Act 1 - Awakening the Chaos

  After the procedure, I was dismissed and I returned to the stadium, now empty, with cups and leftover food scattered on the floor and all the lights were off, making the place look abandoned. It doesn't even look like the stands were packed half an hour ago.

  "Uuuuugh... what a headache!" I groaned as I staggered through the streets. A migraine tormented me, and my vision was blurred. The sounds were now deafening, and the lights blinding.

  I wanted to go to the Rustbucket bar, but I was too tired to socialize, and it was already around eleven o'clock at night; I would have been asleep by then.

  “House number 98. Yeah, sounds familiar enough.” I said after dragging myself a little further along the sidewalks.

  I turned the doorknob with my weakened hand, and with the creaking of the door, another one opened, revealing Lotus with a relieved look on her face.

  "I'm home." I said, my voice slurred, now sounding rougher, like a saw cutting through steel.

  “Aubrey!” She freezes mid-step, her worried eyes scanning my altered appearance. “Are you okay? I thought you were going to be…”

  “First, it's not Aubrey anymore, it's ‘Cacto’ now,” I interrupted her, “and second, I'm still fine, I just have a headache. Give me a break.”

  Lotus inhaled with clenched fists. For a moment I thought she was going to either attack me or hug me, but instead, she just turned on her heel .

  "Alright. You should rest a bit. I'll see what I can do about it," she said in a calm but heavy voice as she returned to her room.

  “And for God's sake, don't start any fights until I get back.”

  "Fine, whatever," I scoffed as I threw myself onto the couch.

  However, the moment my head hit the pillow, the migraine only worsened; it felt like my forehead was going to explode. I then had visions: Gearopolis was in ruins, citizens laid dead on the ground, and red puddles were everywhere. In the center was a hideous, lanky figure that appeared to have sharp appendages protruding from its back, but that was all I managed to register before it spoke.

  "We are superior to these emotional sacks of meat," he said in the same raspy voice I heard not long ago, "and as long as we kill them first, no one can hurt us!”

  He then contorted as his hands covered his face, letting out a terrifying cackle that could only come from someone who had completely lost their sanity. I couldn't take it anymore.

  “Get out.” My voice trembled.

  “Please.” I've never felt greater fear.

  “GO AWAY!!”

  I screamed at the top of my lungs, pressing my eyes shut with my palms until I could see sparks flying behind them.

  Whatever that was, I don't want to end up like him, I don't want to prove Kassidy's point, and I don't want to put anyone else in danger—I'm already taking enough risks with that decision alone.

  Wait, was that Hideaki?

  And before I could process what I had seen, I fell asleep on the sofa, exhausted, but the fear remained…

  Ding dong!

  I was woken up the next day by the sound of the doorbell. The headache from yesterday still lingered, but I was feeling better, and the visions were now just a hazy memory.

  "Who is it?" I asked, still waking up.

  "It's Saul, mate!" he said in the same relaxed voice as before. "We agreed to go to the bar, remember?"

  That's right, I had completely forgotten about it!

  "Wait a minute, give me a moment!" The truth is, I ended up falling asleep while still wearing those soaking wet and torn clothes, and I urgently needed a change of clothes.

  While I was rummaging through the pile of clean clothes, I ended up finding a leotard, gloves, and a cropped zippered vest; I left it open halfway for a bit more style.

  And with a dash, I went to answer the door.

  As I opened the door, I immediately realized that something about me must’ve startled him, judging by the way his eyes widened.

  “Congratulations on winning the tournament! But I admit you've become a little more... intimidating? Eh, I'll get used to it soon, must be normal ‘round these parts.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Don't tell me about it," I said, "I bet my sister is still cursing me from her room."

  “Can't blame her, you've got tiger eyes. Anyway, enough talk. We can catch up at the bar!”

  Saul's sleazy smile belied the tension in his shoulders, but you could tell he wasn't scared, just puzzled by my new appearance.

  Hmm, I don't normally notice that sort of thing, it must be a Cog thing.

  "Alright, let's get drunk!" I shouted excitedly, raising my fist in the air. Even though I don't like alcoholic drinks.

  Along the way, I noticed how many faces were looking at me with a combination of fear, disgust, or distrust, but that wasn't a cause for concern because I was busy thinking about what I was going to order at the bar.

  Upon arriving at the Rustbucket bar, I was greeted with the same cozy atmosphere as always, the bar covered in planks and wooden furniture, giving the place a rustic aesthetic. This time there was country music instead of the soft rock that usually plays in the background. I personally prefer heavy metal, but I can’t be bothered to object.

  The bartender wasn't there yet, so we settled into the stools while we waited and got back to our conversation.

  "So, Cacto," Saul leaned on his arm on the counter, "did something happen? Why do you seem a little altered besides the transformation?"

  “What happened is that…”

  My voice was suddenly cut off; something seemed to be rising up my throat like vomit, until a voice that wasn't mine could be heard.

  “That's none of your business, vermin!”

  "This wretched thing has already begun to manifest itself beyond my mind!" I grumbled.

  "Excuse me?" Saul asked, startled.

  “Cog thing, voice-to-text or some shit.” I made up an excuse on the spot, hand behind my head.

  "Look, as long as you don't kill anyone, I'm fine with it," Saul shrugged, but his lapis-colored eyes remained fixed on me.

  We then talked about everyday things, such as the results of the last game of neo-hockey, what it's like here in Gearopolis, and other things, until the bartender finally showed up.

  It was none other than Steel, wiping a glass with a cloth as he left the storage room.

  "Hello. The same as always, Saul?" he asked in a voice that suggested he already knew what he was about to hear.

  Saul grinned with an almost wicked look. "Give me the strongest beer you have!"

  "Coming up." Steel sighed. "And the lady here would be Aubrey?" He cleared his throat. "Sorry, I mean Cacto. Your sister asked me to call you that."

  “No problem” I was getting used to it. “A glass of Sprint, please”

  Steel then grabbed a bottle of what appeared to be carbonated urine, poured it into a mug much larger than usual, and gave it to Saul, who immediately began drinking. While he was preparing my glass, he asked me:

  “So, young lady, I heard that the transformation is proving stressful for you.”

  “That's right, Steel. Headaches, physical changes,” a chill ran down my spine, “hallucinations…”

  "I understand, it reminds me of my experience right after getting out of that hell, but that's a conversation for another day." After pouring my drink, he bent over to pick something up from under the counter. "Your sister asked for my help to create something that could alleviate your problems."

  Steel then handed me a sort of headband with a steel plate and some red spikes similar to mine embedded in it.

  “Tell Lotus that I…”

  “Read the note.”

  And when I turned the band over a little, I found a folded piece of paper inside. When I opened the paper, I came across the following message:

  "Aubrey, or Cacto, my sister either way, this is a limiting device, tie it around your head and the pain will get better.

  What I said before still applies; the limiter's performance will worsen under stress, creating an opening for the evil that dwells within you.

  If you ever get overwhelmed by the world, I'll always be here at home with open arms."

  ~ Magnum Lotus

  Even though it might not seem like it sometimes, Lotus really cares about me, and in a world like this, that means everything to me . I think I'm going to cry…

  "Your sister worries a lot about you, just like me and your colleague here," Steel comforted me. "Be careful out there, especially with that pretty face running loose."

  “Thanks.”

  As I tightened the strap, I felt a hissing sound in my forehead, and as it dissipated, that voice also faded, its last words being:

  “Embrace your destiny…”

  Good riddance.

  Saul finally finished his mug, slamming it on the counter with a thud.

  "Those who go against ya are all a bunch of bigots... hic!" And he's already drunk.

  "Speaking of which…" Steel remarked, adjusting his glasses, "I called Leona a while ago. She should check on your condition."

  “Seriously? Out of all people, why her?”

  “She may have her quirks, but she's trustworthy. You need a lot of character to lead a brigade like hers.”

  Then someone flung the door open like a gunshot.

  "Cacto!" Leona shouted. "We're out of time, we have to go!"