felt somewhat limiting. I am programmed to be your guard, but that doesn't stop me from giving criticism. First of all, you faltered consistently during the battle. When facing the opponent, there were times where I was wondering whether you were going to give an order. Secondly, you don't know your own troops capabilities. I know you are adjusting to your new surroundings, but you seemed scared about my power. Don't be. I am fully aware of my skill, and I can bend it accordingly. I was trained to be a guard, and therefore, trained to subdue, not kill. Lastly, you must relax. Your stress can permeate through your mechlink to your mechanoids, including me, so in a way, you could say we are all one. It does not matter what happens next, we can take care of that. What matters is what happens in the now. Focus on what you're doing."
I stood there. So much to do and so much to learn. I sighed. I began moving around the rooms, which had gotten significantly bigger. There was now a map on the wall, which showed the available area. My eyes momentarily bugged, looking at the scale the mechanoids had dug and constructed. From this small single set of rooms, they had built elevators descending downwards to a wide plethora of rooms. Although many were labeled empty, some were already ready for use, like a hydroponics chamber, battery room, workshops, deep drills, and generators. The base was definitely coming along. I moved my finger along the map. I was looking for something in particular. Something that would solve my problems.
The mechanoids were looking at me confusedly. I was supposedly taken care of. Why didn't they go back to work?
"Hey, you guys can go back to work now. I'm fine now. Look." I lifted the cup of apple juice to my lips given to me previously and drained it, before handing the glass to a nearby lifter, who took it gingerly. "Alright, now back to work you all, I'm fine now." I said, scanning over the map again. Yet when I glanced back, the mechanoids hadn't moved. And now Aura was looking at me weird.
"We can tell you're not fine. You're worrying about something." Aura said.
"And you are absolutely right," I said, with a little more angst than I wanted. "I know I'm not a good strategist, and I can't read animal movement or understand true feelings of mechanoids or animals alike. My mind is from a different time, so it's all very hard. What I need, is a friend who can fill that gap, and can guide me."
Aura tapped her chin with her hand. "I understand. Follow me."
I followed her into a nearby elevator, which descended downward about five floors before opening again. I was met with smooth sterile tiles and linoleum flooring, a very clean aesthetic. Down the hall, I could see it, sitting in a wide open room, sitting on some white raised steps, was the portal that brought me here. It was a little larger than before.
"You may have noticed the portal is larger than before," the Aura said, as if she were reading my mind. "The portal is made up of extremely rare archotech mass and fragments, and masterfully fabricated plasteel and advanced components. Because of it's archotech nature, the portal can reform into any shape possible. We determined that a more rectangular form would be better than it's previous oblong shape."
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
I nodded. The room that we were in appeared to resemble a sort of mixed lounge and mess hall. Chairs and tabled sat together in bunches, with ferns and flowers stacked up in the corners. Whittled stone and granite sculptures of different mechanoids sat by the doors of each cardinal direction. There were even some gorgeous modern water fountains on the sides. It was quite comforting.
"You need someone who is excellent in strategy and animal handling. You are the leader of the settlement, so we will be able to procure such a person." The Aura said, stepping up to the portal and pressing a button on the side of the portal gate. Instantly, it started firing up, a light blue projection glowing and swirling around. A few seconds later, the blue subsided, and what was shown was a gateway to another reality. A man in a clean lab coat smiled back, and waved. He was completely bald, had long delicate fingers and a rather large forehead. My mouth before I could stop myself.
"You're a genie?" I asked. I slapped myself in the mouth but it was already too late. The genie scientist raised an eyebrow.
"Second mind switch?" He asked calmly. I was about to answer, but he was actually talking to Aura rather than me, so instead I did the tried and true method of staying silent.
"Indeed. However, he seems to be familiar with both the politics and economics of rimworlds, so I don't think it's too much to worry about." Aura responded. The genie nodded. Taking a set of documents from a nearby table, he fumbles through them before landing on one colored a light blue.
"Anyways," the genie says, finally looking at me, "I am Herox, one of the many scientists entrusted to work on and maintain the portal. It is critical we keep it from failing, which most likely won't happen, but it helps to be better safe than sorry. But in the case that it does, we may never be able see each other again."
"I am not sure whether you are very familiar with how the portal works, now that the previous you has disappeared." Herox continued. "Essentially, using archotechnology, quantum mechanics, and other machinations and insane mathematics, we have been able to connect the strings between two different alternate realities. You and your mechanoids were the first to enter. Previous you was always so daring. Though his bravery was valued, his bravery also did border stupidity. I hope you'll be different."
"Don't worry," I said, giving a thumbs up. "I tend to be always careful when needs be."
Herox shrugged. "Being always careful isn't the best, but I'll take it at this point. Previous you has pretty much winded the entire R&D and Engineering sector. I'm sure they'll be happy knowing you won't barge into their workplaces to ask them to make something for you."
"Yeesh." I said. "Sorry on behalf of my prior self." I said, trying to apologize.
"Don't be." Herox said, waving a hand. "Many of your predecessor's insane ideas ended up working great. Mechanoid sentience was one such invention. It's helping us a lot with our work, now that mechanoids can learn from their mistakes and improve their own skills and techniques. It mixes well with our menagerist culture."
"Menagerist... " I pondered out loud. "Doesn't that have something to do with animals?"
"Indeed it does. We hold a great host of animals. Even some alpha animals too. Boomalopes, feralisks, wargs, even the occasional farm thrumbos. The pure thrumbos though, they're stronger and more skilled. And we only got one of them. And far far more! We even got some exotic animals, like dragons and nightlings, but they're handled separately from the rest. They're quite aloof that bunch. So what did you need?"
"Yeah, that's the thing," I began tapping my foot on the ground. "I'm actually really happy that our society had a menagerist culture, because if this works out, we'll both be getting some good deal out of this. Because the alternate reality that I've jumped in has loads of sentient superpowered animals."
"Explain please." Herox said, leaning in slightly to listen.
"Well essentially, this reality contains a world where there are alpha animal versions of things literally everywhere. Children and adults can often catch them in these little energy capturing balls where they can act like pets, helpers, or battle animals. There's even a massive culture where they battle with their captured animals until one of them fall. It's kind of like a cock fighting ring, but most of the animals are willing to do it because it supposedly makes them stronger faster? From an outside perspective, it sounds really weird and barbaric, until you see the power some of these things can wield, which is when you forget all about that first part."
"You see," I continued. "These animals, when handled, maintained, and cared for properly, can eventually end up shoot energy blasts more powerful than an orbital beam. Or shoot fire hotter than the sun. Or slice through enemies with blades sharper than even an obsidian shard. It's ludicrous."
"If these animals are powerful enough to get to that point, why don't they destroy the humans?" Herox asked. I groaned.
"Well... it gets more complicated than that. Like there's a pantheon of super all knowing animal gods balancing the power between animals and people, the fact there's far fewer humans than on a normal core world, the big incentive to maintain nature, and the fact that these animals called Pokémon can't get that powerful unless they get a human's help to command them. Something like that."
"I see." Herox said. "Well, I'll discuss the matter with the other local heads, as well as the second in command, and we'll decide what could be done next. But what did you need from us?"
"You see, I am not so good at handling animals nor am I that stellar at strategy. I'll need the best handler and strategist we have. Preferably I need one person. My Aura had already been discovered by the people of this world, and I think they may be trying to look for more. So it's best to have a strong and intelligent guide beside me."
"Oh!" Herox said, jumping up a little, and placing his documents on a nearby rolling chair. "I know just the guy, wait here." The genie ran off, opening the door to the outside to do whatever he needed to do. Momentarily, I had a glance of the bright and beautiful outside, full of buildings and people walking around, before the door closed again. A few minutes passed, before Herox reentered the room with a man in tow.
The man immediately activated a wave of uncanny Deja vu. The man being hastily towed towards me looked nearly identical to Colress, the head scientist of Team Plasma. He even had the same yellow tinted eyes, blue frame glasses, and flowing blond hair. It was too uncannily perfect. The main difference was that he was wearing a yellow wool sweater and a long white duster, similar to mine. More notably, Colress's iconic blue hair wave wasn't present. He looked a lot more normal than his sci-fi counterpart.
"Here he is!" Herox said, dragging the man next to him. "First of all, you must be aware that Leader Nexus has had a mind switch up recently, so he currently does not know who you are. I think it may be best if you introduce yourself, before I power up the portal and allow you to enter."
The man bowed and gave a warm smile. His face oozed peace and gentleness, but I was still reminded of his Pokémon counterpart. He couldn't be this reality's Colress could he?
"Hello," the man said, putting his hand on his heart and bowing slightly. "I am Leon, the head of the exotic animals handling sector. I am at your service."
"Hey Leon," I said rather critically and sternly. "What other names do you have other than Leon?"
"Oh, everyone calls me Leon, but my real name is Colress." he responded, still in his bowed position.
"Fucking knew it." I said, under my breath so no one could hear. Leon and Herox couldn't hear me, but Aura could damn well tell something was wrong. She glanced at me, before glancing at Leon.
"Well, Leon, I'll need your help greatly. " I said. "This world I've entered has an abundance of sentient super powerful creatures than puts our own alpha animals to shame. You said you're the head of the exotic animals, correct? Then you'll be perfect for my guide."
"Creatures more powerful than alpha animals?" Leon aka Colress mused aloud. "That really is something. Please take me into your care." He finally finished bowing. He turned toward Herox. "Please tell my bonded animals that I am fine, and I'm off to a very important errand. If they start pouting, please send the others to reassure them, and give them their favorite snacks." Herox nodded, and pulled down on a lever that was next to the portal.
The portal frame suddenly began filling up with energy, a glowing blue electric arc emanating from the frame. Even though it was bouncing all over Aura and I, it did no harm, so I relaxed again. The portal looked different now, as before hand it felt like there was a sheen in between both worlds. Now that sheen was gone.
"I've injected 8000 watts into the portal. That should be enough for about 80 kilograms of mass." Herox said. He turned toward me. "So in the future, if you need more manpower, you're going to need to take in account that for every kilogram of weight entering the portal, we'll need to inject 100 watts of energy to stabilize the transaction. Don't worry about materials though, we can trick the system by using 4D hyper storages."
And with that, alternate version Colress aka Leon stepped through the portal, and I shook hands with, hopefully, a new friend.