New in Town [Open]

[Annalise Thergo]

It had been nearly two days since Annalise arrived here. Rumors and warnings had spread of portals tearing into reality and ushering in beings from different worlds or parallel timelines. Some met their alternative selves, some met aliens, and some met unidentifiable life forms. This led to the town being a mix of safe and unsafe. Sometimes, it was safe because those who arrived were capable of defending themselves and would defend others, and the unsafe consisted of monsters, unstable powerful creatures, someone out to stir up trouble...

Maybe it was more unsafe than safe.

Online posters often liked to embellish details, the news always blew things out of proportion to get more views, and the truth ended up being an unnecessary detail. She didn't often go out of her way to forge her own rendition of occurrences, but it gave her an excuse to visit this city. Besides, a gem and mineral show was coming up soon, so that doubled her "excuse."

Donned in dark blue jeans, brown ankle boots, and a cream-colored T-shirt with a brown leather jacket, Annalise began to wander the city after having shipped out some orders at the local shipping center. A pair of shades sat atop her head, serving as a means to keep her short hair out of her face. Around her neck was a silver chain, at the end of which a small, round star garnet rested within a pendant. (https://i.imgur.com/1gHxNJ5.jpg) What sort of jeweler would she be if she did not wear her own work?

Annalise paused at a crosswalk, lowered her shades, looked both ways, and began the trek towards the busier parts of the city. What sort of wonders shall she find?

[Cazador]

Kazadus had finally woken from what he felt was not sleep, but hibernation. His body wrapped in bloody bandages in spots where his regeneration had reached its max. Having hundreds of tons of concrete dropped on himself wasn't something a living being was supposed to survive. His body felt like hell. Walking home wounded from a lost battle was demoralizing to say the least, but they even blew up his shitty ass van. He got up from his mattress and limped over into the kitchen. He had some instant coffee before popping pain pills to dull the pain. As he downed the pills, he swore a little.

"Fucking vampire…"

His phone had a new message. It was Commander Jackson

"Kazadus, what the hell happened had the Sprint Center?! You'd better call me back with a damn good explanation!!"

He hung up the phone, not wanting to deal with the political fallout of trying to help. He took a sip of his coffee and looked at the unopened file on his table. He took in a breath and picked it up. The formless mage spoke up.

"Are you sure about looking into this Kazadus. Once opened there's no going back."

"I'm sure…"

He opened it up to endless rows of black and white on the man once known as Anthony Hernandez. Old pictures of moments he had forgotten. Bloody conflict after bloody conflict. He was a killer from the time he was a child. And yet somehow for a brief period he found some peace. There was records of him living with a wife, a little brother, and a mother. There was a picture of them in the report. He looked younger, clean shaven and had both eyes. His wife was beautiful and looked to be pregnant. His brother stood in the middle. He looked like Kazadus except his skin was darker and he was shorter not fully grown yet. His mother was a short woman with greying hair, with eyes that matched Kazadus's. He closed the file as small bits of memories came hitting him.

He stared nowhere in particular as he spoke.

"Anthony had family… what happened to them?"

There was no answer from the disembodied voice for a moment.

"They died Kazadus… I'm sorry..."

Kazadus lowered his head. Any family he might of had here was gone. Somehow his heart could still hear the echoes of pain he felt so long ago.

"I can feel them… but I don't remember them…"

He tried to put the thoughts in the back of his head. He needed to get some food in him. His regeneration would never kick back in unless he had energy. He had already showered the night before to clean off his blood. The parts that kept still bleeding were wrapped up. Kazadus put on a dark green flannel shirt, dark blue jeans, and black canvas shoes. He locked up the beat up home and started walking into the city to look for a diner to eat at.

He missed that piece of crap van after about a half mile. The pain killers had started kicking in and Kazadus had started moving a little quicker. After a mile he made it to the city. At the crosswalk he spotted a hole in the wall diner to eat at across the way. His stomach started to growl at the site of the diner. As he waited for the crosswalk sign to change, he saw a child running through the no walk sign, his mother not paying attention and lost in her phone. Kazadus bolted across the busy traffic to grab the child. He still had enough energy in him to enhance his strength to stop the car. He had gotten a little stronger.

The mom looked up upon hearing the screeching tires to see Kazadus stop the car.

"Get your fucking mutant hands off my baby."

"You're welcome lady."

The kid ran back to his mother. She picked the boy up to leave. Others were mumbling under there breath from 'damn mutants' to 'fucking freaks.' The boy he saved turned to look at Kazadus and waved. At least someone was grateful. As he attempted to head towards the diner, he felt a stinging in his ribs. He lifted his flannel up to see.

"Damn it…"

His wound had reopened. He still wasn't healing right yet. Stopping that car probably didn't do him any favors. He dropped his shirt back down.

[Annalise Thergo]

The fresh sights of the city had distracted her long enough for her to miss valuable seconds in taking action to save the ignorant child. The swift footfalls of tiny feet alerted her of a fleeing child, and she stepped forward, but a man in the crowd dashed past her. Blink, he was in the intersection, blink, he grabbed the child, blink, he stopped the car with strength that no ordinary human possessed. Annalise's eyes widened. Some people had already whipped out their smartphones to record what had happened, along with the commentaries that came from the ungrateful mother and witnesses.

What the hell was wrong with these people? He just saved an innocent boy's life!

Normally, Annalise would stay out of conflicts that did not concern her, but she could not let this slide. She had witnessed so many close calls like this, and all because a parent was too busy posting a status or uploading another "selfie." What was this world coming to?

Annalise did not want to create a scene, so before the woman could pass her, she stood in her path, and hissed out: "That 'fucking mutant' just saved your kid because you were too busy scrolling on your phone instead of watching your child. Stop treating your phone like it's more important than your own son and be a real mother instead of a technology junkie." Each word was pronounced clearly, slowly, and she walked around her without another word. She had no doubt people recorded their quiet exchange. The less she was in the limelight, the better. The last thing she wanted was for Dr. Heisenberg's associates to discover she was still around.

She had to check on the boy's savior and make sure he was faring well. This city clearly did not take too kindly to "supers," even the ones that used their abilities for others. Annalise squinted and cocked her head, confused. Why was he lifting his shirt? On a hunch, she enhanced her sense of smell, and detected warm copper--blood. The man was injured; but from what? No debris flew off the car, and his shirt was not torn. Annalise wrinkled her nose, and made an approach, standing next to him. Many of the spectators had ceased recording, for now.

"What kind of wound do you have?"

[Cazador]

Kazadus saw someone approaching him. His first thought was another racist coming to bust his balls more, but no. This one was different. She actually was showing concern. He hadn't seen who, but while he was checking his wound he did hear someone sticking up for him. Most people he had run into were a bunch of dicks, but there were still good people out there. Seeing how everyone in the area already saw what he could do, there was no point in hiding the wound.

"Vampire was using me for target practice last night, while some other asshole dropped a stadium on top of my head."

If someone said that a few years ago they'd be committed to an insane asylum. Now a days it wouldn't be beyond the realm of believability. It was all over the news though. A gunman attacking the stadium the night before and being blown up. It wasn't the kind of thing that went unnoticed.

"By the way, thanks for what you said back there."

Kazadus looked towards the diner. Food seemed more important to him than his wound. He knew that eating would get him more energy to heal up. He did however have enough courtesy to give his name.

"Name's Kazadus."

[Annalise Thergo]

Annalise had to mentally repeat his explanation twice, then three times, then finally, a fourth time, to truly ensure that she did not mishear him. The woman rarely asked someone to repeat what they said, unless further clarification would be coupled with it. She did remember seeing something about the news entailing a gunman and a stadium being blown to bits. How one survives such an extreme situation was anyone's guess these days.

"Strange times." That was putting it mildly.

Annalise shrugged a shoulder when he offered his gratitude, and followed the gesture up with: "Someone had to say something. Wasn't right how they reacted." Gratitude fell short these days.

The woman noted his attention was towards the diner and not to his wound. The scent of blood was growing stronger, and she imagined each breath was uncomfortable for him. Was he like her? Did he require sustenance to heal severe injuries? There was only one way to find out.

"Annalise," She offered in return, "Going over there, too?" Annalise jabbed a thumb in the direction of the diner. "Heard they make great pancakes from some locals."

[Cazador]

Oh God. Pancakes. How long had it been since he had pancakes. He couldn't remember how long it had been, but he did remember that blueberry pancakes were his favorite. For a moment his mind was taken back to a memory from long ago. It was nothing special. He was getting ready to go to work. His wife telling him to sit his ass down and have breakfast before leaving. His brother mocking him for being whooped. He saw his mother nodding at approval of her words. He sat down to the sight of coffee, eggs, fruits, and blueberry pancakes. Kazadus refocused himself. He shook off the lost memory and back to the present.

"I'll take your word on it. I'm not from around here either. Care to sit together?"

Kazadus thought it would probably be good for him to start interacting with the populace more. His only socialization up to that point was just through his crash landing, fighting a cannibalistic monster, being detained by the military, bounty hunting, and the voice in his head that so far had refused to give a name. Maybe she could also fill him in on the state of the world. There was only so much the tv could explain to him on current events.

[Annalise Thergo]

"Sure." Annalise moved her head in the direction of the diner, and at his cue, she walked beside him. Some lingering spectators watched them wander away, but they had lost interest for now. "Supers" were only attention-catching when they were using their abilities or doing something worth gossiping about.

The restaurant, City Diner, sat on the corner of the intersection. Inside, the tiles were black-and-white and there were cheaply built black dining table sets. Each table had a menu, salt and pepper shakers, sugar, and ketchup. Definitely a hole in the wall, but the scent of eggs, bacon, fried foods, and hot grease wafted through the door. Annalise realized just how hungry she was then and there. Time to make another waitress or waiter sick with how much she could devour in one sitting.

Annalise motioned towards a table that was next to the wall, but afforded a view of the two entrances, the windows, and the diner itself. No one could sneak up on them, unless they were invisible or could phase through the wall. That was something one had to watch out for now.

"How long have you been here, Kazadus?"

[Cazador]

Upon entering, the smell just on its own made his stomach growl loudly. There was one scent however that he couldn't wait to feast on. Amnesia or not, anyone could recognize the sweet, areomatic, deliciousness that had to of been sent from the heavens to Earth. That crispy brown meat with just the right amount of fat to sweeten every little bite. There was no mistaking it. It had to be bacon. Kazadus kept his composure as he looked for a table.

He was surprised to see Annalise carefully selecting which table to sit in. One glance around and he could see it was the perfect spot to see any attack coming. He wondered where she picked on instincts like that, but didn't want to pry her with questions like that right off the bat. He took a seat across the table from her. As Kazadus sat, he winced a little from the pain in his wound. The banages would absorb any bleeding and hoped his regeneration would kick in before they needed changing. He took one of the menus and passed the other one over to Annalise. Her question made him realize how fast time had gone by since his return to Earth. He looked through the menu as he answered.

"Guess it's been about a month since I crash landed. Before that I was told I'd been gone for over a decade. Sure as hell can't remember any of it though."

He didn't realize how crazy what he had said just sounded, but like he thought earlier. Nothing was impossible anymore. He looked up from the menu to her.

"How 'bout you Annalise? What's your story?"

[Annalise Thergo]

For such a short explanation, it gave enough to make a wandering mind curious. How did he get on a ship in the first place? Was it a secret project by the government or someone with enough wealth to make it happen? Did he fall through one of the portals?

"That's a lot of time missing from your memories. Have you gone to anyone to help you get them back?"

Annalise lowered her gaze to the menu. Breakfast specials usually held promise of extra servings, so she would get one of those. Or two. Or three. She did not sustain any injuries recently, so two of them would suffice. Annalise put the menu down, raised her sunglasses to act as a headband, and folded her arms on the table.

"I'm just a traveling jeweler. I go to shows and conventions all over the country for rocks, gems, crystals, and fossils or I find them myself." Annalise did not plan on revealing her other capabilities, at least not in a public setting. "One is taking place here in November. Thought I'd come here to check the city out first." Her eyes flicked to a waitress approaching them, and she waved at her. The woman greeted them with a friendly smile, bringing over napkins and utensils, and she asked them what they wanted to have to drink. Annalise ordered coffee, and unless Kazadus knew what he wanted for breakfast, she would wait on her food order.

[Cazador]

"Not exactly. The military gave me a file with some info on my past, but nothing I only got some vague memories off of it. I do have a… um..."

He hesitated to say the last part. 'There's a voice in my head that likes to be as vague as possible about who I am or who he is.' Kazadus had already got her with enough crazy talk, but mentioning something about voices in his head was probably pushing it.

"Sorry. I've probably hit you with enough crazy talk huh?"

Though upon hearing she was a jeweler it made him think to the glowing emerald stone eye he had under the eye patch. Maybe she would know something about magical jewels. Before he could ask though the waitress came by to take their order. He noticed her thick Spanish accent. Suddenly he remembered. He could speak Spanish. He wanted to see just how much he could remember. He began placing his order to her.

*In Spanish* "I'll take 10 blueberry pancakes, 8 scrambled eggs, 2 slices french toast, a plate of hash browns, a bowl of your fruit, and bacon. Please don't forget the bacon."

The waitress looked at him like he was crazy.

*In Spanish* "Are you going to eat all that?"

*In Spanish* "Yes ma'am… Oh and coffee too please."

She wrote the large order with wide eyes. Her thoughts must of been where did all those calories go, but she could look forward to a fat tip at the end of it. She turned towards Annalise and switched back to English.

"And you miss?"

After she took Annalise's order and left, Kazadus posed another question to her.

"I don't suppose you've ever come across any sort of magical gems or anything like that have you?"

[Annalise Thergo]

"I've heard crazier." Annalise confessed, still calm and unfazed, "And seen crazier. Those portals are bringing in all sorts of new things. Saw an alien yesterday with purple skin." She acted as though his hesitation did not happen. If someone was uncomfortable talking about something, it was considered polite to not pry for the rest of a sentence, and in a swapped role, she would have wanted the same.

Annalise understood Spanish as well. Fire opals, among other gems, were found in Mexico, and if one were to get good quality stones for a decent price, they had to speak the language.

Kazadus ordered quite a feast, which solidified the theory that he needed calories to heal. His selection made her mouth water, but she wanted something a little different. This was going to be an interesting morning for spectators and for the staff. In Spanish, she ordered her breakfast: "I'll take a stack of pancakes, a meat omelette with extra sausage, a waffle, and a plate of hash browns." 

The waitress looked as though she'd be sick to her stomach. Were these two really going to eat all this food? She thanked them for their order and she walked away to get their coffee and to put in their order.

"Hm. Can't say that I have. I could have and just did not know it. Though, one gem I found did shock me a few times..." It was a strange looking one, too. What she thought was a run-of-the-mill quartz seemed to give off a source of energy, and she had to wear gloves to handle it. "Why do you ask?"

[Cazador]

Kazadus noticed right away that she could pound away the food like he could. He wondered if she had some kind of mutant or super abilities as well. She was cautious about where she picked their seating. Maybe she was gifted, but was being careful about revealing it. Kazadus didn't want to pry her on it. He could already sense some kind of energy irradiating from her, but it was none of his business unless she wanted him to know. He was about to put some trust in her now though.

"Think you could take a look at something for me?"

He looked around to make sure no one was watching them or looking in their general area. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention after his stunt outside. He raised his right hand to his eye patch and slowly lifted it. Rather than an empty or damaged eye socket being present, there was something completely different. He revealed a glowing emerald like eye. It had the form of a normal eye, but looked to be a jewel. It glowed slightly and emanated a warm energy.

"I think there might be something alive in it. A soul maybe."

His intrusive visitor, while helpful, had refused to tell him to many details about his past. He had said it was for his own protection, but he was getting tired of it and wanted answers.

[Annalise Thergo]

Annalise was giving the restaurant a quick but seemingly passive look-over until Kazadus spoke again, asking her to look at something. Given their talk of magic gems, she assumed he had one on him and hoped to find answers. Annalise doubted she would be of much help, but she would do her best. Sometimes, the meaning of a gem from different cultures provided insight. Sometimes.

"Sure, let's see it."

Annalise watched his gaze wander about the diner for any onlookers, and there were a few staring at them. These two did order abnormally large quantities of food. Did all of them speak Spanish? Fortunately for them, an overly-armored alien began to march past the windows, its footfalls thudding against the cement. That gave them a distraction.

When he lifted his eye patch, she found herself staring in wonder at a highly-detailed gem sitting in his eye socket. Her own eyes widened in surprise and she rose out of her seat and leaned over the table to get a closer look at it. Whoever crafted this work of art was to be applauded! Not even she could hash out such a realistic shape! Unfortunately, due to the glow coming from the "eye" and the lighting of the diner, she could not assess if this was a genuine emerald.

Something was alive inside of it? Annalise's brow furrowed and she slid back into her chair to ponder over this information. "I've never seen anything like it." She admitted, and then smiling in amusement, she said, "It's funny that it's in your eye of all places, considering emeralds are associated with sight, mental clarity, and wisdom. Some say they foretell future events." Annalise raised a hand in a "who-knows?" expression. "Whoever gave you that has a strange sense of humor. What else can you tell me about it? Does it talk to you?"

[Cazador]

Kazadus turned his head slightly to give her a better view into his emerald eye. He noticed the awe in her eyes as she looked intensely at it. He could tell Annalise had a passion for this kind of thing. Hearing her go on about it, Kazadus could tell she knew her stuff. He wasn't sure about the sight and wisdom part. He couldn't actually couldn't see through the eye or if there was a way he hadn't figured it out yet. If he hadn't figured it out yet, then maybe he wasn't too wise. It could of represented the being inside the eye though. Kazadus slouched slightly in his chair and put his hand over his wound. He couldn't wait to heal.

"You really know your stuff huh?"

He thought for a moment and figured there was no point in hiding the voice anymore.

"Don't know if I've gone insane, but yeah he speaks. Sure as hell doesn't help with my mortgage though."

Whoever it was, he could tell he wasn't an enemy, but his vagueness could really piss Kazadus off.

"He's helped me before when I'm in trouble with advice, but he's been really reluctant to tell me about who I am."

Suddenly everything in the room became very still. No one was moving and no one was breathing. A coffee being poured at another table was frozen in midair. Kazadus wasn't moving either. It was like time had completely stopped for everyone except Annalise. A sorcerer in dark robes emerged from nothingness next to Kazadus's frozen body. The hood covered his face in shadows. Only two white eyes stared at her.

"I'm sorry for the intrusion Annalise. I am hear to warn you not to help Kazadus with this venture. His past will only bring pain to himself and horror to this world. I've gone to great lengths to hide him though I fear I might be too late. I sense a presence on this planet that seeks him. Please heed my warning…"

The mage vanished and with him gone, the flow of time continued. Kazadus just looked at her like nothing had happened at all.

"Wonder how long the food will take to get here?"

[Annalise Thergo]

Annalise seemed to let her guard down a little more after spilling her knowledge about emeralds. "One has to in my line of profession. You'd be amazed at what questions people have about gems and metals." She watched the waitress approach with their coffee. Two white mugs were set before them, along with a bowl of disposable cream containers, and she walked away to get food for another table. The hot, bitter scent of coffee--there was nothing like it.

Just as she was about to take a sip, Kazadus cracked his joke about the voice not helping with his mortgage, and she snorted into the drink, causing hot droplets to splatter out. It was fortunate she was leaning over or it would have gotten on her shirt! She didn't seem fazed by the hot liquid on her face, which she was quick to wipe away.

"Sounds like quite the freeloader." Annalise commented with a hint of a smirk, "I'm sorry to hear that. That sounds incredibly frust--..." Time stopped. Sound ceased. Movement halted. Annalise held her breath and began reaching into her pocket for one of her knives. Why was she the only one unaffected by this? Then, the sorcerer appeared. Annalise tensed, but she did not rise from her seat, not yet. Swift action usually spelled negative consequences.

"Who are you?" Annalise narrowed her eyes at the sorcerer's statement, but instead of getting answers, he vanished, and time resumed. Acting natural after what she just saw would be difficult, but she had to make an attempt. Annalise blinked, her features scrunched up, and she brought her arm up, falsifying a very convincing sneeze into her elbow. Hopefully that would account for unexplained change in her disposition.

"A while, I'm sure. We ordered a lot of food." Annalise sniffled, plucked up a thin black draw from her coffee, pinched it between her lips, chewed on it, and began opening up creams one by one while she mulled over the sorcerer's warning.

"Pain to himself and horror to this world." Denying one's past all because of pain was a ridiculous notion. It was deprivation of the present product. Concealing truth to protect someone didn't always pan out for the best. It would only make the discovery all the more terrible. Who had the right to play god in someone's life?

Annalise poured one, two, three, four, and five creams into her coffee. Her mind was elsewhere, still digesting the warning.

What sort of horror could this man bring if he knew of his past? Did his eye carry an unknown, catastrophic power? Did he carry the power within him? Annalise opened another cream. What was on this planet? Who was after him? Was it the gem in his eye socket that made him a target? Another cream. What other explanations existed? One more cream--Annalise stopped and looked at the numerous containers she had used up.

Well, it wasn't often her mind was so preoccupied in public.

"I like coffee with my cream."