~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ONE MONTH AGO....~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I puke copiously on the cold cement. The neurotransmitters in my highjacked body are still uttering sciatic screams as new life is breathed into its extremities. My nakedness, save for the lab coat that Orlu draped over me as she pushed me through the transporter, is instantly bitten by the frigid air. I know I have to move, but the body is not responding, given the dual task of recovering from being disassembled and reassembled on an atomic level on top of just returning from cold stasis. One of those alone would be a hindrance. Both, and I was quite frankly pleasantly surprised the heart in this chest beat at all.

A baseball sized metal sphere rolls out of the lab coat, clattering to the cement as it springs to life. I dimly recall it being pressed into my left pocket as Orlu hefted me through the hall. I was impressed by her presence of mind at the time, given that the Black Queen's Praetorians were so close. For some reason I can remember smelling Orlu's fear on her, but that should have been impossible. Highjacked bodies always lose their sense of smell.

The little metal sphere's “ears”peak out from it's otherwise seamless surface, and it's eyes blink to life.



Hello! I am HELPER! How can I help you today? It chirps cheerfully.

I weakly lift my head to look at it. The tiny jets on it's underside activate, causing it to hover six inches off the ground, bringing it roughly eye level. The mouth opens and it's tongue claps to the roof of it's mouth, but all that escapes is a ragged moan.

Hello Lux! I see that you're still recovering from your recent dial-up. I am happy to report that your trip to the year 2019 was an UNPARALLELLED SUCCESS! It flaps it's sensor array “ears” as it plays a happy little trumpeting sound. However, I should inform you that, given the rather haphazard start to your mission, you have been deposited into some rather unwelcome circumstances. The current temperature is -2 degrees Celsius, and given your relative state of undress I must advise you to seek shelter as soon as possible!

I want to scream but I cannot. HELPER blithely continues. Furthermore, you are presently in the middle of the street. My sensors detect an oncoming vehicle 1.2 kilometers from our present location, and traveling at an approximate rate of speed of 61 kilometers per hour it will meet us.....

St-stoooooop! I finally manage to sound. The throat bucks as I force the word out, threatening another round of sick.

I apologize Lux. I hope I am not bothering you. I only want to HELP.

I....I can't move yet....

I'm sorry, how can I help?

I think for a moment, but the brain is responding just as slowly as the limbs. My thoughts are being dragged through molasses. I...don't know.

Would you like a status update on the approaching car?

Stop the fucking car....

I'm sorry, I did not understand that request.

DESTROY THE FUCKING CAR!

Unfortunately, I do not have the requisite weapons array to service that request. The vehicle is currently....

The headlights cresting over the dip in the road tell me everything I need to know about how fucked I am. I drag the body's head to look across the pavement, and the culvert on the other side may as well be light years away. I coax the legs to move, but all they do is spasm uselessly, sending an electric jolt up it's spine and making me moan in pain. HELPER trains his sensors on the car and, unbidden, he flits towards it, rushing at my approaching demise. I cannot turn my head fast enough to see what happens, but I hear the sound of squealing breaks. A series of moments pass, during which time all I can do is futilely ponder the gasps of white freezing air passing through the body's lips. I see horrors in the clouds. I see....

Oh my God....

A pair of black boots appear eye level with me. I didn't even hear the man approach, or hear his door shut. He bends down on one knee, considering me. He's middle aged, with the wispy silver of spent years just starting to tickle his sideburns. His eyes are green, or perhaps brown. The evening redness is making it too hard to tell.

Were you hit by a car?

I....I.....no..... I struggle to look up at him, and try in vain to push an arm underneath me so that I can force myself up. The arm tingles and the index finger twitches, but remains useless.

He pulls out a phone. Just hang tight, I'm calling 911.

Please..no. I just...need time...

The man considers me skeptically. Huh? Son, you need help right now.

I force myself to swallow, steeling myself to force this ragged throat to make more words. I'm freezing. Please take...me somewhere....warm. Call from there.

The man looks off to the side. He debates with himself. Finally, he leans over to scoop me off the road. I dangle helplessly in his arms. I despise this feeling. This helplessness. But I push it down, reason and necessity winning out. The brain is starting to rouse, firing on all proverbial cylinders now even if the body hasn't quite caught up. I need help right now. I cannot die.

Because if I do, the world dies with me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NOW.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lux seems to be in a gym somewhere, it's unoccupied except for him. He's wearing a loose fitting black gi, and laying into a punching bag with a series of strategically placed kicks. Brow furrowed in concentration, he takes a half step back before launching into a spinning roundhouse. But at the last moment, he loses his footing, and while the kick connects the landing is a far cry from graceful. Lux's back breaks his fall, leaving him staring up at the lights. His young face twists into a frustrated scowl, and he smacks his palm on the mat three times in quick succession before snapping to his feet. He puts himself into a position to try the kick again but then....just stops.

Breathing deep, he shakes his head and steps away from the bag. Walking to a metal folding chair with a rag on it, he snaps the rag up and dabs the sweat from his forehead, pushing back the brown curls from his forehead as he does so. Dropping it back to the chair, he then turns to the camera.

This is weird for me. Sharing Talking before a fight. It doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me. I was trained to be silent. Deadly. Sharing is the antithesis of those things. Sharing is tipping your hand. Giving your opponent a chance to suss out your weaknesses. This makes no sense to me.

He scowls again, looking up at the lights before returning his attention to the viewer.

But it's a requirement. I get that. It still feels unnatural. He shrugs. So you're probably wondering why I'm here then. Why bother with the XWF? Two reasons. I'll give you one. You don't get both. Tough, but some things are worth more than buy rates. He points to the bag behind him. I'm off my game. This bo- He stops short. MY body needs to better itself. I was more than this once. More than what you see before you. The techniques are here... Lux points to his head. But not yet here. He then gestures towards his body. So, in effect, me being here is a trial by fire. A purification ritual, in which I purge all the remaining weakness from myself and re-hone myself into what I once was. I realize that probably makes very little sense to you, but it's all I'm offering.

I will tell you this however. I'm not completely ignorant of the demands of the XWF. I know how things are SUPPOSED to happen. How the feuds and rivalries are built, the mental brinksmanship that is half or more of the fight. Some fighters lose before the opening bell even rings. You'll start in on me soon, I imagine. So let me stop you before you can even start.

You don't know me.

The words are uttered with a finality and intensity of purpose that seems incongruent with Lux's tender age and gentle face. I realize it's fashionable to tell your opponent you get them in an effort to undermine them. You don't “get” me VV. To you, I look like a boy your own age. Wet behind the ears. A puppy. I'm not. You don't know what I've seen. You don't know the entire purpose for me being here. You don't know what I am. Period.

But I will do you the same diligence. You hold that title, so clearly your strength and your force of will belays your age. Hell, you were able to fend off my ambush attempt. You're a strong girl, VV. Something forged you that way. I don't know what that is, but it did it's job. I could have used you VV, in another time and another place. A place you...hopefully never have to see.... Lux's face tugs downward into a wistful expression. But I do know this about you. You're bright, and vivacious, and kind. You're passionate. There's a certain innocence about you that I find refreshing. And a lesser person here would probably seek to rob you of that innocence. To break you down and make you hurt. To violate you. I don't want that. You see, I fight to KEEP you innocent. I WANT you to be happy and unsullied. I want you to go to prom, go on first dates. I want you to stare out at the water on a calm summer night, or feel that itch of wonderful anxiety as a lover inches their hand over yours for the very first time.

I want you to live, VV.

That's why I fight. That's my purpose. I know it doesn't make sense to you or anyone else, but once again, it's all I've got. It's.... Lux suddenly looks lost for words. ....that's it. I'm done.

Help me!