Alonso opened his eyes after what felt like an eternity of darkness, a haze lifting from his mind. His surroundings were alien, yet the first thing he did was scoff, a grin curling at the edges of his lips. "So... it seems my hypotheses regarding parallel universes hold validity after all." His voice echoed, calm and measured, though the weight of the situation did not escape him.
The last clear memory he had was of the galactic alliance—those self-righteous fools—storming his laboratory. With no avenue of escape, he took the most efficient path. A path some might label cowardly, but to him, it was simply... logical. The self-destruct mechanism concluded everything in a single, calculated instant.
Even now, the thought of it made his blood simmer. “Damn bastards.” His jaw clenched, the old fire of contempt reigniting in his chest. He, the most brilliant mind of his era—no, of the galaxy—who reshaped the very foundations of science, who defied the laws of nature for 20,000 years... accused of a crime. Accused of cloning, as if that was somehow an atrocity in their narrow minds. The Galactic Alliance had banned human cloning, but what did they expect? How else was he meant to transcend the pathetic limitations of mortality? Did they believe a meager human lifespan could encapsulate all the knowledge he craved, all the mysteries he sought to unravel?
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He turned his attention back to his new surroundings, his curiosity piqued rather than fear stoked. A dense forest surrounded him, trees towering and unfamiliar, their leaves glowing faintly under some unseen light. This was no Earth. No planet he had ever set foot on. A world of mystery lay before him, and though he did not know what dangers lurked here, he felt... excited. His heart quickened with the thrill of discovery.
He walked toward a nearby pond, his steps deliberate, his logical mind already calculating the variables of his situation. Crouching by the water’s edge, he gazed into his reflection, and his breath caught in his throat.
Before him stood a young boy with brown skin, unearthly purple eyes, a broad nose, and a mass of black hair that seemed to shimmer as if woven with strands of light. Each tightly coiled curl sparkled, giving him an ethereal quality, enhancing the striking nature of his features. Two short, spiky horns protruded from his forehead, adding an imposing air to his youthful appearance. As his gaze traveled down, he noticed a thick, sinewy tail poking out from behind him.
Standing upright, Alonso's eyes glinted with a mix of fascination and disbelief. “It seems I’ve undergone a profound transformation…” he murmured, his voice filled with an eerie curiosity. His fingers traced over his altered features, feeling the subtle shifts in his body. “I’ve become… an Oni,” he whispered, almost reveling in the words as a crooked smile crept across his face.