The sludge-like darkness that enveloped Ren finally gave away after what felt like an eternity of sinking and drowning, dropping him ruthlessly on cold, wet terrain. All sensations had gone numb within the void and left him blind to just about everything by the time he was finally out. It all gradually started coming back to him as he lay face down on the ground breathless. First, Ren's brain reminded him to breathe. He gasped for air but quickly started coughing and wheezing nonstop until his throat was clear of whatever found its way in. For a moment he nearly passed out because of it. Ren remained on his hands and knees, panting and aching. His fingers started to itch and tingle. The boy soon realized the scrapes on his palms incurred from the landing. His raw fingertips could now feel a frigid surface of dirty, scratchy minerals -- concrete? Something dripped on the back of his hand. Droplets of blood trickled from his nose and seeped between his lips, tainting his saliva with a foul metallic taste. Ren spat out globs of red and sat up to pinch his nostrils together while keeping his head lifted to coagulate his blood. Directly above him, peering between dark structures that towered over him, was a moon veiled in clouds, half azure and half slate. It was starkly different from the celestial object he knew and loved, but the pale light it cast over the freezing alleyway comforted him nonetheless. A speck of snow got caught in his eye, forcibly returning his attention to the world right in front of him. His eyes gradually adjusted to the soft moonlight, allowing him to discern the rest of his surroundings. He was right next to a dumpster, its stench now hitting him at full force. Sneaking peeks out of the alleyway, he witnessed an endless wall of humanoid silhouettes drifting by with warm lights threading the seams. Behind them, countless whooshes and honks and overlapping voices faded in and out of earshot. Ren turned his stiff and aching head 180° to find a similar street that was only slightly less populated. Some of the silhouettes turned their heads, apparently taking notice of the boy inside the alleyway before casually moving on with their night. He steadily lifted himself back on his feet and allowed his eyes one more lap while he dusted himself off. Sadly, there was little else he could do to fix his appearance; His suspicious jumpsuit was scuffed, sticky, and sweaty. His hair was an oily mess in need of a cut. He had no shoes and his socks were sticky and drenched in soda. At that moment, he wished he could just hide in this alleyway forever. But he knew he had to rejoin society as soon as possible, lest he freeze to death. Mustering the courage and strength to do so, Ren lurched forward, his heart pounding and entire body trembling. In just a few steps he was rewarded for his effort. The streetlight over his head bathed him in warming rays comparable to sunlight, melting away the ice crystals that clung to his skin. He drew out a heavy sigh of relief, followed by laughter that drew the attention of those walking around him. Ren kept his celebration brief, minding the presence of strangers and the mystery of his whereabouts. Attention always made him uneasy, but under the circumstances he had every right to be.
The flow of the crowd pushed him down the alien asphalt faster than he expected. Living in isolation for so long made him forget what it was all like, though the more he looked around, the more he realized how different this place truly was. It wasn’t just the moon that was different. This city was a melting pot of peculiar people: mixed in with the blondes, redheads, and brown-haired people were a lot of people with either swampy green hair or rich blue locks. Besides that, over half of them had abnormal growth on their heads and butts. They were the kinds of ears and tails that did not belong to a human being. Upon trying to confirm their authenticity by looking closer at the guy beside him, the boy was then threatened with that guy’s claws. The man's arms and legs were layered with thick fur up to his knees and elbows, with a bridge of fuzz connecting his forearms and nape, where there was even more fur. Those fuzzy human-like paws looked like gloves at a distance but they were unmistakably real. But the list of abnormalities went on: In place of fur, some people had scales or even feathers. Walking behind certain types of people made navigating a tight crowd more annoying than it already was. Ren couldn't help but laugh, however, when he saw these werewolf-like strangers walking dogs. He stopped laughing when he realized that the guy behind him was walking a giant lizard, and the guy behind that guy was walking around with a repulsive-looking purple dodo on his shoulder.
The scenery itself was astonishing. Apartments and shops were painted in eye-catching pastels while the skyscrapers were built like kaleidoscopic lanterns stretching to the night sky. The streets all around were bathed in the fluorescent light of its posts and the countless lights of the neon signs. Ren grew curious about their interiors. That itch for adventure he always had now compelled him to escape into the nearest building and see if it was as warm and pretty inside as it was outside. But he had to resist. He didn’t quite have time or money for any of that. So he continued to meander the streets, bearing where the brisk midnight wind did. It smelled like dust, albeit with a hint of what he believed was seawater. It wasn’t perfect, but at least it was something unlike the frigid air his cell's conditioner recycled 24/7.
Ren scaled a random parking building in hopes of finding shelter for the night. Upon reaching the top floor, he found himself between two different sceneries: to the west was a sleek ocean black as night that barely undulated. Downtown was east of him, a collection of poly-chromatic towers of light that all formed one big, heavenly monument. The boy sought a spot indoors nearest to the quiet ocean. Pleased with the view, he laid on his back with his head resting on his arms. As his eyes wandered to the soothing, lazy tides, his mind drifted off. Ren allowed himself to dwell on all that happened in the past couple hours. He recalled that old man’s revelation and then worked his way back from there, eventually thinking back to what little memories he had of his mom and dad. There were barely any to begin with. As odd as it might seem, they were little more than strangers to him because of how little he really knew about them. At least he got to know mom a little through her parents. As for dad, Ren accepted the possibility that he would forever remain an unknown man from another realm, faded to obscurity.
Ren growled. He turned to face the shadowy ocean, holding himself tightly to fight the cold. “Why did you leave this?” he mumbled to nobody. “Was it the rent? Was it the homeless problem? Was it for mom? …How did you even leave to begin with?”
Of course, he knew he would eventually find the answer himself. Not that it truly mattered anymore. What mattered was that he was here now, where he truly belonged. Whatever it was that drove Ren’s father to abandon this world, Ren was confident he could handle it.
Unless it was hypothermia, which Ren was beginning to experience. The touch of a passing breeze sent shivers throughout his whole body. The temperature was plummeting and nothing within the parking building offered any form of comfort or warmth to take advantage of. The lights were ordinary and the floor was ice-cold. Even if it were cozy enough, Ren realized in hindsight that it wouldn’t be too wise to call it a night here due to all the cars passing by all of a sudden. Someplace secluded would be preferable until he was more acquainted with this city. On his way down the parking structure he got a vantage point of the downtown area. Though it might seem counterintuitive to venture downtown like a moth to a flame, he remained optimistic. A city is bound to have some shadows, no matter how bright it shines.
Several minutes later he wound up walking amidst a bustling intersection filled with people of varying backgrounds. Signs everywhere were written in goofy glyphs that vaguely looked familiar. Out of all the languages he absorbed over the years, this one was especially curious. It wasn’t hard to figure out what these buildings were all about, thankfully. Some shops had an incredible aroma that was unlike anything he smelled before. It didn't matter how gross the food looked because one whiff of the unforgettably unique spices made the picky eater hungry enough to consider trying it -- if he had the money. He hurried along to escape the mind-numbing aroma. Next came a fancy-looking shopping center, which housed many retail shops that could introduce him to the fashion trends of this city. Ren waltzed inside one store chosen at random and looked around, both at the clothes and the people wearing them. He didn’t learn much. Fashion was always one of those things he could never understand. All he took from his observation was that kilts were in style.
Ren quickly left the shopping center in pursuit of someplace more interesting. He came upon what looked like a fenced-off park. Circling the perimeter brought him before a gate where two security officers stood guard. They checked each individual who came close and spoke to them before allowing them inside. Ren warily came up and said hello. They nodded and started speaking a language he could only interpret as babbling and tongue rolling.
The young foreigner froze up immediately. "Huh? Uhhh... I don't..."
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
One of them leaned in and spoke inquiringly. Ren remained utterly confused. The other man simply shrugged and held a small flashlight up to him. He gave the boy a moment to figure out what they were going to do next, then pointed it directly at his left eye. With a click, the flashlight shone a brilliant beam of purple light that turned white once the man pulled away. The man then said something else and kindly motioned the boy into the park while his colleague nodded in approval.
Under the high moon, the unwelcoming park turned out to be full of life as if it were a Saturday afternoon. Mothers and fathers pushed loaded strollers around a glistening lake bearing the reflection of neighboring skyscrapers. Ducks paddled on the surface, bobbing in the small waves being made from nearby movements. Ren got curious and kneeled on the stony ledge with his head hanging over the waters. Strangely, the floor of the lake was illuminated by green-blue lanterns, and there seemed to be various objects sitting at the bottom. Someone apparently dumped a bench into the lake. Ren considered fishing the depths for valuables until he noticed a large figure pass by one of the lanterns. It was massive. He squinted for a better look. Suddenly, the dark figure paused... and changed course for him. Ren sprung to his feet and took on a combat stance. His sudden movement caught a few eyes of those strolling by. The dark figure breached the surface in a thin blanket of froth, scaring off a nearby duck and the young foreigner. To his surprise, Ren did not find himself at the mercy of a lake spirit, or in the jaws of a giant fish. It was just a curious water-dwelling hybrid who looked no older than him. She wore what looked to be a sleeveless wetsuit that showcased her shoulders, arms, and nape, which were all covered in dazzling scales.
She brushed her hair-like fins(or fin-like hair?) from her eyes, then rested her scaly arms on the rocky pavement before finally acknowledging the boy with a soft gargle. Though equally curious, he could not hope to converse with her, as much as he wanted to.
"How's, uh, the weather down there?" he jested poorly.
She cocked her head and made a garbled chirp. "What?" she probably replied. And after a brief exchange of confused looks, she slowly sunk back down and never came back. The boy, ashamed of himself, left the park immediately after and continued his stroll downtown. Meeting a mermaid for the first time was not something he ever expected out of life, but the joy of actually having such an encounter was immensely outweighed by the grief he felt from making a fool out of himself. Dreams of an alternate timeline occupied his conscience while his legs carried him as far from the park as possible.
Did I make a weird face? I probably don't smell good. I want a shower. I want to be alone. I think I want to go to bed now too.
Pushed away from the lively public square was a foreboding neighborhood of lesser beauty where a different kind of people resided. These citizens had dark skin with eyes shaped much like his, but with overbearing bodies that showed off a plethora of stitches and scars. Even the kids looked buff and carried a few battle scars of their own. Some local youths began leering at Ren, despite him clearly being older than some of them. If these were ordinary kids from his city, he would have just laughed in their faces and dared them to approach him. But of course, these kids were far from ordinary; they were shiners, just like him. Naturally, Ren maneuvered away from them out of respect for their potential power.
That was what he tried, at least. The longer Ren traveled through the ghetto, the more concerned he became for his safety. People were casually enjoying their night on the front steps of their abode, but more and more people started staring at the pale and ragged foreigner, who was exploring their neighborhood like a stray puppy. Ren kept his head low to hide the light of his eyes as he watched for their auras. If anyone nearby had killing intent, he would easily pick up on it and react. A few strangers passed by him, hands in pockets and heads in the clouds after a night of substance abuse. Their auras remained still for the most part. One aura spiked up, however; It was that of a very twitchy man who passed by, his intense aura swelling as the two got closer to one another, until finally, the boy had his back to him. Ren spun around to meet the uglier end of a handgun adorned with gold and rubies. The mugger was surprised by the boy's reflexes but stuck to his script. He crept around the boy while barking demands.
Ren pretended to obey. He waited for the mugger to stop behind him, then spun in place as soon as he felt a hand slide into his shirt pocket, delivering kick after kick until the disarmed man was flat on his back nearly a dozen feet away. Ren calmly turned again to catch the gun in his hands as it fell back down from the air. He marveled at its finish for a moment. "Oooh, shiny. A bit tacky, though."
The weapon vanished from his grasp in the blink of an eye, reappearing back in the man's possession like a flash of red lightning. Ren panicked and barraged him with psychic attacks until it was once again in his hands. This time he was quick to destroy it, trapping the weapon in a compressing bubble of psychic energy. Surprisingly, the pressure quickly reduced the weapon into a fine crystalline dust. "What, is your gun made of rock candy?" Ren looked down on the mugger, still on his butt, but holding an open palm out as if pleading for mercy.
Ren stared coldly into the man's eyes. This was exactly how every encounter with his next victim went. If he were still the same old brat he was a couple years ago, he'd have already come up with some very nasty plans for his new guinea pig. Fortunately for him, Ren had no ill intent this time. All he wanted was help. He took a step forward with his hand rising to meet the fool's face, until suddenly his emerald eyes turned a fiery red. The fingers of his outstretched palm curled inward like a cage around the rapidly growing ember that appeared within. A warm, reeking wind blew inward. Ren sprung high into the air, narrowly escaping a river of red and orange that washed the sidewalk beneath him. The heat alone dried his socks and burnt his feet a little. The flying psychic then dove downward with a speedy ax-kick aimed at the mugger's face. The man of fire was pleasantly knocked out cold.
Ren grimaced. "So you're like her. Lucky dog."
Wasting no more time, he held off on brooding and placed a hand on the man's face to prolong his unconsciousness, preparing him to be extracted of information.
Locals hollered in his direction in response to this. Ren spotted a few rushing over and decided staying was no longer worth the risk, so he took to the air once more, hoping they could not follow. Luckily the avian hybrids were flightless — they lacked wings, instead having scaly hands with talons that had no chance of reaching him. The boy kept flying regardless until the people of the ghetto were no bigger than ants.
The highest he could go was beneath a billowing ceiling of clouds. Despite how high up he was, he was taken aback by how dark it was. Curious about the unusual sky, Ren stuck his hand in the azure aerosol and watched it flower between his fingers. It was an experience he had to keep short because his hand stung from the cold. At the same time he was hit with a wave of high-altitude winds, compelling him to seriously consider settling down for the night. He got to scouting out rooftops.
"God, I wish I had fire magic too," he muttered sullenly, shivering. He breathed into his hands and rubbed them together as his tired eyes surveyed the streets below.
It took longer to find a spot than he had hoped. Most rooftops and some alleyways were out of the question due to a prevalence of security lights and alarms. Anywhere that wasn't guarded or locked down was already cluttered with shoddy villages and dusty tents amidst piles of strewn junk. Not a single nook and cranny was vacant. A few of these campsites seemed less crowded than others, where the only people that could be found were huddled around a fire pit. But they strongly opposed Ren's presence, forcing the boy to look elsewhere. There weren't many places left, not even the empty alleyway he woke up in, which had since been taken up by an entire gang of homeless people who lived almost as if they had always been there.
Come to think of it, that's how it seemed with the homeless as a whole. They were practically invisible until the young boy started seriously searching the shadows. In those crevices the city's warm lights could not reach, an entire village would rest.
With fewer options as time went on, Ren got frustrated. He took a risk when he came upon an apartment that he hoped might have a gap in security. He crept around the perimeter, making his way to a rotten shed. It was cluttered with rusty tools among other things, but he was fortunate to find some old blankets somewhere in the pile. They smelled like urine, but they made the cold bearable. The stench was easy to overlook once he finally warmed up.
Now that he was settled in and ready to sleep, Ren's body eased up, and all the stress it accumulated in the past few hours took its toll all at once. Ren's arms and feet suddenly ached, and his head throbbed from overuse of psychic energy. It didn't bother the boy that much, however, because his heart was fluttering with joy. He was finally free, far from those who bothered him. The ambient racket of a typical city was more comforting than he expected. It was all so nostalgic: the whooshing of cars, the squeals of buses coming to a stop, the chatter of city-folk, the whir of helicopters and drones, the howling police sirens, and the occasional honk that would sometimes precede an exchange of insults. "This is nice," he exhaled, smirking at the sound of a bunch of kids screaming WOOO! from the top of their car. Ren fell asleep seconds later.