“That took way longer than it should have.” Chris grumbled as Sergeant Callista and her husband left, his head throbbing slightly.

“In her defense, I don't think anyone would be comfortable with someone removing their body parts, no matter how painless it might be.” Beth commented.

“Yeah, yeah.” Chris agreed, turning to Sabrina. “So what now? You said someone else wanted to talk to me, right?”

Sabrina nodded. “Right, the woman you rejuvenated and her son. Let me go get them.”

Chris fell onto the couch as Sabrina left. “Hopefully they're not going to want me to actually do anything, cause I'm wiped.”

“You know, that's kind of weird.” Beth commented, sitting down next to him.

Chris frowned. “What is?”

“Well, you're technically the space, aren't you? And this isn't even your actual body, so why are you physically exhausted? Why are you experiencing physical pain?” Beth elaborated, poking him curiously.

Chris blinked. “That's- a good question.” He paused for a moment before letting his physical form dissolve, just to see what would happen. It didn't change much. He still felt tired and while his head didn't hurt, he still felt an aching… somewhere. He reformed on the couch, cocking his head. “I think the sensations are in the space, and when I have a body, they get translated into something physical. Which probably explains why my healing doesn't fix it.”

“Weird…” Beth muttered.

Chris shrugged. “I mean, it kinda makes sense. I wasn't doing anything physical, I was using my space, so my space is what's worn out.”

“I guess, it's just… it's a space. What's actually being worn out?” Beth wondered. “What's powering it and how do you recover it? I mean, it'd be one thing if your space could just do things, or if it had to consume some resource for it, but the fact that it requires you to put in effort without seeming to consume any resource is just… weird.”

“You're starting to sound like Jacobs.” Chris chuckled. “What's got you thinking about all this?”

Beth sighed. “I don't know. It's just- with the game and your parents… I don't know, it just got me thinking about what you actually are, and the more I think about it, the less it makes sense. Sure, your space has some similarities to a doppelganger’s abilities, but none of it explains how you became a space. I just- I don't get it, and it bothers me.”

Chris nodded slowly. “I can understand that… for me, it just seems pointless to question it. If I knew some way to actually get answers, I'd want to know, but even Jacobs has no idea what's going on with my space, and in the end, does it really matter why I have my space? It's not going to change the fact that I have it, so why waste time wondering about something you can't answer, when you can focus on things you can answer.”

“I guess.” Beth muttered. “It just kinda bothers me that your already utterly ridiculous background still doesn't even come close to fully explaining how utterly ridiculous you are! I can't help but feel like there's another shoe waiting to drop that's going to put us in even more danger.”

Chris frowned. “Shit, you have a point.”

“Right!?!” Beth exclaimed. “Ugh, I love you, but sometimes I wish you could have been just a bit more normal.” She paused. “Then again, if you were any less ridiculous, I'd most likely be dead right now, so that's probably dumb…”

Chris grinned slightly. “You know, when most people talk about me being more normal, they're referring to my personality.”

Beth waved dismissively. “Pssh, your personality is fine. It's everything else about you that's a little much. If I could just get you without all the baggage…” She sighed wistfully.

“You know, that's actually an option.” Chris commented. “Once I get my space to the point where we can actually form a connection, there's really no reason why we have to deal with the rest of the world. We could just spend the rest of… forever, I guess, living in my space.”

Beth blinked. “What about food?”

“As long as you don't want to leave, I can recycle the material in my space endlessly, or at least close to it.” Chris shrugged. “I've been using the same fuel in the generator for months now.”

Beth looked thoughtful for a moment, then she suddenly scowled at him. “Why do you have to tempt me like this!?! You know we can't just abandon the City!”

Chris raised his hands defensively, chuckling slightly. “Hey, you're the one who said you wanted to get rid of all the baggage.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “Maybe if things were different, but we started all this. We can't make a mess and then just leave, particularly when we're the only ones who can actually do something about it.”

Chris nodded. “I know. I'm just saying, it is an option. Particularly for the future…”

Beth hesitated. “I'll- keep it in mind.”

Sabrina returned a moment later with the patient and her son, and Chris got up with a slight groan. “Chris, this is Madison and her son Alexander.” Sabrina introduced them.

“Please, call me Maddie.” Madison smiled, reaching out to shake Chris's hand. “I just wanted to let you know how thankful-”

“Don't mention it.” Chris stopped her. “I mean literally, don't. Expressing too much gratitude in here can be dangerous. Maybe step outside first? Unless you actually want to become my minion, I guess…”

Maddie froze and Alexander glanced at her nervously. “Mom, maybe we should-” He began to tug her back towards the portal.

Maddie shot him an exasperated look as she shrugged off his hold on her. “Alex, I told you. This man gave me my life back! If he wants any-”

“Eh!” Chris stopped her again. “You're also going to want to avoid the a-word.”

Maddie flushed slightly. “Ah, sorry… what did you mean by ‘minion’?”

“I'm a dominator, and this space facilitates it. Usually I have to initiate it myself, but whenever anyone expresses… a desire to serve, I guess? Something like that, at least. Anyway, whenever someone does that, the connection forms on its own, and once it does, it's pretty much unbreakable unless you have a way to get stronger.” Chris explained. “But there's no real harm in being my minion, it's just not something I think most people would enjoy, since I would be able to order you around and control you like a puppet. I don't want to, but I could.”

Maddie frowned. “Would it help you if I became your minion?”

“Mom!” Alex protested.

Chris shook his head. “Not particularly, no. Unless you have a really useful ability… but otherwise yeah, no.”

Maddie grimaced. “I can create simple items, but not in large enough quantities to actually be useful. Maybe four kilograms worth over an entire day.”

Chris paused. “What do you mean by simple items?”

“A block of metal, a knife, maybe some simple armor?” Maddie elaborated. “I need to be able to visualize what I'm making.”

“Huh… and do you need materials to convert, or no?” Chris asked next.

“No, it's a materialization ability.” Maddie replied.

“Those are pretty rare…” Beth commented thoughtfully.

Maddie sighed. “Yes, but as I said, I'm not powerful enough for it to actually be worth anything.”

“You aren't, no… but I am.” Chris grinned slightly. “Let me explain how my space works for a moment. First, I can scan anything within it, storing the blueprint in a database so I can recreate it at any time. Unfortunately, I can only do that with material connected to my space, which means it can't actually leave my space. Second, as long as they're in my space, I can borrow the abilities of any of my minions.” Chris chuckled slightly as Maddie's eyes widened. “You're starting to see where I'm going with this. But there's still one more point. My space allows me to mutate, increasing my physique and my ability power.”

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Everyone fell silent for a moment until Maddie spoke up. “So my ability could be very useful for you.”

“Incredibly.” Chris agreed before shrugging dismissively. “But honestly, I'm already ridiculously powerful, so as much as I would love to be able to create objects out of nothing, I don't need to. I'd probably just use it to make food for the most part… cooking is annoying.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “You don't even cook. Carmen does.”

“Yeah, but I still have to wait for it.” Chris retorted. “Plus, since Carmen is doing the cooking, we eat what Carmen wants. With this, I'd get to eat what I want. And not to disparage Carmen's cooking or anything, she does a fantastic job, but I could make literally any meal I've scanned, which means we could eat food from the best restaurants in the City, every day, for free.”

Beth's eyes glazed over for a moment as she remembered the most delicious meals she'd ever had, licking her lips slightly. “That does sound amazing.”

Maddie coughed. “If you're using my ability, would I be able to… partake?”

“I don't see why not.” Chris smirked.

Alex looked between the two of them incredulously. “Mom, you can't actually be considering this! You'd be his slave! He could do anything to you!”

Sabrina snorted. “As if. I've been his minion for over a week now and he hasn't made me do a single damn thing. He hasn't even talked to the woman who accidentally connected to him after he healed her cancer!”

“Chris doesn't order his minions around unless he absolutely has to.” Beth explained. “He even treats the Maze creatures like they're his friends.”

“They are my friends.” Chris muttered.

“See?” Beth grinned. “Plus, I'm pretty sure if he wanted to force Maddie into anything, he would have already made her his minion. It isn't like you could stop him.”

“You wanna bet?” Alex growled, stepping forwards threateningly, when Maddie smacked him upside the head.

“Alexander! What do you think you're doing!?!” Maddie snapped at him. “This man has done nothing but help and now you're going to threaten him!?! Leaving aside how laughable it is for you to do so as barely a mid-tier, how can you not see how ungrateful you're being!?!”

“I- but he- Mom, they're trying to convince you to be a slave! A slave!” Alex protested.

“Alex, the only person trying to convince me of anything here is you!” Maddie retorted. “I know you're worried for me, but I'm not an old woman who can barely form a coherent thought anymore! I'm a fully functional adult who is more than capable of making her own decisions and I don't need my son to baby me!”

Alex flinched. “Mom, I just-”

“I know.” Maddie sighed. “You've had to take care of me all on your own, because I was incapable and your sorry excuse for a father left the moment things became inconvenient for him. You're used to being responsible for me. But now that I'm healed, you don't have to be, nor should you be! I'm your mother! If anything, I should be responsible for you! So stop treating me like I'm incapable!”

“I- I'm sorry.” Alex mumbled, deflating under his mother's stern glare.

Maddie nodded in satisfaction, turning back to Chris. “Now then, how do I become your minion?”

Chris glanced at the incredibly uncomfortable looking Alex. “Are you sure? You can at least take some time to think about it. I won't even be able to use your ability for about a week. Unless I used one of my other minions bodies…”

Maddie smiled. “I'm sure.”

“Okay, just to reiterate, this is permanent. Like ‘not even death will save you’ permanent. As in, if you die, it just means you're stuck in my space, not actually dead. And as far as we can tell, I can't die, so this would be an eternal position.” Chris explained. “Not something you do just to spite your son. Not saying you are, just, you know, putting it out there.”

Maddie blinked. “You're saying that if I become your minion, I'll be immortal? And that's supposed to be a bad thing?”

“I mean, it's a very real possibility that I'll turn into a monster in a couple hundred million years.” Chris shrugged. “And at that point you're stuck with me for the next couple hundred million years.”

Maddie shook her head. “If you turn into a monster, I highly doubt you'll be looking for me and in a couple hundred million years, it's very possible I would enjoy serving a monster.”

Chris paused. “I guess that's one way to look at it…”

“Shall we get started then or do I need to start looking for the secret phrase that will make it happen automatically?” Maddie asked, crossing her arms.

“Eh, it's your life.” Chris sighed, pushing the connection at her, it only taking a moment to click. “Alright, you're good. I'll let you know if we need to borrow your ability.”

Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Come on, I'll explain a few of the things I wish he'd told me after I connected. Such as-” She cut off, presumably talking to Maddie mentally as she led her back to her office.

Alex watched them go with a twisted expression, before turning to Chris. “Can I talk to you?” He glanced at Beth. “Privately?”

“This is as private as it gets.” Chris replied, closing the portal. “I tell Beth everything.”

“I don't think you'll want her to hear this.” Alex insisted.

“I'm absolutely positive I won't care.” Chris retorted.

“It's about who, or what, you are.” Alex growled.

Chris cocked his head. “Is that so? Then she probably already knows it.”

Alex glared at him. “Do you just exist to make problems for me?!?”

“Depends on what you see as a problem.” Chris shrugged.

“Your existence is a problem!” Alex threw up his hands in frustration.

“But it's also a solution.” Chris countered.

Alex narrowed his eyes at him. “Fine, be that way.” He growled, turning to Beth. “Did you know your boyfriend here isn't even human?”

“In what way?” Beth raised an eyebrow, wondering what Alex knew but not wanting to give him the satisfaction of being surprised. “Genetically, mentally, or culturally?”

Alex blinked. “What- his parents were a doppelganger and an elf! He has no relationship to humanity at all!”

“Says who?” Beth asked. “He looks like a human, he thinks like a human, and he was raised like a human. That seems like a pretty significant relationship to humanity if you ask me.”

“He wouldn't even hesitate to watch humanity suffer so he could build up his own power!” Alex snarled, jabbing a finger at Chris.

Beth glared at him. “The only reason Chris would let anyone suffer is if the only way to stop their suffering was to make more people suffer. Or do you think you know him better than his own fiancé?”

Alex frowned slightly at the revelation that Beth was Chris's fiancé, but his expression quickly hardened as he continued. “I know because I watched it happen! I've seen the future where he sits back and watches as the elves and the doppelgangers tear the City apart!”

“Then it must not have been a very accurate one, because that's not going to happen.” Beth declared firmly.

“It's already happening!” Alex retorted. “The moment he showed off his ability at the military graduation, it began! The elves and the doppelgangers are coming, and they will tear the City apart to find him!”

“And what would you have us do?” Beth replied. “It isn't like we can stop them from coming.”

“You can if you get rid of him.” Alex countered. “They're coming because they want him, so give them him! If he really cared about humanity, all he'd have to do is hand himself over, and it'd be done! The City would be safe!”

“And millions of others would die as whoever got him used him as a weapon to destroy their enemies.” Beth shook her head. “And do you really think the other side would just leave the City alone? They would have to threaten the City to keep Chris from attacking them! If both forces were ravaging the City in the future, then it's pretty clear that neither side can keep the other out of it, or they would have from the start, which means no matter who has Chris, the City will still turn into a war zone, because whoever controls the City, controls Chris!”

Alex froze. “That- no- they would- they wouldn't- they might fight over the City, but if they fought in it-”

“They wouldn't have a choice.” Beth sighed. “If they can't keep the other side out of the City, then they need to be in the City to control it, holding however many humans they can get as hostages, whether in the name of saving them or threatening them, because otherwise their enemy would control them, which would mean they would control Chris.”

“But- no, but- no, it- if- if there's nothing I can do to stop it, then what's the point of me being here!?!” Alex clutched his head as if in pain, letting out an anguished cry as he rushed towards the walls of Chris's space and slamming into them, crashing through and out of Chris's space.

“Fuck!” Chris cursed in a mix of pain and shock as Alex breaking through the wall of his space almost sent him unconscious. “He didn't- he's on Earth!” Chris panted. They'd been in his private space, and that space was connected to Earth, not the City. He opened a portal to their room in Anthony's house. “We have to-” He cut off as he saw Alex just standing there, staring out the window of the room.

Beth cautiously stepped through the portal. “Alex? I know this looks weird, but this isn't the surface. It's-”

“Earth.” Alex cut her off. “This- is Earth.” He turned to stare at him in numb shock. “How- how is this possible?!?”

Beth narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “How do you know about Earth?”

“Because-” Alex began, turning back to the window. “-this is where I'm from.”