Chapter 11: Getting ready.

Bruce took a break from the story before retrieving a bottle of wine from his suitcase. One of the benefits of his body was that he wasn’t able to develop addictions or experience the detrimental effects of alcohol consumption. With his enhanced senses, he could even taste the whine on a much more intimate level than an ordinary person.

He popped the iron cap free from the bottles tip releasing the aroma into the transporter’s interior. Nowadays people didn’t use glass bottles as often. They weren’t particularly useful against interstellar radiation as well as other complications from the vacuum of space. The metal bottles were simply black with little character due to them being standardised and used for a variety of different substances. He had bought this whine a weak ago while visiting his ward’s market with Azalia, snatched it with two bottles of cider for a cheap but not suspiciously cheap price.

Noticing Nancy’s eyes undressing the bottle, Bruce extended it towards her and asked. “Do you want some? I don’t have a cup so just know that we’ll be mixing bodily fluid.”

“Christ all mighty.” Nancy immediately recoiled in disgust. “Don’t make it sound so perverse. Instead just say that we’ll be exchanging saliva.”

Nancy then grabbed the bottle before gulping down several mouths full like a fucking slob.

“Oi!” Bruce quickly snatched the bottle back before sneering at her, it was now half empty already.

Nancy let out a long sigh as the sun began to rise over the ocean. In the distance several uninhabited islands drifted past.

The news station was still broadcasting with an interview with non other than Lupus, or perhaps General Lupus would be more accurate.

Bruce took a few gentlemanly sips that contrasted greatly with Nancy’s savagery, all the while maintaining eye contact with her.

Nancy rolled her eyes before looking at the screen before her. “Speak of the devil.”

“Look at him all grown up.” Bruce chuckled. Lupus in actuality still resembled a man in his early twenties, just like Bruce himself. Still, his true age was told by the tired and dull shine in his eyes as well as the creases on his forehead. This was an utterly tired old man, Bruce knew it all to well. He had even heard that the events of one hundred and fifty years ago were so painful for Lupus that he erased his own memories shortly after Stark vanished. Bruce honestly couldn’t blame him and wasn’t too bothered by this. As long as he himself still remembered, the deaths of the second generation wouldn’t be in vain.

*We have managed to reclaim three planets from the Cosmic Death this earth year, with a fourth still in progress*

Lupus’s voice was void of emotion, it was the voice of a man who had lost his meaning.

“It’s surreal, looking at him.” Bruce sighed before continuing to say. “The man that split mars in half when he clashed with Stark, the strongest Immortal soldier currently active.”

“I can’t stand the sight of them.” Nancy frowned as she quickly changed the station. “None of those bastards in the imperial core care about planets like my home.”

Seeing that Nancy was growing tense, Bruce quickly said. “Let’s get back to the story shall we? We were just at the part where they all got changed into civilian clothes before venturing into the outside world”

“So you’re finally getting to the part where Stark ventures outside?” Nancy smirked at him before continuing to say. “I thought we’d never reach that part.”

“Hey Nancy?” Bruce’s voice deepened suddenly. “This is perhaps the most important part of the story. We are almost at the part where he encounters THAT MAN. I’m warning you in advance, what I say from the point at which Stark meets him and onward may sound completely nonsensical to you. I want you to understand that everything after that point is the genuine truth of what happened to earth, even if it may sound like a mad conspiracy theory.”

“That’s not disheartening at all!” Nancy frowned.

“Relax.” Bruce sighed. “This is only the most important part, the truly disheartening part of the story is still a ways away. Now, let’s pick things up an hour or so after we left off.

“What do you think Hockney?” Stark asked as he stood in a changing room dawning a white Lenin shirt and black jeans under a grey trench coat. His hair had been partially tied back leaving only his bangs to hang freely and his white academy gown was neatly folded on a chair off to the side.

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Hockney wore a tropical shirt under a red leather coat. Some of his dreadlocks were stylishly tied into two tails on the side of his head and a few hung freely in the front obscuring his eyes. He stroked his chin as he looked Stark up and down before saying. “Everything looks fine to me. I think we’ll both blend into an urban crowd just fine.”

“I think it’s suits you quite well too.” Delilah said wearing a large blue coat with black tights underneath. Sitting beside him, Lupus wore an all black outfit as he whistled to himself.

“Thanks Delilah.” Stark turned to face Delilah who sat on a bench next to Lupus by the room’s exit and chuckled. “I must say that outfit really brings out your… um… unique features so to say. Tights with such a feminine hip to waist ratio is quite bold to say the least.”

“Damn it he’s making fun of me.” Delilah frowned and tugged at Lupus’s coat as if he couldn’t defend himself.

Lupus remained silent as he folded his arms.

“Dammit you asked me to wear this!” Delilah continued to yell.

“Let’s go.” Hockney chuckled. “Let’s give Lupus some alone time with his girlfriend.”

Lupus rolled his eyes as they walked past and through the door snickering.

They entered from the side into a small glossy corridor with a long row of seats along the wall opposite them.

The director as well as Stark’s beloved Aunt Veronica both sat waiting for them in civilian attire. The director was wearing a brown buttoned up trench coat while Aunt Veronica wore green tights and a jean skirt under a fuzzy red jacket.

The time for them to venture into the outside world drew near. After lunch in the cafeteria they had been taken to a hidden room filled with clothes for them to choose from.

Stark and the rest of the boys were finished getting changed with him and Hockney now joining the two adults as they awaited Victoria and Beverly.

The events of the day had been quite unfortunate but Stark wasn’t about to let that sour his enthusiasm. He awaited this day for his entire life, the day he’d get to roam the outside world and see it with his own eyes.

Excitement began to stir in Stark’s heart.

Noticing the smile creeping across his face Hockney couldn’t help but whisper in his ear. “You’re thinking about those curvaceous escorts right now aren’t you.”

He then nudged Stark several times before being swatted away.

“You guys really should know that you can’t hide your true intentions just by whispering.” Aunt Veronica smiled warmly lighting up the corridor.

“There are some rules I have to lay out before we leave.” The director said adjusting his glasses. “Once the rest join us I’ll quickly go over them.”

“Let’s hope they join us soon…” Hockney turned to stare at the nearby door to the female changing room impatiently.

Having been exposed to numerous movies and music videos as well as the internet, Stark knew that there was a stereotype of women taking long to get ready. He truly hoped that it was just that and nothing more.

After several minutes passed Delilah and Lupus joined them.

Stark and Hockney sat next to each other with their eyes fixed on the female changing room, both of them tapping their boots on the glossy floor in frustration.

“Looks like we’re going to be here for a while…” Lupus sighed.

The director was now reading a book while Aunt Veronica had fallen asleep and was snoring loudly.

“I’m going to knock on the door.” Stark sneered before getting up and storming towards the female changing room.

None of the others made any attempts at stopping him as they too were irritated greatly.

Fortunately the door opened right as Stark was about to start banging it down, revealing Victoria and Beverly who both looked stunning.

Stark’s anger quickly subsided as he looked Victoria dead in the eye.

She was wearing a long white fur coat that accentuated her hourglass figure and wearing makeup that enhanced her features tremendously. Beverly was dressed similarly but her coat was black.

“You’re both beautiful…” Delilah said sounding genuinely stunned.

Victoria quickly looked Stark up and down as if he were a steaming piece of steak before looking over at Delilah.

Beverly who was beside her said. “You look so cute Delilah!”

“Thanks.” Delilah said sheepishly, pulling down his jacket to cover his legs.

“You look amazing too Stark.” Victoria smiled as she locked eyes with Stark again.

Stark didn’t want this interaction to be dragged out so he quickly said. “You look stunning Victoria. Now let’s get going.”

The director quickly pocketed his book before shaking Aunt Veronica awake. He then stood up and said loudly. “Before we all leave, there are a few rules that need to be established. First of all, understand that the majority of people you’ll see are only ordinary people. Their bodies are much more fragile than ours so if you engage in physical contact with them be sure to be extremely gentle.”

“I already know that…” Stark mumbled under his breath as impatience once again got a chokehold on him.

“The second rule is that you do not venture into areas that we haven’t given you the permission to go to.” The director said sternly while looking at Hockney.

“Shit.” Stark couldn’t help but curse internally. How the hell would they be able to find a brothel now? Surely such places would precisely be in the restricted areas. The information Stark knew about the outside world came mainly from old internet catalogs from before the internet itself was replaced. This meant that the information he and Hockney knew was at least one hundred years out of date. The most recent videos and documentaries they had access to in the facility’s library only went up to two hundred years ago and they all told a similar story of decline.

As the director continued to babble, Hockney turned slightly to look back at Stark. His expression was one of resolution as if he knew exactly how to counter the director’s interference.

Stark couldn’t help but sigh deeply. He had no idea what Hockney was planning and dared not to ask. As long as the day ended with his face in a woman’s plump bosom he didn’t care.

“What’s on your mind?” Victoria suddenly held Stark’s hand and asked curiously, staring up into his eyes like a puppy.

“I’m just really excited.” Stark smiled back at her.