System Overworld: The Analog Interface

Chapter 8: Chimera

"Keagan?"

"Yo, you in there?" Brandon asked.

"Huh, oh yeah," I replied.

I was at a newly opened cafe with Brandon, where we were getting lunch. I was spacing out a bit, I suppose it's only natural since I fought against Oberon's power for the first time. I didn't manage to get any of the department's data, which for me was somewhat depressing. On the other hand, I had a powerful mech that was capable of hiding in plain sight due to it's cloaking technology, plus it was a weapon of mass destruction so I suppose I had at least some reason to be happy.

"So, I got ticket codes to a pop concert," Brandon explained.

"Great, ask Devina out, it might improve your odds of being her boyfriend," I suggested.

"What? No way!" He instantly reacted.
"I was wondering if you'd want to come?"

"Are you gay, asking a guy out like that?" I asked.
"Cuz if you are, I totally bend both ways, if you know what I mean," I explained flirtatiously whilst rendering a sly smile.

He looked at me with eyes, wild in disbelief of the words he had just heard.

"What? No!"
"I just thought we'd hang out as friends!" He explained.

"Oh, fair enough," I replied.

"Plus, I was hoping you'd ask Aria to come," he said quickly.

"Of course, why not..." I sighed.

The university had suffered some damage from the attack launched by the Knights Of Round. The university as well as the department was under repairs, so the students got the week of.

I then called Aria using my smart watch, it was clear that Brandon had a crush on her, so I guess I'd help him a bit.

"Keagan?" She answered.

"Yeah, um, see my friend scored some ticket codes for some popular concert," I explained.
"Want to come?"

She paused for a while, most likely contemplating an answer

"Okay, who's the artist?" She asked.

Brandon then gestured to the holographic display from his smart watch.

"Um... DeDe Monroe?" I read of the display, whilst questioning myself.

I didn't really know who this was. Well I didn't know any artist, except for maybe a deceased Bon Jovi, the me prior to my memory loss seemed particularly fond of this outdated artist.

"DeDe Monroe?!" She shouted, most likely in disbelief.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm there, send my the ticket code so I can register it to my passport ID!" she ordered.

I then divulged the code which she registered to her passport ID to.

After ending the call I turned towards Brandon, he was smiling with great content from ear to ear.

"I can't wait!" He cheered.

"Can't wait to go to a DeDe concert with Aria, you mean," I corrected him.

"And you to bro!" He then patted me on the shoulder.

How cliché, it seems when a human is granted a favor with no payment involved, he will immediately call the person his brother or best friend, even though they don't mean it. A very unusual form of human feedback.

We parted ways to get ready for the concert. I didn't put on anything extravagant, just a plain black v-neck and a khaki coloured jeans. On the other hand, Aria was wearing a lot fancy clothing and make up.

"You wear make up!?" I asked in horror.

"Shut up!" Aria ordered.

Aria seemed really excited to attend this concert, either that or I had zero motivation, possibly both.

It was decided that Brandon would pick us up. It wasn't that shocking to see him pull up with his mother's mini van. One would think that being in first district would suggest that you're really rich, seemingly enough with Brandon it wasn't like that. I had to sit in the back, whereas Aria got to ride upfront with Brandon.

"I can't believe I'm going to an actual DeDe concert!" Aria announced.

"I can, since I got us the tickets," Brandon chimed in.

"Thanks again for inviting me," Aria replied.
"Um... Josh right?"

She completely got his name wrong, he didn't even look like a Josh.

"Yeah, that's my name!" He idiotically replied.

"Love certainly is blind," I whispered to myself.

We finally arrived at the concert venue, The Theatre of Performing Arts. We hadn't even entered the theatre yet but it was already swarming with people.

Aria and Brandon were in high spirits, I guess I'd be to if I knew who the performer actually was.

"AREA_STRESS_LEVEL_INCREASING... 23%=>49%
GUIDING_ROUTE"

A virtual arrow appeared before me, I began following it's indication.

"Keagan?" Aria called out to me.
"Where are you going?"

"I'll be back soon..." I replied.

I found myself walking into the parking lot, it was pretty huge.

"AREA_STRESS_LEVEL_INCREASING... 49%=>76%"

I finally came face to face with a man, he was holding his head with both arms whilist perspirating profusely.

"Fifty-five... Fifty-five..." He muttered to himself over and over, similarly to a chant.

"Fifty-five?" I repeated inquiringly.

"TARGET_ASSESSMENT... STAGE_5_CHIMERA"

The man lurched forward slamming me back into a car with extreme force. He jumped over to me and grasped my throat firmly with both hands. His irises were glowing in a blaze of orange, his body had only now began mutating, which was unusual. When a person is diagnosed with the Chimera virus they begin mutating at stage three and they then digress from there, however he began mutating at stage five.

His body became covered in fur as huge moth like wings emerged from his now enlarge body, his eyes resembled that of a regular house fly but orange. His grip grew tighter as he grew taller lifting me of the ground.

Suddenly the Chimera was rammed by a mini van, it was Brandon. The impact caused the moth to drop me. Even with such a vicious impact, the Chimera recovered and threw the van through the air in an extreme fit of rage.

I quickly disabled the safety on my cyborg body and jumped up to the van midair, removing Brandon from it before it crashed.

"How'd you?!" He questioned in horror as he stared at my cyborg arm.

"Find a place to hide," I calmly ordered whilst gently releasing him.

Brandon realizing the danger before him hid behind a car in horror.

The Chimera flew forward unleashing a heavy fist into my chest, a blow which sent me hurdling through the air into a parked car. He then came towards me again and launched his fist, I caught it using my right arm and then used the pulse cannon from my left which sent him flailing into the air.

He then stopped midair using his wings and then flew off.

"It's headed to the theatre!" Brandon shouted.

"Then we best head there first," I replied nonchalantly.

We both ran towards the theatre following after the Chimera.